Intro

“It’s time to make your choice kid, which class will you pick?” Richter was a blunt man, and by now I was used to it. Unlike the other instructors, he did nothing to sugar coat this. From the start he told me this decision would shape the rest of my life, and if I chose wrong it could result in my death. “I won’t help you make this decision, it’s time for you to become a man, pick for yourself.”

My family expected me to be like my father and brother. They both chose the Flare class, and are both well respected. If I go that route I am guaranteed success, and will be able to live an easy life just like them now. Any sane person would pick the Flare class even if their family wasn’t already top dogs in it. The Flare class is the strongest, and the highest paid. They live in luxury, and unless the humans attack again, they won’t ever have to leave the city.

The humans haven’t even known of our existence for thousands of years though, they’ve turned our ancestors into fairytales, and folklore. However, back when they did know about us they enslaved us, and used us as puppets for their petty wars.

Thankfully that all ended when one man stood up, and single handedly led us out of slavery. No one knows what class he was, but every class claims that he was theirs, and that they have indisputable evidence of it.

“Any day now Shay, before long it’s going to be night, and if I have to miss dinner because you weren’t prepared I am going to-”

“Richter shut up,” I said with more confidence I felt. Richter wasn’t the type of man that anybody should ever try to piss off, but he was getting on my nerves. He thought I came here unprepared, like I was some kid who didn’t know what he was doing. “I choose the Umbra class.”

Richter looked surprised, which made me proud. “Interesting, that’s the most dangerous class to go with you know right?”

I nodded confidently. “You’re the one that always says a safe life is a boring one.”

Richter’s giant hand slammed across my back, and for the first time in the six years he’s been my instructor I saw him smile. “Maybe you do have hope kid,” his smile quickly faded though. “You know, your family is going to be fifty shades of pissed off though. You may even be disowned, are you sure you want to go this route?”

“Richter,” there was an intensity in my voice that surprised even me. “I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life.”

“Well then Shay, I will tell you something that your family won’t.” I had never seen this look in Rector’s eyes before. Usually his eyes were intense, and full of the fierceness of a warrior, but now they were soft, like a fathers. “I’m proud of you kid.”

***

The house went silent as everybody stared at me in shock. The only sound was that of the dish my mother had been hold shattering on the ground after she dropped it. The pieces scattered everywhere across our marble floor, leaving shards the glistened in through the darkness.

The silence stretched over what felt like a lifetime until my brother broke it with a roar of laughter, leaving everyone in the room with an even more confused expression. “Good one little brother, you had me going for a minute, but even you aren’t that stupid.”

“No, I’m serious Roland, I joined the Umbra, look.” His smile faded when he was the black swirls that know covered a large portion of my left bicep. “I start next week,” I hoped the news of me leaving would naw at their hearts enough to pull them out of their trans. Though when the flames shot out of my brothers hand, I wished he was back in his trans. Thankfully, with the help of Rectors training, my reflexes were enough for me to jump out the way.

“You are a traitor, and a fool!” Roland shouted.

I could see see his wrist curling back for another attack, and I was ready for it, but then my father intervened. “Roland stop!” father's voice roared through the silence of the room, and quacked into our ears. Roland held back his attack, but I could see the disappointment on his face. “Everybody besides Shay leave the room now.” Roland reluctantly left, followed closely by our youngest brother Tye, and soon after by mother. Once they were gone father and I were alone. “Why did you choose the Umbra?”

“I don’t want to be handed prestige like Roland just because you’re one of the top tier Flare’s.”

“Your brother wasn’t handed anything, he earned the right to be a captain!” father wasn’t yelling, but his words came out with the same force.

“If he was really worthy of being a captain then he would have hit me with that attack, instead I was able to dodge with no warning.”  

Father shook his head disappointedly. “Shay, your brother earned his spot due to his mastery in strategy, but that’s besides the point.” Father moved closer, and put his hand on my shoulder. “I don’t care that you chose the Umbra class, I want you to know that. I am sad that you didn’t join your brother and me, but I am not mad at you.” Relief swelled through my body, and suddenly it felt like I could breath again. “As your father I want you to be prepared, and since you chose the most dangerous class this next week will be the toughest week of your life. Richterr and I have already spoke, and you will be living with him until you leave. He is going to make the past six years feel like a cake walk, and you are going to finish top of your division in the Umbra. If you don’t I will be the one shooting flames at you son, and trust me, you won’t dodge that attack.”

***

The ground was hard against my back, as Richter slammed me down. A mixture of blood, and dirt covered my bare back, while Richter relentlessly attacked me. He held nothing back, even using the power of the Terra class.

The Terra class has the ability to manipulate the ground, and use it as a weapon, the only setback is they can only control as much ground as they could physically lift. Terra class men and women are usually very large, and strong for this reason, Richter being the strongest of them all.

Richter stands at an astonishing 6’7”, and is strong enough to lift one ton. Even amongst our people he is considered freakishly strong, among humans he would he would be a god. He earned the name Richter through his strength, he was the only Terra with the ability to literally shake the earth.

And when fighting me today, it felt like he held nothing back.

I jumped away from his fists, knowing I couldn’t beat him up close, but I thought I could tire him out. Just as my feet touched the ground, the earth closed around my ankles, holding me tightly in place.

“Congratulations, you lose again.” Richter was on a win streak, meaning even before today I had never beaten him in a fight. “If you can’t even beat me, what makes you think you can be a top tier Umbra?”

That was a cheap shot. Richter had to know that there was no way I would ever be able to beat him in a fight, not right now anyways. “You’re the number one fighter in the Terra class! I don’t even have a Crescent yet!”

Richter shook his head disappointedly, “a Crescent is only strong if the user is strong. There is a reason some never make it out of the first tier, and if you need a Crescent in order to become strong, then you will never make it!” Richter yelling with more passion than I had ever heard him speak before. “Do you think I was some weak chump before I had my Crescent? No! I trained my body to the peak of its potential, and then I pushed my strength past it, because I am strong! What are you Shay?”

Richter’s words stuck with me late into that night while I rested my body, and all I could think about was what he meant. I don’t think he was asking if I was physically strong, but rather what is my strength? Richter just happened to be very physically strong, but not everybody was like him. Like my father said, my brother’s strength laid in his strategic abilities, not his strength as a warrior.

So I began to think as a stared into the stars, and searched for my strength. Richter had always been very strong, ever since he was child, and worked to make himself even stronger. So what am I? I’m not overly strong, and my academic grades were nowhere near good enough for me to claim I’m a tactical genius. But, there is one thing I’ve always excelled at, and that’s my speed. Ever since childhood I had always been the fastest, and I’ve always had lightning quick reflexes. The only reason I am able to last against Richter, is because I dodge him like crazy. What if I make myself faster, and use that speed to fight? No, not to fight, but to win.

This whole week was meant to be for me to train myself beyond my limits, and if I want to break that limit I need to start training with everything.

Right the, rather than resting like I was expected to, I stood up and began running. I have to make myself faster than I am right now, so every night after while Richter slept, I ran. Every night I ran farther, and I ran faster, and every day I lasted even longer against Richter, but it wasn’t enough.

“This is our last fight Shay, make it count.” RIchter didn’t wait, he swung his massive fist down at me, and I dodged with plenty of time to counter, but he was ready. Richter was already coming at me with his other fist, ready to attack, but I dodge again, this time putting some distance between us. I could feel the ground shift under me, and knew to jump to the side.

“I’m not falling for that foot hold trick anymore Richter.”

As the words came out of my mouth Richter through a rock through the air at me, but I dodged. It slammed into the ground, creating a giant cloud of smoke.

This is my chance, I thought, so I charged at him while he couldn’t see me, and led with my foot. I felt my heal slam into his jaw, and when the dust cleared Richter was on his back. For a moment I felt the pride of a victory, but then he stood back up, and the look on his sent chills down my spine. “Good move kid, glad to see you’re finally going all out, now I suppose I’ll go all out.” Suddenly I heard a crack, like a tree snapping in half, and the earth began to shake. My eyes widened to the size of watermelons, and my body froze. I had never felt a power like this, power that could shake the earth.

Before the ground split open he stopped. “You didn’t win, but you did earn my respect. Not many can land a blow on me, and even fewer can knock me down.” Richter outstretched his hand, and I graciously accepted it. “You’re going to be fine kid.”