The Real Soldiers

When I reached the gate of Base A, the sun was rising. After the midnight incident I hadn’t slept well. Following the latest events, Base D had been shut down and its soldiers were reassigned evenly to the other bases. We received two additional Black-ranked soldiers—great news for our base. Our strength went up and the city was safer.

One of the new Blacks was the guy who tried to punch Victor and then got what he deserved: Shun Daiki. His ability lets him adjust someone’s gravity by touch.
The second Black was Lukas Kaiser. His power is telekinesis—he can lift and hurl small to mid-sized objects.

I got a temporary assignment to Base C for one year. I’ll gain experience there, train myself, and also work as an instructor.

From Ayame’s perspective

When I lined up in the inner courtyard that morning, I counted my breath: four in, two out. Numbers quiet thoughts. I smoothed the seam of my sleeve and tapped the fabric once with my finger—that was the first “done” of the day.

Today again I promised myself: talk less; be seen in the right place.

The unit stepped off. No one rushed, no one lagged. As our breathing fell into the same rhythm, the tension inside me began to unwind.

We were waiting sleepy-eyed in the courtyard for an announcement when the Commander-in-Chief, Ellie, appeared.

Ellie: “Kids, I’m making an important announcement. To make you true soldiers, you’re going into a one-year intensive training. At the end of the year you graduate. I hope it goes well—good luck.”

Month 1 — Team Chemistry

For the first month they changed our teams every three days. Constant shuffling, they said, to force us to adapt quickly to whoever was beside us. I tried hard not to end up with Rory.

With the changing teams there was also a spar between teams. It was rough, because just when I got used to my squad, it changed again. Somehow, I dragged myself through the first month.

Month 2 — Combining Spells

In Month 2 they taught us to combine our spells with our teammates’. This drill wasn’t ideal for me since all I could really do was give shields and heal limbs. Commander Caitlyn told me, “With other Greens you can either speed up or strengthen your healing,” so I practiced those with the other Green-rankers.

Since there wasn’t much else for me this month, I kept looking for Kiyoshi around the base. When I asked Ellie where he was, she said, “He’s been temporarily assigned to Base C.” His absence actually made me sad, though I didn’t know why. I worried about him all the time—pointless, since he’s so strong—but I couldn’t help it.

Months 3–4 — Martial Arts

In Months 3 and 4 they taught us different fighting styles: jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, taekwondo, and boxing—properly. It was a very tough block for me; I’m not good at martial arts. Honestly, I’m not great at fighting in general. When I looked at Kelvin and Rory, they were finishing at the top of the drills. Both are really strong. I kept pushing anyway, giving it everything.

One day I asked Kelvin how I could get better. He said, “Try to predict your opponent’s movements when you fight, and when you attack, attack like you mean to kill.” That was… impossible for me. I’ve never even killed an ant. But if I want to be strong, I have to do it. By the end of Month 4 I was fighting better, but to catch Kelvin and Rory I’d need a long, long time.

Months 5–6 — Deepening Color

In Months 5 and 6 we trained to deepen our colors—to power up. We used our abilities constantly. It was draining—either I was healing someone or giving shields all the time. Hard, but I could feel my spellwork improving.

Mid-Month 6, we were told to form permanent three-person teams for upcoming missions. My eyes automatically searched for Kiyoshi, then I remembered his reassignment and felt that little ache again. Just then Kelvin came over.

Kelvin: “Ayame, want to team up?”

Ayame: “Looks like I’ll be teaming with you again. You’re the one I work with best, Kelvin.”

Kelvin: “Yeah, but we’re one short. I want someone really strong with us.”

Ayame: “What about Rory?”

Kelvin: “Rory? You’re kidding.”

Ayame: “I’m serious. You two can be the team’s main power; I’ll support you from the back.”

Kelvin: “You’re not wrong… but can we even get along with Rory?”

Rory overheard and walked over.

Rory: “Not a bad idea, Ayame. We could be a strong team.”

Kelvin: “You think you can work with us?”

Rory: “I don’t think so—but I have to. I’ve got to beat that bastard Kiyoshi.”

Somehow we agreed and formed a trio. Toward the end of Month 6 we trained more together and built up our team chemistry. We’d become a legitimately strong unit—ready for missions.

Wait for us, Kiyoshi. We’re going to catch up to you.

Month 7 — Building Team Communication

The three of us spent more time on the same line: Kelvin, Rory, and me. Between drills our talks were short but on point. Kelvin’s voice was calm; he said exactly what needed saying. Rory was blunt; no wasted words. I listened and spoke only when it mattered.

As the days passed I learned to read their faces. When Kelvin lifted an eyebrow, it meant “go on.” When Rory shot a side-eye, it meant “speed up.” Our footsteps fell into rhythm when we walked. We became friends; even our arguments were brief. Once the argument ended, everyone went back to their post. By the end of the month I could guess what the person beside me would do, no matter who it was.

Month 8 — A Small Cult Mission

A cult cell’s location was exposed. Simple objectives: infiltrate, neutralize the cultists, report everything, bring important items back to base.

We went at night. After the outer door there was a short corridor. Kelvin led and took first contact. Rory slipped in and cleared the room on the right. I stayed back, putting up shields exactly when needed to ease the pressure on the front line. In close quarters we had to move fast.

Some resisted; all went down one by one. We didn’t take useless risks, we didn’t drag it out. We gathered documents, symbols, and devices worth noting. On return we filed the report; everything seized was turned in. No one cheered, no one told hero stories. “Mission complete” was enough.

Month 9 — Darkening Our Colors

We used our powers even more this month. My Green darkened by a shade; my shields held firmer and healing flowed faster. Kelvin clearly stepped up to Dark level; the extra motion in his strikes vanished. Rory darkened too; his speed stopped bleeding energy.

During one drill Kelvin’s ankle slipped. He didn’t stop. I gave him a quick touch of support and he kept moving without losing breath. In that moment I understood: it’s not about showing power; it’s about showing it at the exact time.

Month 10 — The Village in France

A call for help came from a village within France. Cultists had been terrorizing the town. Our mission: save the village and wipe out the cell.

The roads were narrow and the houses were packed tight. Evacuating civilians came first. Kelvin stayed up front, clearing dangerous chokepoints. Rory circled through alleys, breaking the threat apart. I stood behind the people, cutting the speed of anything coming at them and opening corridors when needed.

The cultists scattered. As silence returned, there was no applause—didn’t need to be. We checked people one by one and reported what was missing. By late afternoon the sky opened up, and the three of us were back to our normal breathing cycles.

Month 11 — Our Own Plan

We’d reached the point where we could look at someone else’s plan and then make our own.

Simple framework:

Kelvin takes first contact and holds the line.

Rory locks the flank, giving no openings.

I set the tempo and support in the right place.

It had no name. It worked without repeating the same sentence every round. Sometimes a single glance was enough. When everyone made the same decision at once, it felt like we weren’t three people but one. We had bad days; we adjusted and moved on. What never changed was looking at each other and advancing at the same time.

Month 12 — Spar with Rodney

Next was the acceptance test. Our opponent was Rodney, the exam proctor. We faced him in a closed hall on a cold floor.

I didn’t accelerate at the start. Kelvin stepped forward and read Rodney’s direction. Rory hunted for angles. I held the backline; I opened a shield when needed, pulled it back, then put it up again. No big single bets—short, clean moves.

Then Rodney broke the rhythm. One step shattered the center of our plan. Kelvin tried to hold the line, I supported from behind, Rory tried a new angle. We circled like that for a few rounds. We lost.

Rodney still came over and spoke briefly. “You have weaknesses,” he said, “but you move together. That’s more valuable than raw power.”

He didn’t talk long. We didn’t either. We nodded and returned to our spots. Losing didn’t hurt; being accepted did the job. Because after twelve months, this is what I learned most:

If we walk together, even a loss is a step in the right direction.

As we left the corridor, our footsteps echoed in the same rhythm. We were three. We were one breath. Whatever tomorrow says, we’ll listen first—and then move.