The probation grounds felt strangely empty.
Only hours ago, the air had been thick with the noise of over forty candidates—boots pounding the training dirt, swords clashing, voices straining in exhaustion. Now, all that remained was silence, broken only by the echo of footsteps on the stone-paved courtyard.
Twelve of them stood in a loose formation, their bodies worn down but their eyes sharper than ever. Each had survived forty relentless days—fighting, climbing, bleeding, and enduring sleepless nights.
A deep voice cut through the air.
"From this moment, you are no longer just candidates," Commander Garrick declared, his scarred face illuminated by the pale afternoon light. "You are the chosen twelve—the first step toward becoming the Kingdom's First-Response Teams. Three squads. Four in each."
Alexander's chest rose and fell slowly. He didn't feel victorious—just hollow. The faces of those who hadn't made it still lingered in his mind.
The commander raised a parchment. "Your assignments have been decided."
One by one, names were called, voices echoing across the courtyard like the toll of a bell.
"Team Ember—Alexander Darius, Lyra Edevane, Serin Valthis, Dane Coric."
Alexander's eyes flicked to each of his new teammates. Lyra, her blonde braid loose and dust-streaked, gave him a small nod. Serin, tall and lean with the sharpness of a hawk, said nothing, merely adjusting the grip on his training staff. Dane, broad-shouldered and calm-eyed, glanced at them all, his expression unreadable.
"You will live together, train together, and fight together for the next two years," Garrick said, voice heavy with authority. "From this point on, your strength is no longer your own. If one fails, you all fail. That is the bond of a squad."
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The Living Quarters
The dormitory wing was built of thick oak beams and stone walls, smelling faintly of iron and pine. Team Ember's assigned room was barely large enough for four narrow beds, a wooden table, and a single small hearth in the corner.
Alexander stepped inside first, dropping his satchel beside the bed farthest from the door. "Looks like we'll be living on top of each other," he muttered.
Lyra smirked faintly. "Better than freezing outside."
Serin remained silent, taking the bed nearest the window without asking. Dane set his pack down neatly and began removing his armor piece by piece, the sound of buckles and straps filling the room.
The First Night
That night, the fire crackled softly as the four of them sat around the small table. A loaf of bread, some dried meat, and a jug of water were their only rations until morning.
Alexander tore a piece of bread and spoke with a grin, trying to cut the tension. "So… anyone here snore? We might as well prepare for the worst."
Lyra rolled her eyes. "I've slept through battlefields. I'll survive your noise."
Serin gave a short, humorless chuckle. "If you snore too loud, I'll train outside instead."
Dane finally spoke, his voice deep and even. "We'll need to learn each other's habits quickly. Small things break squads before battles do."
It wasn't warmth yet—but it was the first thread in something stronger.
The Days That Followed
Training began at dawn every morning—combat drills, formation work, and strategy sessions. They sparred until their arms ached, ran until their legs burned, and studied battle theory until their eyes blurred. At night, they tended each other's injuries and shared whatever extra food they could manage to barter from the mess hall.
Slowly, laughter began to echo in their room. Lyra and Alexander traded sarcastic remarks during weapon cleaning. Serin, though quiet, began offering tactical advice without being asked. Dane took it upon himself to wake everyone before the morning bell, earning groans but also respect.
By the end of the first month, they moved as one in drills—not perfectly, but with the beginnings of trust.
And though none of them said it aloud, they knew:
Team Ember was no longer just four strangers in a room.
They were a flame, small but steady—one that would either burn brighter or be extinguished in the trials ahead.