The morning sun peeked over the horizon, illuminating the Capital and its spire of marble and steel, as if it were a beacon of hope that pierced into the heavens itself.
Beneath its South-eastern front sat the Hall of Dawn, built of pure marble and a noticeably refined stone. Its grounds functioned as a form of estate — acting as the exclusive property and seat of power for the ever-so-acclaimed Phantoms, exuding a constant quiet and subtle power in humanity's existence.
The corridors — draped underneath the overhanging roofs of the surrounding buildings — openly morphed into the dirt and gravel field, which they so consciously named a 'training ground.' To separate the two were stretches of elegant and tall arches, all having a metal railing in the middle, yet notably not on the sides to connect each other.
In the western half stood a building, which — if not placed beside the gargantuan tower — would appear incredibly large in its own right, resembling that of a grand cathedral. This was the main hall.
The interior, however, was kept empty and sparse besides the large rows of bleachers that lined the western and eastern walls; all save for a thin section to the north.
It was in that same auditorium did many trainees gather, standing in a disciplined row as Sir Vaelis marched before them - slowly stroking his hand against his chin, sweeping his eyes across the students.
"Cadets," his voice boomed with authority, "This exact day marks your full year undergoing the training regiment here at the academy. Today, you shall choose the weapon to serve you in battle. It will act as an extension and catalyst for the training you've undergone. I urge you to choose wisely, as it very well could mean life or death."
Vaelis gave a brief pause, as if allowing his words to sink further in. A deep chill ran throughout each one of the cadets' spines, a hint of nervousness permeating their faces. "I will call you up by name. Once you hear your own, step forward and pick from the selection."
The air was thick with anticipation as he slowly unfurled a scroll. "Acher," he called out.
Quickly did a young, sturdy boy move forward - his short hair a golden blonde as his eyes shone of a similar color. His eyes briefly scanned across a large wooden table, examining the vast selection of weapons, before confidently lifting a large silver glaive.
He gave a respectful nod towards Vael before returning to his place in line.
"Vera," he continued.
One by one did the names get called, all selecting various weapons over a vast amount of certainty and skill, until finally, after what felt like an eternity, Vaelis laid his eyes on the final cadet left. "Nyx," he called out, voice steady and clear.
A skinny and seemingly cold-appearing young boy took a disciplined step forward, face calm and eyes striking. His dark hair was short in length, and his eyes nearly appeared the same as glistening bits of jade.
As he approached the table, he immediately began to examine every remaining weapon left. He paused for a brief moment, before grasping and hefting a rather weighty spear and churning to face Vael.
The old man gave a slight nod, before turning and addressing the cadets as a whole. "Your weapon is your path to survival. It is a bond like no other. Learn to master it throughout your first mission. You will need it."
It was then a notable shift in tone spread throughout the room.
"You heard me-!" His voice boomed, as if trying to taunt them with fear. "In an hour, you'll join the Epsilon Phantoms in securing a nearby town to the south-east. You'll mostly be there functioning as support in the event of an emergency, though active field duty will no doubt separate the soldiers from the weak either way."
Briefly did he clear his throat; "Again- you have one hour to prepare yourself. Please make it count. When your done, gather at the rift."
* * *
Beneath one of the arches, Nyx leaned against the metallic railing, peering out the other cadets in his Unit train out in the field. As dust began to be kicked up in the air, his vision grew worse over time.
And yet, he appeared to pay it no mind in the slightest. Instead, he slightly bit at his lip, and his fingers rhythmically tapped against the railing.
"Hey, Nyx, What's wrong?" A soft, gentle voice called out to him. As he turned, he was greeted by his friend, Silas, slowly approaching still with a bow in hand.
"Nothing," Nyx let out a slight chuckle, "I'm just thinking.
He opened his mouth as if to respond, though quickly shook his head and changed the subject. He knocked his hand against Nyx's shoulder, pointing out towards the grounds. "We'll finally get to see how our unit does in actual combat!"
While Nyx wasn't as excited as Silas, he very quickly knew exactly what - or in this case who - he was talking about.
Without even needing to follow his finger, Nyx could tell he was pointing towards the two shining stars of the class; the best cadets the Commission has ever seen in its 100-year-long history, with them already comparable to full-fledged Phantoms.
Rei and Seren.
Seren was positioned near the center of the field, wielding a rather elegant and slim pistol he obtained from the selection, seemingly adorned with gold and silver patterns etched into its barrel. The hammer protruded like a metal spike, threatening to cut into his hand with every bullet he shot.
He himself looked just as elegant as the gun he wielded - Short and ever so slightly curled grey hair shifting off to the side, and noble eyes which resembled that of the cloudy sky.
Every shot he took with the gun was done with an indescribable amount of skill and finesse, nearly every bullet hitting dead-on the head of the target before him. Every step he took and move he made had an underlying purpose - everything he did was cold and calculated. In other words, it appeared that he never made mistakes.
On the other hand, far off in the back corner of the grounds was Rei, giving her spear a swift twirl with grace and elegance that spoke of familiarity, thrusting and swiping at imaginary foes before her.
Similar to Seren, not a single movement was wasted as she trained, her deep red eyes seemingly examining every possible detail before taking the slightest action as her short, snow-colored hair gently swayed with refined dignity.
Quite interestingly, the two donned the standard apparel for cadets — the same as everyone else — with only one exception.
For Seren (along with other male trainees), it consisted of a dark base of clothing, being covered by a mostly blue vest of metal and a brown boiled leather — the bulk of the plating shifting towards the user's dominant hand. Loose bits of similarly colored blue cloth dripped out from many small crevices and seams, though not long enough to distract or restrict movement.
The ends of the vest gradually shift into something more along the lines of a cloak or mantle, though typically ending a bit below the hip. They also gave blue cloth on the back which could be raised into a hood. The arms were guarded by the same leather and metal combination mentioned before, protecting the forearms and shoulders from harm.
The female outfit was nearly identical to the male besides the lower half. Whereas the ladder had long and outstretched black trousers, the ladies were given traditional bell skirts — thin metal rods and lines following down to give support and shape, occasionally bulking out into a crest and interlocking with each other. Extra plating of metal and leather is provided for both counterparts around their knees and above, using cleverly articulated plates to allow for more movement while in combat.
All of that is quite ordinary, but the exception comes in the form of Rei's attire. Instead of the traditional blue of the uniform, hers is a notable gray, making her appear less like a cadet and more like a killer.
"If those two fought, who'd win?" Silas playfully exclaimed, placing his hand up to his mouth. "My money's on Rei."
Nyx gave a slight chuckle before responding, "That's only natural, I suppose."
He had heard the rumors, of course, but had never seen it in person. Rei had apparently already awakened.
The only way to awaken one's power is to fully connect to the Weave. None know fully what it even is, but it's known that it can only be reached once you've met complete and total desperation in the face of a Terror.
Only on the verge of death can one awaken.
If Rei has already connected to the Weave, then that means she's already seen death itself. She already knows the terror of a Terror.
"I guess it depends on what it is." Silas murmured, "If her power can't compete with a gun, then it won't be much of a competition."
Nyx gave a subtle nod. Despite being in the same cadet unit as her, no one knows the extent of what her power offers her. All they know is that it exists.
It's that same undetermined variable which gave Nyx a sinking feeling in his chest.
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- | Information I can share thus far | -
In order to maximize combat efficiency, Phantom cadets train with a vast assortment of weapons, though choose only one through final selection to use as their own. They're highly encouraged not to choose based off of firepower and effectiveness, but rather comfortability in its use to allow for easier and faster movements in combat. Terrors, for the most part, aren't slain by a single soul, but rather a whole team. In this scenario, mobility and quick decision making is far more important than raw strength alone.