Nero looked at the four cards he’d been handed, feeling like there was something amiss. He’d seen all kinds of abilities and cards before, but this was...
He looked around, and saw that the other four cadets seemed just as confused as him. They’d received the same cards as him, just at a lower star ranking due to their aetheric rank.
Name: Severed Seal
Image: Several chains all extending towards a ball of chains in the center of a room
Type: Sealing
Star rank: 2
Ability: [ Create a partial seal around a targeted object. Once complete, the seal can both protect and restrict the target ]
Flavour text: "When one is not enough, then use one hundred," - Hurbert Rodney
Name: Rising Platform
Image: A platform made of blue light, rising in the air while a man stands on top of it
Type: Manipulation
Star rank: 2
Ability: [ Create a platform that another can stand on. The platform can be raised or lowered. The ability to raise or lower the platform is directly linked to the physical strength of this card’s user. ]
Flavour text: "Take my aid, that you may aid me in return," - Hurbert Rodney
Name: Collective Momentum
Image: Four men holding a battering ram together in front of a giant door
Type: Augmentation
Star rank: 2
Ability: [ Contribute a certain amount of momentum to a specific target. When enough momentum is gathered, the target will shoot forward like a missile. ]
Flavour text: "If the strength of one arm fails, then use another," Hurbert Rodney
Name: Vital Touch
Image: A nurse, touching a patients forehead
Type: Healing
Star rank: 2
Ability: [ Consume an enormous amount of aether to heal the target ]
Flavour text: "My strength for your life," - Odette Rodney
Nero read all the cards, and could already guess some of what they might face in the upcoming course. Clearly, this was not going to be as easy as running in the mud. Yet what confounded Nero was not the course itself, but the nature of these cards. Oh, and also the fact that the flavour text for all the cards seemed to be from Silas’ parents.
The thing about the flavour text didn’t surprise him too much, since he already knew about the reputation of the Rodneys. Both of Silas’ parents were prestigious artisans, well renowned in Aetherpeak at the very least. Yet their cards were not available for purchase in the way Maxim’s cards were. No, their cards were directly provided to the military, so they could only be acquired through the military.
Although the flavour texts belonging to the Rodneys did not necessarily mean that they were the ones who made the card, since so many cards often used quotes from other people. Heck, so many cards used quotes from emperor Iskunder, but that did not mean that he crafted the cards, or even the original recipe for the cards. In this case, though, Nero was more inclined to believe that their quotes weren’t just used at random, and that they were the artisans responsible for making these cards.
That bit wasn’t confusing. The confusing bit was how two of the cards only had half an effect, and likely needed the support of similar cards to show what they actually did. Both Collective Momentum and Severed Seal most likely required the support of others using the same cards on the same target to show what they could actually do.
Nero had never encountered such an unusual spell model. Considering that most cards were based on spell models that already existed within the core ingredient used in crafting the card, something like this should have been impossible. Or, at the very least, so rare that having two different cards following this pattern produced by the same person should have been impossible.
Did that mean that the Rodney family had a secret technique which allowed them to make cards which could accumulate strength from various people? If so, the applications of such cards could be enormous - especially in the army!
Imagine 1000 soldiers, all using one card that combined their strength into a single attack. Wouldn’t a bunch of Arcanists be able to easily take on Mystics, and maybe even Ascendants like that? What if 1000 Mystics used such a card? Could they directly defeat a Sage?
Nero’s mind could not entirely calculate all the possibilities that such a technique could create. Something like that should be a national secret. Yet it was being used by cadets in a training course, so maybe there was an upper limit to how much strength such spell models could output.
Regardless of what the truth was, Nero was instantly humbled. It seemed that his family was not the only one with amazing secrets. If this is what the Rodney family had, then Nero could not even imagine what the famous artisans from New Velariya could do. After all, New Velariya was well known for having the most advanced and accomplished artisans in the world.
Nero inserted all four cards into special pockets that existed within his uniform that would press the cards against his body. This way, he could always use these cards whenever he wished.
"Once you’re all ready, go to the starting line. Although you’ll be the first one to enter, the other teams will be running the course right beside you. If you’re slow, you might get overtaken, which would be embarrassing. Though don’t be too worried, even if they overtake you, it won’t affect your own course. We have many people standing by to ensure that any obstacle that gets cleared is instantly replaced," said the man handing them the cards.
Nero looked from the cards towards him.
"Will you be assigning a team leader? Is that kind of thing required for this?" he asked. He had wanted to lead the group, but since someone else also wanted to do that, they needed clarification.
"Sort that out yourselves," the man answered, and shrugged.
Nero looked from the man back to his group. The other two cadets quickly stepped back, as if to show that they didn’t want to get involved in this argument, but the blonde cadet only pursed his lips. He could anticipate that this would not be easy.
"Look, I know about you," the blonde cadet said, looking Nero right in the eyes. "I know you’re very strong, and that you’re having some kind of competition with that Vilhelm kid. I also know that if I let you lead, maybe we’ll pass the course with flying colours, but I don’t care about that."
The blonde kid wasn’t aggressive, nor was he picking a fight. In fact, he seemed quite frustrated because he could foresee that his argument probably wouldn’t give him any results.
"I didn’t join this academy to just win by following someone else. I came here to grow stronger. That means taking every opportunity I get, such as leading this group. If I lead this group and lose, I’ll still learn more than I would by following you blindly and winning! That may sound unfair to you, but I can’t just sacrifice my opportunities so you can win some kind of challenge. So, I still want to be the team leader. But I would prefer if we can decide the team leader fairly, instead of by force."
Nero raised his eyebrow, looking at the cadet with surprise. He spoke with genuine emotion, as if he were facing a strong opponent, yet he refused to back down. There was a hint of anxiety in his voice, but much more than that, there was immense grit and resolution.
"You’ll be surprised to learn that, in truth, I don’t really care all that much about Vilhelm, despite what everyone says," responded Nero, placing a hand on the cadets shoulder. "Like you, I want to take every chance, every opportunity to get stronger. That means that in every situation, I aim to give my utmost, and I aim to win. Aiming to be stronger, better, faster than Vilhelm is just a natural consequence of wanting to be the best version of myself. It just means that whenever I face a challenge, I do my absolute best to win, not because I want to beat Vilhelm, but because I want to push my limits."
The blonde cadet seemed taken aback by Nero’s words. This wasn’t what he had expected from someone like him. In fact, he expected Nero to be a bit more arrogant considering his achievements.
"Since that’s the case, I’ll use this opportunity to learn to follow orders to the best of my ability - only if you promise to aim for absolute victory. I don’t want to follow someone who will meekly test the waters. I want to follow someone who will cut out the path of victory, no matter the obstacle."
The cadets jaw dropped, not expecting to hear that kind of response. For a moment, he did not respond. But suddenly he closed his mouth and loudly slapped his chest.
"You will never go wrong by putting your trust in me, I assure you," he said loudly, and with resolve.
Nero was, once again, taken aback by the strength of this cadet’s confidence and belief. When he spoke, he was not just trying to assure Nero. No, he was informing him that, no matter the circumstance, he could be relied on.
"Nero Grant of Enlil battalion," said Nero, holding out his hand.
"Rorik Loxley of Demeter battalion," the blonde cadet said, shaking Nero’s hand firmly.
For some reason, Nero developed a positive opinion of Rorik, even if he took the leadership position from Nero.