The Enforcer's Offer

Reid looked up, startled. Mikal stood over him, his expression unreadable, his eyes sharp and assessing. A Redwood Enforcer. Coming to talk to him?

"Yes," Reid said.

Mikal gestured for him to sit, then settled onto a nearby upturned crate, his movements surprisingly graceful for a man of his size. "You moved well in sparring today," Mikal said, his tone neutral, almost detached. "Quick. Evasive."

Reid blinked, surprised by the unexpected acknowledgment. "Just… trying to survive."

Mikal's lips quirked, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Survival is a valuable skill in Redwood, Eulison. Perhaps more valuable than brute strength. Resourcefulness too. I imagine, you picked those up while growing up in District Five."

He let the observation hang in the air, then shifted the topic smoothly. "Karras mentioned you were quite good in the other aspects of training as well. Especially for someone of your build." A slight undercurrent of something – curiosity? – laced his tone.

Reid shrugged, playing it down. "Just trying to keep up."

Mikal leaned forward slightly, his eyes meeting Reid's directly, a touch more intensity entering his gaze, but still maintaining a veneer of casual interest. "Tell me, Recruit Eulison, have you ever considered training to be Awakened?"

Reid's breath hitched. Training to be Awakened. The words themselves were intriguing. He forced himself to meet Mikal's gaze, his mind racing. This was unexpected. He kept his voice neutral, masking his inner turmoil. "Training to be Awakened is… expensive, Enforcer Mikal. Beyond my means, I'd imagine."

Mikal's smile widened slightly, still ambiguous, but perhaps now with a hint of something more… calculating? "Indeed, it is. But Redwood sometimes sees value where others might not. Sometimes, we offer opportunities to those who show a certain spark." He paused, letting the word hang in the air. "Tomorrow, Eulison, come to the advanced training hall. Let's see if you have more than just quick feet and a survivor's instinct."

With that, Mikal rose, his gaze lingering on Reid for a moment longer, before he turned and strode away, leaving Reid sitting in the dim bunkhouse, his heart now truly pounding with a mixture of confusion, excitement, and a nascent unease he couldn't quite place.

Training to be Awakened. The offer was real. But Mikal's subtle probing what was that about?

As Mikal strode away from the training hall, leaving Reid sitting alone on the bench, whispers erupted amongst the other recruits who were trickling back from their own sessions. The change in training location, the private sparring with a Recruit Master – it hadn't gone unnoticed. And in the hothouse environment of the Redwood intake center, gossip spread like wildfire.

"Did you see that?" a beefy recruit with a cauliflower ear muttered to his companion, jerking his chin towards the departing Mikal. "Mikal himself, training the runt?"

His companion, equally thick-necked and suspicious, grunted. "Crazy, right? Kid looks like he'd snap in a stiff breeze. What's Mikal seein' in him?"

Reid was surprised by their reactions and stared at the disappearing figure of Mikal. Was that something t be surprised about? A sense of unease stirred but beneath it another thought took root.

Possibility of learning about Awakened. The thought hummed with possibility, with a promise of power he'd only dared to dream of.

Across the training yard, Jax and his cronies were huddled, their usual boisterous laughter absent, replaced by a simmering tension. Jax's face was a thundercloud, his eyes narrowed slits as he watched Mikal disappear into the Redwood compound.

"That ain't right," Jax growled, slamming his fist into a nearby equipment rack, the metal groaning under the impact. "The runt gets special treatment? Mikal himself? While we're still poundin' dummies in the mud?"

One of his cronies, eager to fan the flames of Jax's resentment, chimed in, "Maybe he's Mikal's… pet project, huh, Jax? Know what I mean?" He snickered crudely, earning a chorus of snorts from the others.

Jax's face darkened even further. He'd been busting his gut all day, showing off his strength, his aggression. And yet, Mikal, the Recruit Master, the one who truly mattered, was focusing on that? On the skinny kid who looked like he'd barely survived a stiff wind?

"He ain't got nothin'," Jax spat, his voice laced with venom. "Nothin' but luck and a weasel's smile. I bet he's just talkin' his way up, suckin' up to Mikal, tryin' to jump the line." He balled his fists, his knuckles white. "He better not get any ideas about cuttin' in front of me. Redwood ain't for runts. This is about strength. Power. And that toothpick ain't got none."

Reid felt the simmering tension and knew it might turn violent. Rules were lax by definition in district 4 & 5 and in a place like this, it meant nothing. Shattered Gate or not, he did not think he could hold off an angry crowd.

The next morning, Reid found himself in a different training hall altogether. This one was smaller, more private, the air less dusty, the mats newer, the equipment more specialized. This was clearly for advanced recruits, for those deemed to have… potential. For Awakened trainees.

Mikal was already waiting for him in the center of the mat, dressed in simple training clothes, his stance relaxed but radiating an effortless power that made Reid instinctively wary.

"Good, you're punctual, Eulison," Mikal said, his tone brisk, businesslike. "Today, we see if you're more than just quick feet and a lucky punch. We spar."

Reid swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. Sparring with Mikal? An Enforcer? He was wary but also excited. From what he had heard, Enforcers were generally awakened and he could get a good glimpse of their capabilities. "Yes, Enforcer."

"Forget 'Enforcer' for now," Mikal said, gesturing to the mat. "In here, it's just training partners. Call me Mikal." He adopted a loose fighting stance, his hands open, inviting. "Let's see what you've got, Eulison."

Reid cautiously stepped onto the mat, mimicking Mikal's stance as best he could, his senses on high alert. He knew this wasn't going to be like sparring with Borak or dodging Jax's clumsy attacks. This was going to be a lesson. And he suspected, a harsh one.

Mikal circled him slowly. He feinted left, then exploded right, a blurring series of punches and kicks that Reid could barely track, let alone block. Each blow, though restrained, landed with precision, targeting his joints, pressure points.

Reid stumbled, gasped, deflected a few blows, but he was mostly on the defensive, desperately trying to survive. Mikal moved with economy, effortless grace, every strike precise, every movement calculated, exploiting Reid's wild flailing.

"You rely on instinct, Eulison," Mikal said, his voice calm, almost detached, as he effortlessly parried a clumsy punch from Reid. "Instinct is useful, but it's not enough against a trained opponent. You have strength, yes, but you telegraph your moves, you overextend, you leave yourself open."

The lesson was brutal, humbling. He was a raw, unrefined diamond, facing a master craftsman. Mikal wasn't just sparring; he was dissecting Reid's every move, exposing his weaknesses, pointing out his flaws with ruthless efficiency.

After what felt like an eternity, Mikal finally stepped back, his breathing barely even, while Reid was panting, sweat pouring down his face, his body aching from a dozen precisely placed, albeit restrained, blows.

"Enough for today," Mikal said, his voice softening slightly, though still retaining that edge of assessment. "You have a fire, Eulison. I see it. But fire without direction burns itself out. You need technique, you need discipline."

He gestured towards a bench on the side of the training hall. "Sit. Let's talk."

Reid gratefully collapsed onto the bench, his body trembling with exhaustion, his mind reeling from the brutal lesson. He was humbled, yes, but also strangely energized.

Mikal sat beside him, his posture relaxed, but his gaze still sharp, analytical. "You know about Awakened, Eulison?"

Reid nodded slowly. "Rumors mostly. Nothing concrete."

Mikal nodded. "There are seven ranks in total, starting with the first, simply called… 'Awakened'." He paused, considering his words. "Most who awaken initially manifest what we call Essence Awakening. Like Kargan"

Mikal's casual mention of Kargan's name hung in the air. Reid stiffened, a sudden knot tightening in his stomach. Kargan? Why Kargan? Out of all possible examples, why choose the brutal son of the Stonefang leader? Did Mikal know about the train yard?

Mikal continued, seemingly oblivious to Reid's sudden tension, or perhaps deliberately ignoring it. "Essence Awakening is common, understand? A solid start. Kargan, for example gains a huge boost in his strength." He repeated the connection to Stonefang, almost casually, yet the repetition felt pointed now, deliberate.

He leaned in, lowering his voice. "Then, there are those rarer cases. Those who achieve Soul Convergence Awakening. Not much is known about it. But the powers they hold are in a league of their own. Monsters in every right."

Reid's mind raced. The Shattered Gate had previously shown him that his Essence was locked. Soul Convergence… is that what the mirror abilities are? The ability seemed to have a mind of it's own. Is it common in Soul Convergence?

Mikal's explanation only added more questions to Reid's mind rather than provide answers.