:Awakening

The morning air was crisp as the first light of dawn broke over the horizon, casting a gentle glow across the training grounds. The group had already begun their early training, the sound of heavy breathing and rhythmic footsteps filling the quiet of the day. Elliot and the others had long made it a routine, each determined to push themselves further than the day before.

But amidst the focused training, there was always one member of the group who brought humor into the mix.

"Alright, Caden," Henry said, standing a few feet away from the massive figure of Caden, his smirk wide across his face. "I think I can take you in a powerlifting contest today. You know, just to spice things up."

Caden, who had always towered over the others with his muscular frame, raised an eyebrow, his arms crossed over his chest. "You sure about that, Henry?" His deep voice rumbled through the morning air.

Henry, ever the confident—if not completely reckless—one of the group, grinned even wider. "Oh, I'm absolutely sure. You may be the big guy around here, but this time, I'm going to beat you. You might be able to throw around those weights, but I've got the secret sauce today."

Zane, who had been working on his footwork and speed drills, paused to watch the exchange. He shook his head in amusement, his lips curling into a smirk. "Are you sure you want to do this, Henry? The last time you tried something like this, you nearly threw out your back."

Henry didn't let the jabs faze him. "This time will be different! I've been working on my technique, okay? You're about to see the magic."

Caden chuckled, but there was a gleam of amusement in his eyes. "Alright, Henry. But don't say I didn't warn you when you can't walk for a week."

The group set up the challenge, and Henry stood before the massive weights, his legs shaking slightly under the weight of what he was about to attempt. With exaggerated effort, he grunted, trying to lift the heavy weight. The strain was clear on his face, but it didn't move.

Caden, meanwhile, stood by, arms crossed, his expression one of mock sympathy. "You sure you don't want to give up, Henry?"

"No way!" Henry grunted again, using every ounce of his strength, though the weight barely budged. He could feel his muscles screaming at him, but he refused to let go of his pride.

Zane burst into laughter, unable to hold it in. "I told you this would be a disaster!"

Elliot, who had been silently running laps around the training area, paused for a moment, his eyes drawn to the scene. His lips twitched into a smile, watching Henry's efforts. It was nice to see the group so relaxed, the usual tension of training momentarily lifted by their camaraderie.

Finally, with a loud thud, Henry collapsed backward, landing on the ground in a heap, panting and defeated. "Okay, okay, you win. I concede," he muttered, breathing heavily.

Caden smirked and shrugged, as if it was no big deal. "Told you."

But Henry was already getting up, a laugh escaping his lips. "Next time, Caden. Next time, I'll have you."

As the group continued to laugh and joke around, Elliot couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth. He watched his teammates—each of them so different, yet so strong in their own way—and realized how far they had come. He hadn't just gained strength through training; he had gained something much deeper. These people, his teammates, were his family.

As the laughter subsided, the group slowly drifted back into their routines. The sun climbed higher, bathing the training grounds in a warm, golden light. The sound of weights clanking, feet pounding against the earth, and breaths coming in steady bursts filled the air. But even amidst all the noise, Elliot's mind was elsewhere.

He continued his laps, his feet moving swiftly across the dirt, his breath steady, but his thoughts were heavy. It was in moments like this—the quiet after the chaos—that his mind often wandered to darker places. The memories of his past, the loss of his parents, haunted him like a shadow. He had grown stronger, but the weight of that pain never truly left him.

Elliot pushed himself harder, faster. His legs burned, and sweat dripped from his brow, but the feeling of the ground beneath him, the rhythm of his strides, allowed him to escape into the only thing that had ever given him peace—training.

As he completed another lap, he slowed to a jog, then finally stopped, hands resting on his knees as he caught his breath. The cool wind brushed against his skin, and for a moment, it felt like the world had paused around him.

But then it came—like a distant memory, like a whisper on the wind. The sense of emptiness he had carried for so long, the feeling that no matter how strong he became, there would always be a void inside him. It was the part of him that had died the day his parents were taken from him. The part of him that had sworn never to feel anything again.

But now, as he looked at his teammates, standing there, some still laughing, others returning to their work, something shifted inside him. They were here, weren't they? They had become more than just fellow soldiers. They were his family now.

His breath steadied, and his heart thudded in his chest, not from exertion, but from the weight of his own realization. He had been running away from this for so long, hiding behind his strength, behind his training. But now, he couldn't ignore it anymore.

He stood tall, eyes scanning his friends—his family. He had to protect them. No matter what it took. No matter the cost.

He clenched his fists, feeling the pulse of energy within him. The bloodform power, the raw energy coursing through him, a reminder of what he had become. But it wasn't enough. Not yet. He needed more. More strength. More focus. More control.

He took a deep breath, his voice barely above a whisper, but the words resonated deep within him. "I swear, no matter what happens, no matter how hard it gets... I will protect you all. Even if I have to break myself for it. Nothing... nothing will happen to you. I promise."

The words felt like a weight, like a vow he had made long ago, but now it was something more. Something he couldn't take back. As much as he had trained his body, his soul still had something to learn. And he would be damned if he let anything stand in the way of his family.

Elliot took one last, steadying breath and turned back toward the training grounds. His teammates didn't need to hear his vow. They didn't need to know what had just passed through him. They only needed to see his actions. His determination.

And from this moment on, Elliot would show them. Every step. Every challenge. Every fight.

He would protect them. With everything he had.

The sun had climbed higher in the sky, the heat of the day beginning to settle over the training grounds. The physical exercises were done for the morning. Now, it was time for something deeper, something far more personal. Inspector Liu had gathered them in a circle, his voice quiet but carrying the weight of experience. The air around them seemed to shift with the gravity of the moment.

"Soul energy," Liu began, his gaze steady on each of them, "is not something that can be wielded like a sword or a spear. It is the essence of who you are. It is the core of your being, the manifestation of your deepest emotions, desires, and pain. You cannot hope to master it until you understand it. Until you know yourself completely."

He paused, letting his words sink in. The young soldiers stood in silence, absorbing every syllable.

"Without soul energy, physical power is nothing but a fleeting flame. Your body will break long before you can achieve what you desire. Soul energy gives you the strength to surpass your limits. It is the difference between a soldier and a true warrior. You must learn to harness it, but to do so, you must first learn to calm your mind."

Liu's voice softened, becoming almost meditative. "To begin this journey, we start with something simple: meditation. You will sit in stillness, empty your mind, and connect with the very core of your being. Reach into your soul, and with your intent, discover what lies within. Only then can you awaken your soul energy."

Elliot's heart raced as he heard the words. His mind, filled with memories of the horrors he had seen, felt an almost insurmountable weight. Would he even be able to tap into this mysterious force? Would he, a boy hardened by pain, find something in himself to call power?

Liu gave a small nod. "Now, find your place, sit comfortably, and let your consciousness delve into the depths of your being. Trust in yourself. Trust that what you find is meant to be."

As the group settled into their positions, Elliot closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He shifted into a meditative posture, hands resting on his knees, his back straight. He focused on the rhythm of his breathing, blocking out the noise around him, focusing only on the steady rise and fall of his chest.

In the silence, the world seemed to disappear. All that remained was him and the dark, vast space inside his mind. He felt himself sink deeper, layers peeling away as his intent traveled down, past the noise, past the distractions. He was no longer Elliot the soldier, Elliot the boy driven by vengeance—he was just a soul, searching for what it needed.

Then, in the distance, something stirred.

A faint light appeared in the void, like the glimmer of a distant star. He moved toward it, his body weightless as he drifted deeper into his own soul. The closer he got, the more he felt it—raw, untamed, wild energy, pulsing beneath his consciousness. It was his energy, yet it felt like something more.

Suddenly, the first of the group stirred. Caden was the first to open his eyes, a faint glimmer of excitement dancing in them. He wasn't surprised. Caden was the strongest among them, with a natural power that always set him apart.

Liu's voice was calm as he addressed the group. "Caden. What have you discovered?"

Caden closed his eyes again, focusing, gathering his energy. The air around him seemed to crackle, charged with intensity. A spark flickered, then another, and before anyone could blink, Caden's soul energy erupted in a flash of bright, blinding lightning. The sky seemed to split in two, a violent storm of energy swirling around him as he sat, unmoving.

"Lightning," Liu said simply, nodding approvingly. "A natural gift. Harness it well, Caden."

Next, Henry shifted in his spot. His face scrunched in concentration as he focused on the core of his being. He had always been the joker of the group, but now he was serious, intent on discovering what lay inside him.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the air shifted, a light breeze curling around him. It grew stronger with each breath, the winds swirling in a controlled vortex around him. It wasn't explosive like Caden's lightning, but it was no less powerful.

"Wind," Liu said, impressed. "A rare gift, Henry. You must learn to control it, to guide it."

Zane, ever the fiery spirit, was next. His eyes opened, and a flare of heat suddenly filled the air. The ground beneath him trembled as small flames flickered to life, swirling around him like a dance of fire. It wasn't just a spark—it was a full, raw flame, a manifestation of his passionate soul.

"Fire," Liu said, his voice steady as he observed Zane's awakening. "You are a force of nature, Zane. Remember that. Control it, or it will control you."

Devin and Kira sat next to each other, and as if in synchrony, both of them opened their eyes at the same time. Devin's energy manifested in sharp, angular metallic tendrils that twisted and spiraled through the air like living creatures, shining with an unearthly light. His soul energy had awakened in the form of metal, hard and unyielding.

"Kira," Liu called gently.

Kira's expression was calm, her mind focused. She exhaled softly, and in that breath, the temperature around her dropped. The air around her seemed to crystallize, and soon, ice began to form around her in intricate patterns. Her soul energy had awakened as ice—cool, precise, and cutting.

"You both have awakened your soul energy. Devin, Metal. Kira, Ice. Now, learn to wield these powers with purpose," Liu said.

Finally, it was Elliot's turn. His heart pounded in his chest, and his palms were slick with sweat. His body felt like it was being pulled in every direction. His soul energy had yet to make itself known. Was it inside him? Did he have something at all?

He took another deep breath, focused his mind, and journeyed inward, deeper than ever before. His thoughts faded into a quiet hum as he reached the very core of his being. There, in the darkness, he saw it.

A glowing red crystal, pulsating with energy.

He knew what it was. It was Bloodform, the mysterious power that had saved him from the vampires, the power that burned with the rage of his past. The power he didn't want to face.

But something tugged at him, a force pushing him back. The closer he moved to the crystal, the harder it became to breathe, to focus. It was as if something inside him wanted to stop him.

No, he thought. I have to do this. I promised.

The darkness around the crystal thickened, but Elliot pushed forward. He reached for it, his hand trembling as he placed it on the cool surface. In an instant, shadows erupted from the crystal, coiling around him like a cloak. They swallowed him whole, covering him in darkness.

For a moment, Elliot couldn't see. He couldn't breathe. The shadows pressed in on him from all sides. But then, slowly, the darkness shifted, settling around him like a second skin. The shadows were no longer suffocating. They were his.

He opened his eyes.

The shadows had become part of him, a reflection of his soul's darkest depths. His soul energy had awakened—not as fire, not as lightning—but as shadow.

"Shadow," Liu said softly, his voice carrying the weight of understanding. "You have awakened a rare and dangerous gift, Elliot. Be cautious. This power is tied to your pain, your anger. But it can also be your greatest strength. Learn to control it, or it will consume you."

Elliot's heart raced as he stood, the shadows swirling around him like a cloak. He wasn't sure what this meant, but one thing was certain: he was no longer the same person who had entered this training. His journey was just beginning

---

As the dust of the training ground settled and the last soul energy sparks faded into the afternoon air, Inspector Liu raised his hand.

"That's enough," he said firmly.

The students, still seated in their meditative stances, slowly opened their eyes, dazed and overwhelmed by what they had just experienced.

"You've done more than enough today," Liu continued. "Your souls have opened. That alone takes more out of you than any physical drill. Rest. Reflect. The path ahead is longer than you think."

He turned away as Unit 06 dispersed, their minds racing with questions, fear, and wonder about what they had awakened inside themselves.

Later that evening, Liu walked through the quiet stone corridors of the Vanguard Academy. The glow of soul lanterns flickered along the walls as he approached a large set of metallic doors adorned with the crest of the Battalion.

He knocked once.

A voice from inside responded, crisp and calm. "Enter."

Liu stepped into the office of Commander Voyla. She stood by the window, arms crossed behind her back, gazing at the horizon beyond the dome's outer walls. Her presence alone commanded respect—elegant, composed, and deadly.

Liu bowed low. "Commander Voyla. I have a report on the Liu Precious."

She turned, expression unreadable. "Speak."

"One of them… has awakened Shadow."

For a moment, silence filled the room. Then, slowly, a knowing smile crept onto Voyla's face. Her eyes gleamed with curiosity—and something else. Something far deeper.

"Shadow," she echoed, walking toward her desk. "That's rare. That path is sharp and unforgiving."

Liu nodded once. "Yes, Commander. He is under my care. I will guide him accordingly."

Voyla sat down, resting her chin lightly on her hand. "Good. I trust you to handle him perfectly, Inspector. Don't let him go to waste."

Liu's eyes hardened with silent conviction. "I won't."

With that, he bowed once more, then turned and exited—his footsteps echoing through the halls.

Behind him, Commander Voyla whispered to herself, "Shadow has returned to this Academy… Let's see where fate takes him this time."