The transition from the grand auditorium to the private corridors of the Apex Wing was a descent into a much more clinical reality. Here, the walls were lined with mana-dampening obsidian and the air was chilled to preserve the sensitive holographic displays that flickered in every alcove.
Alaric led the small procession of elite freshmen, Elara's hand resting lightly on his forearm. He moved with the effortless confidence of someone who had already memorized the blueprints of the building. Behind them, the other top-tier students followed in a tense, rhythmic march. The sound of their boots on the marble floor was the only thing that broke the oppressive silence.
They were led into a circular briefing room. Instead of traditional desks, five high-backed chairs were arranged around a series of low tables, designed for collaborative tactical planning.
"The Academy has spent centuries refining the art of the squad," Headmaster Valerius began, standing at the center of the room. A holographic display bloomed into life above him, showing complex webs of mana-compatibility. "In the field, raw power is a liability without structure. You have been selected not just for your individual ranks, but for the way your traits complement—and check—one another."
The display shifted, showing the first set of names.
"Squad One. The primary strike team for the freshman class."
ALARIC THORNE (Leader) ELARA VON OROS CASPIAN OF THE NORTH SERAPHINA OF THE LUNAR CATHEDRAL LEO OF THE IRONWOOD
The names hung in the air like a sentence.
Alaric smiled, turning to look at his new teammates. "An S-rank Healer, a Northern Vanguard, a Shield-Master, and the Empire's finest Knight. Headmaster, I couldn't have asked for a more balanced core."
Caspian felt as though the floor were tilting. It was one thing to be in the same year as Alaric; it was another to be chained to him. He looked at Seraphina, who was staring at the floor with a look of absolute, hollow despair. To them, this wasn't a "balanced core." It was a cage.
Caspian was the meat-shield, Seraphina was the battery, and Leo was the secondary defense—all meant to serve the two monsters at the center.
"Leo?" Alaric asked, noticing the sturdy, broad-shouldered boy standing near the back. "I saw your evaluation. That shield-work was exceptional. I'd be honored to stand behind it."
Leo, a commoner whose family had forged imperial armor for generations, turned a bright shade of red. "Oh—Lord Thorne. I... I won't let you down. Or the Princess."
Elara's gaze drifted to Leo. Her smile was as sweet as honeyed wine. "I'm sure you won't, Leo. Alaric is very precious to the Empire. I'll be watching very closely to make sure his 'anchor' stays firm."
The words were polite, but to Caspian, they sounded like a threat. Protect him, or I will end you.
"You have thirty minutes to discuss your preliminary roles before your first synchronization test," the Headmaster announced, gesturing toward the tables. "Don't waste them. The first Gate simulation opens at 14:00."
He walked out, the heavy doors hissing shut.
Alaric immediately moved to the central chair, gesturing for the others to join him. "Well, since we're going to be spending the next four years together, I suggest we skip the formalities. I'm Alaric, but you already know that. I'd like to know what you think your greatest strengths are in a chaotic environment. Caspian?"
Caspian sat down slowly, his claymore leaning against the chair. He looked at Alaric, then at Elara, who was sitting directly beside her fiancé.
"I kill things," Caspian said, his voice a low, jagged rumble. "I don't do 'tactical finesse.' I find the biggest monster in the room and I make sure it stops moving."
"A pure Vanguard-Berserker approach," Alaric noted, his pen already moving in his notebook. "I can work with that. It allows me to focus my telekinesis on field manipulation rather than direct damage. And Seraphina?"
Seraphina's voice was a mere whisper. "I... I provide light. I can heal wounds, but my specialty is mana-purification. I can cleanse the miasma from a Gate's atmosphere."
"Crucial," Alaric said. "Especially if we're hitting high-rank Rifts early. Elara and I have trained together since childhood, so our synchronization is already high. She handles the close-quarters defense—the 'Loyal Knight' role. She protects the center."
Elara's eyes never left Alaric. "I protect you, Alaric. That is the only role I care about."
The intensity in her voice made even Leo flinch.
"Right," Alaric said with a light chuckle, seemingly oblivious to the obsessive undertone. "And Leo, you're our pivot. When Caspian pushes forward, you cover the gaps. I'll provide the overhead support and coordination."
He stood up, looking at his silent, somber team. "I know some of you might be feeling the pressure of being in the first squad. But I want you to know that I don't care about the SS-rank or the royal titles. In a Gate, we're all just teammates. I'll do everything in my power to make sure every one of you comes home after every mission."
It was a perfect speech. Charismatic, humble, and inspiring. If Leo had been the only one listening, he would have followed Alaric into the heart of a sun.
But Caspian and Seraphina were looking at the flickering blue notice on their own private interfaces—one that Alaric couldn't see.
[Notice: The 'Vanguard of Ruin' has been assembled.] [Synchronization: 0.1%] [Current Outlook: 100% Probability of Total Annihilation.]
"Let's go," Caspian said, standing up and grabbing his sword. The weight of his future memories was crushing him, but he looked at Seraphina and saw the same terror-born resolve in her eyes.
They couldn't kill Alaric yet. Not with the Golden Executioner standing at his shoulder. They would have to play the game. They would have to get stronger, learn the Princess's weaknesses, and wait for the one moment when the SSS-rank guardian wasn't looking.
As they walked toward the training arena, Elara slowed her pace, letting the others get a few steps ahead. She watched Alaric's back, her expression shifting from "Kindness" to something much deeper, much hungrier.
This time, she thought, her fingers tracing the hilt of the rapier at her hip. This time, no one will take you from me. Not the North, not the Church, and certainly not these three little 'heroes'.
She had lived through a thousand ends. She had seen Alaric die in a hundred different ways—betrayed by friends, executed by the state, or lost to the madness of the Gates. Every time the world reset, she was there. She was the constant. And she had learned that the only way to save the man she loved was to make sure that anyone who even thought about hurting him was erased from existence.
She caught up to Alaric, sliding her hand back into his. "Are you excited, Alaric?"
"Very," he said, looking at the arena doors. "I think this squad has a lot of potential."
"Oh, they do," Elara whispered. "I'm going to make sure they fulfill every bit of it."