It turns out the banquet is more about praising the regional generals for adding more warriors to the war than to celebrate the actual graduates. We listen to the four regional general`s prepared speeches for the rest of dinner. My back and shoulders ache from keeping still for so long. I almost snap the stem of my goblet when they honor Targe for producing a warrior acceptable of the Elite Squad. The speeches conclude with the Centrum general`s dismissal. Everyone stands in applause, giving me the perfect opportunity to escape.

　　The cold, white empty hallway looks narrow in shadows. My undershirt is damp with sweat, making me shiver when the air-conditioner kicks in. I pull at the stiff jacket collar under my chin and jump when a warm, heavy hand hits the top of my shoulder.

　　"My, you are fast, aren`t you?" Sweet whiskey breath comes out in short pants.

　　I turn around to salute Buckler who quickly waves it away. I must`ve been lost in my head not to have sensed him coming. I have to be more alert.

　　"Just like your father, one minute he`d be right in front of me and the next," he snaps his fingers together, "gone."

　　Buckler`s eyes crinkle around the edges and the streaks of white hair are more pronounced without the golden light of the banquet room.

　　"You were surprised to see Captain Elmar tonight. I`m sure your experience together in combat must have been exciting." He looks eager for me to share details of our time in the tunnel.

　　For some reason I don`t want to talk about her deception with him.

　　"I was surprised to be seated among the officers." I say. It`s a truth I can admit.

　　"Hmm." He hums instead of explaining why I wasn`t dining with the rest of the graduates. "How did she handle the situation in the tunnels?" He asks, pushing me further down the hall with the hand still on my shoulder.

　　"There was no back up so we had to split up to secure the tunnel."

　　"So she was by herself?"

　　"No." My brows furrow trying to follow his interest. I don`t know the captain`s angle yet but I get the sense I need to keep quiet about the details. "I mean, yes she was alone, but not the entire time and not for long."

　　He looks almost disappointed with my answer.

　　"You look so much like your father did at your age." He smiles. "I know this is a big change for you, but you wouldn`t be assigned to the Elites if you didn`t deserve it. This is a good thing, son."

　　My mouth goes dry. Son? I`d accepted long ago that I was alone in this world. Never to be a part of a family. Never to be a brother. Never to be a son again. A voice from the banquet room calls for Buckler.

　　"I`m usually in my office unless I`m sent on assignment if you ever need anything." He pats my shoulder as someone calls for him again.

　　I watch him return to the party. Everyone`s back to standing in groups with drinks in their hands. Conversation and laughter is louder than when I first arrived, but the scene looks the same. I`m alone in a dark recess, looking in. This is where I belong. Away from people that can destroy me. Away from people I can destroy.

　　"It`s good you`re making it an early night." The captain says as she leaves the room to walk over.

　　"You`ve got a big day tomorrow." Her snarky smile makes me bite my tongue to keep from mouthing off. "So quiet now. Interesting."

　　I open my mouth to say her duplicity is interesting, but move into a salute instead. Saluting is a good way to remember she`s my superior, my commanding officer, and to keep my mouth shut and my thoughts to myself. Something I find hard to do around her.

　　"At ease." She waves a hand with a sigh and frowns. "I prefer my squad to speak freely and forgo formalities when we`re alone. We`re a team. They rely on me as much as I rely on them."

　　"Oh, I already know that, Nugget." She did nothing in the tunnels but rely on me.

　　"Nugget?"

　　I shake my head and pinch my lips together. I can`t believe I did that.

　　"Warrior." She says like a warning, moving closer. "You just called me Nugget, and you did it at the table as well." She squints her eyes, trying to figure me out. "Plus, I can tell when you hold something back, Oren. Your face goes blank."

　　Well what do I say to that? I can only stare back with my face blank.

　　"And," her voice raises, "you use that face a lot which doesn`t fill your captain with much confidence for her new squad member."

　　"Do you know who I am?"

　　Seeing her fiery attitude make an appearance loosens my tongue. The question has plagued my thoughts throughout dinner and it`ll distract her from finding out why I call her Nugget. Why would she choose me for her squad unless she doesn`t know who my family was.

　　"Yes, of course." She says. "I want skilled warriors on my squad. You`re the best in the nation. No matter what others may think about your family, you`re the best Primus."

　　"This year." I say.

　　I`m the best top graduate this year, but she could`ve saved herself a lot of trouble by waiting until next year`s graduates to have another top warrior.

　　"In every year. You topped all other Primus records, ever."

　　Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

　　My mouth opens in shock before I remember to school my emotions. How? My stomach drops, my freak abilities, that`s how.

　　"You get three weeks of training to prove you belong on the squad. Each member of the team will assess you. And make no mistake, Oren, we are a team. We do not order each other around, and we do not go off on our own and abandon each other even if it`s to save the day."

　　"And what about when a member of the team acts reckless, endangering themselves and others, captain?" I put a little too much sarcasm in that one.

　　I wasn`t even intending to speak, but once again, she drags out the worst in me. Her nostrils flare and green flashes through her hazel eyes. She pulls in a deep breath, leaning in and craning her neck up to me.

　　"As skilled as you may be, warrior, the squad is unmatched in mission success. I hand selected each warrior for their unique abilities to maneuver and assess a situation. Your academy training will not give you insight into how we operate as a unit. What may look like recklessness to you, is standard operating procedure for the Elite Squad."

　　My eyes are glued to hers as she takes in a deep breath. I can see she is a passionate leader. I already know of her squads successes and if things were different, I`d want to give her my best.

　　"We answer to the highest ranking officers and governing officials in our nation. The Elite Squad is their instrument. We are a precise weapon they yield as they see fit."

　　She pauses and I remain quiet so she`ll tell me more. She looks behind her into the banquet room before continuing.

　　"Yes, I know who you are. And make no mistake; they do too. Things here in Centrum are not as black and white as they are in the outer regions. There`s a reason they accepted my request for you to join the squad. A reason I am not privy to. A reason that`s for their benefit."

　　I barely breathe at those words. Does she have any say or control of her squad? Her free, open speech has my brain in overload. No one has ever spoken to me for so long, or so honestly before.

　　"Yes, I was testing you in the tunnels. Yes, I hid my identity, but I`ve done that with every new member I`ve recruited."

　　I swallow hard. I`m more confused about her intentions than I was before.

　　"So now it`s your turn to be smart, to stay safe." Her mouth tilts in a smirk. "Oh, and let`s not forget my favorite, do as I say..."

　　". . . if I want to survive." I finish for her. Yeah, our time together in the tunnels is going to keep coming back to bite me in the ass.

　　Her smirk turns into a small smile. She`s smart and makes me forget to keep my words and thoughts to myself. She surprises me. I`ve watched, studied others my whole life. It was a matter of survival. And being on the outside all the time, there`s not much else to do besides watch and eavesdrop. Not once has someone surprised me. The captain is unpredictable.

　　She straightens up, dropping the lightness from her face. "You will find yourself back in your village, guarding the wall for the rest of your life if you can`t work with the team. You have three weeks, prove yourself."

　　"Understood, captain."

　　She is my superior and I have to find a way to remember that. I give her a once over while it`s just the two of us. She stands tall letting me take my fill. This will be the last time I study her and watch her big hazel eyes turn green with emotion. That brilliant green that makes my mouth forget to be silent. She`s my commanding officer no matter how much she baits me. I`ll keep it professional to the extreme.

　　"Hmm, you can be agreeable. That`s good. Rest up, warrior. Tomorrow we see what you`re made of." With that, she walks past me.

　　My shoulders sag from the effort of the evening and what I`ll have to do to get sent home. She`s given me the perfect formula to get kicked out of her squad. I just have to show my inability for team work. But there`s three weeks before my final assessment. Three weeks to stay under the radar and avoid whatever plans Centrum has for me. Three weeks to keep my emotions in check and my unpredictable powers hidden. Three weeks to try and learn more about my family from Buckler.

　　How hard can it be?

　　A roar of laughter floods the hallway and reminds me to leave before I run into someone else. I wander the halls to give the captain some lead time. It`s good to get familiar with the building`s layout, anyway.

　　I turn onto a carpeted hallway with a gold directory on the wall. Centrum Building seems to be set up just like our nation. The interior houses the library with four main corridors branching out from the center. They named each corridor after a founding family--Algar, Kyler, and Zale. The fourth corridor is named Founder`s Hall. No surprise there.

　　There`s also a list of all the offices for the leadership in Centrum. I find Buckler`s office midway down the officer`s wing. The library looks massive on the map. My mother lived in our home library. She loved reading to me about our family history and ancient lore. Centrum`s library is the biggest in our nation with every family history and records of every major event. I turn my head in the direction of the library and wonder if I`ll find a record of the attacks, the night my family died.

　　"Let`s do a quick turn by the banquet room." A deep voice from the officer`s wing is coming my way.

　　"Oh, maybe we can sneak some appetizers. My dinner was cut short to prepare the guest quarters." It must be a couple of Centrum Guards on duty.

　　I check the map and walk down the next hallway toward the barracks. There`s too much activity tonight for me to explore. Who knows what I might get accused of next. My hand rubs the middle of my chest as my powers push to let loose. It`s happening more often, especially when I`m under stress. Tomorrow I meet a whole new set of warriors ready to punish me. Highly skilled warriors with highly skilled punishment. That`s the type of stress that calls my powers to the surface.

　　I reach the barracks with a big exhale and slip behind my pod`s door without running in to anyone. But now that I`m here, in the privacy of my own sealed room, I find the stillness unsettling. At the academy, the rumble of dozens of voices and the slam of locker doors was a constant companion.

　　I`ve always known I was on my own. I know there`s no one to count on. But I never felt alone. Until now, standing here surrounded by walls of empty shelves and the complete, utter silence of the barracks. I close my eyes and listen for the squad, for their breathing or heartbeats. The other pods are empty.

　　A laugh escapes my lips in a huff of breath. My head falls back to stare at the exposed metal beams that run across the open ceiling. This is what I wanted, time to breathe and now I can`t. I remove the stiff formal uniform, tossing each piece on the bed as I go. Might as well get ready for whatever the squad has planned for me.

　　I stand in my undershirt and boxers. The crisp, cool sheets on my bunk call me to slide in and end this day. But instead, I walk to the closet to exchange the formal attire for a training uniform. I don`t know what to expect from the squad, but if they`re anything like Cole, they`ll prefer to torment me in the dead of night. I have to always be prepared for any situation, so I get dressed again.

　　All the gear in my closet is black instead of the dark browns and greens the cadets wear. My new training uniform is light and molds around my body. I squat low and bring my arms forward, feeling the material stretch with me. It`s perfect for combat maneuvers with added flexibility, but I can`t imagine it holds up against demon claws.

　　These training uniforms are more comfortable than the academy`s. I might actually get a few hours` sleep in this. I walk to the shelves next to my bed and run my fingers over the polished dark wood. I trace it around the room to the built-in desk across from my bed with nothing on it except for a small silver lamp. What am I supposed to do with all these shelves? I wonder what Fletcher and Addy have on theirs. It doesn`t matter, I won`t be here long enough to fill them.

　　Will I even last three weeks? It`s harder and harder to suppress these powers. Even now, they push and prod underneath my chest. My heightened hearing is always on. My sight flares with a rush of emotion or threat. And my speed, it`s like my body takes over without asking.

　　Like in the tunnel. It felt different. I came into existence in the exact spot I wanted to be. I didn`t run. I shifted. In a blink of an eye, I moved over five feet. Just a blink. Like Flick demons` blink. My stomach drops so fast with the thought I have to lean over the desk chair to keep myself upright.

　　"Stop." I say to quiet my mind.

　　Only demons can teleport. I move away from the desk, away from crazy thoughts, and back to the bed. I`m just faster. Getting faster is enough to worry about. No need to add demon teleportation powers. Buckler`s words about my father`s skill come to mind. How he moved so fast. My hands tremble at my sides.

　　I roll my head around and stretch my arms out to shake it off and notice a piece of paper taped to my door. It`s a schedule. Which is a good thing since I was given no instruction on where or when to report for my first day. I pull the note card off the door with the red and gold Elite emblem at the top.

　　ORDERS FOR DUTY:

　　0400 Rise for Duty

　　0430 Physical Prep - Centrum Building Steps

　　0545 Training Prep - Barracks

　　0600 Mealtime - Cafeteria

　　0645 Mission Room - Training Arena

　　0730 Training Arena - Specialty

　　0900 Demon Studies - Kylar Hall

　　1015 Region, Military & Governing Policies - Kylar Hall

　　1130 Meal - Cafeteria

　　1315 Live Combat - Training Arena

　　1500 Weapons - Founders Hall

　　1645 Meal - Cafeteria/ Dismissed

　　I have no idea what physical or training prep is, but my mind settles with a schedule. The words blur and my eyes burn. They`ve had enough today. I only sleep two to three hours a night, so I`ll have plenty of time to memorize it in the morning.

　　Pulling the sheets back, I sink into the oversized bed. I lie close to the edge. I`m used to a bunk half this size, that barely contained my arms and legs. My head feels floppy on the too soft pillow. I turn over and see all the extra space on the other side. I slide across the soft sheet to lie in the middle. My arms stretch out along my sides with plenty of room to lay flat. It takes some more tossing before I figure out where I`m comfortable. With my now crumpled sheets pulled up to my chest, my eyes drift close.

　　The click of a door opening has me up and crouched next to my bed, legs tight, ready for whatever is coming.