The next hour passed with a more relaxed tone—at least compared to the brutal display that had come before. After establishing a clear sense of discipline, the soldier in charge led the recruits to a large compound for their first formal introduction to the boot camp.
They were instructed to remain standing as the soldier climbed the stage at the front of the room. He surveyed the crowd before speaking—not shouting this time, but with a voice still sharp enough to cut through the murmurs.
"My name is Pain," he said, letting the pause linger. "But to you, I am Major Pain. I hope you've made yourselves at home—because this is your home now. For the next six weeks, you'll live, eat, sleep, and train here."
He let his words hang before continuing, "You've already heard that your time here will be spent building strength and discipline. But today, I'm here to talk about something else—Talent. You've heard the word tossed around once or twice, maybe more. And I'd bet some of you have noticed strange changes in yourselves—over the past few days, weeks… maybe even years."
Riley blinked. That was unexpected. He'd assumed this place was all about beatdowns and pushups. An actual explanation? That wasn't something he'd expected.
Major Pain paced the edge of the stage, voice steady now. "We'll break it down for you. What Talents are. What they mean. And tomorrow, we begin shaping your training around your specific affinity."
The room stirred—buzzing with whispers and curious glances. Even Riley leaned in slightly.
"In general," the Major continued, "Talents fall into six primary categories. These are known as Juggernaut, Warden, Wraith, Augur, Terra, and Psychic." He reached behind his back and pulled out a small booklet. "These little pamphlets will explain the basics. Read them tonight—carefully. Tomorrow, you'll be sorted accordingly."
At his signal, a few soldiers stepped forward and began distributing the booklets through the room. Riley took one and flipped it open as soon as it hit his hands.
TALENT OUTLINE:
Juggernaut — Individuals with this Talent exhibit enhanced physical traits. They grow faster, hit harder, and endure more than most. Their strength lies in body enhancement and raw endurance.
Warden — Support-class Talents focused on healing and defense. Some Wardens find themselves overlapping with other Talents, often forced to choose between offense and preservation. Choosing the Warden path can be a strategic—or difficult—decision.
Wraith — Masters of stealth and evasion. These individuals blend with shadows and move like whispers. Elusive by nature, dangerous by intent.
Augur — Specialists in perception and observation. They see what others miss and can bend the understanding of how they—and the world—are perceived.
Terra — Elementalists, able to harness the forces of nature. Fire, stone, wind—each Terra Talent connects with natural elements in ways that defy ordinary laws.
Psychic — Masters of the mind. Illusions, manipulation, and unseen influence define this class. Their presence warps reality itself, and their potential is among the most unsettling.
Riley was just turning to the next page when Major Pain spoke up again.
"Once you've received your booklet, we'll get you fitted for uniforms and issued your standard base kit. These will be your supplies during training. After that, it's time for today's physical training block—then dinner. Sound good?"
His grin said otherwise. It was the kind of smile that promised suffering.
Riley closed the booklet and tucked it into his pocket with a sigh. He didn't need to check the time to know that they'd already missed lunch. Major Pain had skipped it on purpose—because he could.
And now, it was time to see just how far they planned to push them.
***************************************************************************
Outside, Riley moved with the rest of the recruits in silence. Thompson strode beside him quietly. The mention of Talents had clearly struck something in everyone.
Riley's thoughts drifted back to the blue panel he'd seen before. As if on cue, it flickered to life again in front of his eyes.
[The Will of the Wisp:]
Species: Human
Affinity: Augur
[Natural Talents Unlocked:]
Eyes of Focus(Active)
– Your eyes can see and understand things at incredible speeds.
[Will of the Wisp Talents Unlocked:]
Echo System
– The land shares its memories in strange ways. Find echoes left behind by a past long forgotten.
Eyes of the Wisp(Passive)
– To see what wasn't meant to be seen.
Guided(Passive)
– You are drawn to things. Things are drawn to you—for better or worse.
Wisps Flame: Light-Class(Passive)
– A Wisp's Flame interacts with the world, unseen, like a knife and a chisel.
[Quest:]
Find the Echoes hidden around Velura:
1 / 11 Found
The panel vanished as he willed it away. Riley had almost forgotten how strange it all was—how unnatural. The others had Talent, sure, but his… his was part of something deeper. He just didn't understand it yet.
They arrived at the gear depot—a building as unimpressive as the rest of the compound. Inside, the setup resembled a military mess hall, but instead of food, soldiers flung uniforms, boots, belts, and PT gear across metal counters like items off an assembly line.
Riley collected his gear and followed the flow back to the barracks. He folded the base kit onto his bunk, dressed quickly, and jogged out to the training field along with the others.
The PT session that followed was cruel.
They ran—lap after lap around the perimeter of the compound—followed by push-ups, burpees, squats, more running. Anyone who dropped slowed the whole group. Whenever someone stumbled, they were forced to keep going while the rest held a plank until they rejoined.
It didn't take long for exhaustion to claim the less fit recruits. Riley wasn't the worst, but he wasn't immune. By the halfway mark, more than half the group was sagging to the ground. Milo managed to hold out until the last ten fell.
Riley admired that. The guy was deceptively strong.
When they were finally allowed to stop, they collapsed onto the gravel like corpses.
Dinner came after.
The mess hall was huge—rows of long tables, food dished up at the far end. One side of the room was cordoned off for senior soldiers. The recruits ate in silence, half-awake, half-starved.
The meal wasn't impressive—some porridge, eggs, toast, and of course, the ever-reliable canned beans. But after everything, it tasted like heaven.
After dinner, they were called to one final briefing before dismissal. Just simple instructions: lights out, wake up before sunrise, no excuses.
Back in the barracks, Riley collapsed onto his bunk. His muscles ached, his stomach still hollow. But something in his chest stirred.
He was here. He was still standing. And though he didn't yet know what it meant to be an Augur—or what the Will of the Wisp truly was—he felt something beginning.
A path.
One he had no choice but to follow.