Each month was a crucible of pain and discipline, a cycle of brutal training followed by ruthless assessments that tested body and mind alike. There was no mercy, no pause for weakness. The days bled into nights, and the nights offered little solace—only the echo of orders barked in cold steel halls and the relentless rhythm of drills.
With every grueling month, Kael's emotions, once easy to read on his youthful face, were forged into silence. The fire still burned deep within his heart, but as a cadet, he learned the most vital lesson of all: no soldier could afford to show emotion, or allow decisions to be swayed by fleeting feelings. To survive, to command, he must be an unshakable fortress.
His body, once that of a boy, had been torn down and rebuilt countless times. Every cell, every muscle fiber, every neuron had been tested, damaged, and healed stronger. The strain of unyielding training pushed his flesh beyond human limits—his frame now sculpted like cold stone, muscles hard and precise, a living weapon shaped by relentless fire.
Kael had mastered every combat style—hand-to-hand, zero-g martial arts, advanced mecha piloting maneuvers, and battlefield tactics. His scores placed him at the pinnacle of his class. Yet, it was more than strength or skill. It was discipline—the kind that severed hesitation and forged willpower into a razor's edge.
When the latest trial ended, sweat and grime coating his skin, the familiar heavy footsteps of Instructor Voss echoed in the training hall. The old warhound's eyes, cold but proud, scanned the room.
"You are no longer cadets," Voss declared, voice steady as iron. "You are forged weapons of the Federation. Soldiers who carry the empire's will and shield its people."
A hush fell over the room.
"Now," he continued, "it is time to take the oath."
The silence broke as Voss raised his hand, and the new soldiers stood, voices strong and unwavering.
"I present myself to the Empire.
I will not commit any action that harms the Empire.
I will protect all citizens of the Empire, regardless of race, gender, or age.
I will carry the burden of this duty with honor and unyielding loyalty."
The cadets repeated the vow in unison, their voices ringing through the hall like the forging hammer striking steel.
Kael's eyes, cold yet resolute, met Voss's. In that moment, the boy was no more—only a soldier, tempered and ready to face the cosmos.
Voss paced before them, his voice dropping to a low, commanding tone. "This is only the beginning. Next year, you will be tested beyond the physical. The second year will demand your minds as much as your bodies."
He paused, eyes sweeping the room like a hawk.
"You will train in advanced strategic warfare—learning to command fleets, coordinate multi-unit operations, and control battlefield logistics. You will dive deep into mech tactics, mastering synchronized squad maneuvers and rapid deployment."
He stepped closer, voice sharper.
"Expect cyber warfare drills and AI interface training—how to outthink and outfight the machines that will stand alongside you. You'll learn zero-G combat in full simulated battles, plus emergency protocol drills under extreme conditions."
Voss's gaze hardened.
"This year will push your endurance to new limits. You'll be tested in survival training on hostile planets, forced marches through radiation zones, and psychological resilience trials. Failure is not an option."
He let his words sink in.
"You've been forged in fire this year, but the flame will burn hotter next. Be ready, soldiers. Because the Federation does not tolerate weakness."
The class was silent, every cadet's heart pounding with a mixture of fear and fierce determination.
Kael's jaw tightened. The path ahead was brutal, but he would walk it—stone by stone, step by step—until he became the weapon the Federation demanded.