About a month had passed since our trip to the capital.
Soke had somehow made the dorms feel less like barracks and more like something lived in. He and Kai would cook most nights while Sorren complained about portion sizes and Hana read in the corner pretending not to listen to everything.
Each morning, Soke would take us out to an isolated grassland on the city's edge for inner energy drills and precision work, the kind of repetitive training that felt pointless until suddenly it didn't.
That instability of mine gradually improved. Not fixed, but improved. Every now and then, the other's sparks would slightly change in colour. Sorren began gravitating towards a greenish tone, Hana to a strangely black.
Kai's was still white. Just, noticeably... purer.
They were making progress with their charms. I wasn't. Yet Soke hadn't said anything about it.
We'd completed four of our rookie missions. Petty stuff mostly; a stolen shipment here, a noise complaint escalated into something requiring cadets there. Now came the last one. A criminal wanted for disturbing the peace, whatever that means.
The city blurred past us as we vaulted across rooftops, the morning air sharp with the smell of bread from the bakeries below and something metallic underneath it, like rain that hadn't arrived yet. Aurelia moved fast at this hour; vendors shouting prices, the distant rumble of transport vehicles, sparks trailing behind us as we kept pace with Soke's yellow trail ahead.
"Er, so how exactly's this dude disturbin' the peace, Soke?"
"Pretty sure he knocked out a guy over some clothes. All we need to do is get him to this city's office and you guys will finally be real cadets"
"Feels like it's been a long month, right Akio?"
"Yeah. We've trained a lot and we're about to become proper cadets. We're getting closer."
Kai's eyes peeled open as he turned back ahead.
"Yeah. Closer."
"Mister Soke, guys, down there." She pointed a finger near the street.
Our gaze drifed toward her coordinate.
"Oy! What the hell are you looking at!? Huh!?"
Green sparks flashed past me as Sorren grabbed hold of the seemingly drunk old man.
"And that's done. Good job Sorren."
That quick? Perhaps we really have gotten used to minor jobs like these.
Then again, real cadets wouldn't be dealing with petty jobs like these.
And now that we're about to really be one, the stakes will rise.
Soke's shoulders slumped as he yanked the rope tight, not even glancing at the drunk man's groans. He gave us a tired flick of the wrist toward the dorms, already turning away.
"I'll take it from here, you lot go relax."
With a heavy, rhythmic trudge, he began dragging the man toward the office, his shadow stretching long and weary across the gravel.
The rest of us headed the other direction, sparks crackling throughout the air as we sped across the city.
Upon our arrival at the dorms, we'd been greeted by a familiar figure.
Hana's face grew into one of a pleasant surprise.
"Oh! Miss Anessa!"
"Hello once again, rookie group number two, I'll be your escort once again for today."
Our escort? Right, the five missions are done.
We're going to be cadets, the real thing.
"Our escort? For the cadet promotion, I'm assuming?" Kai clarified, taking a step forward, a stern expression on his face.
"Yes, Mr. Kai, the four of you will be promoted to cadets. I would like for you to please follow me."
Anessa leapt into the air with controlled precision, gradually growing distant.
We leaped after her, strong winds brushing against my face with the scent of a fresh breeze.
Anessa continued advancing further towards the capital, our feet trailing hers.
"Hey, er, Anessa. Will the promotion be inside central tower?"
"Yes. You will be awarded a cadet insignia, as well as a personal message from the chairman himself."
"The chairman?" Kai interjected, a sly sense of curiosity lying underneath.
The last time I saw the chairman was a month ago, when we became rookies. He seemed like an extraordinary leader, a determined person, and most importantly -
Unbelievably strong.
"Yes. And you four won't be the only rookies present."
My eyes twitched.
Right, that's to be expected. There were a total of 13 participants that became rookies, having just the four of us be complete with our missions would be unrealistic. I raised a question of my own.
"Who else will be there?"
"That's a question that you will get the answer to soon."
I sighed.
About 10 minutes later, we'd arrived at the capital, the same as always.
Vibrant buildings, streets bustling with people, the fresh scent of a city full of life.
The rest of our trip was completed by walk, eventually arriving at central tower.
The entrance swallowed sound.
Dark stone floors, polished but reflecting nothing cleanly. Ceilings that vaulted high enough to disappear into shadow. The corridors were wide but not welcoming, proportioned just large enough to remind you that you were smaller than where you were headed. Crimson banners at measured intervals, no embellishment. Every door closed.
At the end of the main corridor, double iron doors. Tall. Worn smooth from use. Behind them, faintly, the low murmur of voices.
The kind of place that made you stand straighter without deciding to.
"Hey, Kai." I leaned closer towards his ear.
"Yeah?"
"Where's Soke? Shouldn't he be here with us?"
"Ah. You're right!"
Anessa snapped back at us. "You two, be quiet, we're going in now."
She took a step forward, doors breathing open as we walked inside.
Inside stood-
Oh.
"What the hell're you already doing here!??"
"Haha, perhaps it would've been easier if you guys had just came with me."
Soke stood at the center of the room, an awkward smile directed at us.
Next to him was-
"Greetings, Chairman. I've brought rookie team number two. They've just completed their 5 missions."
"Thank you, Anessa. You may leave now."
She bowed in response before exiting the room, a slight wave to us.
We waved back.
The chairman's gaze drifted across to us.
He stood tall, golden hair swept back without effort, dark eyes carrying the particular stillness of someone who had long stopped needing to prove anything. A crimson red robe hung from his shoulders, well kept.
The four of us knelt down immediately.
"Ah! Stand up, stand up. Stop with the formalities, please."
We brought ourselves back to our feet.
"My name is Chairman Lucien. "
How humble.
"As you know, we are merely here for your promotion, and so, I will be handing out your insignias now."
Just then, as if a realization had hit him, the chairman looked at us.
"Have you guys met the other rookie that just completed his mission?"
We shook our heads.
"Well, he's in this room right now. Over there."
I turned backwards, eyes landing on the figure hidden away at the far-right corner.
Grey hair threaded through with black, like something that had weathered a long time without breaking. Dark eyes, steady and unhurried, the kind that didn't need to move quickly because they'd already seen everything worth seeing. He wore a loose jacket over plain black trousers, nothing ceremonial about it
"That's..."
Hana spoke up. "Zefir. He was the outlier."
The outlier. He'd scored higher than everyone in the physical tests, the only exception being Kai with a greater inner energy force.
Somehow, his presence felt, not intimidating. It was more...
Arrogant.
Upon our sights landing on him, he began leaving for the door, shoulders shrugging past us.
Not a single word.
It was kind of irritating. But perhaps reasonably so, after all, it's no surprise he'd have a certain amount of pride.
"Oh, looks like he's not keen to have a little chat. Oh well, no matter."
The chairman went to his desk, grabbing what looked to be the insignias, a sharp silver, just the right size that we could pin to our chests without it being a burden.
He faced us, his head slightly raised.
"Well then, let's start."
The four of us straightened our posture. Soke watched from the sidelines, almost with satisfaction.
"Hana Solis."
Hana stepped forward, the chairman pressing the insignia into her palm without ceremony.
"Sorren Varkis."
Sorren walked the same.
"Akio Sekishiro."
Then me.
"Kai."
And finally, it was his turn.
Kai extended his arm, the chairman's meeting his. But something was different, the look in his eyes. It felt...
Impatient.
"Thank you for your dedication. Rookie group number two. I hope you all perform well."
We began heading towards the exit, Soke leading us.
"Oh, and remember."
Seems the chairman still had something to say.
"You cadets are much more than just warriors. You're more than just soldiers. Remember that."
We're more than warriors and soldiers, huh. My chest burned up, fists tightening in the silence.
Those words would linger in my mind for a while.
I stared at Kai, his eyes a strange sort of relief.
I wondered what he thought.