The air was electric with anticipation as the students gathered at the edge of the academy's massive simulated combat zone.
It was their monthly endurance test.
The field was a marvel of essence-fueled engineering, stretching as far as the eye could see, filled with towering obstacles, twisting corridors, and traps concealed in the terrain.
At the center of the preparation area, an instructor's amplified voice boomed over the chatter. "Today's tactical exercise will test your ability to adapt, strategize, and operate as a team. This is not just about individual prowess.
Coordination and clear communication will determine your success—or your failure."
Roland adjusted the straps of his equipment, his gaze fixed on the layout projected on the nearby holo-display.
The map showed a complex series of zones marked with hazards, including automated enemies and Abyssal creature simulations.
Each class had been assigned a starting point, with the objective to reach the finish line as quickly as possible while avoiding or neutralizing the threats along the way.
"This'll be fun," Cole said, his gauntleted fists clinking as he flexed them. His trademark grin was firmly in place, but there was an edge of excitement in his voice.
"Fun for you, maybe," Ian muttered. His hands fidgeted with the straps of his pack, his nerves plainly visible. "For the rest of us? This is just another way to get humiliated in front of the entire academy."
"Relax, Ian," Roland said, his tone calm but firm. "It's not about impressing anyone else. Just focus on doing your part."
Eva and Ava stood nearby, their matching katanas strapped to their backs. Eva's gaze was cool and detached as usual, but she spared Roland a brief glance. "He's right," she said. "If we can't function as a team, we'll fail before we even get to the first obstacle."
Cole snorted. "Yeah, because teamwork has worked so well for us so far."
Eva's eyes narrowed, but before she could retort, the starting horn blared.
"Move out!" the instructor barked.
The students surged forward, splitting into their assigned groups.
Class F started strong, their pace steady as they navigated the initial stretch of the course. The terrain was uneven, with jagged rocks and narrow paths that required careful footing. Roland took the lead, his eyes scanning for traps or signs of automated enemies.
"We need to stay close," he said, his voice steady. "The first hazard is up ahead—a series of tripwire-activated launchers. Stay low and follow my lead."
Cole, predictably, ignored the advice. "Come on, we don't have time to crawl around like ants!" he said, breaking into a sprint.
"Cole, wait!" Roland shouted, but it was too late.
The moment Cole's foot crossed an invisible threshold, a series of metal launchers sprang to life, firing small but sharp projectiles. Cole dodged the first two but stumbled as a third one whizzed past his shoulder, grazing his armor.
"Get down!" Roland barked, dragging Ian to the ground just as another volley flew overhead. Eva darted forward, her katana slicing through the nearest launcher with surgical precision.
The launchers deactivated, their essence-fueled mechanisms sparking faintly as they powered down.
"That was close," Ian muttered, his face pale.
"Too close," Eva said, glaring at Cole. "If you can't follow basic instructions, you're going to get us all killed."
Cole scowled, his usual bravado faltering under her icy stare. "Yeah, well, maybe you should try giving orders without sounding like a drill sergeant."
"That's enough," Roland interjected, stepping between them. "We don't have time for this. The longer we argue, the further behind we fall."
Eva's glare softened slightly, and Cole muttered something under his breath but didn't push further.
"Let's keep moving," Roland said, his tone leaving no room for debate.
The group pressed on, their movements more coordinated as they adjusted to the challenges of the course. They encountered automated enemies disguised as sentries, using their abilities and weapons to disable them without triggering alarms. Despite their rocky start, they began to find a rhythm.
But their progress was interrupted as they entered the next zone—a dark, cavernous area filled with flickering lights and eerie silence.
"What's the catch here?" Cole muttered, his gauntlets raised in anticipation.
As if in answer, a low growl echoed through the cavern. The sound was accompanied by the flicker of holographic essence, and moments later, a massive wolf-like creature materialized in their path. Its body shimmered with a mixture of essence and solid constructs, its glowing red eyes scanning the group with predatory intent.
"Simulated Abyssal creature," Eva said, her grip tightening on her katana. "Standard part of the exercise. Stay calm and follow the plan."
The wolf lunged, its movements unnervingly fluid for something made of light and metal. Cole met it head-on, his gauntlets colliding with its claws in a shower of sparks.
"I've got this!" he shouted, delivering a fiery punch to the creature's side.
But as the wolf staggered back, something strange happened. Its body flickered erratically, and its growls deepened into something almost too real. It lunged again, its speed and power far beyond what the simulations were supposed to allow.
"What's wrong with it?" Ian shouted, scrambling to avoid a swipe from the creature's claws.
"It's malfunctioning," Roland said, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the creature's movements. "Something's wrong with its essence programming."
The wolf turned its attention to a nearby group from Class E, slamming into them with enough force to send one student flying. Cries of alarm echoed through the cavern as the injured cadet was dragged to safety by his teammates.
"Stick together," Roland ordered, his mind racing.
The flickering shadows cast by the creature's erratic movements caught his attention. They danced unnaturally, as if out of sync with the light source.
Roland's instincts kicked in, and he activated Shadow Echo. In that moment, the shadows revealed the creature's next move—a devastating charge aimed directly at Ian.
"Ian, move!" Roland shouted, grabbing his friend and pulling him out of the way just as the wolf's claws raked the ground where he had been standing.
Ian stumbled but managed to stay upright. "How did you—?"
"No time!" Roland interrupted. "Keep moving!"
The rest of Class F regrouped, their weapons and abilities at the ready. Cole attacked with renewed vigor, his flames keeping the creature at bay while Eva and Ava coordinated precise strikes to its legs.
Roland hung back, his focus on the shadows. Every flicker and shift told a story, giving him just enough warning to anticipate the wolf's erratic movements.
He relayed instructions to his teammates, guiding them through the fight.
Ava moved through the battlefield like an extension of the storm itself—calm, calculated, and devastatingly effective.
Her katana glinted in the simulated light, every swing perfectly measured, every movement imbued with purpose.
The ice that followed in her wake spread across the ground in jagged patterns, freezing obstacles and hindering the construct's erratic strikes.
Despite the chaos of the arena, she remained composed. As the malfunctioning Abyssal creature lunged toward her, Ava sidestepped with practiced ease, her blade flashing upward in a single, fluid motion that severed a glowing limb from the construct's form.
Shards of essence scattered like sparks, but Ava didn't pause. She pivoted smoothly, her eyes locked on the creature's core.
Her ability to read the battlefield was unparalleled. With a quick glance, she took in the positions of her teammates, the trajectories of the construct's unpredictable attacks, and the shifting shadows that betrayed its next move.
While Roland kept close, ready to assist, Ava barely needed him. Her ice essence spread like a web, creating traps that forced the construct to stumble into her carefully orchestrated strikes.
The construct reared back, its flickering form releasing a guttural roar. It lashed out with a swipe of its massive claws, the distorted projection tearing through the air.
Ava didn't flinch.
She ducked beneath the strike, her katana slicing upward again to deflect the remaining energy, her frost coating the blade to absorb the impact.
Behind her, Roland prepared to intervene, his instincts screaming at him to activate Shadow Echo to anticipate the construct's next move. But Ava's precision made it unnecessary. She was always a step ahead, her actions leaving no room for the creature to recover.
"Focus on the core!" she called out, her voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.
Roland marveled at her control, even as he maintained a watchful eye on the construct's shadows.
He knew better than to underestimate Ava's skill—she was the academy's top cadet for a reason. Still, his presence wasn't wasted. As the construct's movements became increasingly erratic, the flickering shadows around it told a different story.
Roland's ability to predict its attacks ensured that he could call out warnings to Eva and Cole, allowing them to reposition before the creature struck.
Suddenly, the construct twisted violently, its roar turning into a distorted, grating noise. Its movements grew faster, more unstable, as though the malfunction were worsening.
Its massive form lunged toward a group of cadets from Class E, who froze in panic.
Ava's gaze snapped toward them, and without hesitation, she acted. She raised her katana, channeling her ice essence into the ground.
Spikes of frost erupted between the beast and the cadets, forming a barrier just as its claws struck. The impact shattered the ice, but the cadets had enough time to scramble to safety.
Roland's voice rang out, warning her of the construct's next move. "Ava, behind you!"
She spun with the precision of a veteran warrior, her katana slicing through the air to meet the construct's incoming strike. The clash sent a shower of essence sparks cascading around her, but Ava didn't waver. Her ice-coated blade absorbed the brunt of the attack, sending the construct stumbling back once more.
By this point, the instructors had seen enough. The shrill sound of their whistles cut through the air, signaling an immediate halt to the exercise.
"Cease combat!" one of the senior instructors barked, his voice firm and commanding. "All cadets, stand down!"
Instructors surged onto the battlefield, their essence flaring as they moved to contain the malfunctioning construct.
Ava stepped back, lowering her katana but keeping her stance ready. Her frosted breath hung in the air as she watched the instructors surround the creature, her eyes narrowing with a flicker of frustration.
Roland moved closer, his daggers still drawn but his essence drained. "You handled that like a pro," he said, a hint of admiration in his voice.
Ava gave him a sidelong glance, her tone as frosty as ever. "It's not over yet."