The gate portal glowed near the edge of the cliff, its surface rippling like water, green from the forest terrain inside. A breeze rolled through the clearing, lifting the hems of student jackets and carrying the buzz of too many conversations.
Julien and the other fifth-year students were arranged in tidy rows near the back of the group. Everyone was dressed in field gear or light armor, but none of it appeared to be very worn. That was the point, since this wasn't a real mission or exam. It was an easy exercise.
Around them, first-years gathered in scattered bunches. Excited, noisy, and armed with freshly-issued training weapons. No proper formations yet, those would come after the assignments.
"Look at them," Ray said under his breath. "Half of them are practically bouncing."
Haley adjusted the strap on her quiver. "Oh, just let them. Don't you remember the first time you ever went inside a gate?"
Julien glanced across the field as the group talked. Instructors were reviewing rosters, sorting name boards with special clips. The gate itself shimmered in slow pattern, a visible reminder that they hadn't crossed over yet.
The calm before the gate.
It's still the same one I remember. The trees inside that swayed just faint enough to be eerie, with a thin forest canopy. From what he could see through the entrance, there were small streams and dirt paths all around. No major elevation shifts, and weak monsters that were supposed to do barely any damage. He remembered how the instructors had described it back then: perfect for building confidence.
And yet, the system had seemed off about it. Like it knew something he didn't.
He fidgeted with his mage staff, something he'd brought along just in case. A small habit he used to do with his sword. It felt calming to him.
A voice cut across the clearing. Instructor Wells, clipboard in hand, stepped forward.
"Fifth-years, stay in line. I'll be assigning you your groups now. Once your name is called, step forward and wait. First-years will assemble with their assigned guide."
Julien watched the instructors begin. Haley's name came quickly. Then Amara. Then another student he didn't recognize. Groups started peeling off from the crowd in scattered motion, first-years scrambling to find their fifth-year guide.
After a while, he finally heard his call.
"Ian Mooring."
Julien stepped out and took position. When the first-years saw him, a few whispers spread among them. A few started murmuring their surprise. Some people actually let out a gasp.
"Ian? No way…"
"That's the Ian Mooring, right? From the spell tournament? And all the award ceremonies?"
"He's actually gonna be guiding someone?! Lucky--"
Looks like none of them have really met Ian yet. They'd be surprised to learn how nice and down-to-earth he actually is. They expect the top student to be untouchable, but that's just not the case.
Instructor Wells didn't pause at the reaction. He simply scanned the page and read off names.
"Group Nine. Julien Kirios, Alec Marson, Karis Bell, Jenna Hale, Mina Davis, Harin Varlen, Zain Lyr…"
Julien's breath caught for half a second as the names registered. He recognized nearly all of them from his old life. They were the friends he used to train with. Joke with. Eat with… the ones who didn't survive the end.
"And the rest of you," Wells added, eyes flicking toward the sheet. "Hopefully you know who you are. Everyone, go find your groups."
Julien left for the designated spot. He heard footsteps behind him. First soft, then louder. In their hurry, the twelve first-years were moving in a clumsy cluster, clearly attempting to avoid tripping over each other.
Nobody said anything yet, but they all stared at him with wide eyes. One boy--Karis, shorter than Julien remembered, with the same wild grin--was the first to break the silence.
"Uh… sir? I mean, hello, Instructor Ian! Sir."
Julien turned, and twelve pairs of eyes locked on him like he was some kind of mythical creature. Karis looked ready to explode from excitement. The others weren't far behind.
"Just call me Ian," Julien said, his automatic tone relaxed, casual. "No need for the 'sir.' We're not in a military camp."
There was a wave of relieved grins. A few of them exchanged looks like they couldn't believe their luck.
"Y-Yes, Instructor--I mean, Ian," Jenna said quickly. She stood up straight, trying to look calm, but her knuckles were white around the handle of her staff.
Julien let his gaze move over the rest of the group. They were still kids, all of them eager for action. Alec stood tall, like he thought posture was half of battle readiness. Mina was fidgeting with the strap of her belt pouch. Zain, who was trailing a bit behind the others, had that same quiet focus Julien remembered--he'd always noticed things before anyone else did.
And then there was the younger version of himself.
Little Julien.
Little Julien stood just off-center in the group. Confident, collected, sword on his back, gaze steady. Not intimidated, not flustered. If anything, he looked like he already had a plan for how to impress Ian Mooring.
I was pretty naive back then… still believed that the world was fair. But this time, he won't have to go through what I did.
Julien gave them a nod. "Alright, Group Nine. You're with me today. We'll be sticking to the south trail inside the gate. Light combat, so I won't step in unless it gets dangerous. Not that it will, though. Just stay close, follow instructions, and we'll be fine."
No one interrupted. No one argued.
Karis nudged little Julien and whispered, "We are sooo set. This is the best day ever."
Julien smiled to himself, just a little, then he turned his eyes toward the gate. It still looked the same, still normal. Nothing unusual stood out at all.
The last time he stepped into that gate, he was on the other side of this lineup. He'd had no idea what was coming back then, and could hardly wait.
But now, the system had hinted that something might go wrong here--but not what. Not when. Not who. He refocused on the group. Twelve young students wasn't a light responsibility.
"Keep your weapons secured for now," he said. "We'll move once Wells gives the signal."
A few of the kids nodded seriously. Little Julien gave a small, confident "Understood," like he was already picturing how clean his first monster kill would be. Alec copied him a second later, a little stiffly.
"Um… are we supposed to get into battle formations?" Mina asked, voice cautious. "Or do we just follow you?"
Julien shook his head. "There's no need for those formations yet. You'll start to use them, just not now. Instructor Wells must've forgotten to tell you, but I'm supposed to stay at the back while the group decides what to do as a whole. You know, to develop your teamwork skills and all that."
Mina blinked. "Wait, we get to decide?"
"Yep," Julien replied with a gentle smile. "I'm here to make sure no one loses a limb, but if you really need guidance, I'll give it."
That got a nervous laugh from a few of them. Karis looked delighted.
"This is awesome," he whispered to Alec. "We're basically our own squad."
Alec puffed up slightly. "I mean, yeah. If Ian trusts us that much, we've got this."
"Don't get cocky," Jenna muttered beside him. "We haven't even seen anything yet."
Julien folded his arms loosely, observing them. The team dynamics hadn't shifted much. Alec still wanted to be the leader. Karis had no off switch. Zain was still quiet. The others were filling into place the same way they had in the past.
That made things easier.
"Here's the plan," he said, voice calm. "We'll follow the south trail. You'll engage whatever small groups you find. Prioritize teamwork and positioning. If someone gets too far ahead or lags behind, I'll step in. But otherwise, you lead."
"Do we call you if we get stuck?" Zain asked quietly.
Julien nodded. "Exactly. If something happens and I don't notice it, you speak up. That's part of teamwork too."
Zain gave a single, sharp nod, while Karis leaned over to little Julien. "So, who's gonna be in charge of our awesome strike force?"
He looked like he'd been waiting for that question. He stepped forward half a pace, hand over his heart, eager to make an impression. "I can! Well, I've fought monsters before, so I think I could be a good leader!"
Alec looked like he wanted to argue, but then nodded with a shrug. "Fine. You take point, I'll cover the back."
"I'll keep to the middle," Jenna added. "My barriers cover more area from there."
Julien watched them organize themselves. This is what the instructors wanted to see, and from the outside, it looked like it was working.
It worked the first time too. But my little self is more… ambitious than I remember being. Oh, well, it's probably just a side effect of seeing it as someone else.
Instructor Wells finally raised his hand. "All groups, prepare for entry. Group One, move!"
One by one, the students of the first group vanished into the gate, their bodies enveloped by the glowing green surface. Group Two came next, followed by Group Three. The queue moved quickly. Julien gestured for his students to gather into a closer group.
"You'll enter ahead of me," he said. "Remember what I told you. Don't run off. Once we're inside, wait for me near the marker stone, then we'll begin the trail."
Little Julien gave a firm nod, and the others shifted into a loose order. Karis elbowed Alec lightly.
"Bet I'll be the first to land a hit."
"You'll be the first to trip," Alec muttered back, though he was grinning.
"Group Nine," Wells called out. "Go!"
Julien stepped aside and let his team pass through first. Just like all the groups before them, they vanished into the gate--a ripples following each as they broke the surface. When the last of them was through, he followed.
The world shifted.
Warmth replaced the crisp wind outside. Inside the gate, the forest was wide and shallow, light filtering through sparse branches, although trees were more numerous in the distance. Grass crunched beneath their boots, and the terrain matched his memory exactly: a narrow stream to the east, low hills to the south, and the sound of insects buzzing in the underbrush.
Julien emerged to find the kids already looking around in awe.
"Whoa…" Karis spun in a circle. "This is way cooler than the practice rooms."
"It's bigger than I thought," Mina murmured. "And louder."
Little Julien took a deep breath like he was already trying to memorize the whole scene while Zain crouched near a patch of disturbed soil. "Tracks," he noted. "Three-legged pattern. Probably branch-boars."
Julien gave a small nod. "Good eye. You'll see a few of those in this section. They move in pairs, so keep alert."
The kids regrouped quickly, falling into the roles they'd claimed outside.
"We head south from here," Julien said. "The trail splits about five minutes in. We'll take the left fork and circle around. If you see anything, don't rush it. Call it out."
"Yes, sir--I mean, Ian," Jenna said quickly, correcting herself mid-salute.
Julien couldn't help a small smile. "Relax. You'll get used to it."
They began walking, and Julien observed the surroundings with suspicion. Nothing's gone wrong so far, nothing to suggest there might be casualties. I might be overthinking it… after all, it was only one unusual word. But it's better to be safe than sorry.