Shade stood at the training grounds. All that could be heard were sounds of grunts and the banging of bodies crashing to the ground. Before him moved a group of Epsilons, who were being led by Venita.
He crossed his arms, standing upright as he observed.
Venita demonstrated a series of combat techniques, showing how great her agility and skills were—all without using her Band. Yet, as Shade watched, he began to feel apprehensive.
Unlike the other higher ranks of TEC, the Epsilons were a foundational assembly—largely untrained and needlessly unrefined despite the Bands each possessed. They had been scouted for their unique abilities, which may or may not one day help Shade's rebel group grow.
Unfortunately, enthusiasm could only compensate for their inexperience to a certain extent.
Shade thought back to his grandfather's rigorous training, lessons born from hardship and a pursuit of strength. No such child was raised like he was.
He watched the recruits, mismatched in uniform; they resembled a gathering rather than a cohesive fighting unit capable of confronting the challenges ahead.
Could they ever grow into the warriors he needed? Did they know the struggles of failure or the sound of a gunshot? Had they ever killed anyone?
As Venita caught sight of him, her eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, momentarily pausing her lesson. "Shade, I didn't expect to see you here."
"If you don't mind," he said, walking down the rail and toward them. "I'd like to help."
This made Venita smile. She, of all Bandits, knew that he didn't need to ask for anything. He was their leader, after all.
With a grateful expression, she said, "I could use a breather. I've been at it all morning."
She then stepped aside, and Shade approached the recruits.
They each nervously whispered one to another, recognizing that he was their leader. Many of them had only heard about him. So to see him in person made them feel excited.
And right now, there were only four Epsilons being trained.
"Alright," he began. "You were each chosen by TEC. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here. But after seeing that level, I really wonder if you're all fit." Some of them glanced at each other nervously. "How do you think you would fare in real combat?"
Four pairs of wide eyes stared back at him. Not one of them wanted to answer due to the punctuating question.
He wasn't just curious himself; he was challenging them.
The recruits shuffled awkwardly until finally one daring soul—a lean figure with tousled black hair—stepped forward.
"I think we'd hold our own," he confidently stated. "We're training hard. We just need more practice."
"I agree," a female voiced her opinion. Yet she didn't sound too sure of herself.
Shade nodded, appreciating the man's bravery, but his gaze narrowed.
"Then tell me this: how would you feel if I were to attack you right now?"
At those words, he cracked his neck. Behind his mask, his expression was unreadable, yet the situation of his question was clear—he was being serious.
A pause followed, glances exchanged in awkwardness. This was their leader. Leaders in a rebel group hardly had time to talk to the lower recruits, let alone opt to personally train them.
When it became more noticeable that he was serious, each of the Epsilons followed suit. It was as if he had ignited a spark in their eyes; it was their chance to prove themselves.
Otherwise, they'd be kicked out and thrown on the streets, forced to either find another rebel group or live under the reign of AU. And since they were even here, they wouldn't dare go back to the latter.
With resolve, even as they were apprehensive, they activated their Bands. Each one radiated the same color.
The first man gained a frosty aura, showing off his ice abilities as jagged shards formed on his arms. Another embodied wind, swirling torrents at his feet, while the third manifested tendrils of grass, blades, and vines protruded from his skin. The last had enlarged arms, an indication that his Band could expand his growth.
'That's their first mistake,' Shade thought to himself.
And it was indeed. In combat, revealing powers too soon was a tactical blunder. If they relied solely on their Bands in the heat of battle, they might as well surrender their advantage.
"Impressive," he said in a low voice, "but the thing about my Band…" Suddenly, he launched into action. The man wielding ice was the first to attack, hurling shards aimed at Shade's feet in an attempt to ensnare him. Shade sidestepped before punching the man straight in his stomach. "It's not to be trifled with…"
The boy hurled saliva as Shade kept his guard up.
He quickly pivoted, ducking beneath a gust that coursed toward him. Before the enlarged recruit could deliver a knockout punch, Shade closed the distance, using the man's unprepared stance against him.
Bang!
Just like that, a swift kick sent the recruit tumbling backward into the grass Bandit, disrupting their coordination.
"Didn't see that coming," Venita whistled.
"Remember this," Shade added, "the instant an enemy sees a glimpse of your vulnerability, it's over."
As he finished, the Epsilons attempted to regroup. It was clear that the spontaneity of their collective assault had faltered.
The ice and grass Bandits exchanged quick nods, launching their next combined attack. The ice Bandit conjured another volley of shards, while the grass user summoned green vines around Shade, attempting to ensnare him once more.
But Shade remained unbending. He dodged the jagged ice, avoiding their synchronized assault. The wind Bandit tried to circle him, thinking that he would be caught, but it was a mistake.
Shade turned around and grabbed the man by his feet. The man's wind ceased, slowing his movements. Shade, with one hand, then spun the boy around and threw him.
Had it not been for a large hand catching him, he would have crashed into the wall.
"You okay?" the man who caught him asked.
"Yeah," the wind Bandit replied. "What the heck is his Band power anyway?"
As the group reformed, the ice Bandit relayed that their problem was just that—they weren't aware of Shade's powers yet. For all they knew, they could be in an alternate dimension where things went his way.
Shade could have smiled, but now was not the time to show emotions. These little Epsilons needed to be taught a clear lesson: this world could eat them whole if they weren't careful.
As time slipped by, his skill became undeniably apparent. He began systematically dismantling their confidence, rendering their efforts useless.
They all huffed and were covered in dirt and sweat. It had only been fifteen minutes at best.
Without relenting, Shade leapt onto a wall, bounced off, and then landed in the midst of the group, leaving them stunned.
He then turned to regard the assembly. They quickly raised their guards, prepared for his next attack. But when nothing came, they opened their eyes, surprised to see that he had remained still.
"We can stop here," he finally declared. "You all possess potential, but relying solely on a Band's powers isn't sufficient. As I'm sure Venita already instilled in your training, combat is about adaptation, intuition, and applying your surroundings to your advantage."
The Epsilons were so tired that two of them collapsed to the floor. The rest used their knees to keep them standing. They each exchanged exhausted words as they absorbed the lesson he tried to teach them.
"I really hope every day's not gonna be like this," the woman whined.
Shade turned to Venita, who had been standing quietly observing. She was more impressed by his performance than by their lacking skills.
"Increase their training," he instructed. "They need to understand more fundamentals before we send them out anywhere."
She was honestly planning to do that already, but hearing Shade personally instruct this to her made it all the more clear that he was serious about even the lower stocks of TEC. He would not allow this assembly of potential to falter or languish.
Stepping back from the arena, he took one last look at the Epsilons. They were zealous from having experienced that loss.
Of course, not every rebel group would be like this. For him to ensure the prosperity of his, to fend against potential attacks and successful missions, he would need to ensure that there was no weakness anywhere.