Kurosawa tossed and turned, the day's stress plaguing her thoughts as she slipped into a fitful slumber. Her mind drifted back to her home planet, a place that now seemed distant and hazy in her memory. She found herself alone in the middle of a dense forest, the towering dark trees casting long, twisted shadows all around her.
She walked between the trees, her footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence. The air was thick and cold, a sense of dread enveloping her. The shadows, normally her tool and shield, seemed to move of their own accord, slithering around her feet and whispering to her in a language only she could understand.
Then, a familiar yet out-of-place voice called out to her.
"Kurosawa..."
She froze, her heart pounding. It was the voice of a young child, one she knew all too well. Swallowing hard, she advanced toward the sound, her steps faltering.
"Kurosawa!" the voice repeated, closer now.
Finally, between the trees, she saw the figure of a little boy. Their eyes met, and a chill ran down her spine. It was her baby brother, the same innocent look she remembered, but with an accusing glint in his eyes. The shadows around her elongated and darkened, wrapping around him as if they were extensions of her own guilt.
"Why'd you do it?" the boy asked, his voice laced with pain. "What happened here was your fault."
The memory hit her like a cold wave. The image of water, her little brother struggling, and her...doing the unthinkable. The very shadows she could manipulate and control had become her worst enemy, a constant reminder of her action. Her heart raced, regret and fear enveloping her.
"I...I had no choice," Kurosawa whispered brokenly. "It was their fault, their incompetence. They left us with no options."
The boy took a step toward her, his piercing gaze unwavering as the shadows swirling around him seemed to come alive, moving in an unsettling manner.
"But you were the one who did it. You made the choice."
Kurosawa felt burning tears in her eyes. She wanted to explain, justify her action, but the words caught in her throat. She knew there was no excuse, that the weight of her guilt was something she would have to carry forever. The shadows closed in, whispering painful truths and enveloping her in a darkness that felt alive.
Before she could respond, a serene, melodic voice began to fill the air. The music intertwined with the sound of the wind through the trees, creating an almost magical atmosphere that started to dissipate the nightmare.
Kurosawa's eyes flew open, her breathing labored. She was in her bed, Reiko's soft singing voice drifting over from the other bunk. She turned her head to see Reiko sitting up, watching her with a concerned, compassionate expression.
"You were having a nightmare," Reiko said gently. "It seemed to really be tormenting you."
Kurosawa wiped tears from her cheeks, embarrassed by her vulnerability.
"I'm fine," she grunted gruffly, though her shaky voice betrayed her.
Reiko looked at her with understanding, not pressing her. Instead, she continued singing softly, filling the room with a warm sense of solace.
Kurosawa wrestled with the urge to rebuff Reiko's kindness. Finally, after a few moments, she relented and allowed the melody to envelop her, gradually easing the ache of her memories.
"Thanks," she mumbled gruffly.
Reiko gave her a small smile and nodded, falling silent. A comfortable quiet stretched between them, broken only by the morning sounds drifting in from outside.
Suddenly, a blaring alarm pierced the halls of the academy, shattering the tranquility. The shrill wail reverberated through the corridors, abruptly ending the morning stillness. Kurosawa started, bolting upright in bed with her heart pounding. Reiko was also on high alert, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger.
Mere seconds later, the door burst open and a bulky woman in Military uniform came stomping in. Her expression was severe as her eyes swept the room before landing on the two recruits.
"On your feet, recruits!" she barked in a booming voice. "You've got five minutes to get dressed and report to the training yard! Move it!"
Without waiting for a response, she spun on her heel and marched out, leaving Kurosawa and Reiko with racing hearts.
"Looks like training has begun," Reiko murmured, sliding out of bed with quick, efficient movements.
The shrill alarm blared through the academy halls, shattering the morning calm. Kurosawa and Reiko exchanged startled looks, both jolted by the piercing wail.
Outside, recruits began spilling from their rooms, some still bleary-eyed and disoriented. At one door, Takeru and Takemichi emerged, both wearing matching star and moon print pajamas. Takemichi rubbed his eyes while Takeru glanced around, clearly puzzled.
"What's going on?" Takemichi asked through a yawn.
Takeru shook his head, just as bewildered by the situation.
A few doors down, Dustin shuffled out looking grouchy. His hair was an absolute mess and dark circles shadowed his eyes. Zoran, his roommate, followed behind with a mocking grin.
"Well, well, looks like someone didn't sleep so well last night," Zoran taunted, clearly enjoying Dustin's discomfort.
Dustin shot him a withering glare but didn't respond. It was obvious Zoran had gotten under his skin during the night, knowing how much Dustin hated having to room with anyone.
Emerging last from the final room was Kai, already fully dressed in her military uniform with sword sheathed at her side. She looked utterly determined to start training.
Before they could proceed further down the hall, Kai stopped Reiko with a gentle hand on her shoulder and an amiable smile.
"Hey Reiko, just wanted to let you know I'm totally cool with the whole thing about your mom. We're pretty forgiving folks in Arcadia, and we've found a way to pardon her...so don't stress over it, okay?"
"Uh, thanks?" Reiko replied, sensing that if Kai truly didn't care, she wouldn't have brought it up at all.
Right at that moment, Wallace Everett appeared in the hallway, limping slightly but wearing a stern expression. All the recruits immediately snapped to attention upon seeing him.
"Alright recruits," Wallace's powerful voice boomed. "I hope you all rested well, because starting today, your real training begins..." He eyed their disheveled appearance. "I see you didn't have time to change, no matter for this practice session. But tomorrow you'd better be dressed and ready at this hour."
He paused, surveying the tired, confused faces before him.
"As you've no doubt noticed, Lieutenant Kaido is not present. He's had to attend to an emergency off-campus. But that doesn't mean we'll be wasting time. Today, we'll be focusing on the fundamental concepts of magic."
Some of the recruits exchanged nervous glances, unsure what to expect.
Wallace continued, "I know some of you already have experience, but it's crucial that everyone understands the basics before we move forward. Magic is not a game, and mishandling it can have catastrophic consequences. Now let me give you a more practical demonstration."
With that, Wallace pulled a cube from his pockets and tossed it to the floor. Upon impacting the surface, its top face projected a detailed hologram of the human body--muscles, veins, arteries, nerves and all.
"Magic is an inherent capacity of the spellcaster's soul, analogous to a muscle that must be trained and strengthened," he explained, manipulating the diagram with his fingers. "Just like physical strength, endurance or speed, one's magical ability depends on the level of preparation and development. However, unlike physical capabilities, magic is not a bodily capacity, but rather a reserve of spiritual energy that becomes depleted through use. An undertrained caster will quickly tire when drawing upon magic, as it's directly linked to their soul, draining their stamina and combat prowess."
Wallace continued lecturing on the fundamentals of magic as the recruits listened raptly. Kurosawa studied the holographic diagram with keen interest, memories of her own past experiences with magic resurfacing.
"As you can see from this diagram, the flow of magical energy channels through the body's energetic pathways, similar to the meridians in traditional medicine," Wallace pointed out. "Learning to control and direct this energy is key to mastering magic. You'll also need to learn the use of hand signs and how to ensure their effective execution."
Magic could be expelled in two ways: by forming signs with the hands, or by correctly vocalizing those signs (which came from the ancient origins of sorcery, where the ancients discovered certain signs and materialized them as hand shapes or words). However, even when using just the hand forms, incorrectly shaping them could lead to disastrous inability to properly expel one's energy. This is why many chose to utilize both the hand symbols and spoken signs to guarantee proper magic use.
Reiko raised her hand and Wallace gave her a nod to proceed with her question.
"Instructor Everett, could you explain how this energy flow relates to the different abilities we have?" she asked curiously.
"Excellent question, recruit," Wallace replied. "You see, although the source of energy is the same, the way it's manipulated and focused determines the type of magic performed. For instance, the Voice arises from very potent emotions anchored in the soul that, when highly stimulated, manifest physically as things like summoning rainfall or exerting direct control over water. On the other hand, more subtle, controlled emotions can result in more refined energy manipulation abilities like telekinesis or healing."
The recruits nodded, processing the information as Wallace expounded further. Kurosawa was lost in her own contemplations, recalling times she'd wielded her own magic and how her emotions had affected the outcome.
"The first step in learning to control your Voices is being able to sustain their use over an extended period without pause, just as running exercises the muscles. Prolonged magic usage strengthens the flow and command of it."
As Wallace delved into more details on training regimens and magic principles, Kurosawa drifted back through her memories and reflections. She remembered instances of unleashing her powers, fueled by rage, fear or desperation. She'd learned to rein in her abilities to a degree, but always wondered if she could do better - master her emotions to channel her magic more effectively and with precision.
Wallace's voice pulled her from her reverie.
"Recruits, we're going to do a practical exercise so you can experience firsthand how to channel your magic. Please pair up."
The recruits dispersed, seeking partners to work with. Kurosawa found herself locking eyes with Reiko, who gave her an encouraging smile.
"How about we team up?" Reiko suggested.
Kurosawa hesitated a moment, her natural aloofness making her reluctant to work closely with someone. But something about Reiko's friendly smile made her relent.
"Alright," she replied with a nonchalant shrug.
Reiko nodded, unfazed by Kurosawa's distant manner. She seemed to understand that was just how Kurosawa was, not taking it personally.
Meanwhile, across the yard, Ren Takagi found himself paired with Kai. The excitable young mage was brimming with enthusiasm at the prospect of practicing his magic.
"This is gonna be so awesome!" Ren exclaimed with a wide grin. "What do you think they'll have us do first? Summon spells? Fling fireballs?"
Kai fixed him with a serious look, clearly not sharing his over-the-top eagerness.
"I doubt we'll be doing anything that advanced just yet, Ren," she responded evenly. "We'll probably start with basic energy channeling exercises."
Ren gave a little pout but obediently nodded. As they readied themselves for the exercise, his gaze inadvertently drifted to Kai's pant leg and caught the faintest metallic glint. He blinked in confusion, squinting to look closer.
In that moment, a small, razor-sharp knife briefly peeked out from Kai's pant cuff before the recruit quickly concealed it. Ren's jaw dropped in disbelief at what he'd seen.
"Hey Kai...did you just...?" he started to ask, but was cut off by Wallace Everett's booming voice.
"Alright recruits!" the instructor called out. "Now that you're paired up, let's begin with the first exercise..."
Ren fell silent, unsure if he should mention what he'd witnessed or not. Kai shot him a stern look, silently warning him not to ask uncomfortable questions.
"Good, recruits. Now that you've gotten a feel for energy flow, we're going to complicate things a bit. The next exercise will involve maintaining that flow while executing a basic hand sign. The purpose is learning to split your concentration and improve control. The sign is 'Aka: Air.'"
Wallace paused, his eyes sweeping over each of the recruits with a severe, calculating expression.
"Today's exercise will be particularly demanding," he announced, his voice carrying across the yard. "Not only must you synchronize your energies, but you'll also have to perform the Aka hand symbol without vocalizing the spell. This is crucial for wielding magic silently and efficiently. Remember, in a combat situation, silence can mean the difference between life and death."
The recruits nodded, some showing trepidation, others determination. Wallace registered these reactions, swiftly evaluating each one's strengths and weaknesses.
"Bear in mind," Wallace continued, "this exercise isn't just a test of skill, but also of confidence and coordination with your partner. Magic flows best when there's a solid connection between casters. If you can't trust your teammate, you won't be able to wield magic properly."
Kurosawa and Reiko exchanged a weighted look, feeling the burden of responsibility. Ren and Kai also shared a tense glance, while Dustin and Zoran struggled to find a point of harmony amidst their simmering animosity.
Wallace raised his hands, demonstrating the intricate Aka finger pattern that required precision and focus. The recruits mirrored him, facing varying degrees of difficulty.
"Begin!" Wallace barked, his sharp eyes tracking every movement.
Kurosawa felt the energy stream from her hands into Reiko's, who returned it with a soothing flow. They formed the Aka sign in near-perfect synchrony, the swirling energy between them stirring a light breeze.
Ren and Kai also tried, though Ren strained to maintain focus, distracted by his nagging concerns. Kai guided him firmly, her determination unwavering.
In stark contrast, Dustin and Zoran floundered to coordinate. Dustin's energy was erratic, reflecting his emotional turmoil, while Zoran seemed to revel in the chaos. Wallace watched them with displeasure.
"Concentrate!" he barked. "If you can't control your energies, you'll never master magic! Dustin, calm your mind! Zoran, stop antagonizing your partner!"
Wallace's shouts echoed across the yard, but the recruits understood the gravity of the situation. Dustin squeezed his eyes shut, struggling to find tranquility. Zoran reluctantly stopped his taunting and tried to sync his energy with Dustin's.
Slowly, the energy flows stabilized. The pairs managed to hold the Aka sign with greater precision, and the breeze created by their channeled power began to intensify slightly.
Meanwhile, the Windriner siblings prepared. Takemichi, shy but possessing immense magical reserves, glanced at her outgoing, confident brother Takeru.
"Taki, remember, it's just synchronization," Takeru said with an encouraging smile. "We've got this."
Takemichi nodded nervously but trusted her brother's words. Together, they formed the Aka sign, their energies finding a natural balance. The gentle but steady breeze around them reflected their perfect synchronicity.
Wallace observed them intently, his critical gaze catching every detail. Finally, he stepped back and nodded curtly.
"This is only the beginning," Wallace's gruff voice rang out. "You've done well so far, but the real test starts now."
The recruits looked to him with a mix of anticipation and trepidation.
"The next trial will be a combat simulation," Wallace announced. "You'll be divided into teams and must work together to overcome a series of challenges. These won't just test your ability to wield magic, but also your capacity for teamwork under pressure. And let me warn you - if you fail, you could die."
Wallace's declaration landed like a lead weight on the recruits. The severity of his words left no doubt about the gravity of the training.
"Prepare yourselves," he said, his tone low but firm. "The trial begins in one hour. Make sure you're ready. And this time...come dressed for combat."