Essence Wars

I left the meeting room with Nel and found my new team waiting just outside. Zach leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Amir, as expected, was fidgeting with a small blade in his hand, spinning it effortlessly between his fingers. Then there was Deya, standing slightly apart from the group, her red hair catching the faint light in the corridor. She was calm, composed, and unreadable—a stark contrast to Amir's restless energy and Zach's intimidating stillness.

Nel clapped her hands, her bright demeanor doing little to mask the mischief in her eyes. "All right, Team One, congrats on surviving the first day and making it to the top of the rankings. Before we go any further, let's hear your captain's reasoning for picking you all." She turned to me with an expectant look. "Come on, Mr. Fortune. Share the master plan."

Amir raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into a smirk. "Yeah, Fortune. I mean, Zach, I get. Me? Obvious choice. But…" He tilted his head toward Deya. "What's the deal with her? No offense."

Deya remained quiet, her gaze steady on me. If she was offended, she didn't show it.

Zach, breaking his silence, asked, "Yeah, what made you pick us? I'm curious too." His voice was deep and steady, matching his presence perfectly.

I sighed, running a hand through my locs. "All right, fine. Let's make this quick. Zach, you're from the Breaker Clan. You've got raw power, and your composure speaks for itself. You don't need weapons because your entire body is a weapon." Zach gave a small nod, his lips twitching in what might've been a smile.

"Amir," I continued, turning to him, "your versatility is unmatched. You can adapt to any situation with that arsenal of yours, and your instincts are sharp. Plus…" I grinned. "We've known each other long enough that I trust you to have my back."

Amir's smirk widened, but he didn't say anything.

"And Deya…" I paused, feeling the weight of the group's stares. "Deya's an unknown. She's the wildcard. I couldn't sense her essence unless I focused, and even then, it felt… strange. I don't know what she's hiding, but if she's this good at masking herself, she's someone I want on my side."

Amir scoffed, crossing his arms. "Great. We've got a mystery teammate. Fantastic."

Deya finally spoke, her voice calm but firm. "If you don't trust me, feel free to say it outright. I don't need to explain myself to anyone, least of all you."

Amir opened his mouth to retort, but Nel stepped in, raising her hands. "All right, all right, enough bickering. You're a team now, like it or not. Fortune made his picks, and you're stuck with each other."

She turned to me, her eyes narrowing playfully. "But you, Mr. Fortune—you played me, didn't you? Zach, Amir, and you—childhood friends, all of you. You didn't just pick talent. You picked familiarity."

I smirked, shrugging innocently. "Can you blame me? A good team needs trust."

Nel shook her head, muttering under her breath. "I knew I should've read that full file before agreeing to this assignment."