Chapter 5: Echoes of the Past.

The sound of boots hitting gravel filled the air as Ava, Lucas, and the cadets disembarked from their vehicles. The ruins of the once-thriving city loomed ahead like skeletal remains, the wind howling through broken windows and crumbled walls. Ava immediately gestured for the team to fan out into a 360-degree security formation.

"Cadets, defensive positions," Ava called out, her voice firm. "This isn't a casual stroll. Stay sharp."

Callie, despite her nerves, was the first to react. She unslung her rifle with steady hands, scanning the perimeter with the kind of focus that Ava noticed right away. She moved with precision, taking a defensive position that allowed her to cover the approach from the east, her eyes sweeping the decaying structures. The other cadets hesitated, momentarily lost in the eerie beauty of the ruined city.

Ava's sharp tone snapped them back to the task at hand. "Now, cadets! Defensive positions!"

The urgency in Ava’s voice shook them from their stupor, and they scrambled to follow Callie’s lead, awkwardly setting up a perimeter around the vehicles. The ancient city, though seemingly abandoned, carried an unnerving sense of presence, as though unseen eyes were watching from every shattered window and darkened alley.

Lucas, trying to diffuse the tension with his usual levity, grinned as he adjusted his pack. "Blondie, we're not exactly storming a fortress here."

Ava gave him a look, the kind that said, *don’t push it*. "Lucas, training or not, we maintain discipline. We’re beyond the wire, and I don’t like the feel of this place. There could be hostiles, squatters, or worse hiding in these ruins."

Recognizing the seriousness in her tone, Lucas cleared his throat, shifting gears. "Alright, you heard her, cadets. This isn’t a sightseeing tour. Stay alert, stay alive. Let's not take any unnecessary risks."

The cadets, visibly nervous but trying to mask it with professionalism, tightened their grips on their rifles and fell into their assigned positions. The weight of the ruins, the dark history that clung to every shattered stone, seemed to press down on all of them.

Once everyone was settled, Ava motioned for Lucas to join her off to the side. Her voice dropped to a more private tone as she glanced in Callie’s direction. "Lucas, why did you bring Callie along? I mean, I’m not complaining, but she seems... unsure of herself."

Lucas sighed, his gaze following Ava’s to where Callie stood, the young cadet dutifully covering their flank. "She’s had a rough time back at the academy. A lot of self-doubt, some of the other cadets have been giving her hell. I thought getting her out here, into the field with someone like you, might give her a boost. She looks up to you, Ava. You’re kind of a legend among the cadets, even if you don’t see it."

Ava raised an eyebrow. "Legend? I’m not sure if that’s good or bad."

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Lucas smirked. "Good, mostly. But legends have a way of inspiring, and she could use that. You’re living proof that it’s not about being perfect but about surviving and getting the job done."

Ava glanced back at Callie, watching the young cadet scan the ruins with cautious eyes. "Being a legend doesn’t stop bullets, Lucas. But if you think she’s ready for this, I’ll keep an eye on her."

"She’s tougher than she thinks," Lucas said, glancing up at the darkening sky. "I just hope the weather holds. We might have to cut this trip short if that storm hits."

Ava looked up at the gathering clouds, thick and heavy with the promise of rain and lightning. "Yeah, let's find some shelter before it gets any worse."

She gestured toward a sturdier-looking building off to the side, one that seemed to have withstood the test of time better than the others. "That one looks stable enough. It should give us some cover."

Lucas gave a nod and turned to the cadets. "Alright, gear up and move out. We’re heading to that structure."

As they made their way through the debris-strewn streets, the ruins seemed to close in around them. The city, once a bustling metropolis, now stood as a haunting reminder of the Great Cataclysm, its skeletal remains casting long, ominous shadows over the cracked pavement. The wind whistled through the hollow shells of buildings, carrying with it a faint, eerie moan, as if the city itself was crying out in its desolation.

Ava kept her eyes on the surroundings, her every instinct on edge. She had been to places like this before, and they always had the same unsettling feel—as if the ghosts of the past were still lingering, watching from the shadows.

"I always feel like someone’s watching in places like this," Ava muttered under her breath.

Lucas, walking beside her, gave a half-nervous chuckle. "That’s because places like this *are* haunted. Haunted by their history. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the people who died in the Cataclysm never left."

"Cheerful," Ava replied dryly, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "Let’s just grab what we need and get out before that storm rolls in."

Inside the building, Lucas began organizing their gear while Ava pulled Callie aside. The young cadet looked up, her eyes wide with a mix of excitement and apprehension.

"You did well out there," Ava said, giving Callie a firm nod of approval. "You held your position, kept your focus. That’s all I ask for out here."

Callie’s face brightened, her earlier nerves fading slightly. "Thank you, Ava. It’s... it’s just a lot to take in, being out here. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to keep up."

Ava smiled faintly, placing a hand on Callie’s shoulder. "You’re doing fine, Callie. You’ve got good instincts, and that’s half the battle. Just trust yourself—and keep learning. No one expects you to be perfect, but they do expect you to keep pushing forward."

Callie nodded, the weight of Ava’s words giving her a sense of confidence she hadn’t felt in a long time. "I will. I won’t let you down."

"I know you won’t," Ava replied, her tone reassuring. "Now let’s get inside before the weather turns this place into a mud pit."

As they entered the shelter, the oppressive weight of the ruins seemed to lift slightly, but the tension remained. Lucas set up a makeshift base inside, arranging the gear and gathering the cadets around for a quick debrief.

Outside, the wind began to pick up, and dark clouds rolled in from the horizon, casting the already desolate city in a deeper gloom. Ava glanced out the broken windows, her expression pensive.

"Not afraid of a little thunder, are you, Blondie?" Lucas teased, his grin returning.

Ava shot him a mock glare. "Not afraid, just cautious. Thunder’s fine. It’s the stuff that follows that I don’t like."

Lucas chuckled, shaking his head. "Always the practical one."

"Someone has to be," Ava replied, her tone light but her eyes sharp as she scanned the perimeter one last time.

As the storm began to rumble in the distance, the group hunkered down inside the building, the echoes of the past city whispering around them as they prepared for whatever lay ahead.