The morning bell rang across Aegis Sect like a war drum, deep and resonant. Jin sat outside the barracks, eyes closed, attempting to absorb what little essence trickled through the earth. He opened them when Kio jogged over, looking more animated than usual.
"We've been given a mission," Kio said, excitement and disbelief mingling in his voice.
"A real one?" Jin asked.
Kio nodded. "Yeah. Escort and eliminate. Apparently a nearby village's trade route is being harassed by beast packs. We're to scout and, if needed, engage."
The rest of Squad Nine trickled in as Daro—their captain—entered, holding the scroll with the mission seal. He looked pale.
"This is… not for a squad of our rank," Daro said flatly. "The threat level is high. We're expected to cover a thirty-mile stretch of mountainous terrain. Bandits are suspected of riling up the spirit beasts."
"Why would they assign this to us?" the thin girl, Mira, asked. "We haven't even had formation training!"
"They didn't say," Daro muttered, eyes dark. "But orders are orders."
Jin's thoughts raced. This wasn't a mistake. This was planned.
Still, he said nothing. If Elder Varek was truly behind this, then backing out would only feed the narrative he likely wanted: that Jin was weak, unworthy. No. He would go. They all would.
Within an hour, Squad Nine was outfitted—barely. Their armor was old and mismatched, and their weapons dull-edged. They set out under the blazing sun, the wind howling across the cliffs as they climbed higher into the desolate northern ridges.
The first day was quiet.
The second was not.
A low growl echoed from the ravine as dusk painted the sky in blood-red hues. From the shadowed trees emerged a pack of duskwolves—large, iron-furred beasts with glowing eyes and jagged claws. Spirit beasts, rank two at least.
"Formation! Pull back to higher ground!" Daro shouted.
Squad Nine scrambled, but they weren't trained for this. Mira froze as a wolf lunged, and Jin pulled her aside just in time, hurling a burst of fire at the creature's face. The beast recoiled, but three more leapt in.
Jin spun, ducking under claws, retaliating with controlled bursts of flame. But the wolves were fast, their coordination unnatural. Not wild—but driven. Manipulated.
Kio cried out, falling to one knee, blood streaming from a thigh wound. Daro slammed his staff into the ground, creating a barrier that barely held.
"We can't win this!" he yelled. "Retreat into the ridge path!"
They staggered into the narrow canyon, wolves snarling behind. Jin stayed at the rear, fire lighting his hands, burning with the will to protect.
Only once the wolves stopped following did the squad collapse to catch their breath.
"What the hell was that?" Mira gasped.
Jin's voice was low. "Those weren't normal beasts. Someone stirred them up… pushed them toward us."
Daro looked at him sharply, as if seeing Jin for the first time. "You handled yourself well, Jin."
Jin simply nodded, but inside, he boiled. This wasn't just an unfortunate assignment—it was a setup. Elder Varek's hand was behind it, he was sure. They had been thrown into the fire without warning, expected to burn.
But he had survived.
Worse for Varek, he had shone.
And next time, Jin would be ready.