"Cassandra, can you identify any of them on higher ground?"

Cassandra, with her massive weapon resting on the ground, began scanning the battlefield with her eyes, searching for Bakus positioned at an advantage.

"Ty, I count at least ten of them on higher ground," she replied firmly.

As he observed the chaotic movements of the students, Custer noticed, as he had expected, that the team had fragmented into several small groups. What he had not expected, however, was for one of the groups to demonstrate such cohesion, acting as a unit centered around a single leader, with no internal conflicts and everyone focused on a common goal.

"This is a surprise," he thought, intrigued.

"Colleagues," Tyrin's voice rang out firmly, "I would like to suggest the turtle formation. Does anyone here not know how to do it?"

"We know!" came the unanimous response.

Custer, fascinated, continued to observe the small group of no more than twenty people, impressed by their organization and efficiency. In contrast, he felt disappointed with the other students, who, despite knowing their actions were futile, kept trying to attack the enemies indiscriminately, as if luck alone could bring them victory.

"Cassandra, shoot those ten you identified. One of them is the one we're looking for."

"Understood."

At the center of the formation, composed of boys wielding massive shields that blocked the enemy's advance, Cassandra, from a higher vantage point, began firing with surgical precision.

"Hold your positions! With your lives, if necessary!"

The twenty members of the group fought valiantly, protecting Cassandra with their backs as she relentlessly fired at the Bakus. Each shot hit its mark, leaving no doubt that Cassandra wouldn't miss.

It didn't take more than a minute for her to finally shout:

"I hit the bastard! At six o'clock!"

"Perfect. Now, let's fight! Ahhhhhhh!"

With a chainsaw in hand, Tyrin charged furiously, slicing through the muscles and tendons of the green beasts that seemed ripped from a nightmare.

"Kill them all! Focus and strength! Survive! Ahhhhhhhh!"

The battle stretched on for over forty minutes. Because they had chosen shields as their main defensive weapons, the members of the formation were limited to short, lightweight swords or similar weapons, which made eliminating the Bakus even more time-consuming. But in the end, the fight was over.

"Gentlemen," declared Custer in a severe tone, "out of nearly a thousand, just over two hundred of us remain. I think that's enough for today. I don't need to say which group won, do I? Let's go."

Of the twenty members of Tyrin's group, only six remained. Even Cassandra, in the end, had abandoned her massive weapon to join the formation and prevent it from falling apart.

Back in the classroom, the students were exhausted. Although they hadn't actually sweated or bled during the simulation, they felt every pain, every blow, as if it had all truly happened.

After a few minutes of silence, Custer, with a watchful gaze, ordered:

"Tyrin, come here. Explain to the class why you fought the way you did. Why did you let your grup be surrounded and, most importantly, why did you instruct Cassandra to focus solely on the Bakus on higher ground?"

Despite their fatigue, the students fixed their eyes on Tyrin as he climbed the podium next to the professor. The curiosity was palpable, and even Custer seemed eager to understand the young commoner's choices.

"Well," Tyrin began, adjusting his posture, "according to the scribes' records, in the Battle of the Pulpit in 10,324 of the Emperor's calendar, the Astras, despite being outnumbered, chose to wear down the Tyranos by using the terrain to their advantage."

"Tyrin, the Astras lost that battle," Custer interrupted sternly.

"Yes, they lost. But they were facing the Tyranos, a superior enemy. The strategy, however, was sound. And I believed it would work against the Bakus, who, while strong, have clear weaknesses."

"I see. Continue."

"In the last battle for humanity's survival, which we won, the Emperor led his entire army into a dead end. At the time, many thought it was madness, but he argued that a soldier's greatest motivation is to return home to their family. He left his men with only one option: to fight. That inspired me to make choices that seemed risky but were grounded in reason."

"Marvelous," said Custer, impressed. "But what about the turtle formation? You sacrificed your entire platoon for a gamble. What if you had been wrong?"

"Like in the Battle of the Pulpit, I understood that choices must be made. I chose to trust the strategy. It made sense."

The students listened attentively. Even Tyrin's most controversial decisions seemed, somehow, logical.

"Very well. In theory, decisions like yours show up in strategy games. But in practice, with lives on the line, most fail. I look forward to seeing how you fare in future battles. Welcome to my class. Survivors, return next week. Those who failed will need to take a new test. Dismissed!"

"Holy crap, Ty, you're amazing! You managed to impress General Custer! But how did you know he was in the Battle of the Pulpit?" Cassandra shouted, excited.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"What do you mean, Cass? I don't understand.""

"Seriously? You didn't know? He was the commander in that war!"

"But didn't that happen like 300 years ago?"

"Humm... You really don't know why most nobles prefer to serve instead of living a quiet life on their planets?"

"Isn't it because of the Federation decree?"

"Yes and no. Some nobles can easily bypass those laws. But they're all after one thing: drinking from the Source."

"The Source? What's that?"

"I don't know much about it, honestly. But they say that whoever drinks from the 'Source' can live for centuries as if they were young."

"I see... I haven't studied that yet."

"Unbelievable! Hey, brother, come here! Can you believe Ty didn't know about the Source?"

"You're kidding, right? I thought he knew everything," Damian said, laughing.

"Shut up, both of you. I'm heading back to the dorm. See you next week?"

"Of course! Brother, let's go grab that bread from the city. I'm starving. See you, Ty."

"Oh, Ty, are you going to pick up your companion tomorrow?" Cassandra asked

"They've authorized it?"

"Duhhh! You should stay more informed. Anyway, starting tomorrow, you can retrieve your companion. I think they're opening access to Gargantua. Good luck. Later!"

Tyrin had many questions, but he chose not to bother the two siblings. For example, where could he access the news? Or, more importantly, what exactly was Gargantua? Even so, he somehow felt a mysterious connection that assured him his companion was safe. Perhaps it was this bond that kept him from worrying too much about their whereabouts. But now, knowing he could finally retrieve them, something deep inside Tyrin yearned desperately for the only companionship he had in this strange and cruel world.

Later, taking advantage of the absence of the only classmate who shared his dormitory, Tyrin went to the library. He found Gertrudes, who seemed to spend more time among the shelves than in her luxurious office. He decided she was his best chance to clear up his doubts.

"Gertrudes, sorry to bother you, but I have a few questions. Can you help me?"

"Tyrin, good evening. Of course, welcome to my palace of knowledge. What's your question? Would you like to read another book on warfare?"

"Actually, my question is simpler this time. But since I know so few people, I thought I'd ask you."

"Of course. Go ahead."

"Tomorrow, I need to pick up my companion, but..."

"Humm... Oh, right, tomorrow's the day! Time flies, doesn't it? Let me guess: you have no idea where to go, do you?"

"Yes... and no. I wanted to know about that, but I also wanted to understand what Gargantua is."

"Ah, now I get it. You're a commoner, so you probably haven't had access to certain basic knowledge. Well, I could explain, but I think it's better... Hold on a moment."

Gertrudes walked away and, after a few minutes, returned carrying three enormous books, which looked like extensive compilations.

"Here you go. In these volumes, you'll find all the information you're looking for. Enjoy."

Tyrin didn't need to read much to begin understanding, but he knew that to fully grasp Gargantua, he would have to devour all three books. Despite his recently developed ability to read faster, he only managed to finish the preface of the second book that night. Even so, the first volume already provided a broad and fascinating overview:

"So, ten thousand years ago, humans discovered this planet inside a black hole in the Aquila constellation. Is that even possible?"

As he read, Tyrin tried to process the enormity of the discovery. The word "singularity" appeared repeatedly, standing out as the key element. The planet Gargantua was absurdly large—large enough to be compared to medium-sized stars. This was only possible because the planet existed within the singularity of a black hole. The intense gravity compressed all matter at the center, preventing the planet from collapsing.

Gargantua had no life on its surface, but within its gravitational pockets, it harbored vast caverns filled with complete ecosystems. For reasons still unknown, these pockets included something resembling a sky, with day and night cycles.

"So, all companions are sent to this planet... But why?" Tyrin asked aloud, lost in thought.

"That's a question I'd love to answer. If I may," said Gertrudes, appearing behind him once again.

Gertrudes seemed to be carrying some books she intended to take to her quarters, but upon noticing Tyrin's curiosity, she decided to spend a few minutes clarifying his doubts—answers he would likely only find in the third book of the collection.

"Professor, if it's not too much trouble, I'd love to understand more about this," Tyrin said hesitantly.

"It's no trouble at all. In fact, this story is one of my favorites, and, coincidentally, it's part of next week's syllabus."

She placed the books on a nearby table and adjusted her glasses.

"Every noble family—and select harvests, like you—receives their companions. That, you've probably already noticed, haven't you?"

Tyrin thought for a moment. He had indeed noticed that everyone who had arrived with him on the ship had a companion, but he hadn't realized it was a universal feature.

"The fact is," Gertrudes continued, "the planets of the outcasts don't enjoy the best that the universe has to offer. It's a shame, but it's reality. However, among the nobles, there are companions that go beyond imagination. Beings so magnificent that they wouldn't fit in this library... or even in this village."

She paused, observing the growing curiosity on Tyrin's face.

"Now, let me ask you: how do you think they travel to other places, bringing along creatures so colossal?"

"They... don't bring them with them, do they?" Tyrin guessed.

"Yes... and no," Gertrudes replied with an enigmatic smile. "In fact, all nobles—and recruits like you—receive a medallion. This medallion has the ability to teleport their companions directly to their side. Don't ask me how it works; the technology is beyond my understanding. But the fascinating thing is that, with a simple command, your companion appears instantly, no matter where they are."

Tyrin's eyes widened.

"That's incredible. But how do they survive on Gargantua? From what I've read, the planet is extremely hostile. And if they die there, what happens?"

Gertrudes leaned slightly forward, her voice taking on a didactic tone:

"Excellent question. Every time a companion dies on Gargantua, part of the vitality of your bond is used to bring them back. This process allows them to revive at your side."

Tyrin furrowed his brow.

"So, if my vitality runs out... I die too, right?"

Gertrudes nodded slowly.

"Exactly. But don't worry. Your combat instructor will teach you how to steal vitality from the creatures you kill. It's a natural process in this universe. However, if your vitality hasn't diminished yet, it could mean that your companion is smarter than you think."

Tyrin grew thoughtful. Despite his companion still being in egg form—something that seemed vulnerable under any circumstance—he had never felt his vitality diminish. This realization intrigued him deeply. However, he knew that he would only find answers by rescuing his companion.

With his head full of questions and his heart restless, he decided to call it a day. He ate the simple meal that was always left in his room and lay down, determined to rest as much as possible. Tomorrow, destiny awaited.