[center]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/lP04Wiv.png[/img]
[/center]

The next several weeks pass uneventfully now that the pageantry has finished. There’s plenty of time in the immediate aftermath of the ball for gossip and swapping stories, and there’s more than one Ars Magi that’s got a later engagement with a partner from the ball. Selma herself receives a gift a few days later: A bouquet of flowers from the confident cadet she’d favored with a dance.

Eventually, however, it comes time to return to schoolwork, magical drills, and the normal routines of Academy life. As each Ars Magi becomes increasingly familiar with their powers their exercises ratchet up in intensity, gradually building each girl toward a confident proficiency in their unique abilities. Occasionally Palmyra’s senior Ars Magi offer personalized instruction, testing individual cadets in mock-battle. 

Throughout the month there are also rumors swirling around, mostly based on gossip overheard and stories traded at the ball. There’s talk of the new anti-Void machines, and of the upcoming joint exercise between the academies. The latter is confirmed by Nova Lux’s instructors soon enough, the date set for the end of the month.

The time passes quickly for most, until the day draws near.

[hr]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/4jhIwHp.jpg[/img]
[b]𝙽𝚘𝚟𝚊 𝙻𝚞𝚡 𝙰𝚌𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚢
𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚁𝚘𝚘𝚖 [/b]
[b] 𝙹𝚞𝚗𝚎 𝟸𝟿𝚝𝚑, 𝟷𝟷𝟽 𝙰𝚅[/b]
[b]𝟺:𝟶𝟶 𝙿𝙼[/b]
[i]Masuzu Chie, Crystal von Caelestis, Rivka Sokolov, Selma Rosmarie, Aoife Strumgaard[/i]
[hr]
[/center]

“This will be your field of operation.” 

The screens in the center of the briefing room flicker, cycling through green-tinted images until an aerial view of Palmyra’s abandoned district appears on the central monitor. From above the tall concrete walls cordoning off the district are made visible, towering above the desolate half-structures that fill the empty streets. The Nox diffusers, tall pylons that stretch above the streets, glow a pale blue in the afternoon light. The cadets will recognize at least some portion of the district from their entrance exam, and one of the observation towers is still half-destroyed from the incidents during that exercise. 

The officer presenting, instructor Drier, gives her audience a moment to digest the image. The cadets from Nova Lux are arranged in a circle around the central monitor, all seated in neat rows and sorted according to their established teams. In the dim evening light the monitors are clear and glowing, and the five girls have a good vantage from their place near the front row.

“In this exercise you will be clearing and securing several key structures, marked here.” On the monitor buildings begin to light up, their skeletons highlighted in fluorescent yellow. “Accompanying you will be several cadets from the Officer’s Academy, who will act in a supporting role as your operations team.”

She continues on, beginning to point out routes and instructions. Selma, Chie, Crystal, Aoife, and Rivka are designated as Team 5—a military moniker unfortunately not as regal as Crystal’s Team Kheper—and instructed:

“Team 5 will be drawing fire away from teams one and two while they secure their targets. You will be directly engaging the enemy in combat.”

The screens flicker again, the images of ruined buildings and debris-filled streets vanishing to make way for something new: Pictures of machines. Tall, bipedal constructs with boxy looking bodies, rectangular heads, and long flexible legs.

“As Voids would be too difficult—and dangerous—to coordinate, your opposition for this exercise will be automated drones, provided by Juno’s Defense Force. Their magitech armaments have been reduced to less-than lethal capability for this exercise, and you are allowed to use any amount of force within your means against them.”

Discussion and planning continues for another hour, until the cadets are dismissed. The next evening, the mission commences.

[hr]
[center][img] https://i.imgur.com/INRP3w2.jpg [/img]

[b] 𝙿𝚊𝚕𝚖𝚢𝚛𝚊 𝙼𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝙴𝚡𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚉𝚘𝚗𝚎 
𝙰𝚋𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚝 [/b]
[b] 𝙹𝚞𝚗𝚎 𝟹𝟶𝚝𝚑, 𝟷𝟷𝟽 𝙰𝚅 [/b]
[b] 𝟼:𝟶𝟶 𝙿𝙼 [/b]
[i]Masuzu Chie, Crystal von Caelestis, Rivka Sokolov, Selma Rosmarie, Aoife Strumgaard[/i]
[hr]
[/center]

When time Team 5 arrives at their rendezvous point the evening sky is grey, overcast, and very wet. Sheets of rain wash over the empty streets and run-down shattered buildings, forming deep puddles in the pockmarked streets. As the Ars Magi step out of their transport, they find that their partners from the Officer’s Academy are already arrived and waiting outside a small building, three figures shrouded in cobalt cloaks to protect them from the downpour.

Among them is at least one familiar face; Liam Neptune, Crystal’s dance partner from the ball. The other officers aren’t quite as recognizable, a boy and girl, the former wiry and pale, the latter taller and darker skinned. They introduce themselves as cadets Soma and Green respectively, and there’s enough time for brief greetings as the red LEDs on everyone’s clocks slowly count down the remaining minutes until the exercise commences.

“We’re assigned to support you from our outpost here,” Liam explains, “You’ll be engaging in direct combat with the drones, so we’d only get in the way in a straight-up fight. Instead, we’ll be in your ear and keeping you updated on the flow of battle.” He wipes a few errand raindrops from his brow before turning to his comrades, requesting: “Green, can you tell them what they’ll be going up against?”

“The opposition is unmanned drones. Not very smart, but they come with sensor arrays and communication relays. They’re designed to kill Voids, so they’ll probably be good at picking up anything that uses a lot of magic.”

“Right.” Says Liam. “Your job will be to advance up this avenue and, basically, draw fire. We’ll tell you where to move when the other teams need you to.” 

The timers beep once, signaling a minute left until the exercise begins. Another beep at thirty seconds. Again at ten. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

“Team five,” Comes the static-laced voice over the group’s radios. “You’re clear to begin.”

Lights begin to flicker to life in the distant streets, specks of red and blue that are soon followed by cones of fluorescent yellow. Spotlights begin to move across the streets and the faces of buildings, and the heavy sound of metal crunching through debris can be faintly heard in the far distance.