Soul Elites

"Designation number S17, I believe you're ready?" Don's deep voice rumbled from behind the door, a mixture of authority and subtle rage. A faint smile tugged at Omen's lips as he set the closed book aside, sliding it into his already-prepared bag. He stood up quietly and joined Captain Don outside. They walked calmly for a bit before Omen paused to glance at him. As he observed Captain Don walking ahead of him, he couldn't help but notice the giant man's subtle rage. 'Did I do something wrong?', Omen wondered but he said nothing to the man in return.

The hallway was lined with doors, each leading to different training rooms, their soundproofing muffling the distant clatter of equipment and the faint murmurs of other recruits.

When they reached a door, Captain Don paused, finally breaking the silence. "Wait in the room with the others. Colonel Haelkrie will be seeing you all soon," he instructed in a gruff tone.

Omen simply nodded in reply as he entered and surveyed the room. The room was vast, capable of accommodating about fifty people. He approached a solitary armchair, its leather cracked and worn. As he settled into the chair, the leather creaked softly, echoing in the stillness. He turned to the left, his dark curly hair falling slightly over his brow, only to pivot away almost immediately.

Across from him sat an invincible girl, her aura radiating an unsettling confidence that seemed to warp the air around her. Omen chose to ignore her as he waited. Then he focused on the entrance door rather than the girl's piercing gaze.

A few moments later, the massive door creaked open, and two strangers entered the room. The first was an imposing young man with dishevelled blonde hair that reflected the fluorescent light. The second, shorter and stockier, had deep brown hair that framed his face, accentuating his wide, expressive eyes. As they entered, their conversation spilled into the air, a mix of urgency and disbelief.

"I'm telling you, Cale, the world ends soon," the tall one insisted, his voice a blend of fervour and dread. "It may not be today or a century from now, but soon the whole galaxy will sail into oblivion!" His words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of prophecy.

Omen's attention flickered toward them, catching the surprise etched on their faces as they turned to him, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension. The tall one, Cale, wore a frown that deepened the lines of his forehead, his brow furrowing as he addressed the shorter boy. "Rufus, please don't be weird in front of the rookie,". Omen remained a silent observer, his dark eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and contemplation.

"What do you mean weird?! Just because I have theorized the ending of the universe doesn't mean I'm weird!" Rufus shouted, his voice a shrill protest that reverberated through the room. His anger was deep, yet his diminutive stature rendered the outburst almost comical.

Omen felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere that sent a chill down his spine. In a split second, danger surged through the space like a loud bang. Omen's reflexes kicked in, and he outstretched his hand in a swift motion, grabbing the blade thrown with murderous intent at his skull. The blade glinted dangerously as the two friends stared at it, stunned.

With darkened eyes, Omen remained unnervingly calm, his heart steady as he turned toward the invisible space he had previously ignored. The air shimmered as a thin girl appeared, her presence alluring and disturbing. She emitted a tumultuous energy, with her long, shoulder-length locks streaming down her head like a dark black waterfall and framing features that were both startlingly striking and terribly untamed.

"Gods!! Nico, don't scare the rookie!" Cale exclaimed, his voice laced with alarm as he turned to the girl, his eyes wide with disbelief. But Nico's gaze was fixed on Omen, her lips curling into a manic smile.

"You're a talented one; no wonder the colonel got interested in you," she purred, her voice dripping with a mix of admiration and mischievousness. As if to punctuate her words, she feigned turning away, her movements fluid and deceptive, only to whip around and launch another knife at him with a flick of her wrist, the blade slicing through the air with deadly precision.

This time, Omen caught the knife effortlessly, the blade resting in his palm like a coiled serpent, ready to strike. Without hesitation, he hurled it back at her, but Nico was quick, her reflexes honed to a razor's edge. She dodged with an agility that belied her earlier demeanor, rolling across the ground with a wild, almost ecstatic smile, her laughter echoing in the vast chamber like the chime of a bell, both enchanting and disconcerting.

"This one is so fun, guys!!" Rico shrieked in joy, her voice ringing with unrestrained excitement as she clapped her hands together, the sound echoing off the stone walls. In a burst of energy, she scurried toward Omen, her movements quick and erratic. Sensing the whirlwind of chaos that surrounded her, Omen instinctively distanced himself, while Cale and Rufus quickly stepped in between them, forming a protective barrier.

"I'm so sorry about her, Rookie. She's extremely crazy about strong opponents," Cale said, his tone apologetic as he shot a wary glance at Rico, who was practically vibrating with enthusiasm.

"Uhmm…Rico's always been crazy regardless of any opp—" Rufus began, but Cale cut him off, a knowing look in his eyes.

"As you've probably guessed, I'm Cale, this is Rufus, and the crazy one's Rico," he introduced, pointing to each of them in turn. "I've been Colonel Haelkrie's disciple the longest, so ask me any questions that trouble you."

Omen nodded, appreciating the offer. He was inwardly pleased that they'd succeeded in calming her down, after all there was nothing stopping him from killing her, [invisibility] was a nice ability afterall.

He was about to ask how long he needed to be a disciple to advance to the next brigade when the heavy entrance door suddenly swung open with a creak, interrupting the moment.

The atmosphere shifted as a tall figure stepped into the room, silhouetted against the dim light from the corridor. The newcomer exuded an air of authority, their presence commanding immediate attention

"Colonel Haelkrie," Cale whispered, his voice barely audible, a mix of reverence and apprehension in his tone.

Rico's excitement seemed to double at the sight of the colonel, her eyes gleaming with a wild enthusiasm that was both endearing and alarming.

Colonel Haelkrie stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the trio before landing on Omen. "So, you're my recruit. Everyone's been talking about you," she said as her voice carried an undertone of curiosity. "I hope you're ready for what lies ahead."

 "I'm always ready," he simply replied, in a tone so arrogant that both Cale and Rufus winced but the Colonel didn't let it bother her as she continued..

"Good," Haelkrie said, a faint smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Then let's see what you're made of."

Colonel Haelkrie looked absentmindedly at the destroyed room with an emotionless gaze. She then faced the four disciples

"I can see you've introduced yourselves properly, then I don't need to waste my time", she walked over to the only surviving furniture in the room "Things are extremely hectic nowadays, so you'll have to reach phase one in a week".

Cale and Rufus gasped in shock, "But mistress, that's very unprecedented. Normally it takes one to advance a phase in one month. We're all already in phase three as it is and this was all thanks to out hard work"

"Cale's right Colonel, Phase two is the beginning stage of supreme mastering, even though we may be talented at something of that rate-", Rufus tried to back his friend,

But the colonel interrupted him instantly, "Silence!", she turned to face them with an angry glare "Sometimes you seem to forget that you're all mere battleslaves, mere servants to me. If I want you working your bones off till the weekend you will without quarrel. Am I understood?"

'What, and yet she let the rookie disrespect her like that', Cale thought to himself but nodded obediently in response.

The dim and somber room was filled with a sullen air as the others stood in a silent reverie, lowering their heads in reverential respect but Omen stood tall and unmoving. His unwavering gaze fixed upon the colonel, his question cutting through the quiet and tense atmosphere like a knife.

"Then what is the fastest way to upgrade?" he asked, his voice cool and composed, his eyes not wavering from the colonel, who smiled slightly in response to his words.

"You're going to hunt down soul beast in the Jade forest."

"This is a cheat code in upgrading soul mages", the colonel continued, turning to face Omen fully, his eyes locking on his unmoving frame. "I wouldn't have even told you if the war wasn't worsening and approaching so fast", she stated, her voice carrying a hint of warning. The colonel then stood up and took a few steps back towards the door, continuing in a calm and collected manner.

"All your classes will be forfeit, and you'll have to accomplish this mission in the span of this free one week. Any further questions before I leave?"

Nico shook her head in response, her eyes flitting from Omen's still figure to the colonel's face, but her action was short-lived as a guard interrupted the scene, knocking at the door and informing the colonel of her presence being needed at an impromptu meeting with General Arthur. The colonel replied with a nod, shutting the door behind him and leaving the room in a silence that was only broken by the shuffling of movement.

The two best friends, who had been hesitant earlier, shared a glance with each other, unsure of what to do next.

"Now do you believe my theory about the world ending soon?", Rufus inquired as the others looked at him in silence, unsure of what to say to the boy.