After returning home, Exeo addressed his brothers with an unusually serious tone. "I need to talk to both of you about something important. Let's discuss it after dinner."
Ember and Val exchanged glances, nodding in agreement, and headed to their rooms.
Later, after a quiet meal, Ember and Val made their way to Exeo's study. Ember knocked, and they heard Exeo's voice from within. "Come in."
Once seated on the sofa, Exeo began, "First, congratulations, Val, on officially receiving your license." A rare, gentle smile crossed both Exeo and Ember's faces as they looked at their younger brother.
Val, a bit flustered, scratched his cheek. "Thanks… Even though we're keeping it all under wraps, it feels good to have it." He smiled back at them both.
Exeo coughed and grew serious again. "This brings me to something we need to discuss. You're aware our parents kept your abilities a secret, for a good reason. This world has its dangers, and some of those are hidden within our own country. Ember and I want you to know we're part of a team of assassins in the military, a group that operates… under the radar."
Val's brow furrowed. "Assassins?"
Ember nodded. "Yes. A team made up of skilled ability users like us. We work in the shadows, taking on tasks no one else is allowed to touch officially. Clareo—and other nations too—has had similar teams for a long time. We couldn't say anything until now, but that's part of why we think you should join us. The risks are high if you're exposed publicly."
Exeo continued, "We'd been planning to build a team even before you came along, but finding the right people was… difficult."
Ember added nervously, "Of course, if you don't want to join, that's totally fine. No pressure, really…" He raised both hands awkwardly, his usual confidence faltering.
Val chuckled, amused. "Brother Ember, this is the first time I've ever seen you nervous about anything!" He broke into laughter, and Ember crossed his arms, cheeks reddening as he huffed in embarrassment. Exeo just smiled, glad to see them all comfortable, even with the heavy subject at hand.
Val's laughter faded, and his expression grew thoughtful. He looked at his brothers. "So, is it just going to be the three of us on this team?"
Ember smirked. "Oh, you'll meet the rest tomorrow."
The following day, the three brothers headed to the military headquarters to meet the new recruits. Walking in formation, Exeo led the way, with Ember behind him and Val trailing closely. Each wore a black military uniform with the Bellator insignia and chained earrings on their right ear, while Val sported a newly awarded gold pin on his cloak.
As usual, their arrival caused a stir, and whispers followed them through the corridors. Ignoring the attention, Exeo guided them to the training grounds, where the two new recruits awaited.
"Wait here," Exeo said to Val and Ember, then continued toward the grounds to fetch the new recruits. Val and Ember headed to the nearby training room, where Val looked around with interest.
"I see guns here but no targets…" he remarked, glancing around.
Ember grinned mischievously. "I can be the target," he offered, pointing to himself with an exaggerated innocent expression.
Val made a face of pure disgust. "Ugh, no thanks."
"Hey! What's with that reaction?" Ember replied, feigning offense. "You think I can't dodge your shots? Or maybe…you just don't know how to use a gun yet," he said, smirking in a way that practically demanded a response.
Annoyed, Val picked up a nearby handgun and aimed at his brother. "Oh, I know how to use it!"
Grinning, Ember dodged the shots with playful ease, though a few grazed his arm, forcing him to pay closer attention. "Woah!" he thought as a bullet zipped past his right shoulder. Ember locked eyes with Val, both now sharing identical smirks.
As Ember dodged to the side, he grabbed a sword from the wall and began deflecting bullets, causing them to ricochet dangerously close to Val. Val ducked one that zipped past his head, shouting, "Hey!"
Ember shrugged with a smug smile. "What? You complaining?"
Val gritted his teeth, grinning. "I'll wipe that smirk off your face!" He was about to fire again when a voice over the intercom stopped him.
"Would one of you like to explain what's happening in there?" Exeo's voice sounded more amused than angry, but there was a warning edge to it.
Both froze, looking up sheepishly. Val scratched his cheek, hiding the gun behind his back. "Uh… nothing, brother! Just, you know, practice…"
"Take a look around you," Exeo replied, his tone dry. They glanced around and finally took in the wrecked state of the room, bullet holes lining the walls.
The two hunched their shoulders, exchanging silent apologies as Exeo sighed. "We'll be down in a minute."
With Exeo were two young men: a brown-haired boy with a cheerful, freckled face named Riggs and an icy blonde with pale skin and a nervous expression named Bo. Riggs had a confident, excited look in his eyes, while Bo, in contrast, seemed uneasy.
Exeo led them to the room and motioned for the recruits to step forward. Ignoring Bo's barely suppressed "eep!" of anxiety, Exeo addressed them. "We've recruited you both to join our team."
"YES SIR!" they responded in unison, both visibly nervous about interrupting Exeo. Val quickly looked away to stifle a laugh, while Ember sighed, clearly used to his brother's antics.
"As I was saying," Exeo continued calmly, "you're here to join a team of assassins. We picked you specifically to take on the… less conventional work."
Val, intrigued, leaned toward Ember and whispered, "Do you think they know what he means?"
"I think so," Ember replied, shrugging.
Val, still curious, turned to the recruits. "So, what are your names?"
Riggs, the brown-haired recruit, responded in a voice so loud it echoed. "I'm Riggs Lutio, Aurum Rank!" The three Bellators winced, covering their ears from the volume, while Bo flinched beside him.
Ember nodded to Bo, encouraging him to introduce himself. "I-I'm Bo Ashfelt, Aurum Rank…sir…" he said quietly, barely meeting their eyes.
All three Bellators exchanged amused looks, thinking, This guy might actually faint.
Suddenly, Riggs pulled a stick of gum from his pocket and popped it into Bo's mouth, ignoring his startled squeak. Almost immediately, Bo's demeanor changed entirely, his nerves melting away to reveal a steady, almost cold expression.
The Bellators looked on in shock as the once-trembling Bo now stood calm and composed, chewing the gum with a distant, listless gaze.
"Oh, um… the gum helps with my nerves," Bo explained, scratching his cheek as he finally met their eyes.
Val chuckled. "That's fine. Welcome to the team." Bo nodded quietly.
Exeo took over, his expression serious. "As I said, you'll be joining a team of assassins. Your records will be erased, which means if anything happens to you, there won't be any record of your death. We'll be operating off the books, and secrecy is everything."
Both recruits' expressions grew grave, understanding the weight of the mission. Exeo continued, "I know this is a lot to ask, and there's no turning back once you're in. Are you ready?"
The two recruits shared a look before standing tall. "Yes, sir," they replied firmly.
"Good," Exeo nodded. "Now, follow Val to Dr. Lewis's office to take your Mana Oath. Val, you can lead the way."
Val blinked, momentarily surprised, but nodded. "Alright." He motioned for the recruits to follow him and waved to his brothers as they left.
As they walked down the hall, Bo hesitated. "Um, why us? There are other Aurum users, some of them more skilled. They'd probably do anything to join this team."
Val glanced back, noting the hint of nerves returning to Bo's voice. "To be honest, I just found out about you guys last night. But my brothers don't choose just anyone, so I trust their decision. Whatever you bring to the team, they must have good reason for recruiting you."
They reached Dr. Lewis's office, where Val knocked three times before they heard his voice. "Come in."
Inside, Dr. Lewis motioned for them to sit, then took out a small box with green and black powder. "Place your left hands forward," he instructed. He smeared a pinch of the powder onto their hands, chanting quietly as the powder glowed and formed a seal that then faded into their skin.
"All done," he said. "Val, please stay. The rest of you are dismissed."
The recruits thanked Dr. Lewis and exited. Once alone, he handed Val a small box. "These are the custom-made gloves you requested. Just infuse them with your mana, and they'll help you manage both abilities."
Val accepted the gloves gratefully. "Thank you, doctor," he said, leaving with a nod. As he left, he felt a renewed sense of purpose, knowing his role in this hidden team was just beginning.