Although no one else in the room seemed to have reached such a conclusion, Nero thought it was a reasonable conjecture. If the point of the two year long survey was to better understand them, their capabilities and their intentions, then the best time to observe them was when their guard was down.
Telling them they were being observed also served a particular purpose. Initially everyone would be on their best behaviour, but two years was a long time, and KMA was destined to be far from easy. Whether they could keep up their best behaviour - so to speak - and maintain their goals and ambitions would also be revealing.
"Now that you’ve been informed of some of the basics of what to expect during your time at KMA, I will inform you of what to expect as soon as you join," the officer continued. "Some of you here today recently took some tests, while the rest of you took them long before. Regardless, both of you will have some more tests waiting for you when you enter KMA, as well as your first session with a psychological counsellor. You will have meetings with your assigned counsellor once a week until you graduate.
"Right after that will begin your first day’s training. I hope you rested well yesterday, because from today onwards, rest will be a luxury you will not be afforded so easily. After your training today, you will receive your room assignments as well as schedules. After that... well, you better acclimate to your new reality quickly, because the quicker you do, the fewer mistakes you’ll make, and the less punishment you’ll have to bear."
Once the officer was done informing them of what to expect, he spent another thirty minutes sharing some basic details about the academy that they may need to know. Breaking serious rules or crossing certain boundaries would get them a strike, and after three strikes they would be expelled from KMA.
Not just that - their expulsion would also automatically initiate a military trial, since they were officially cadets now, and a part of the army. Whatever the trial decided would be the punishment for that cadet, and it could range in seriousness though it was more than likely going to result in mandatory military service in a difficult area.
The protection and operations of KMA were handled entirely by a special branch of the military, answerable only to the head of the academy!
The history of the KMA actually extended from beyond the birth of Kolar itself, although it had been renamed and modernised since. Many important names had passed through its doors in some capacity, as well as many more insignificant ones.
Although that last bit of information seemed unnecessary, the message hidden within was abundantly clear to Nero. Whether he would rise to become a prominent name, one of many, to have passed through KMA, or just another forgotten name in the history of that institution was entirely up to him and his efforts.
Honestly, it was too soon to judge, but Nero was beginning to suspect that the strong foundation that KMA set for Kolar was one of the primary reasons for the success of the country today.
Once the orientation was complete, Nero and the others were immediately escorted out to find an entire convoy waiting for them. There were two buses, as well as many military vehicles around them as if for protection.
The knowledge that they were here for their protection made the cadets feel important, though Nero did not pay attention to it besides noting the exact layout and formation of the convoy.
He got on the bus, still wearing his normal clothes, with nothing else on him besides his card case.
The cadets filled the buses, and without any more formalities, the convoy set off, heading towards KMA!
Nero observed the path as they left, memorising the road while also wondering if his mother was still in Abboton or if she had already left. The answer seemed irrelevant, but he had a feeling that she had not left yet. He had a feeling that she would wait until he properly entered KMA.
His hand touched his card case, wherein there was a 2 Star version of Snowflake. A single card would not last him five years of regular use, even if a 2 Star card had greater durability than a 0 Star card. Ultimately it all depended on how much use the card would see.
Nero saw a flicker of movement, quickly turning to look just in time to see one of the protective cars in the convoy attack an approaching curse. The loud sounds of a fight seemed to not disturb the convoy at all as they continued to progress without any hesitation.
Over their journey, the convoy was attacked a few times, but each time the problem was resolved fairly easily, allowing the buses to reach KMA in just over an hour.
The academy had a large, mesh fence serving as its boundary wall, with tall pillars of some metal every 20 meters serving to support the mesh. Right in front of them, a large metallic gate lay closed, with dozens of guards patrolling it on either side of the mesh.
The convoy, apparently, was not allowed to enter the academy, and was forced to stop right outside. All the cadets got off, watching the gate with a mix of various emotions. Nero felt only anticipation.
Yet, looking up at the metal gate and fence, he could not help but feel as if this moment lacked something. This was the beginning of one of the most important phases of his life, so how could its beginning be so... mundane ?
The moment lacked some element of grandeur to mark the occasion, yet expecting such a thing was also unrealistic.
The registration officer was speaking to the guards, handing them a list and aligning the transfer of cadets to the academy, all without paying attention to the cadets who all just watched in silence and waited for orders. That was a soldier’s life. That was how it was supposed to be - waiting for orders. Yet to Nero, in that moment, it felt lacking.
Logically, he knew that despite its reputation, the academy could not be some grand complex or campus. Such a thing was not required nor did not fit the style and purpose of the academy. Handing over the cadets and entering the academy was also a pretty standard procedure, and it wasn’t like he expected some kind of motivational speech or war song to serenade them as they entered. This was exactly how it was supposed to be... and yet his heart did not want to accept. His emotions... his accursed emotions which were lately running free of his control, failed to acknowledge such a start.
He did not know what the future held, but he knew that Nero would always aim for the very best, the very top. As such, everything he did needed to be aligned with such a purpose. Nothing about him, his actions or his intentions could be mundane. Or, at least, that’s what his raging and fluctuating emotions told him.
On the side, the transfer seemed to be over and one of the guards opened the gate just enough to let a line of cadets enter. They were ordered to march, yet standing before the gate, looking up, Nero stood still.
Over and over again, his mind flickered through the many intense moments in his life recently. He recalled each obstacle, and recalled each triumph and failure.
He could not help but recall the words that Lieutenant Earl had spoken to him. The Lieutenant had claimed that he was but a man, tainted by desires, weakened by pain. The only thing that held him true through all that was his honour. Well, honour wasn’t doing much for Nero these days, so what could he use?
One of the guards overseeing the cadets noticed Nero standing still while the others were lining up. Instead of telling him to move, the guard paused as he stared at him. To be more specific, he was studying the aether around Nero. It seemed to be behaving oddly.
As Nero’s thoughts raced, a couple of things stuck out in his mind. The first, most significant memory was his first sight of the Primal Exarch. An intimidating, towering monstrous creature, exuding a presence which could only be described as belonging to a grim reaper, entirely undeniable in its power. The second thought was of how weak and powerless he felt the day Patrick was taken - how angry, and yet incredibly, pathetically powerless.
The contrast between the two was so vast, and yet both memories seemed to have equal weight in his mind.
’ An oath, ’ Nero thought to himself, sifting through the mess of emotions in his mind.
The grandeur this moment required didn’t need to come from a massive building, or from words of encouragement of another. No, on this day wherein he would embark on an integral part of his journey, all power, all sense of purpose, and grandeur needed to come from him and his intentions.
Since he felt that this moment lacked a sense of ceremony, then it was in his hands to fulfil it. Just like that small, insignificant act of taking a button from Shawn’s dead body in Perilith, and his oath to forever remember him, Nero needed to be the one to add ceremony to this moment.
As soon as he gained that clarity, his body burned with intensity as clarity filled his eyes, the clouded thoughts in his mind fading. He did not need to force himself to stay rational despite his fluctuating emotions - by navigating through them, he could clear his mind, which was objectively better.
As purpose filled Nero’s mind and body, the aether around him started to be drawn to him, beginning to swirl around him ever so slightly. Yet that subtle shift was enough to alert all the soldiers and guards nearby, who could not help but turn to observe the new cadet.
His eyes were clear, his expression was firm, and his spirit burning with a contagious courage that seemed to be erasing the nervousness of the cadets who were looking towards him.
’ I swear, ’ he recited in his heart. ’ I swear that I will never be so helpless ever again. I swear... that when my enemies see me, their hearts will freeze in fear for the monster before them! ’
In Nero’s mind, the two memories - the one of the Primal Exarch, and the hopeless little boy - began to overlap, turning into something unknown.
Ambition, dedication, conviction, all and more burned with an uncontrollable fury in his chest as he stayed standing there, looking up at the gates of the Kolar Military Academy. As if responding to his emotions, the aether in the area began swirling around him, forming an invisible tornado of energy - not quite touching him, yet also unwilling to move away.
For a strange moment, silence descended upon the scene as guards and cadets alike paused to look at Nero who seemed to be doing nothing except standing there. The guards could detect the strange behaviour of the aether, and the cadets could feel the goosebumps on their bodies.
Though neither of them knew why, they could tell that this moment was not ordinary. This moment held significance - they just didn’t know what that significance was yet.
Nero stepped forward, not an ounce of hesitation left in his body as walked towards his new life. His mind was clear now - it was not honour that would get him through distracting desires and pain. No, it was his conviction to turn into a monster that would do that.
As for what he would do after he became such a monster... there was no need to dwell on that just yet. The only thing on Nero’s mind right now was how KMA could help him grow stronger.