Kael woke to the sound of rushing water and the faint murmur of voices.
For a moment, he just lay there, staring at the pre-dawn sky, his body still heavy with sleep.
Then he sat up slowly, rubbing his face, and glanced around.
The base was already stirring.
Knights were checking weapons. Mages were running through warm-up exercises, their mana flickering in soft glows around their hands. The campfire from the night before had been reduced to embers, and the air carried the cool bite of early morning.
Above them, the countdown timer glowed against the sky.
[47:32:15]
[47:32:14]
[47:32:13]
'Twenty-four hours gone already?'
Kael blinked, processing that.
A full day gone.
Two more to go.
He glanced to his left.
Rylen was still asleep—or pretending to be—his arms crossed behind his head, that ever-present smile somehow still plastered across his face even in unconsciousness.
Kael yawned, stretched, and stood.
'Alright. Day two. Let's see how long I can avoid doing anything.'
Don't get him wrong, he knew he was supposed to be trying to get a high grade in the test, but why bother when others are doing it for him.
He had no plans of stressing himself unless it was 100% unavoidable.
◆ ◆ ◆
By the time the sun had fully risen, the team had assembled in the courtyard.
Niko stood near the center, his blue uniform immaculate despite a full day of activity and planning. Beside him, Seraphina listened with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable.
"We've confirmed the locations of eight nearby bases," Niko said, his tone calm and measured. "The scouting reports show varying levels of defense. Some are heavily fortified. Others are vulnerable."
He gestured toward a rough map someone had sketched onto a piece of parchment—marking their base, the waterfall, and the surrounding enemy positions.
"I plan on taking a strike team of ten. We'll hit the bases in rapid succession—capture their flags, disrupt their defenses, and return before they can organize a counterattack."
Seraphina's eye narrowed slightly. "That's aggressive."
"That's the point." Niko's gaze didn't waver. "We have momentum. We use it."
"And if you get ambushed?"
"We won't."
Seraphina studied him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Fine. But you take the best. I'm not losing people because you got overconfident."
"Agreed."
Niko turned toward the assembled team. "I need nine volunteers. Mages and Knights. Experienced fighters only. If you're not confident in your abilities, stay here and defend the base."
Hands shot up immediately.
Niko nodded, satisfied. "Good. We leave in five minutes. Seraphina, the base is yours."
"It always was," she said flatly.
Niko's lips twitched and he turned to address his strike team. "Travel light. Move fast. We're in and out. No unnecessary risks."
The group nodded, already checking their gear.
And within minutes, they were gone—disappearing into the forest like shadows, moving with purpose and precision.
The base fell quiet.
And those who remained—Seraphina, the remaining Knights and Mages, and of course, Kael and Rylen—settled in to wait.
◆ ◆ ◆
Two Hours Later
The strike team returned.
Triumphant.
Cheers erupted from the base defenders as they crossed the bridge.
"First flag secured!" Garrick announced, planting it into the ground beside their own. "Enemy base neutralized. Fifteen defenders down. No casualties on our side."
Seraphina nodded, her expression approving. "Well done."
Niko stepped forward, his uniform slightly dusty but otherwise pristine. "The base was poorly defended. They prioritized offense over protection. It cost them."
"Good," Seraphina said. "Rest. Regroup. Then—"
"We're going back out," Niko interrupted, his tone firm. "There are two more bases within striking distance. We hit them now, while they're still disorganized."
Seraphina sighed. "Your team is tired."
"They're fine." Niko glanced back at his strike team. "Are you fine?"
"Yes, sir!" they chorused—though a few of them looked more exhausted than they were letting on.
Seraphina looked like she wanted to argue, but after a moment, she just sighed. "Fine. But if anyone gets seriously injured, that's on you."
"Understood."
The strike team rested for twenty minutes—just long enough to catch their breath and let Liri heal the minor wounds they'd accumulated.
And then they were gone again.
◆ ◆ ◆
Four Hours Later
They returned.
Again.
This time carrying a dark blue flag.
"Second base down!" Garrick shouted for the second time that day. "Twenty defenders! Crushed!"
More cheers.
The flag was planted beside the others.
Three flags now, standing proudly in the wind.
And the team's morale soared.
◆ ◆ ◆
Six Hours Later
A third flag.
This one deep green, torn slightly at the edges from the fight.
"Third base secured," Niko reported, his voice steady despite the clear exhaustion in his posture. "Heavy resistance. Thirty defenders. We lost one."
The celebration was more subdued this time.
One of their own had been "killed" during the assault—a Mage named Rinna, who now sat in the spectator area outside the battlefield, watching through magical screens as her team continued without her.
But they'd won.
And the flag count now stood at four.
Four captured flags in a single day.
It was, by any measure, dominant.
◆ ◆ ◆
While all of this was happening—while Niko's strike team tore through enemy bases like a force of nature—Kael and Rylen remained exactly where they'd been since morning.
Sitting.
On the same stone.
Overlooking the waterfall.
Doing absolutely nothing.
"You know," Rylen said thoughtfully, tossing a pebble into the pool below, "I think we've perfected the art of strategic non-participation."
Kael, lying on his back with his hands behind his head, didn't open his eyes. "Is that what we're calling it?"
"It sounds better than 'lazy.'"
"Fair."
A comfortable silence settled over them.
Then Rylen spoke again. "Do you think anyone's noticed we haven't done anything?"
"Probably."
"Do you care?"
"Not really."
"Me neither."
More silence.
From the base behind them, they could hear the faint sounds of celebration as the strike team returned with yet another flag.
Kael cracked one eye open. "That's the third one, right?"
"Fourth, actually."
"Huh. They're on a roll."
◆ ◆ ◆
Late Afternoon
The strike team finally called it quits.
Niko's voice was hoarse, his uniform torn in places, his movements slower than they'd been that morning.
But he was smiling.
"Four flags," he said, addressing the assembled team. "Four bases neutralized. forty-plus enemy fighters eliminated."
He gestured toward the flags flying proudly beside their own.
"This is what happens when we work together. When we commit. When we push."
Cheers erupted—tired but genuine.
Seraphina stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "Your team did well. Rest now. Tomorrow, we'll reassess."
Niko nodded, too exhausted to argue.
And for the first time all day, the base fell into a comfortable quiet.