The Gathering
The grand training hall of Eldoria buzzed with unease. Normally filled with laughter and sparring sounds, today it was tense, suffocating. Hundreds of trainees sat shoulder to shoulder, whispering nervously. Some clenched fists, others fidgeted with wooden practice swords.
The massive iron doors creaked open. Head Instructor Veyra, tall and imposing in a black cloak, walked slowly to the center. Every step echoed like a drumbeat of fate. The whispers died into silence.
Her voice, sharp as steel, cut the air:
"Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Squad Selection Exam. This will decide who among you earns the right to fight for Eldoria… and who will return home."
Gasps and shivers spread through the hall. Kaen's heart pounded. He felt the weight of her words like a chain dragging him down.
The Stakes
Veyra's gaze swept across the crowd.
"Do not think this will be easy. The exam is divided into multiple trials — physical, mental, and strategic. Some of you will break. Some of you will collapse before the second stage. Only the strong, the prepared, and the united will pass."
The hall erupted into whispers again.
"Mental trials? What does that mean?"
"I heard people collapse last year, some never came back to training…"
"Strategic… that means teams. Not solo fights."
Kaen swallowed hard, his palms sweaty. His mind flashed back to the night of the attack — his trembling body, his mother's last words. Could he really prove himself here?
The Registration
Veyra raised her hand, silencing everyone.
"This year, registration will be done in teams of five. A squad that cannot work together is already dead. Choose wisely."
The announcement struck like lightning. Students immediately turned to one another, whispering, rushing to secure groups. Those without friends panicked.
Kaen looked at the faces he trusted most. Riku, Daren, Fin, Lyra. They turned toward him almost in the same breath. No words were needed at first — just the shared look of determination.
Finally, Riku spoke softly, her voice trembling but firm:
"Kaen… let's do this. Together."
Daren, leaning slightly on his still-healing leg, gave a crooked grin:
"If I sit this out, what was the point of surviving? Count me in."
Fin chuckled nervously, scratching his neck:
"Well, if I'm gonna fail, I'd rather fail with idiots I trust. I'm in."
Lyra folded her arms, cold as ever, but her eyes shone with unyielding fire:
"Don't mistake this as friendship. I'll join you, but only because I refuse to be led by weaklings."
Kaen clenched his fist, heart burning with gratitude. He nodded.
"Then it's decided. We register… as one squad."
At the Registration Desk
The trainees formed long lines at the front hall where instructors sat behind stone desks. Each group stepped forward, their names recorded in massive ledgers.
When Kaen's group reached the front, the clerk looked them over with cold, calculating eyes.
"Team of five? State your names."
Kaen stepped forward, voice steadier than he felt.
"Kaen. Riku. Daren. Fin. Lyra. We're registering as one unit."
The clerk raised an eyebrow, glancing at their mismatched appearances — the quiet girl, the injured boy, the smug one, the cold prodigy, and the boy who still carried the eyes of someone haunted by fear.
"…Bold choice. Hope you survive."
The stamp slammed down on the ledger. Their names now inked into the trial of destiny.
Whispers of Fear
As they stepped aside, Kaen overheard other trainees whispering nervously in line.
"The theory test alone eliminates half the candidates."
"Last year's endurance trial had people fainting in the forest for days…"
"The strategy trial? They say squads get torn apart if even one member slips."
Riku gripped her necklace tighter. Daren clenched his jaw. Lyra only smirked, but Kaen could see her fingers twitch — even she felt the tension.
The Vows (Character Emotions)
That night, under the quiet glow of lanterns in their barracks, the five sat together.
Riku whispered: "I can't fail. Not after everything… I'll pass, no matter what it takes."
Daren, voice heavy: "I've been weak for too long. Tomorrow… I prove I'm worth standing beside you."
Fin, trying to smile but unable to hide the shake in his hands: "Scary, huh? But… we'll get through this. I trust you all."
Lyra, cold but quietly vulnerable: "I don't care about bonds. But I refuse to be left behind. Don't drag me down."
Kaen, looking at each of them, finally speaking with unshakable resolve:
"This exam isn't just about joining the squad. It's about proving we've grown stronger. That night… I swore I'd never be helpless again. Tomorrow… I keep that promise."
The five sat in silence, the weight of tomorrow pressing down, but in that silence was a bond — fragile, but real.
Morning bells rang across Eldoria. Trainees gathered at the academy gates, lined up in squads, faces pale with fear and determination.
The camera pans across the sea of nervous students until it locks onto Kaen's group — standing firm, side by side.
Veyra's voice booms once more:
"The Squad Selection Exam begins now. Step forward… and show us your worth."
Kaen exhales, his hand tightening on his spear.
This is it. Their true test begins.