"Haahh… it's been a long day," Talon mumbled as he stepped out of the sim pod, rolling his shoulders to ease the stiffness that had set in.
His body felt like it had endured a grueling, full-day workout.
Which, because of the stimulating effects of the pods, he had.
Kieran stretched beside him, letting out a groan of agreement. "Tell me about it. I'm pretty sure my legs are jelly right now."
"Hahaha! Today was great!" Jason exclaimed, grinning ear to ear as he hopped out of his pod. Unlike the others, he seemed almost energized by the day's intense training. His enthusiasm was contagious. "Man, my power fits me so well. Did you see that fight earlier? Perfect execution!"
Jason's confidence wasn't unfounded. His kinetic absorption ability complemented his brawling style perfectly, allowing him to take punishment and dish it back out with devastating effect.
It was evident in today's arenas, Jason was in his element.
The day had been nothing short of relentless. Each cadet had faced hundreds of matches, the algorithm constantly analyzing their performances to assign opponents who could challenge them and push their limits.
The matches were brutal but undeniably effective, with every cadet showing marked improvement as the hours ticked by.
For Talon, that meant fighting other Spears to get better at fighting, which he still sucked at but he was improving.
He also faced a lot of Controllers to get better at closing the gap and zip around better.
And fighting Bruisers to...
Well...
Talon guessed he was fighting Bruisers to teach them something.
Kieran, meanwhile, had a completely different set of challenges. As a Controller himself, he excelled against others of his kind, his sniper rifle often proving faster and more precise than the abilities of his peers.
But when faced with Bruisers or Spears who managed to get up close, his lack of melee capability left him vulnerable.
Jason, on the other hand, seemed to adapt to almost any opponent with ease. He thrived in chaotic brawls, absorbing hits and returning them tenfold. Even against Controllers, he found ways to close the distance by hurling his spear or using his shield to tank their abilities.
Watching him fight was like witnessing a force of nature.
"Jason's already got his whole fighting style down," Talon remarked, shaking his head in amazement. "It's actually impressive."
"Yeah, well, not all of us can look that good after getting pummeled for hours," Kieran said with a smirk, earning a laugh from Talon.
As for Talon himself, he had opted to use a sword after seeing Jason fight with weapons. He hadn't trained with one before, but its versatility suited his aspirations as a close-range fighter.
He'd taken a basic two-hour introductory class last week and had been practicing diligently every day since.
For Supers, especially those without energy-manipulating abilities, weapons were essential tools until they reached higher ranks. At those levels, energy could be used for devastating ranged and area attacks, something only Sentinels (D rank) and beyond could truly master.
Until then, using tools was their bread and butter.
Rifles and other ranged weapons were options, of course, but Leon had warned against relying on them. "You want to grow stronger? Learn to fight up close," he'd said. "That's where you'll need to be once you hit the higher ranks."
The exception being Kieran apparantly.
After their final matchup of the day, the trio made their way to the cafeteria, eating in companionable silence. Talon's thoughts drifted as he chewed, reflecting on his matches and how much progress they'd all made.
But as soon as Talon finished his meal, Leon appeared, beckoning him and Kieran. "Graves, Kieran, with me. We're heading to the bridge."
Curiosity and exhaustion warred within Talon as they followed Leon. The train ride to the bridge was long, and the rhythmic hum of the transport threatened to lull him to sleep. But when they arrived, all thoughts of fatigue vanished.
The moment Talon stepped onto the bridge, he felt it: power.
It wasn't just the grand view of the stars or the imposing presence of the ship's officers. No, it was him.
Loren.
Talon's breath hitched. He recognized him immediately. Loren was a Titan, one of the most powerful beings alive. In his previous life, Loren had been a name whispered in awe and fear on the ship, a being who commanded respect through sheer presence alone.
The fact that he watched him die by the hand of something far more monstrous was terrifying.
Before Talon could dwell on the implications, another voice cut through his thoughts.
"Ah, Leon. Excellent timing," Sylas Theris, the captain he recognised from the video the other day, said, stepping forward. The captain's demeanor was casual, but his words carried weight. "These are the new rare-ranked cadets? Good, good. We have high hopes for you both."
"Thank you sir!" both Talon and Kieran snapped to attention.
Loren stepped forward, his towering figure radiating authority. His expression was stoic, his sharp eyes assessing the two cadets before him. "I am Loren," he said simply, his voice like a low rumble of thunder. "Tomorrow, I will spare an hour to instruct you both. Today, however, I will evaluate you."
Talon and Kieran stood frozen, unsure of what to expect.
"Hold still," Loren commanded.
Before either of them could react, a wave of blue energy swept over them.
WHOOMMM
Both Talon and kieran gritted their teeth.
'HOLY SHIT!' Talon exclaimed in his mind.
It was suffocating, like being caught in a current they couldn't escape. Talon's muscles locked in place, his body unresponsive to his commands.
The energy retreated as quickly as it had come, leaving both cadets gasping for breath.
Loren nodded, his expression unreadable. "I've seen enough. Be ready tomorrow."
With that, he turned and left, his presence lingering long after he was gone.
Sylas clapped Leon on the shoulder. "Good work, bringing them here. Let's hope they live up to expectations."
As they boarded the train back to their quarters, Talon and Kieran exchanged glances. Neither said a word, but the mix of terror and excitement in their eyes said it all.
They were going to be trained by Loren.
And looking back, it was the best thing that could have happened to them.