Caedus awoke to the sharp blast of a trumpet echoing through the barracks. Instantly alert, he swung himself out of bed and moved to wash up. Cold water hit his face in quick, steady splashes, washing away the remnants of sleep.
When he finally looked into the mirror, he paused.
Caedus studied his reflection for a moment. His body had become unrecognizable.
What was once a lean, athletic frame had been refined through relentless training; it was denser and a lot stronger. His muscles were clearly defined beneath his skin, the result of pure function rather than excess growth.
Even his face had sharpened over time, his jawline becoming more defined, his features carrying a quiet intensity that hadn't been there before.
Caedus smirked at his reflection and spoke out loud. "Three months of suffering. It has been three months since the first day of the Ironwood Crown Initiative."
He was proud of his progress. Training like hell every single day, competing against others to be the best.
And today was finally the day, the physical training portion of their training would end.
Not to say they completely stopped physical training, but instead of it being an all-day thing, they will now incorporate other things into their daily regimen. Martial arts and weapons training, survival training, basic battle formations, and finally. Soul Power training.
'Today, I finally get my powers.' Caedus put his hand to his chest, feeling his heart beat excitedly.
He remembered the formation was in 10 minutes and finished freshening up before putting on his uniform, which he hadn't worn much since the first day he got to Obsidian Gate.
As he stepped outside his room, he saw Eric standing in the hall, leaning against the wall, waiting for him.
Caedus grinned and fist-bumped without saying anything before the two went to exit the Black Steel barracks.
"Caedus, I won't lie, I am excited to awaken finally." Eric grinned, throwing his arm around Caedus's shoulder.
"Me too, I love the progress we have made physically, but I feel like we have been waiting for an eternity to awake," Caedus replied excitedly.
"Well, we know why they put us through hell."
"Doesn't mean we have to like it." Caedus pointed out.
Eric was, without a doubt, Caedus's only friend in Iridia so far.
Over the past three months, the two of them had fallen into a routine of relentless competition, pushing each other higher, faster, and further until they both sat near the top of Division One. Outside of physical training, Caedus rarely spoke to anyone else. Between exhaustion and constant training cycles with Eric, there wasn't time.
The group of six, led by Iris, often trained nearby, their own internal rivalry sharp and disciplined. Still, they rarely interacted with Caedus directly, aside from the occasional weird stares and polite conversations they had with him.
As the duo chatted light heartedly on their way to the muster point, Caedus saw Iris standing by herself waiting for someone.
"Yo, Iris, what's up?" Eric called out to Iris and waved.
Iris looked up into Caedus's eyes, nodded politely at him, and spoke to Eric directly. "We need to discuss something. The others are already waiting for us. We don't have much time till Captain Woods gets here, so hurry up."
Eric's face turned slightly serious as he nodded and turned to Caedus before saying, "I'll come talk to you after roll call." Caedus nodded, then waved goodbye to Iris and Eric before sitting on a nearby bench.
"What's with all the secrecy…" Caedus quietly asked himself, watching the two nobles join their cohort.
He still remembered Umbra's request. It had felt like a lifetime since he had seen the Nightmare Crow, but he would never forget.
"Knowing Eric's personality, he wouldn't knowingly hurt the Kingdom."
"Hmm, if you have questions about their cohort, why not join them?" A voice behind Caedus startled him, making him jump to his feet.
Turning around to face the person speaking to him, he realized it was Captain Woods.
Immediately, Caedus stood at attention before addressing Captain Woods. "Good morning, sir!"
Captain Woods laughed lightly before speaking. "At ease, Cadet Violetshade. Now you're going to answer my question?"
Caedus relaxed his posture before shrugging. "Well, it's not my choice; if they want me, they can ask me to join. And I am an orphan, so I don't know how my power will manifest. I might just be sent to the admin branch if my power isn't combat-based."
The captain put his hand on Caedus's shoulder without responding and walked past him. As he was a few yards away, he paused before turning again to Caedus. "Admin branch or medical branch, wherever you are, I am sure you will do fine. If you stay in the combat corps, I am sure Cadet Steelheart will ask you to join their cohort."
Then, without waiting for a response, he stepped onto the training grounds shouting. "Division One! Form Up!"
The Ironwood Kingdom's military is broken into various branches. While, in name, they are all the Ironwood Kingdom's Military, they are separated into different branches depending on the type of power each person has.
If Caedus awoke a power related to healing or recovery, he would be separated into the medical branch. If he awoke a power related to intelligence, he could be sent to the military branch for a more specialized job or just to a managerial position to play politics. Each branch has different jobs one can do.
The power one awakens determines their military career.
Once the cadet's power is awakened and verified, they will be sent immediately to their next stage of training, depending on the branch they are assigned to.
While the King's initial reasoning for starting the Ironwood Crown Initiative was to deter other countries from invading by having powerful figures in combat, having powerful people in all branches is better than having them in only one branch.
"Division One! Attention!" Captain Woods shouted again, causing every cadet to snap their heels together. "Today we have a guest! Please welcome our base commanding officer, General Voss!"
In a puff of smoke, General Voss's hulking figure emerged. He wears a proud look as he observes the 1,001 recruits.
"Good morning, sir!" All the cadets shouted in unison.
"Good morning," General Voss's voice carried across the training grounds like a weight pressing down on the air itself. He stood tall and proud.
"I won't waste your time with a grand speech. You are here because you are the future of the Ironwood Kingdom. Some of you will become soldiers. Some of you will become healers, strategists, engineers, administrators."
His gaze swept across them, lingering a few moments on a few of them, including Caedus.
"But make no mistake, there are no useless awakenings. A blade protects a kingdom. So does a healer who refuses to let it fall. So does a mind that prevents wars before they begin. So does a builder who ensures there is something left to defend. Your power will define your path. But your drive will define your value. So do not measure yourselves only by strength. Measure yourselves by what you are willing to do with it. Today, you begin that answer."
General Voss turned slightly, signaling the end.
"Do not disappoint the kingdom."
He stepped back and disappeared with a puff of smoke.
Captain Woods immediately stepped forward.
"Division One! Line up by cadet number! Now!"
As the Cadets hurriedly got into a line, Caedus saw Iris eyeing him slightly as she walked all the way to the front of the line, while he walked all the way to the back of the line.
Captain Woods' voice spoke up again, losing its typical authoritative tone. "Over the past three months, we have pushed your bodies to their limits for one reason: to give each of you the greatest possible chance of successfully awakening your soul."
The cadets listened in complete silence.
"For most of you, today will mark the beginning of your future. But understand this clearly… awakening is not without danger. Though rare, death during awakening is possible. Some of you may suffer permanent changes to your bodies depending on the nature of your power. Others may awaken abilities that will alter the course of your lives forever. So when your turn comes, face it with resolve. This will be an all-day event. Once you awaken your power and authenticate it with the other officials and me, no matter what branch you go to, you are to go to the blacksmith and choose the weapon that you wish to use before checking in at your next training grounds. After check-in, they will relay your new orders. Good luck to all."