The final day of training arrived cloaked in an oppressive stillness. A faint, unnatural haze clung to the air, whispering of the storm to come. The soldiers, worn and battered from the last four days, stood in a tight formation. Their uniforms were torn and dirty, a testament to the grueling ordeal they had endured. Despite their exhaustion, a quiet determination burned in their eyes.
Team Unknown stood before them, unmasked and unrelenting, their expressions unreadable as they surveyed the group.
Dr. Lewis emerged from the side, his face grim but composed. A small holoscreen flickered to life in his hands as he addressed the group.
"Day Five," he began, his voice carrying over the field like a cold wind. "The final day. What you've endured up to now has been preparation. Conditioning. Today is the real test. Today, you face what Team Unknown has endured countless times—the unrelenting chaos of battle against an unstoppable enemy."
The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, murmurs rippling through the ranks.
Dr. Lewis continued, ignoring the unease. "Five hours. That's how long Team Unknown held Clareo's borders against Hades' Wrath's Void-tainted forces. Five hours of hell. And today, you'll experience what they did. Not a simulation. Not a drill. But a test of your endurance, your abilities, and your will to survive."
With a flick of his wrist, the holoscreen displayed the terrain ahead. A sprawling, desolate battlefield littered with broken structures, jagged cliffs, and ominous pits. But it wasn't the terrain that drew gasps from the soldiers—it was the figures moving within it.
Dozens of monstrous dummies—replicas of Void-tainted beasts—lumbered through the fog. Their glowing forms pulsed with eerie energy, and their hulking silhouettes exuded malice.
"These are Void replicas," Dr. Lewis explained. "Designed to mimic the speed, strength, and unpredictability of the real thing. They won't kill you… but they'll make you wish they had if you're careless."
Bo spoke first, his tone calm but ice-cold. "This isn't just about surviving. It's about holding your ground. The enemy doesn't care if you're tired, scared, or broken. Neither do we."
Riggs stepped forward, his tone sharper and edged with humor. "You'll use everything—your training, your abilities, and whatever shred of creativity you've got left. Hold the line for five hours, or fall trying. Either way, you'll know what it means to stand in the shadows with us."
The soldiers tensed, their breaths quickening.
Dr. Lewis gestured toward the battlefield. "Positions. Clock starts when the first Void touches the line. Move!"
The soldiers scattered into the field, their movements a mix of urgency and dread. Serra, her golden eyes sharp with determination, took command of one flank.
Her light-based abilities shimmered faintly around her hands as she shouted, "Snipers, take high ground! Shields, form a perimeter! Everyone else, hold the middle!"
On the opposite side, Kieran led the second flank. His earthy brown eyes were fierce as he barked, "Abilities on standby! Don't waste energy on blind attacks. Wait for my signal!"
The Void dummies advanced, their glowing, soulless eyes cutting through the mist. The first one lunged forward with terrifying speed, a guttural roar splitting the air.
"Incoming!" Serra shouted.
A shield-bearer stepped forward, his power manifesting as a shimmering, translucent barrier. The Void-tainted beast slammed into it with bone-crunching force, sending vibrations rippling through the ground. The shield held, but cracks began to spiderweb across its surface.
"Reinforce it!" Serra commanded, firing a bolt of light from her palm. The blast struck the Void, staggering it.
Nearby, another soldier with the ability to manipulate electricity lashed out, a crackling whip of lightning snapping around the neck of another Void-tainted beast. The creature writhed but lunged forward, forcing the soldier to retreat.
"Stay mobile!" Serra yelled.
On the opposite flank, Kieran's team faced their own onslaught. A soldier with pyrokinetic abilities hurled a fireball at a charging Void-tainted beast, the flames engulfing it in a blazing inferno. But instead of falling, the creature barreled through, its scorched body emitting an unholy shriek.
"Fall back! Regroup at the trench!" Kieran ordered.
Another soldier raised his hands, summoning glowing mana threads that shimmered faintly in the air. With a flick of his wrist, the threads lashed out, tangling around the replica Void-tainted enemy's limbs. The creature thrashed violently, but the threads held firm, restricting its movements.
"Don't let it up!" Kieran barked, pulling the soldier back before another Void-tainted beast lunged at him.
Sweat poured down the soldier's face as he gritted his teeth, reinforcing the threads to tighten their grip. The Void-tainted beast roared in frustration, collapsing as the mana lines constricted it into submission.
The wind picked up around Kieran as a third soldier joined the fray, his ability manipulating gusts to deflect debris and disorient their enemies. The team held their ground, but the strain was beginning to show.
On the observation platform, Team Unknown watched in silence. Ember's fiery gaze swept over the battlefield, his voice low. "They're unraveling."
Valens stood beside him, his tone colder. "But some are starting to think. That's the only reason they're still standing."
Bo nodded slightly. "There's potential. A few of them are finding ways to push past the fear."
Riggs leaned against the railing, the faintest grin on his face. "That thread guy's got guts. Still clumsy, though."
As the battle dragged into its fourth hour, exhaustion seeped into every corner of the battlefield. Abilities flickered and dimmed as the soldiers' energy waned, but they pressed on.
One soldier stumbled as a Void-tainted beast slammed into his hastily erected barrier, sending him skidding back across the dirt. The shock from the impact coursed through his body, and his knees buckled under the strain of maintaining control over his ability: kinetic absorption.
Bo's voice cut through the chaos, sharp as a blade. "Redirect it! Don't let the force go to waste!"
"I can't!" the soldier gasped, his hands trembling as the Void slammed against the barrier again. Energy rippled around him, his body struggling to contain the accumulating power.
"You can," Bo said firmly, stepping closer. "Fear's the only thing stopping you. Push through it. Control the flow, and hit back twice as hard."
With a desperate scream, the soldier focused, redirecting the absorbed energy outward. A concussive blast erupted from his barrier, slamming into the Void-tainted beast and sending it hurtling backward. The creature collapsed in a heap, its struggles ceasing as the redirected force left it motionless.
On Serra's flank, the shield-bearer faltered, falling to one knee as his energy gave out. A Void-tainted beast charged, its claws raised for a killing blow—only to be knocked back by a gust of wind.
The soldier responsible stumbled forward, his hands trembling, but his jaw set with determination.
Fon's voice boomed from the edge of the field. "Good. Now finish it!"
By the fifth hour, the soldiers were nearly broken. Blood and sweat mingled with the dirt beneath their feet, and every breath felt like fire in their lungs.
The Void dummies surged in one last wave, their guttural roars drowning out the soldiers' cries. Serra and Kieran's teams, though battered, stood firm.
Abilities flared in one last desperate push—bursts of fire scorching the advancing Void dummies, and glowing mana threads entangling the creatures' limbs to slow their charge.
One soldier braced himself, his ability flaring as a Void-tainted beast slammed into him. He absorbed the incoming kinetic force, energy rippling through his body.
With a roar, he redirected the stored power, sending the creature hurtling back into its allies, creating a brief opening for his teammates.
At the center, another soldier crouched low, projecting a shimmering barrier of light that blocked the claws of two Void-tainted beasts. Beside him, a comrade lashed out with crackling lightning whips, wrapping them around a Void-tainted beast's neck and jerking it to the ground.
The soldiers fought with everything they had, their combined abilities creating a chaotic symphony of resistance. Despite their fatigue, they refused to yield, forcing the Voids to slow, falter, and eventually crumble.
And then, as suddenly as it began, it was over.
The whistle blew, and the Void dummies froze. The battlefield fell silent, save for the soldiers' ragged breathing.
Dr. Lewis descended onto the field, clipboard in hand. His gaze swept over the exhausted figures before him.
"Five hours," he said, his voice carrying over the silence. "You held for five hours. Some of you barely stood. But you made it."
Ember's fiery gaze burned into the soldiers. "Surviving isn't enough. Remember that."
Valens added coldly, "You fought better than expected. But you're still far from ready."
Riggs smirked faintly. "That's the closest thing to a compliment you'll get."
Dr. Lewis nodded. "Training is over. Dismissed."
The soldiers collapsed where they stood, too drained to move. But amidst the exhaustion, a faint spark of pride glimmered in their eyes.
They had survived Team Unknown's hell. For now.