The Aegis Academy's Trial I

The vast, awe-inspiring hall of the Aegis Academy's main cathedral-like building hummed with the quiet, nervous energy of hundreds of newly arrived teenagers. A figure stepped forward from the shadows near the colossal statue – a man of medium height with sharp, intelligent eyes and a calm, authoritative presence. His attire was a striking blend: a dark, flowing robe, cut withheavy fabric and the functional lines of a military uniform, A stylized crest was embroidered over his heart.

"Welcome to Aegis Academy." the man's voice resonated, echoing slightly in the grand space. "I am the Deputy Headmaster."

"Aegis Academy was founded with a singular purpose: to cultivate and wield psychic power to protect the United States. We stand as America's shield against all threats, foreign and anomalous. Our duty is to safeguard this land, even if the world outside its borders crumbles. Our focus remains unwavering: the survival and prosperity of our nation, above all else. This academy, and every one of you within it, embodies that commitment."

"Before you can truly attend this academy and call this place home for your foreseeable future, you must first fully awaken your abilities. Your recent experience before was merely the first step."

"Normally, the awakening process involves years of meditation within spiritual energy rich environments, allowing your abilities to emerge naturally through specific, rigorous training. However," a faint, almost imperceptible smirk touched the Deputy Headmaster's lips, "one of our high-ranking members found that method, shall we say, a bit... boring. They preferred something more exciting."

He clasped his hands behind his back. "So, your first official test begins now. Your objective is simple: survive for three days and nights." He gestured around the hall. "If, at any point, you wish to give up, simply raise both hands into the air and clearly affirm that you are yielding. You will then be immediately returned."

"A crucial detail: you cannot permanently die in this trial. However, if you are 'killed' – meaning your body is incapacitated to a fatal degree – you will automatically fail and be instantly teleported out." His eyes glinted. "Now, please, stand within the of the large circles on the floor. You will be transported to an environment extremely rich in spiritual energy, one teeming with monsters."

"Some of you may awaken new psychic abilities early during this duration. But regardless of your initial rank, by the end of this three-day period, your latent psychic abilities will be fully awakened. If you fail this trial, you can try again during the Paranormal Department's next recruitment cycle. Of course, three strikes, and you are out, forever. So... have fun."

He gave a small wave of his hand as blinding light erupted from the glowing circles beneath the students, engulfing them completely.

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The transition was abrupt. They were given little time to mentally prepare after the Deputy Headmaster's curt introduction and instructions.

The blazing sun blared overhead, a searing white disc in a cloudless sky. He found himself surrounded by nothing but sand, stretching endlessly in every direction. Dunes rolled into the hazy distance, an ocean of ochre and gold.

"A desert... how am I expected to survive for three straight days?" Ethan mumbled to himself. Dread bubbled in his gut. He felt an overwhelming sense of doom and was moments away from throwing his hands up to yield. He had zero experience in any kind of survival situation, much less a desert.

Just as the thought of giving up solidified, his mind conjured an image of Eleanor Prescott. A flicker of stubborn courage sparked within him. If he was undoubtedly going to fail anyway, he might as well try. He wouldn't be the first to quit.

Taking a shaky breath, Ethan randomly picked a direction and started walking.

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Ethan trudged for what felt like an hour, the discomfort in his shoes mounting as sand steadily filled them. His throat was bone-dry, and the scorching heat relentlessly beat down, sapping his energy. The occasional breeze, far from refreshing, only served to buffet him with more grit. He affirmed the utter futility of his situation, convinced he was doomed.

But his thoughts were cut short. A deep rumbling vibrated beneath his feet, steadily growing stronger. Frightened, he decided to flee. The sound of shifting sand grew louder behind him as he ran. He risked a glance over his shoulder and saw a colossal, long worm-like creature "swimming" through the sand, its movements like a ripple of solid earth. Fear seized him, and he pumped his legs faster.

In the distance, he spotted a herd of large, buffalo-like creatures stampeding across the dunes. The worm, seemingly changing its trajectory, surged with terrifying speed towards the fleeing herd. In an eruption of sand, the monstrous creature breached the surface, its cavernous maw swallowing two of the buffalo-like beasts whole before diving back beneath the dunes. The remaining buffalo scattered, now running erratically.

Ethan gasped for air, forcing his aching legs to move even faster, determined not to follow the buffalo's fate. He soon spotted a small cavern entrance, nestled low in a sandy slope. He scrambled inside, collapsing onto the cool, shaded ground. He was still desperately thirsty, but at least he could escape the sun's oppressive heat for a moment.

Inside the cavern, his eyes fell upon some strange fruit, or rather, berries. They were shaped like miniature dragon fruits, shrunken to a desert-hued palette and prickly like cacti. Using his sleeve as a makeshift glove, Ethan carefully picked a few. He then found a smooth shard of rock and used it to cut one open. Its white, pulpy interior gleamed, showing clear signs of moisture. Ethan bit into it, then chewed and drank, savoring the tart, citrusy flavor.

He ate a few more, but a sharp ache began to spread through his stomach. Suddenly, his body felt heavy. He lay there, paralyzed, for what seemed like ten agonizing minutes before his hands finally twitched back to life. Though initially terrified by the unexpected reaction, Ethan deduced that eating too much must have caused the temporary paralysis.

Recognizing the vital source of food and water the fruit provided, he decided to collect as many as he could carry, stuffing them into a makeshift pouch fashioned from his shirt. He then climbed back up the sandy slope and gazed into the distance. It was still sand all around, but now, faint smudges of more vibrant color broke the monotony on the horizon. He decided to head in that direction.

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Ethan ran desperate. The rumbling behind him grew louder. A pack of large desert wolves had spotted him, despite the vast distance, and were closing in. They moved with unnatural speed, using what looked like wind-based abilities to blitz across the sand in an arrow formation, scattering sand with every stride.

Then, Ethan tripped over nothing, sprawling face-first into the hot sand. Exhaustion had claimed him, as his leg give out. He wanted to hide, but there was nowhere to. Burying himself seemed futile; wolves had keen senses of smell, they'd easily dig him out for a meal. As he desprately brainstorm more futile idea, he noticed something strange. His hand was sinkning. Not into the sand, but into something else entirely. His own shadow.

Ethan's mind clicked. 'Could this be my ability?'

Wasting no time, he tested it, diving his entire body into the deepening darkness just as the wolves were mere steps from him. He vanished in plain sight. All that remained was a suspicious blot of circular shadow on the ground, oddly defined despite having no object for the sun to cast it.

Within the shadow, Ethan could still see and hear the world outside, but he couldn't move the shadow itself. He was stuck. The wolves circled his location, growling, sniffing, and howling in confusion. They pawed at the ground where he'd disappeared, but found nothing. After what felt like an eternity, they eventually decided to leave.

Ethan remained in his shadow for much longer, until the wolves were truly gone. He cautiously poked his head out, his hair and eyes emerging first. Confirming the coast was clear, he breathed a shaky sigh of relief before fully emerging. He marveled at his ability. Though he was merely an F-rank, this power was incredibly useful for survival. He even found he could store items within his shadow, depositing the fruit he'd gathered and retrieving them with ease by simply reaching "into" the darkness beneath him.

He wondered what abilities Eleanor, an S-rank, might have manifested.

He shook his head. It was not the time to think about that. Ethan resumed his journey, noticing that what looks like a shimmering oasis was now surprisingly close in the distance.