[Next day]
"It's 5 AM, let's go.", I said while yawning.
"What a good morning to you too.", Arthur said sarcastically.
I got up from my bed and stretched.
The three other boys followed suit.
"So what are we doing today?", asked Venti.
"Body training as always.", I replied.
"Ugh, again?", said Nevera with a pained expression.
"Don't tell me you still haven't got used to it?".
"I just don't like running right after I get up."
"Well, you better get used to it and we're having joint today.", Venti said as we all stood in front of our bathroom doors.
"If it's joint, we should get ready and get to the classroom early. I have a bad feeling about today.", I said.
"Why?", asked Arthur, he seemed confused.
"I don't know, I just have a bad feeling about it."
"Let's hope you're wrong."
[After they finish bathing, they start dressing up.]
"I have to say, these black blazers are something else..."
"I can't believe how comfortable they are. You would think it would be uncomfortable."
"But then again, all of our clothes are comfortable."
"I mean, look at this white undershirt. It's very light and hard, it's made of some strange material."
"Our training weapons are also very comfortable to use. We don't need to worry about damaging them either."
"Poor junior grades are still using repulsion gloves."
"They need to hurry up and get a specialisation already."
"I agree."
We stepped out and were walking in the corridors. There were a lot of white boxes towards the end of the corridor.
"I wonder why they have all of this stuff here."
"It's weird."
"Must be some package from HQ."
Clad in black blazers, our uniforms, we headed to the general assembly area for today's assignments and body training.
"Morning." We greeted the Professor as we entered.
The joint training classroom was split into 4 levels in an ascending staircase like structure.
The first floor had the tables and the second floor had the meditation circles. The third floor had the bookshelves and the fourth floor had the post analysis screens.
The room we were in was the common room and it was open to all cadets.
There were 40 seats on each level of the classroom and 160 seats in total. 3 grades shared this space. Our grade was the Senior grade, we had with us, High-Junior grades and Mid-Junior grade cadets.
Class started with a brief lecture by the Professor on what we would be doing today.
"Today we'll be having joint body training. Now, you know how we always do this right?"
"Yes, sir", we spilt up into our units.
"Okay, so I've told you about this before, but today we're going to try something different."
"For today's joint body training, we're going to be having a battle royale."
"In other words, we're going to fight each other."
"A battle royale huh.", I murmured with a frown.
"Not in the mood today?", asked Arthur.
"It's not that, it just takes a lot of time."
"I'm sure we'll manage.", he said.
"I guess so."
The Professor winded up the short lecture and set the timer to 10 minutes. In 10 minutes the royale would begin.
"So who're we fighting first?"
"We'll take on the NightFox unit today", I said as I got up.
"What area will it be today?", Nevera asked.
"I don't know, I hope it's the Oasis."
"You really like that one huh?"
"Well, it is better than the Domains."
"Let's get going.", I said as I headed out of the classroom.
"To the force meditation circle."
We always had a little bit of prep time before the actual fight.
Usually, we would discuss what we needed to do to make sure we come out on top.
But today, I didn't really feel like talking about it.
I decided to sit down alone and think things over.
What was wrong with me?
Even with near perfect understanding of the mind, I couldn't decode what I was feeling.
I was one of the best cadets here, I had an amazing squad with reliable friends and I was amazed that I could still see them as friends after realizing that it was all based on electric signals and intangible feelings.
Most people would lose their minds and view interpersonal relationships as nothing but electrical signals and illusions. They weren't wrong. But it was necessary to delude ourselves into believing that our bonds were real.
Without that, we wouldn't have survived so far.
Soon 10 minutes passed. And it was time for the fight. We put on the repulsion gloves, repulse sensors and body armor.
25 of the Senior grade, 40 of the High-junior grade and 90 of the Mid-junior grade assembled in front of the Gate.
"Let's see..."
"So? what map is it today?"
The screen started the countdown. It was soon 0.
The area was...
"Shit. It's Skyrim."
"Oh no.."
"Come on!"
There were many voices of disapproval.
And those voices were justified.
Skyrim was the hardest map. According to 'Advent: The Origins of Demons', Skyrim was the place where the rumored malevolent shrine of Asmoedeus was.
The interface began. The Gate opened.
"Long long ago, There was a being…", the environmental effects turned on. I could feel the cold breeze that blew on those islands.
My lungs were delighted to breathe the air that blew among those islands. They felt crisp and new.
The map came into view. Chains of mountain sized islands, floating in the sky, connected by narrow vines and bridges of bamboo. Bright light that never failed to blind me and beautiful skies that captivated the soul.
I could now feel that I was in Skyrim, the opening lines were coming.
"He was a paradox of kindness and cruelty
He only interfered when he deemed it right
He could level mountains and shape summits
He could calm storms and charm hearts
This is where his mistake lies
Master it and you shall know
Where the it hides."
The opening lines were something I could never understand. No one among the cadets knew
who 'he' was and the Professor would refuse to answer.
The battle horn was blown and it was now time to fight.
The layout of Skyrim was very complex and difficult to traverse. Large islands floating in the skies at an altitude where most would be unable to breathe. We had to be grateful for our upbringing.
There was dense forest cover on each of the islands.
There were mobs as well, Drakenhounds and Wolfmonkeys were common dangers each cadet had to face. In the worst case, Skyrifts.
"Locations now."
"Using geolocation."
"Target NightFox found, they are spread over the 5th island."
"Okay, team. Objective is to eliminate NightFox and then turn it into a battle of survival until the zone closes in.", I said.
"Understood."
"Let's move."
We moved towards the 5th island, which was the furthest from our location.
"So I'll take point, Arthur will be guarding our rear, Nevera will be rotating positions and Venti will guard our flanks."
"Fine."
"No objections."
We moved towards the 5th island.
Soon, something was off.
"They're not moving, maybe they're hiding somewhere."
"Should we split up?", asked Arthur.
"I don't know, let's wait a little bit.", I said.
I sat down with my back towards a tree and kept my eyes open. I had to keep track of the movements of my comrades.
"I think I saw someone run past here."
"Where?"
"I didn't get a good look, but I think it was on the other side of this hill."
"Okay, let's check it out."
We headed for the hill and climbed up it.
"Whoever it was ran this way.", said Arthur.
"I don't see anyone..."
"Me neither."
Climbing this hill wasn't a tactical error at the least, we now had a wide range of vision.
"Maybe it was nothing after all.", said Nevera.
"Yeah, let's go."
"Wait, something's wrong."
"What?", I asked.
"Our sensors are picking up something..."
"Oh shit, you're right!"
"Where? location now!"
"Uhh…"
"They're underneath."
They got us.
I looked down.
The NightFox unit was ready to uproot this tree. The gloves shone blue, repulse was coming.
"Jump!"
We jumped away just as the tree was being pulled out.
"What the hell!?", I yelled.
"I told you there was something wrong, didn't I?", shouted Arthur. He was running ahead of all of us.
"Let's run!", said Nevera.
We ran as fast as we could to escape the incoming NightFox unit.
Stealth. A specialty of the NightFox unit. They knew that we would beat them in a head-on encounter so they decided to ambush us.
"The sensor is picking up 27 enemies up ahead... there's a dogfight!"
"Roger that."
We kept running.
"They're getting closer!"
"Shit!"
"We need to do something about them!"
"It's fine! if there's a dogfight ahead, let's just join in! the chaos will distract NightFox."
"Roger."
As the captain, I had to make critical decisions.
"Okay, here we go."
We ran into the dogfight.
"This is where I come in."
Venti took out a small bottle from his inventory.
"What is this?", Arthur was confused looking at little tetrahedron shaped grenade.
"Force suppressant."
"What?"
"It's a very specific type of explosive. Designed to shut down repulsion gloves. Throw a smoke grenade after I throw this."
"You idiot we're nowhere in range for it to work!"
"I know, but it's worth a shot."
"If it'll help us get out of this alive, then it's worth it."
"I can't believe this will work...", said Nevera.
"Well it will or else we're dead."
"Okay..."
"I'll throw it now."
He threw the bottle and as he said, it exploded.
"Now!"
Arthur threw a smoke grenade.
We ran out of the smoke cloud.
There were 3 different units battling it out here. MadDoctor, FatRat and SoulCat. Three different grades.
"Did we lose them?", asked Venti.
"No, their sensors are still tracking us."
"How are they doing that?", asked Arthur.
"I don't know, but they are."
"We need to take care of them."
"Venti, is the EMP ready?"
"Yes."
"Then, let's go."
We headed towards the other 3 units.
"The enemy is approaching."
"Who?"
"They're coming from the south."
"Wait someone's coming out of the smoke!"
"Whoah"
They didn't expect us. Little do they know that we aren't here to fight. They'll probably panic and engage but it'll be unit NightFox that'll bear the brunt.
"Don't attack them!", someone from the MadDoctor yelled
"What are you saying? they're attacking us!"
"Just let them pass through."
Looks like he saw through our plan and decided to co-operate.
"Venti. EMP now!"
With a strange sound, the EMP turned on and did its job.
"Nicely done."
All electronics within a 100m radius were forcefully shut down. Ours was the only one unaffected.
[Unit MadDoctor wishes to form an alliance with you. Accept?]
Oh? They had an EMP blocker prepared.
A smirk appeared on my face.
"Accept."
We passed through without difficulty, MadDoctor held out and let us pass.
NightFox was in real trouble now.
"We have to move away from here."
"Roger."
"Let's go."
We moved towards the center of the island.
All we had to do now was wait for the message to appear.
[Bounty complete, NightFox Eliminated. Assist by MadDoctor.]
"Objective complete, let's hide now."
"Understood."
We went to a safe spot and hid there.
"There's no point in trying to get back into the fight now."
We hid among the trees in the forest of the 12th island.
Above our island was the Skyrim temple.
"Only 5 units have ever been up there huh?", Venti pondered.
"Yeah, I honestly don't know how they got up there..."
"Leave it, it isn't necessary. Stay alert.", I said.
"Actually, Aether."
"What?"
"Why don't we try to go up there?", Nevera suggested.
"There's a lot of time and units left too."
"But.."
"Come on just think, our unit will increase that number to 6 and there's a special award for the units who go up there, you know what that is?"
"A spot in the 12 Shades.", I said.
"Yeah, so let's do it!"
Realizing that they wouldn't give up, I accepted.
We formulated a plan.
Arthur and I would tie a rope around the trees here and pull them down at an angle.
Once that happens, Venti joins in and assists in holding it down while Nevera mounts the tree.
We then launch him up to the island.
"Ready?"
There was a small change.
I was the one being launched.
"Fire!"
The trunk sprung forward and I was launched up.
I could see the island getting closer.
"Shit."
I braced myself.