The sun blazed overhead, casting a relentless heat down on the open field, where Clareo's Aurum and Rubra rank soldiers stood at attention.
Team Unknown, clad in their Clareo black military uniforms and masked with their rank pins glinting, waited in formation, seemingly unfazed by the searing sun. There was an unspoken understanding between them—the day ahead would be rough for these soldiers, but this was no time for leniency.
Dr. Lewis stood by the side, surveying the field as he cleared his throat. "Alright, Team Unknown. Remember, we want to toughen them up," he said, casting a side glance at Ember. "That means no breaking bones, Ember. Keep it in check."
Ember gave him a wry smirk. "What, I don't even get to scare them a little?"
Dr. Lewis sighed, his face half-amused, half-exasperated. "Just... try not to traumatize them on the first drill." He held up a finger as if to stress the point. "They're here to learn, not to see their lives flash before their eyes."
Val smirked from under his mask, crossing his arms as he looked over at Ember. "Maybe they'll actually thank you for going easy on them."
Bo, standing nearby, stifled a laugh. "Yeah, somehow I doubt Ember knows the meaning of the word 'easy.'"
Ember shot them a mock glare. "Oh, trust me. I'll keep it educational." He raised his voice to address the soldiers who waited, already beginning to shift under the sun's intensity. "Alright, soldiers, time for the warm-up drill. This will set the tone for your day, so I suggest you keep up."
The soldiers exchanged nervous glances, murmuring to each other as Ember began pacing in front of them, his tone serious. "You'll be running sprints across this field, stopping only when you reach that tree line." He pointed far beyond the field to where a small grove of trees waited like a distant mirage.
A Rubra-ranked soldier near the front let out a low whistle, and a few others whispered expletives under their breath. They'd thought this would be more of a demonstration, not a physical trial from the get-go.
Ember ignored the murmurings and gestured toward Val. "Umbra over here will time you. When you reach the tree line, touch it, turn around, and come back. Each round, we'll cut the time shorter. Consider this your first test in endurance."
Aurum soldiers whispered nervously, while the Rubra-ranked ones seemed slightly more confident. One muttered to another, "How hard can a few sprints be, right?"
Val raised an eyebrow at the comment and shared a glance with Ember. Bo smirked and chimed in, "Just wait until we hit the second round."
With that, Ember gave a signal, and Val's voice rang out. "First round, go!"
The soldiers took off, the more eager among them rushing ahead, while others settled into a slower pace. They'd barely crossed half the field before a few began to lag, the heat sapping their energy faster than anticipated. By the time they reached the trees, many were panting, a few casting desperate looks back at the shade they'd left behind.
As they made their way back, Ember watched them with crossed arms, shaking his head. "Is that all you've got?" he called out. "This is barely a warm-up. Move it!"
When the first wave of soldiers returned, gasping for breath, Ember barely gave them time to rest before he barked the next command. "Round two! You've got less time to make it this time. Pick up the pace."
The soldiers' eyes widened as they realized Ember was serious. A few muttered choice words under their breath, and one Aurum soldier let out a disbelieving, "You've got to be kidding me."
Val smirked, watching the soldiers line up again. "He's not. You'd better get moving."
This time, there was less bravado as the soldiers took off. Each one seemed to push harder, some gritting their teeth, and a few giving each other determined nods as they sprinted across the field again. The field quickly turned into a gauntlet of sweat and aching muscles, the sun beating down on them mercilessly.
A Rubra soldier stumbled as he neared the halfway point, muttering under his breath, "This is insane…"
Riggs, watching from the sidelines, gave an amused chuckle. "Thought you could handle a little sprinting?"
The soldier shot him a desperate look, managing between gasps, "I didn't… realize… it'd be this bad…"
By the third round, most of the soldiers were visibly struggling, their movements slower, less coordinated. Sweat poured down their faces, and more than a few were swearing under their breath as they tried to keep up with the shortened time.
Ember's voice cut through the exhaustion like a whip. "You're supposed to be elite soldiers, not a bunch of rag dolls! If this is all it takes to bring you down, then you're not ready for the field. Pick. It. Up."
Val checked the stopwatch on his HUD and looked back at the soldiers. "Alright, fourth round. This time, I want to see everyone shave at least three seconds off their last time."
A few soldiers let out groans, others muttered complaints, but they lined up again, the fire of challenge gleaming in their eyes. Bo grinned as he watched them, nudging Riggs, his voice over the Mind Link. Think they'll make it?
Riggs snorted. They'd better. Or Ember's gonna eat them alive.
When Ember gave the go-ahead, the soldiers took off again, pushing themselves to the limit. Every grunt, every gasp filled the air as they forced their legs to move faster, their breaths coming in ragged pants. By the time they reached the tree line, half of them looked ready to collapse.
On their return, a Rubra soldier fell to his knees, chest heaving as he muttered, "I think I'm seeing double…"
Ember stepped up, looking down at him. "Seeing double already? Well, we're just getting started. On your feet."
The soldier forced himself up, muttering something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a curse. Ember just grinned, clearly amused. "Keep talking. Maybe it'll make the next round easier."
The soldier shot him a glare but bit back any retort, getting back in line with the rest.
Dr. Lewis watched from the sidelines, chuckling softly to himself as he observed the scene. Ember, he called over, his voice holding a warning tone over the Mind Link. Remember, we're here to train them, not run them into the ground.
Ember shrugged, calling back, They'll thank me for this later. Besides, they're holding up… sort of.
By the fifth round, even the most seasoned Aurum soldiers were panting, their faces flushed with the effort. The sun bore down on them without mercy, and as they ran, their bodies protested with every step. Ember's relentless taunts pushed them forward, their pride refusing to let them give up.
Val's voice rang out as he set the final time for the sprint. "Alright, this is your last round. I want every single one of you to push past your limits. No slowing down. Go all out."
Bo and Riggs exchanged a look, smirking as they watched the soldiers gather every last bit of strength, determination glinting in their eyes despite their obvious exhaustion.
When the whistle blew, the soldiers shot off like bullets, their bodies straining with the effort. They raced across the field, determination mixed with desperation. Ember watched with a satisfied grin as they reached the tree line and turned, sprinting back with a newfound burst of speed.
The first few crossed the finish line with heaving breaths, collapsing onto the ground in exhaustion. Others followed, each one dropping like stones, gasping and clutching their sides. The last soldier barely stumbled across the line before collapsing entirely, groaning, "I think I might actually die…"
Bo stifled a laugh, muttering to Riggs over the Mind Link, If they think this was bad, wait until Ember's got them doing close combat drills.
Ember, hearing this, turned to the soldiers, his voice filled with mock sympathy. "Feeling tired already? Good, because this is where we really start to push."
A collective groan echoed through the ranks, a few muttered curses filling the air. But despite their fatigue, none of them dared to quit.
Dr. Lewis stepped forward, his expression both amused and sympathetic. "Alright, Ember, maybe we can give them a short break before the next round."
Ember sighed, clearly not thrilled with the idea but nodding. "Fine. Take five. But don't get too comfortable. When we start again, we're cranking up the intensity."
The soldiers sank to the ground, many of them lying flat on their backs, their chests rising and falling rapidly as they tried to catch their breath.
One Aurum soldier muttered to his friend, "I thought we were supposed to be top tier… but I feel like a damn recruit."
His friend, equally breathless, managed a laugh. "If this is what they call 'light training,' I don't even want to think about 'intense.'"
Val smirked as he overheard them. "Oh, trust me. This is only the beginning."
The soldiers groaned collectively, some casting wary glances toward Ember, who was watching them with a gleam in his eye that promised far more grueling drills by the end of the day.
Dr. Lewis watched the scene unfold, shaking his head with a small, amused smile. This was going to be a long two days for the soldiers, but he knew they'd emerge stronger—or at least, a lot more cautious about their assumptions of Team Unknown.