CHAPTER 5 – TRUST & TRAINING

I woke up to sunlight hitting my face from an actual window. Right. The King's "generosity." We were in the gilded cage now - fancier beds, a washbasin - but still prisoners under Elara's command. The tension from the audience with the King and High Priest hadn't faded; if anything, the quiet luxury of the room made it feel heavier.

Most of the class was already gathered around the stone table, the one Advik had cracked with his power outburst. Simple bowls of steaming porridge and cups of water sat waiting. Breakfast of champions.

"So, intensive training under Elara," Lucas muttered, poking glumly at his porridge. "Sounds like fun. Wonder if she teaches torture techniques as an elective."

"It's an opportunity, Lucas," Emma countered immediately, though she looked exhausted. "The King trusts her. If we show her we're capable..."

"Capable of what? Getting killed more efficiently?" Olivia retorted.

"Look, fighting amongst ourselves isn't helping," Advik said quietly, keeping his hands in his lap. "Elara's in charge now. Maybe this is our chance to actually figure out what these powers are."

"Advik's right," Takumi agreed, leaning against the wall. "Complaining changes nothing. Understanding our abilities might." He paused, his gaze shifting to me. "Speaking of which... Kyo. Those weren't just 'hunches' back with the golems, were they? You knew exactly what to tell us. Is there something you're not telling us?"

The room went quiet. Everyone looked at me. Takumi's directness was like a physical blow. I felt cornered. "I... I don't know," I stammered, hating how weak I sounded. "I told you, I just saw... something." Lame. Even I didn't believe it.

Olivia raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Right. 'Something'."

Just as the tension was about to snap, Hana spoke. Her voice was soft, as always, but held a clarity that cut through the suspicion. "It doesn't matter how he knew. He helped us. We should trust that."

Everyone turned to look at her, surprised by her intervention.

She met their gazes steadily, her usual quiet demeanor replaced with a surprising firmness. "We should present a united front," she continued, looking around the room, making eye contact with each of us. "Whatever Commander Elara asks of us, we do it together. No more arguing, no more factions. Just Class 2-K."

Chen Yu nodded beside her, a look of quiet pride on his face. The rest of us were stunned into silence for a moment. Hana, the graceful, almost ethereal presence, was the one laying down the law? But... she was absolutely right. Simple, direct, and exactly what we needed to hear. Even Lucas and Takumi seemed to recognize it, slowly giving hesitant nods. Hana had somehow, in just a few quiet words, become our voice of reason.

Just then, the iron bolt screeched open. Commander Elara stood there, already in full armor, her expression unreadable.

"Gear up," she commanded. "Training begins now."

◆ ◆ ◆

The training ground was the same vast, enclosed arena, floor covered in sand, stone pillars scattered about. Waiting for us were the three figures in matte black armor—Elara's elite unit.

"Sergeants Kenjiro, Lyra, and Borin," Elara introduced them curtly. Kenjiro was the tank, Lyra the lithe one, Borin the balanced one radiating competence. Kenjiro? The name sounded distinctly Japanese. Strange, considering the "Old Heroes" mural. "They will test you. Today, I need to understand what you understand. Step forward, state your Class, explain what you believe your power does, and demonstrate against the designated Sergeant."

Lucas stepped up first, briefly explained [Bastion], and successfully blocked a light strike from Kenjiro with his [Kinetic Barrier]. Olivia followed, explaining [Healer] and taking some time to mend a deliberate cut Kenjiro gave himself with her [Intuitive Medicine]. Elara noted their progress curtly. "Next: Advik."

Advik stepped forward nervously, avoiding the sergeants' gazes. "Uh, [Maestro]. I... make things happen with rhythm?" "You cracked solid stone without meaning to," Elara stated flatly. "Show me control. Not power. Control. Sergeant Borin, arrows." Borin produced a small crossbow and fired three blunt-tipped bolts in quick succession. Advik flinched but focused, starting a steady, simple beat on his thighs, ignoring the incoming projectiles. A shimmering wall of sound appeared, humming softly. It stopped all three bolts without shattering. "Better," Elara judged. "Stability comes from focus, not panic. Next: Bela."

Bela stepped forward, sketchbook clutched tight. "It says [Artist]. I draw things, and they... sort of appear?" "An illusion?" Elara asked skeptically. "Maybe more?" Bela whispered. "I... I think they can interact. For a bit."
"Sergeant Lyra," Elara commanded. "Test her 'interaction'." Lyra ran, trying to get behind Bela with a training dagger aimed at her back. Bela gasped, sketching rapidly not a creature, but a shield - a round, ornate buckler. As Lyra's dagger struck, a shimmering, translucent shield flickered into existence, deflecting the blow with a faint clang before dissolving into motes of light. "Ephemeral constructs," Elara noted, intrigued. "Temporary, tangible creations. Useful. Determine their duration and limitations. Next: Takumi."

Takumi stepped forward. "[Chameleon]. I can copy abilities I see." "Sergeant Kenjiro," Elara said. "Defensive sequence, variant three." Kenjiro moved through a complex series of blocks, parries, and dodges with practiced ease. Takumi watched intently, his eyes tracking every movement. He then picked up a training sword and replicated the entire sequence flawlessly. "Impressive recall," Elara admitted. "For how long can you maintain a mimicked skill?" "Uncertain," Takumi replied. "It feels... temporary. Maybe a minute?" "Test that hypothesis. Next: Hana and Chen Yu."

They stepped forward together, explaining their synergy - her [Dancer] class applying [Flowing Strike] to set up his [Fighter] class's [Shatter Strike]. "Sergeant Borin," Elara commanded. "Shield defense." Borin braced himself, raising a heavy, metal shield engraved with runes. Hana flowed towards him, her movements a mesmerizing dance. Three quick touches on the shield's surface, leaving faint, pulsing glyphs. "Now!" Chen Yu charged, fist aimed at the lowest glyph. Borin met the blow squarely with his shield. The sound was deafening - not just a clang, but a deep, resonant CRACK. A visible shockwave pulsed outwards, and spiderweb fractures appeared on the face of the heavy shield. Borin staggered back a step, staring at the damage in disbelief. Elara allowed herself a small, satisfied nod. "Coordinated. Powerful. Very good. Next: Emma."

Emma stepped forward, looking nervous after the previous display. She explained [Diplomat] and [Oathbound]. "Sergeant Lyra," Elara ordered. "Resist." "You will... lower your weapon!" Emma commanded, pointing. Lyra didn't even flinch. Emma tried again, concentrating harder. "I order you to hesitate!" Nothing. She looked exhausted, frustration evident on her face. I saw her [Mana] bar flicker, almost empty. Without thinking, I mouthed, "Simpler." Emma glanced at me, confused, then seemed to understand. She took a deep breath, focused on Lyra's dagger hand, and said, simply, "Drop." Lyra's fingers actually spasmed for a split second, her grip faltering before tightening again. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Emma let out a shaky sigh of relief, but before anyone could comment, Takumi's sharp voice cut in. He was staring directly at me. "Okay, that's twice now. First the golems, now Emma. How did you know that would work? What are you seeing, Kyo?"

My heart hammered. Everyone was looking at me again, the earlier suspicion back in full force. "My screen... it shows the error message," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "[ERROR: ANOMALY DETECTED]. I don't have a power."
"But you offered guidance," Elara stated calmly, stepping closer. Her voice wasn't accusing, just intensely curious. "Explain what you see."

"I... I don't know," I stammered, feeling heat rise in my cheeks. "When they use their powers... sometimes I see things. On their screens. Extra words that aren't usually there. Flickering."

A ripple of murmurs went through the class.

"Extra words?" Lucas asked, frowning. "Like what? Mine just says [Bastion] and the ability."

"Yours..." I took a breath, trying to remember the specific flicker. "It said [Ability: Kinetic Barrier] and something else. Emma's said [Skill: Oathbound] and... then [Mana Cost]?"

Emma gasped. "Mana Cost? That must be it! I felt something draining when I tried the more complicated commands!"

Everyone started talking at once, staring first at me, then at their own screens, then back at me with wide eyes. "Wait, you mean... you can see details?" Olivia asked, incredulous. "Like, skill names and resource bars and stuff?" "Yeah," I mumbled, the realization finally hitting me like a physical blow as I looked at their confused faces. "Wait... you guys can't see that?"

The silence that followed was deafening. They were all staring at me like I'd just grown a second head. They couldn't see it. Only I could. I wasn't just guessing. I wasn't hallucinating. My "error" wasn't that I was broken... it was that I was seeing something more.

Elara silenced them with a raised hand, her eyes narrowed, fixed on me with an intense, calculating gaze. "Interesting," she said, her voice dangerously soft. "Very interesting indeed. It seems our 'anomaly' has a use after all. Your eyes might be your weapon, Kyo."

She turned back to the stunned group. "You have shown me glimmers of potential. Raw, uncontrolled, but present. Now, the real work begins."

She gestured to her elite unit, who stepped forward, radiating menace. "Starting tomorrow, you won't be sparring with dummies or each other. You will be sparring with them. They will not hold back. They will teach you control, coordination, and the cost of failure."

Her cold smile returned. "Pray you learn quickly. Because the battlefield doesn't give second chances.”