Elijah approached the edge of the spring, his boots sinking slightly into the soft, moss covered earth.
The crystal blue water stretched before him like a liquid mirror, perfectly reflecting his features. He took a moment to study his green hair, glinting under the soft light, his piercing bright green eyes, and his dark skin that seemed to absorb the world's warmth.
"Taelia?" he called, his voice echoing over the tranquil surface.
There was no response. Only the gentle ripple of the spring disturbed the silence. A frown tugged at Elijah's lips.
His muscles coiling in preparation to dive in after her, but just as his toes hovered over the water's edge, the surface exploded.
Taelia shot upward with a burst of motion, her body arching through the air in a perfect arc before splashing back down. Her delighted yelp echoed like music through the trees.
Droplets of water clung to her, sliding down her smooth, milky skin in trails that shimmered under the moonlight. Her long golden locks hair clung to her face and shoulders, framing her vibrant, slightly mischievous round hazel eyes.
Her figure was nothing short of mesmerizing, a sculpted form of curves and grace. Her ample bosom heaved with each satisfied breath she took, her waist narrowing into a subtle dip before flaring into hips that carried a strength both alluring and undeniable.
Yet Elijah's gaze caught on the peculiar cloth wrapped snugly around her neck. It was out of place, its presence breaking the natural harmony of her nakedness.
"How in the world did you stay under for so bloody long?". Elijah blurted, trying and failing to mask his surprise.
Taelia gave him a sidelong glance, her lips curling into a faint smirk.
"Oh, let's just say I've got my tricks".
she murmured, the words slipping out half heartedly as she wrung water from her hair.
Elijah's brow furrowed. He wasn't convinced. He couldn't shake the thought that it might be her Umbral kin ability, though she seemed to be in no hurry to confirm or deny it.
To Elijah, her answer felt more like an evasion than an explanation, but if she didn't want to tell, then he wouldn't pursue the matter.
Besides, he just confirmed that she didn't have any freakish body parts, that was a win in itself.
…
The next morning dawned crisp and clear, though Elijah's thoughts remained clouded by the wet figure of Taelia, he still couldn't sleep after returning to his tent the previous night.
He and Taelia met up and returned to the training grounds, the familiar crunch of gravel beneath their feet.
Yet something was different. Subtle changes rippled through the air, a shift in the energy of the place that neither could ignore.
The trainees gathered in their usual clusters, but their exercises mirrored those of the other Sergeants' groups.
The once specialized curriculum was nowhere in sight. Sergeant Vren stood at the center of the grounds, his commanding presence drawing every eye.
"This is how it will be from now on," he announced, his voice steady and unyielding. "No more tailored training. All of you will follow the standard regimen. That is all."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the crowd, landing on Elijah and Taelia. The two of them stood side by side, their postures stiff but their expressions unreadable.
For a moment, time seemed to stretch unnaturally. Vren's eyes locked onto theirs, an unspoken exchange passing between them.
After a moment of silent acknowledgment, things were left unsaid, but the understanding was as clear as the spring water Taelia took a bath in.
After several seconds, Vren gave a single, curt nod before turning away, continuing his briefing as if nothing had happened.
…
While the recruits drilled under the Sergeant's watchful eye, a different kind of tension brewed within the Major's tent.
First Lieutenant Verayth stood at attention in the dimly lit tent, her posture rigid as she faced the imposing figure of Major Drayce. The Major that oversees the black ash battlefront.
His falcon talon hands rested on the table before him, their sharpened edges gleaming faintly under the flickering light of the lantern above.
His sharp, avian eyes locked onto Verayth with a gaze so piercing it felt as though he could dissect her very thoughts.
"The scouts," Major Drayce began, his voice a low growl, "have gone silent."
Major Drayce leaned forward, his talons scraping against the table with an unnerving screech.
"Lieutenant, the last few messages we received weren't just inconsistent, they were frantically written… take a look"
He tossed a crumpled sheet of parchment onto the table between them. Verayth hesitated before reaching for it. Her gloved fingers smoothed out the page.
The writing was clean and direct, but if someone that was used to receiving cryptic messages from scouts saw them. They would notice some minor inconsistencies.
It wasn't the work of a soldier reporting calmly under duress. It was the work of someone overcome by terror.
"They were scared," Verayth murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Drayce's talons tapped against the table in a slow, deliberate rhythm.
"Scouts don't cower easily, I'm afraid they have been captured by the enemy, and the messages we've received thus far were orchestrated by the Thalorians".
First Lieutenant Verayth's breath hitched. "We've been played".
Drayce's expression darkened, his eyes narrowing as though he'd already reached the same conclusion.
"It seems our enemy is more cunning than we gave them credit for."
Verayth clenched her fists, the paper crumpling in her hands. "The last message was almost a week ago, if the enemy marched quietly and steadily… Then they will be upon us by sunrise".
Major Drayce stood up straight, his eyes a picture of forced calmness.
"Keep this information limited to the high ranking officers… Also, officially begin to assign the recruits to operational units, we need them if we are to hold our own against four hundred thousand Thalorians".
"Yes sir… but, weren't there two hundred thousand Thalorians?".
Major Drayce raised his head and said darkly . "That was the number the captured scouts sent".