What the hell was she doing here? 

Standing within the large crowd of cadets, Rayen was struggling to keep her composure. On the verge of an anxiety attack, her palms trembled visibly as her heart threatened to beat through her chest. This was a death sentence, and she knew it, but Ray was stuck between a rock and a hard place. With no other options, other then rotting away at home in Karanese, she was going to have to go through with this. She had been so eager the day her sister had brought up the idea, but now that she was here, reality was finally baring down on her. Casting a glance at her sister beside her, Rayen couldn’t help but feel envious of the taller girl. ‘[i]I wish she could share some of that confidence..[/i]'

Dania had been waiting for this day for years. It had been a compromise that her parents weren’t all to happy about, but the older girl didn’t really give it a second thought. The Military was her calling, it was in her blood, and no one—not even her parents, were going to stop her from joining. Holding a strong salute, bright brown orbs burned with anticipation as the tall instructor made his introduction.

“[i]Every last one of you are now an officially a member of the training regiment No.104. I have been assigned to be your commanding officer so for the next three years you all will be under my authority. I'll have you know that my authority, is nothing less than a dictatorship! there will be no sunny days from this point on, the rest of your days here will be brutal. I will rule with an iron fist, anybody who disobeys will...be...punished. At this base we do not tolerate delinquencies. Anybody who whines will be punished, anybody who cries will be punished, anybody who talks back will be punished, anyone who acts out of line will be punished.[/i]” Oh, god she needed to get out of here. Rayen felt her skin crawl as she fell for the veterans intimidation tactics. “[i]Your 3 Dimensional Maneuver Gear training will start tomorrow and will last throughout the week, ending with a test at the end of the week. If you don't pass the test, than you are not qualified to be in the army. You are nothing but scum. You have the rest this day off but, when you wake tomorrow you will have stepped into the depths of hell. My domain.[/i]”

The edge of Dania’s lip curved into a small smirk. Tomorrow was going to be the real deal, and the cadet couldn’t help but shift eagerly in her spot. “[i]After these three years none of you will be the same pesky weakling that stands before me now. Right now your are dirt and nothing more. You are the dirt under my boots, pitiful and useless, only there to be stepped on and pounded into the ground. After these three years you will become warriors. Through rigorous training and exercise I will mould you, your body, and your soul into one that will be worth acknowledging.[/i]”

“[i]You may be dismissed.[/i]"

Still smirking, the brunette ran a hand through her brown locks as she turned to face her younger sister. “[b]Rayen, you okay?[/b]” The smaller girl was frozen in her spot, shaking from head to toe as a terrified look sat along her features. “Y-Yeah, I’m alright.” Throwing a look of concern her way, the taller girl through her arm over Rays shoulder, pulling her into a playful hug, “[b]It’s gonna be alright, Ray. From today on, things are going to start looking up, you’ll see.[/b]” Pulled away from her spot, Rayen trudged beside her sister towards the barracks as she reluctantly went along with Dania’s words, “I guess you’re right..” A terrible feeling was swelling in her gut, but right now all she wanted to do was settle in and try to see the optimistic side of the next few years of her life. ‘[i]You can do this Ray, you just have to believe in yourself.[/i]'