Kael woke before dawn, the facility was still feeling strange and quiet. Dorm 27D where Jace and Elira were still asleep.
He slipped out quietly, the door went shut behind him. He went to one of the empty training halls—an open space with reinforced walls and rows of battered combat dummies.
[Status Check]
HP: 60%
Stamina: 70%
Sync Level: 48%
Copied Magic:
Water Manipulation (Basic)
Cryokinesis (Basic)
[Empty Slot]
Skills: Observe Lv.1, Adaptive Sync Lv.1
Quest: Pass the Evaluation (Active)
EXP: 110/300
"Let's see what you can do," Kael said quietly.
He raised his hand and focused on the water manipulation he'd copied, an orb of liquid formed in midair it was small but stable. He flicked his wrist, and it darted forward, splashing harmlessly against a dummy.
It had no effect on the dummy
"Not bad." He switched to Cryokinesis. Frost gathered along his palm, spreading across his fingers like cracks. He pushed, and a thin beam of ice shot out, freezing a dummy's arm solid before breaking it with a kick.
[Skill Progress: Cryokinesis – Proficiency +1%]
Kael grinned faintly. "Looks like I can improve them, too."
A faint bell like sound echoed in his head.
[New Quest Unlocked: "Preparation"]
Objective: Gain a third magic signature before the evaluation.
Reward: +50 EXP, Skill Upgrade Chance.
"Figures," Kael sighed. "You're always pushing."
The door to the hall creaked open, and Jace strolled in, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Couldn't wait till the test, huh?"
Kael dropped his hand and shrugged. "Figured I'd get a warm-up."
Jace smirked, flipping his knife idly. "Mind if I join? Can't let you get ahead of me."
As they trained together, Kael's BioSync pulsed faintly, itching for a touch, one more touch and he'd fill his final slot.
By breakfast, the facility was alive with noise. Recruits shuffled into the hall, some joking, some silent with nerves. A sergeant with a scar from his brow to his jaw barked for attention.
"Listen up, recruits! Today's your evaluation. You'll be tested on weapons handling, tactical awareness, and combat magic. Fail, and you're out. Pass, and you'll earn your spot in the warfront training program."
A murmur rippled through the hall. Jace grinned at Kael. "Showtime."
Elira leaned across the table. "You ready for this?"
Kael forced a smile. "Yeah. Let's play."
-----
The recruits were told to go into the main evaluation grounds—a sprawling hangar-like hall bubbling with activity. Rows of dummies, shooting ranges, sparring rings, and obstacle courses stretched as far as Kael could see. Soldiers in uniform stood between stations, barking orders and taking notes on notebooks they carried.
Kael stood with Jace and Elira in the middle of a cluster of thirty or so recruits. The sergeant from the mess hall strode to the front, boots echoing against the steel floor.
"You all know the deal. The war doesn't wait for the weak," the sergeant said loudly. "There are three phases. Weapons proficiency, magic control, and live combat scenario. Fail any one, and you're out. Pass, and you're one step closer to earning your place."
He scanned the crowd, his scarred face unreadable. "Move to your stations!"
Kael's heart thudded as they split into groups. Jace slapped him on the shoulder. "See you at the finish line."
---
Phase One – Weapons Proficiency
Kael lined up at the firing range, a pulse rifle in his hands. The weapon felt unfamiliar, heavier than the pistol he'd stolen during his escape.
[Objective: Hit 15/20 moving targets]
The targets flickered to life, darting in unpredictable patterns. Kael took a deep breath, squeezed the trigger, and let his training take over. Shots cracked through the air. Blue energy bolts struck target after target, some dead-center, some grazing edges.
By the end, his score read 17/20.
A supervising officer gave a curt nod. "Pass. Next."
Kael set the rifle down, his fingers tingling. [EXP +10]
---
Phase Two – Magic Control
Rows of recruits stood at spaced intervals, each given a chance to demonstrate their elemental affinity. Fire, water, ice, lightning—bursts of color and light filled the hall as instructors judged precision and control.
Kael's turn came. He raised his hand, letting the copied water manipulation flow through him. A sphere ball of water formed above his palm, perfectly stable.
"Control," the instructor ordered.
Kael focused more , splitting the orb into three, then five, each one holding its shape.
"Not bad. Now power."
He clenched his fist. The orbs shot forward, striking the training dummies with enough force to knock them back. Applause rippled through a few onlookers.
Then, quietly, Kael switched to Cryokinesis. Frost bloomed across his fingers, and with a push, he encased a dummy in a shell of ice.
"Dual-element control?" the instructor muttered, making a note. "Pass. Proceed."
As Kael stepped aside, the BioSync pulsed. [Copied Magic Slots: 2/3 – One slot remaining]
He needed one more. His gaze drifted to the next recruit—an older boy with crackling sparks dancing along his forearm. Lightning magic. Kael brushed past him as they switched places, letting his shoulder graze the boy's arm.
[New Magic Acquired: Lightning(Basic)]
[Copied Magic Slots: 3/3 – Full]
A thrill ran through him. Three elements now, all his to keep.
---
Phase Three – Live Combat
The recruits were funneled into a mock combat arena—a ruined urban landscape built inside the hangar. Artificial smoke and flashing lights filled the air.
"You'll be fighting in teams of three," the sergeant barked. "Objective: eliminate all opposing units or hold your position for five minutes. Combat rounds begin… now!"
Kael found himself paired with Jace and Elira.
"Stick close," Jace said, spinning his knife. "I'll cover close-range."
"Got it," Kael said, scanning the fog. His heart beating hard with adrenaline.
A flash of movement—enemy team. Kael raised his hand and sent a crackling bolt of lightning streaking through the mist, forcing them into cover. Jace darted forward, blade flashing, while Elira unleashed a torrent of wind magic to scatter the smoke.
Kael switched seamlessly to water manipulation, forming a spear-like jet that knocked another opponent off their feet. When the last recruit charged him, Kael froze him mid-sprint with Cryokinesis, leaving the boy encased in ice up to his knees.
[Live Combat – Team Victory]
[EXP +50]
[Level Up – Level 2 Reached]
[Stat Points Available: +5]
The arena lights flickered back to normal. Kael was breathing hard, sweat dripping down his face. Jace clapped him on the shoulder, grinning. "Damn, you're full of surprises."
Elira raised an eyebrow. "Three elements? You didn't mention that."
Kael just shrugged. "Guess I'm a fast learner."
---
Later, back in Dorm 27D, Kael collapsed onto his bunk, pulling up his updated status screen:
[Status Update]
HP: 78%
Stamina: 65%
Sync Level: 50%
Level: 2
Copied Magic: Water Manipulation (Basic), Cryokinesis (Basic), Lightning (Basic)
Skills: Observe Lv.1, Adaptive Sync Lv.1
Locked Skills: ???
Stat Points Available: 5
Quests: Pass the Evaluation – Completed
New Quest: Advance Through Training (Part 1) – "Prove your worth in the coming warfront drills."
Kael stared at the glowing screen that only him could see. The path ahead was dangerous, but for the first time since escaping the lab, he felt new and changed.....
----