The academy briefing hall was already filling when Gamma Squad arrived.
Rows of tiered seating curved around the central platform. Cadets spoke quietly, their voices low and cautious. Rumors had spread quickly, and the tension in the room reflected it. Conversations softened as Gamma Squad entered, attention shifting toward them without anyone openly saying why.
Some cadets turned.
Others watched from the edges of their vision.
June exhaled quietly as they moved toward their section.
"...Yeah. Everyone definitely knows."
Nyra ignored the attention, taking her seat calmly. Lucian sat beside her, posture straight and composed. Mira remained quiet, her gaze scanning the room with measured focus.
Castiel lowered himself carefully into his seat, the braces limiting his movement. Even sitting required deliberate control. David sat beside him, quiet and observant.
The hall gradually settled.
Commander Vance stepped onto the platform.
Her presence alone brought silence.
"Cadets."
Her voice carried clearly across the room.
"Yesterday, an unexpected deployment anomaly occurred."
The room shifted slightly, attention sharpening.
"A squad was temporarily separated during assignment. Communications were disrupted."
She didn't name Gamma Squad.
She didn't need to.
"All members have returned safely."
A subtle wave of relief passed through the hall. Some cadets shifted in their seats. Others relaxed slightly, though curiosity remained.
Vance continued.
"Academy operations will continue as scheduled."
June leaned slightly toward David.
"So we just move on?"
David didn't respond.
Vance folded her hands behind her back.
"Final Exams will be held at the end of the month."
That drew immediate attention.
Cadets straightened.
Whispers faded.
"The Final Exams will consist of three phases."
The screens behind her activated.
Phase One — Written Examination
Phase Two — Arena Combat
Phase Three — Squad Competition
The third line settled across the room.
Recognition passed through many cadets. This wasn't new. Squad competitions had been part of academy evaluations before, though rarely as the final exam.
Vance continued.
"Phase Three will test squad coordination, tactical planning, and combat efficiency. Squads will compete directly against one another under controlled conditions."
June leaned back slightly.
"...That sounds familiar."
Lucian nodded faintly.
"Standard competition format."
Nyra studied the screen.
"Still dangerous."
Castiel gave a faint breath.
"Especially as a final exam."
Vance scanned the room.
"Performance across all phases will determine final rankings."
That carried weight.
Cadets understood what that meant.
Reputation.
Placement.
Future opportunities.
"Prepare accordingly."
She stepped back.
The briefing ended.
Conversations returned immediately, voices rising as speculation spread across the hall.
June stood slowly.
"End of the month."
Castiel nodded faintly.
"That gives time."
Nyra glanced toward him.
"To recover."
Castiel gave a small nod.
David stood beside them.
Lucian looked toward the exit.
"We should begin preparation."
Mira nodded.
"Agreed."
Gamma Squad moved toward the exit.
Outside the hall, the academy buzzed with speculation.
Squad competition meant strategy.
Coordination.
Trust.
Final exams were approaching.
And beyond the academy—
The Twelve Great Families had begun to move.
Part 2 — Shifting Attention
The corridor outside the briefing hall filled quickly as cadets poured out in clusters, voices overlapping as discussions began immediately.
Final exams.
Squad competition.
End of the month.
The academy atmosphere had shifted in an instant.
Gamma Squad moved together through the corridor, their pace steady but unhurried. Around them, other squads were already forming small groups, some discussing strategies, others comparing strengths.
June glanced around.
"Everyone's already planning."
Lucian nodded.
"They should be."
Nyra walked beside them, thoughtful.
"Squad competition changes everything."
Mira glanced toward her.
"Coordination becomes more important than individual strength."
Castiel adjusted his pace slightly, careful of his shoulders.
"That favors experienced squads."
June gave a faint breath.
"...Which means Alpha Squad is going to be a problem."
Lucian didn't disagree.
"Yes."
David remained quiet, observing the movement around them.
They stepped outside onto the training grounds.
The morning air was cool, the sky clear. Cadets were already gathering in designated areas, some running drills, others sparring. Instructors walked between groups, adjusting schedules and preparing for the increased training ahead.
The academy had shifted into preparation mode.
June watched a nearby squad begin coordinated movement drills.
"They're not wasting time."
Nyra folded her arms slightly.
"Neither should we."
Castiel exhaled quietly.
"Agreed."
Lucian slowed near the edge of the training grounds.
"We should review strengths and weaknesses."
Mira nodded.
"And refine coordination."
June gave a faint smile.
"...You mean actual teamwork."
Lucian glanced at him.
"Yes."
June shrugged.
"Fair enough."
David looked across the training field.
Squads moved with renewed focus.
The competition had already begun.
Then—
A group approached from across the training grounds.
Lucian noticed first.
"Alpha Squad."
June followed his gaze.
"...Well. That didn't take long."
Seren Nightvale walked at the front, calm and composed. The rest of Alpha Squad followed closely, their movements confident and controlled.
They stopped a short distance away.
Seren's gaze moved across Gamma Squad briefly before settling.
"Final exams."
Lucian nodded.
"Yes."
Seren gave a small nod.
"It will be interesting."
June folded his arms slightly.
"...That's one way to put it."
Seren's attention shifted briefly toward Castiel, noticing the braces.
"You should recover before then."
Castiel met her gaze calmly.
"I will."
Seren nodded once.
"Good."
There was no hostility.
But the tension was clear.
Two strong squads.
One competition.
Seren turned slightly.
"We'll see you in the arena."
Alpha Squad moved away.
June watched them go.
"...Yeah. Definitely going to be a problem."
Lucian remained calm.
"Yes."
David looked across the training grounds again.
Final exams were coming.
Squads were preparing.
And the academy—
Was beginning to move.
Part 3 — Preparation Begins
Alpha Squad moved across the training grounds with quiet confidence, their formation naturally tightening as they walked. Several cadets nearby watched them pass, whispers following in their wake.
June exhaled slowly.
"...They didn't even try to hide it."
Lucian remained calm.
"They don't need to."
Nyra watched Alpha Squad disappear into another training sector.
"They're already preparing."
Mira shifted her stance slightly.
"So should we."
Castiel nodded faintly.
"Yes."
Lucian turned toward the open training fields.
"We start with coordination."
June gave a faint breath.
"...Yeah. That sounds about right."
They moved toward an open section of the training grounds. The grass beneath their feet showed marks from previous drills — scuffed earth, faint scorch marks, and shallow indentations from repeated sparring.
Other squads trained nearby, but they kept their distance.
Lucian stopped near the center.
"Formation first."
Nyra stepped into position without hesitation.
Mira moved beside her, her movements quiet and controlled.
June rolled his shoulders slightly.
"...We're really doing this already."
David nodded.
"Yeah."
Castiel remained slightly behind, watching.
"I'll observe for now."
Lucian nodded.
"Understood."
They began slowly.
Simple movement drills at first — spacing, positioning, reaction timing. Nothing flashy, just controlled coordination. The focus remained on movement and awareness rather than power.
June stepped forward, adjusting his stance.
"Feels different doing this without trying to kill something."
Nyra glanced toward him.
"Focus."
June gave a faint smile.
"Right."
Lucian adjusted positioning.
"David, left."
David moved without hesitation.
"Nyra, forward."
She stepped smoothly.
"Mira, rear."
She shifted silently.
The movements became more fluid.
They adjusted spacing.
Refined timing.
Gradually, their coordination improved.
Castiel watched carefully, studying each movement.
"You hesitate when spacing tightens," he said quietly.
June glanced toward him.
"Yeah. Because I don't want to hit someone."
Castiel gave a faint breath.
"Trust positioning."
Lucian nodded.
"He's right."
They adjusted again.
This time, movements flowed more smoothly.
David stepped forward, then pivoted, Nyra shifting to cover, Mira adjusting behind them. June followed through, baton forming in his hand as he simulated a strike.
The rhythm improved.
Lucian nodded slightly.
"Better."
June exhaled.
"...We're rusty."
Nyra nodded.
"That will change."
The training continued.
The sun rose higher.
Sweat formed.
Movements sharpened.
And slowly—
Gamma Squad began preparing for the final exams.