The training grounds of Aethelgard were a brutal testament to the Empire's obsession with readiness. Situated in a natural bowl of volcanic glass at the base of the academy's spires, the arena was divided into various "Simulation Zones." Each zone was isolated by massive, shimmering barriers of solidified mana, capable of containing the fallout of an accidental explosion or a rogue spell.
As Alaric stepped onto the dark, obsidian-like sand, he felt the ambient mana of the arena press against his skin. It was a familiar sensation—the academy used a suppressed frequency of Gate-energy to keep students in a state of constant, low-level alertness.
He glanced at his squad. Caspian had already moved thirty paces ahead, his heavy boots kicking up dark dust as he performed a series of violent, practiced swings with his claymore. The boy wasn't warming up; he was venting. Seraphina stood near the edge of the zone, her hands buried in her white sleeves, her lips moving in a silent, rhythmic prayer. Leo, meanwhile, was checking the straps on his ironwood shield for the fifth time, his breathing shallow.
"The objective is simple," Professor Silas's voice boomed from the observation deck above. "A Rank-D Simulated Gate will open in the center of the zone. You have ten minutes to neutralize the constructs and retrieve the core. This isn't just a test of power; it's a test of synchronization. If you fight as individuals, the simulation will adapt and overwhelm you."
Alaric closed his eyes for a brief second, his mind mapping the arena. He felt the hum of the portal generators beneath the sand. "Alright, everyone," he said, his voice projecting a calm, steady warmth that seemed to push back the oppressive atmosphere of the arena. "Let's keep it simple for this first run. Caspian, take the center. Leo, stay on his left flank. I'll occupy the right and keep the perimeter clear. Seraphina, stay five paces behind Leo. We move as a diamond."
Caspian didn't look back. "I told you, Thorne. I don't need a map. Just stay out of my swing-path."
Alaric smiled, unfazed. "I'll be the one moving, Caspian. I promise."
The air in the center of the arena began to tear. A jagged, neon-blue rift opened, and from it, a dozen hard-light constructs began to materialize. They were Void-Wolves—beasts made of solidified mana, glowing with an unstable, flickering light. They were fast, aggressive, and designed to punish a disorganized line.
The moment the first wolf touched the sand, Caspian moved.
He was a blur of grey steel and raw power. He didn't wait for the beasts to lunge; he met them halfway, his claymore whistling through the air with enough force to create a shockwave in the dust. He cleaved through the first three constructs in a single, brutal arc. It was impressive, but Alaric noticed the flaw instantly. Caspian was overextending. He was fighting as if he wanted to kill the monsters before anyone else could even draw their weapon.
"Leo, move up!" Alaric called out, his voice a sharp but encouraging command. "Caspian's left is open!"
Leo hesitated for a fraction of a second, then roared, charging forward with his shield raised. He slammed into a Void-Wolf that had been mid-leap toward Caspian's blind spot, the impact echoing like a hammer on an anvil.
Alaric didn't draw a sword. He didn't even move from his relaxed stance. Instead, his violet eyes scanned the battlefield like a grandmaster observing a chessboard. He saw a wolf flanking toward Seraphina. With a microscopic flick of his fingers, a thread of telekinesis caught the beast's front leg. The wolf stumbled, its momentum carrying it headfirst into the obsidian sand.
"Now, Seraphina! A light-bolt!" Alaric prompted.
Seraphina flinched, her eyes wide as she looked at the fallen wolf. For a moment, she seemed paralyzed, staring at Alaric's back with a look of pure terror.
"Seraphina!" Alaric said, his voice firm but devoid of anger. "The squad is counting on you."
She shook herself, raised her staff, and unleashed a jagged bolt of white light. It struck the wolf dead center, dissolving the construct into mana-dust. The simulation intensified. The rift widened, and a Void-Gargoyle emerged—a Rank-C construct with crystalline wings and the ability to fire mana-beams from its eyes. It immediately took to the air, circling the group and preparing to fire on the stationary healer.
Caspian roared, jumping to strike it, but his claymore fell inches short. The Gargoyle began to glow, its eyes locking onto Seraphina.
"Leo, cover the Priestess!" Alaric shouted.
Leo dove toward Seraphina, bracing his shield as a beam of searing blue energy slammed into the ironwood. The boy groaned under the pressure, his boots sliding back in the sand. Alaric's mind raced. He could end the simulation in a second by crushing the Gargoyle with raw power, but he needed to prove a point about cooperation.
"Caspian, when I give the signal, jump again," Alaric said, his voice reaching the warrior's ears through the din of battle.
"I can't reach it, you idiot!" Caspian snarled, hacking through another wolf.
"You can if you trust me," Alaric replied.
Alaric stepped forward, his telekinesis swirling around his feet. As the Gargoyle prepared a second beam, Alaric focused his power beneath Caspian's boots. "Now!"
Caspian jumped, and as he did, Alaric slammed a platform of invisible, solidified air beneath the boy's boots. Caspian felt the sudden resistance and, by instinct, used it to propel himself higher. He shot into the air like a cannonball, his claymore shearing through the Gargoyle's crystalline neck.
The construct shattered. The core—a glowing, golf-ball-sized sphere—fell toward the sand. Alaric caught it effortlessly in a telekinetic grip.
"Simulation Complete," the robotic voice announced. "Time: Three minutes, twelve seconds. Grade: S."
Caspian landed heavily, his chest heaving. He looked at the spot where the invisible platform had been, then at Alaric. His expression was a mixture of shock and a renewed, sharper suspicion. "How did you know how to time that?"
"I've been watching your footwork," Alaric said, walking over and offering the core with a genuine smile. "You have an incredible vertical reach, Caspian. I just thought you deserved a bit of help to reach your full potential."
Caspian didn't take the core. He turned and walked away toward the exit, his shoulders hunched. Alaric turned to Leo and Seraphina. "Great work, Leo. That shield-work saved us. And Seraphina, your timing was perfect. I knew I could rely on you."
Seraphina looked up at him. For the first time, she didn't just look afraid; she looked confused. On her private interface, she saw the Sin-Sense notification again: Soul Alignment: Absolute White.
She looked at the man who had just used his terrifying power to support his teammates rather than dominate them. Is he mocking us? she thought. Or is he truly... this good?
Alaric noticed the way she lingered on his face. He only knew that for a split second, the paralyzing dread in her eyes had been replaced by a question. "Let's get some water," Alaric said. "We have a lot to work on before the first real Gate, but I think we've made a great start."
As he walked behind them, Alaric mused on the 40% efficiency of their synchronization. He looked up at Professor Silas on the observation deck and offered a polite nod. He didn't know why his squad hated him, but Alaric had never met a puzzle he couldn't solve.
"Come on, Squad One," Alaric called out, catching up with an easy stride. "First round of lunch is on me."
Caspian didn't stop. Seraphina didn't look back. But Leo smiled at him, and for Alaric, that was enough for a first day.