Essence Wars

The classroom had barely returned to its normal state when the rankings were officially re announced, and team leaders were assigned their agents. To no one's surprise, Agent Azure was introduced as my squad's supervising officer.

Walking beside her down the academy hallway, I had a chance to study her more closely. She was about 5'8", slim but with a faint muscular build that hinted at years of rigorous training. The burn marks on her arm were unmistakable now, a subtle but constant reminder of her experience on the battlefield. She carried herself with a mix of professionalism and nonchalance, making it hard to pin down exactly what kind of agent she was.

We entered a small room with five chairs arranged around a central table. She gestured for me to sit while she casually dropped into one of the chairs, leaning back as though this was just another day at the office. "Okay, time for business, Mr. Fortune," she said with a sharp smile. "As you know, I'm Agent Azure. But you can call me Nel—seeing as though you're the team captain."

I nodded, though her tone made it clear she wasn't giving me a choice in the matter.

She continued, "Now, I'm assuming since you fought for first place, you understand the privileges and the roles that everyone on your team will play in the organization ."

I hesitated for a moment. "Um, sorry, Agent Nel—"

"Just Nel," she interrupted, her tone polite but firm.

"Okay, sorry. Nel. I don't fully understand how the team structure works. I mean, I know from the older members of my clan that there's a student leader, and you're here to keep us from killing each other on missions while reporting back to the Organization about our performance. And I know teams are made up of four people, but that's about it."

Nel smiled knowingly and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Well, then, let's start with the textbook version, and you can take what you need from that," she said. "On your first day, students are sorted into teams, and as captain, you get to pick your group. Since you're ranked first, you also get the first picks. Some captains don't care and leave it up to their agent, but based on your file, I'm guessing you've already got most of your team in mind—leaving only one open spot."

I nodded, opening my mouth to speak, but Nel cut me off with a raised hand.

"Let me finish," she said with a grin. "This academy is only an academy in name. After today, you're free to use its facilities, but there's no real reason to report back unless you're into socializing or participating in rank battles, among other things. Oh, and as first rank, you get to choose your first mission. I recommend the one in Germany. But I'm rambling now—let's get back to your team. I missed the introductions earlier, so you'll have to describe them. Be specific."

Her sudden enthusiasm caught me off guard, but I took a deep breath and started listing my picks.

"First, Zach Adams. He's the taller, dark-skinned kid from the Breaker Clan with the sponge-top hairstyle. He's the only one in class who didn't have any weapons, but I can tell he doesn't need them."

Nel jotted something down, nodding for me to continue.

"Next, Amir Robinson. He's short, also dark-skinned, with a head full of locs. He's got a weapon collection almost bigger than he is and knows how to use them. And lastly…"

Nel drummed her fingers on the table, a playful smirk on her face. "Drumroll, please."

I ignored her theatrics. "The Solaris girl. She's the redhead who sat in the front row. I couldn't sense her essence unless I was actively looking at her, and even then, something about her gives me chills. She's hiding something, and I want to find out what."

Nel raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Interesting picks. I'm surprised you didn't choose the other Musket twin. Also, I hope you're not planning to use this academy for Fortune Clan business," she said, her tone shifting slightly as she rested her chin on her hand. Her words carried a faint edge of warning, and I could feel the subtle pulse of her essence testing me.

"And if I am?" I replied, letting a fraction of my own bloodlust seep into the air.

Her grin widened as she leaned back in her chair. "Then make sure you do it right." She reached into her jacket and pulled out a sheet of paper with four strangley detailed stick figures poorly drawn on it. "Here's the team based on your descriptions. Congratulations, Captain. Team One is officially ready to be assembled."