Chapter 5 — Field Exercise
The academy training grounds stretched far beyond the central courtyard.
Most cadets rarely saw the outer ranges during their first months of training. Those areas were reserved for larger tactical exercises where instructors could simulate real battlefield conditions.
Today was one of those days.
Cadets assembled along the edge of a wide training field surrounded by reinforced stone walls and observation towers.
The ground inside the arena was uneven terrain—scattered rock formations, shallow trenches, and broken ruins designed to replicate the chaotic environment hunters often encountered near unstable portals.
Instructor Serena stood at the center of the field.
Her voice carried easily across the assembled cadets.
“Today’s exercise will test your ability to operate as a squad.”
Several cadets straightened immediately.
Squad exercises were taken seriously at the academy.
“Your teams will be assigned randomly,” Serena continued.
“You will enter the arena and eliminate the simulated hostiles within the time limit.”
A large projection appeared above the field.
The image displayed several creature silhouettes.
“Training constructs,” Serena explained.
“Designed to replicate low-tier portal monsters.”
The cadets studied the projection carefully.
The creatures resembled twisted wolves with elongated limbs and jagged bone structures protruding from their backs.
“They are fast,” Serena said.
“And they attack in groups.”
A few cadets exchanged nervous glances.
“These constructs will not kill you,” Serena added calmly.
“But they will knock you out of the exercise if you fail to defend yourselves.”
The projection changed again.
A timer appeared above the arena.
“Your objective is simple.”
Serena gestured toward the training field.
“Survive.”
Instructor Serena tapped a command into the console beside her.
The projection above the arena shifted again.
A list of squad assignments appeared.
“Cadets will operate in teams of four,” Serena said.
“Your squad numbers are displayed above.”
The cadets scanned the projection quickly.
Names shifted across the display as teams were formed.
Mateo leaned slightly closer to El.
“Let’s see what kind of chaos we get today.”
The roster settled.
Squad Seven
Lucien Valemont
Elnadi Renn
Mateo Alvarez
Kade Mercer
Mateo blinked.
“Well,” he muttered, “that’s going to be interesting.”
Across the formation, Lucien noticed the assignment as well.
He glanced toward El briefly before returning his attention to the arena.
Kade stepped forward beside them.
Unlike Mateo, he didn’t look surprised.
He simply nodded once.
“Squad.”
Serena continued speaking from the center of the field.
“Each team will enter the arena through separate gates.”
“The constructs will activate once the exercise begins.”
A loud metallic sound echoed across the training grounds as several reinforced gates along the arena wall began sliding open.
Dust shifted across the ground as the mechanisms locked into place.
Serena’s voice carried across the field again.
“You have five minutes to coordinate your approach.”
Mateo exhaled slowly.
“Okay,” he said, glancing at the others.
“Anyone have a plan?”
Kade looked toward El.
Lucien folded his arms calmly.
If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
And for the first time since the ceremony, the entire squad waited to see what Cadet Renn would do.
El studied the arena.
The terrain had been designed deliberately.
Broken stone structures created narrow sight lines across the field while shallow trenches cut through the center of the training ground. Patches of uneven rubble would slow movement if a squad tried to charge straight across.
Constructs would likely emerge from multiple directions.
Fast.
Coordinated.
Designed to overwhelm careless teams.
El turned back toward his squad.
“They’ll come in groups,” he said.
Mateo nodded.
“Like pack hunters.”
El gestured toward the trenches.
“They’ll try to split us up.”
Lucien raised an eyebrow slightly.
“And your solution?”
El pointed toward the broken stone ruins near the center of the arena.
“Take the high ground.”
Kade followed his line of sight immediately.
The ruined structure sat on a slight elevation overlooking most of the arena floor.
Defensible.
Limited approach paths.
“Good sight lines,” Kade said.
Mateo nodded.
“Yeah, I like that.”
Lucien crossed his arms.
“You’re assuming they’ll attack predictably.”
“They will,” El replied.
Lucien tilted his head slightly.
“You sound confident.”
El glanced toward the arena gate where their squad would enter.
“Constructs follow behavior patterns.”
Mateo grinned.
“So you’re saying they’re dumb monsters.”
“Not dumb,” El said.
“Just consistent.”
Lucien considered that for a moment.
Then he gave a small nod.
“Very well.”
He looked toward the arena.
“I’ll handle the front line.”
Mateo pointed toward the trenches.
“I can cover the flank.”
Kade rested a hand on the hilt of his training blade.
“I’ll intercept anything that gets close.”
Lucien glanced at El.
“And you?”
El looked back toward the arena terrain.
“I’ll control the field.”
The horn sounded across the training grounds.
The gates began to open.
The arena gate groaned as it slid open.
Dust shifted across the stone floor as Squad Seven stepped inside.
The moment they crossed the threshold, the gate slammed shut behind them with a heavy metallic clang.
The arena fell silent.
For half a second.
Then the constructs activated.
A low mechanical howl echoed across the training field as shapes began emerging from the far side of the arena.
Six of them.
The creatures moved like twisted wolves formed from dark metal and bone-like plating. Their limbs bent at unnatural angles as they spread across the field, circling toward the squad.
Mateo drew his training blade.
“Yep,” he muttered.
“Definitely monsters.”
Lucien stepped forward calmly.
Electric arcs snapped across his fingertips as lightning gathered in his hands.
“Stay behind me,” he said.
The constructs charged.
They moved fast.
Much faster than most cadets expected during their first squad exercise.
The lead creature leapt across a broken trench and slammed toward the squad.
Lucien moved first.
Lightning erupted from his hand.
A blinding arc of energy struck the creature midair.
The construct exploded in a burst of sparks and shattered metal.
One down.
The remaining constructs scattered.
Two split left.
Two rushed straight ahead.
The last one circled wide through the rubble.
“They’re flanking!” Mateo shouted.
El had already seen it.
“Move to the ruins,” he said.
The squad shifted together toward the elevated stone structure.
The constructs followed.
Right where El expected them to go.
The squad reached the ruined structure seconds before the constructs closed the distance.
The elevated stone platform gave them a narrow defensive line.
Exactly what El wanted.
“Left side!” Mateo shouted.
Two constructs sprinted through the rubble toward the trench line.
Mateo intercepted them.
His blade flashed in a quick arc as he deflected the first creature’s claws. Sparks burst from the impact as metal scraped against metal.
The second construct lunged from the side.
Kade stepped forward.
His strike was precise.
One clean downward cut split the construct’s leg joint.
The creature collapsed instantly.
Lucien didn’t slow down.
Lightning surged across his arms as he stepped forward and unleashed another burst of energy.
The bolt struck one of the remaining constructs and sent it tumbling across the arena floor in a shower of sparks.
Three down.
Three remaining.
The final group attempted to circle through the rubble behind them.
Exactly as El predicted.
The training spheres lifted from the ground beside him.
Five small metal orbs rose into the air.
They moved instantly.
One slammed into a construct’s knee joint.
The creature stumbled.
A second sphere struck its shoulder.
The construct lost its balance long enough for Kade to finish it with a precise strike.
Lucien glanced back briefly.
“Useful,” he said.
El ignored the comment.
His attention remained on the final two constructs closing in from opposite sides of the ruins.
“Split incoming,” he said.
Mateo shifted position.
“I’ve got right.”
Lucien stepped forward again, lightning gathering.
“I’ll finish this.”
But El had already seen the angle.
The constructs weren’t attacking randomly.
They were testing their defense.
Learning.
El lifted his hand slightly.
The spheres shifted again.
“Wait,” he said.
Lucien paused.
The constructs charged.
El moved.
The spheres shot forward like bullets.
Both constructs stumbled as the metal orbs struck their joints simultaneously.
Lucien smiled faintly.
Then lightning exploded across the arena.
The final lightning strike shattered the last construct.
Metal fragments scattered across the arena floor as the training creature collapsed into a heap of broken components.
Silence followed.
The arena lights shifted from red to green.
Exercise complete.
Mateo lowered his blade and exhaled.
“Well,” he said, “that went better than expected.”
Kade stepped forward and nudged one of the fallen constructs with his boot.
“Fast units,” he said.
“Faster than the last exercise.”
Lucien glanced around the battlefield as the electrical charge faded from his hands.
Five destroyed constructs lay scattered across the arena.
The sixth smoldered where his lightning had struck.
“Efficient,” Lucien said calmly.
He turned toward the arena wall where the observation towers overlooked the field.
Several instructors watched from above.
Instructor Serena leaned slightly against the railing as she studied the squad.
Captain Holt stood a few steps behind her.
Neither of them spoke.
Lucien followed their gaze briefly before looking back toward the squad.
“Not bad,” he said.
Mateo raised an eyebrow.
“That’s your version of praise?”
Lucien’s expression remained neutral.
“It was a competent performance.”
Kade glanced toward El.
“Your positioning made it easier,” he said.
Lucien didn’t argue.
He simply nodded once.
“Perhaps.”
The arena gate opened again with a loud mechanical clang.
Instructor Serena’s voice echoed across the training field.
“Squad Seven,” she called.
“Exit the arena.”
The team stepped toward the gate.
As they passed beneath the observation tower, Holt’s eyes lingered briefly on El.
The older instructor said nothing.
But his expression had changed.
From the observation tower above the arena, Instructor Serena crossed her arms as she watched Squad Seven exit the field.
“They adapted quickly,” she said.
Captain Holt nodded slightly.
“Yes.”
Serena glanced down at the training report displayed on the console beside her.
“Valemont’s lightning output is impressive.”
“Exceptional resonance,” Holt said.
“That part isn’t surprising.”
Serena leaned forward against the railing.
“But the squad’s movement pattern is.”
She tapped the display.
A tactical overlay of the arena appeared, showing the positions of the constructs and cadets during the exercise.
Red markers represented the constructs.
Blue markers showed the squad’s movement.
Serena traced one of the paths with her finger.
“Every engagement happened exactly where Renn positioned the squad.”
Holt didn’t respond.
Serena zoomed the display slightly.
“High ground control.”
“Limited approach angles.”
“Constructs forced into predictable attack paths.”
She glanced toward Holt.
“That’s not something first-year cadets usually do.”
“No,” Holt said quietly.
“It isn’t.”
Serena studied the display again.
“Valemont delivered the finishing strikes,” she said.
“But Renn controlled the battlefield.”
Holt nodded.
Serena leaned back slightly.
“Interesting combination.”
Holt’s gaze shifted toward the far side of the training grounds where El had already moved toward the equipment racks again.
The cadet picked up another training blade and began running through a series of slow, deliberate movements.
Even after the exercise.
Even after the ceremony.
Still training.
Serena followed Holt’s gaze.
“That one doesn’t slow down, does he?”
“No,” Holt said.
Serena watched for another moment.
“NULL classification,” she said thoughtfully.
Holt’s expression remained calm.
“For now.”
