The five Lower Star Soldier Ascendants under Lucien sat around a secluded meeting room, the tension between them palpable as they absorbed the latest report.
Darius, their leader—a towering figure with close-cropped dark hair and a scar across his brow—broke the silence, his voice measured and controlled. “So, Ethan Cole managed to take down all four of them. Alone.”
Vera, a sharp-eyed woman known for her calculated approach, narrowed her gaze. “All of them? That doesn’t make sense. Last we heard, he was barely a Lower Apprentice. Either someone’s feeding us bad information, or he’s hiding much more power than we thought.”
Rhys, ever the quiet strategist, leaned back, his expression thoughtful. “Doesn’t add up. No one at that level should be able to handle four Middle Star Ascendants by themselves. Maybe he has connections or allies backing him we don’t know about.”
The youngest of the group, Hale, leaned forward, impatience flickering in his eyes. “Or he’s got tricks we didn’t see coming. Either way, we underestimated him. What’s the plan now?”
Darius’s brow furrowed as he considered their next move. “We keep this from Lucien until we know what we’re dealing with. If Cole’s stronger than we expected, we need to find out how much stronger and whether he has outside support.”
Silas, the quietest of the group, nodded, his eyes glinting with resolve. “We can watch him from a distance, gather intel, and see if any allies show up. If he’s linked to someone influential, we don’t want to set off alarms before we understand the situation.”
Darius took this in, nodding slowly. “Agreed. Keep this contained. We’ll observe and dig deeper before making any move.” He met each of their gazes in turn, solidifying the pact.
With final nods, they agreed to proceed with caution—this time, determined to handle Ethan Cole with a level of respect they hadn’t granted him before.
***
The meeting room in the Cole family’s main residence was thick with silence. Ethan stood at the head of the table, his gaze steady as he looked over the Iron Vanguards assembled before him.
All were present except Axel and Flint, who were away on assignment. Not a single word was spoken; they waited, their attention fixed solely on Ethan, anticipation clear in their eyes.
Ethan took a measured breath, letting the silence linger a moment longer before he spoke.
“On my way here from NovaTech, I was intercepted,” he began, his tone calm but carrying an edge. “Four Ascendants—a team of Middle Star Apprentices—blocked the road, waiting for me. They weren’t amateurs, either. It was clear they came with intent.”
A flicker of reaction crossed the faces of the Iron Vanguards. Lucan’s eyes narrowed, and Rhea leaned forward slightly, her expression sharpening.
“They claimed they were sent to teach me a lesson,” Ethan continued, keeping his gaze steady on each of them. “Sent by the Great Families, or at least by those who support them.”
Ethan allowed a slight pause before delivering the next part. “I was able to handle them,” he said simply as if he were discussing something routine.
That single sentence shifted the air in the room. The Iron Vanguards exchanged glances, eyebrows raised and expressions flickering with barely concealed surprise.
They knew that the kind of leap from handling basic threats to single-handedly defeating four Middle Star Apprentice Ascendants was no small feat. Yesterday, by their understanding, Ethan had only been at the Low Star Apprentice level.
Lucan, usually composed, was the first to speak, his voice low and questioning. “Ethan, yesterday… you were at the Low Star Apprentice level, right? That’s what we thought, at least.”
Rhea’s eyes narrowed as she studied him, almost as if searching for some hidden truth. “And in less than a day, you managed to reach this level of strength?”
Ethan met their questioning looks, a slight, unreadable smile touching his lips. He knew they deserved an explanation but wanted them to see he wasn’t just an ordinary leader. Not anymore.
“I understand your surprise,” he replied, his tone calm yet carrying an undertone of confidence. “Let’s just say… circumstances have allowed me to progress faster than usual.”
The Iron Vanguards continued to exchange glances, a mixture of curiosity and something close to respect beginning to take shape in their expressions.
Ethan smiled, his expression brightening with a beaming confidence that caught the Iron Vanguards’ attention.
“This,” he said, his voice steady but filled with conviction, “is something that I plan for each of you in the family to experience as well.”
Once again, the Iron Vanguards were left stunned, exchanging glances, each trying to gauge the others’ reactions. The boldness of Ethan’s claim—it was nearly inconceivable.
Powering up so quickly, and now suggesting he could do the same for every family member? It defied everything they understood about advancement.
How could someone, especially one so new to the ranks of Ascendants, speak with such certainty about something most would consider impossible?
The silence was finally broken as Calder leaned forward, his brow furrowed. “Ethan, how exactly do you plan to accomplish this? Powering up an entire family—it’s… unheard of.”
Ethan met Calder’s gaze with unwavering confidence, a small, enigmatic smile playing on his lips. “I have my ways, Calder. But I’ll need your trust to make it work. There are a few things I need to set in motion first.”
He paused, letting his words sink in. “And one of those things is establishing the position of Elders. In the Cole family, they’ll be known as Warlords.”
The room grew colder, a subtle shift that brought a faint chill down the spine of each Iron Vanguard present. They understood the weight of that title—Warlords. It wasn’t just a position. It was a declaration.
Lucan’s steady voice broke through the tension. “Ethan, a title like that… it’s not something to hand out lightly.”
His expression was serious, his eyes holding the same determination that had guided him through countless battles. “Warlords, or Elders—whatever we call it, such a role belongs to those with unmatched strength and skill. And by that standard, I don’t believe any of us here qualify.”
The others nodded subtly, each Iron Vanguard acknowledging Lucan’s point. Ethan shook his head, his expression unwavering. “That’s what you think, Lucan,” he replied, his voice firm yet encouraging. “But I see it differently. There’s no one more suited to lead as Warlords in this family than the ones standing here right now.”
The Iron Vanguards exchanged uncertain glances, processing Ethan’s unexpected confidence in them. Rhea shifted, looking down as if to steady herself against the weight of his words.
Ethan continued, his gaze moving over each of them. “And if you’re worried about not measuring up to the Elders in the other Great Families,” he said, a spark of determination in his eyes, “don’t be. With what I have in hand, it’s only a matter of time before you surpass them.”
The room was silent, the weight of his promise hanging heavy in the air. Ethan’s confidence was undeniable, and for the first time, the Iron Vanguards felt a flicker of something unfamiliar yet compelling—a belief that perhaps, under Ethan’s leadership, they could become something far greater than they’d ever imagined.
Ethan’s gaze was steady as he spoke, each word carrying a quiet intensity. “I need you all to believe in this vision,” he said, his voice unwavering. “In less than a week, I will help you reach the High Star Soldier Ascendants rank.”
The Iron Vanguards stared at him, expressions shifting from skepticism to awe as he continued.
“And as for myself,” he added, a faint, confident smile appearing, “I’ll reach the High Star Apprentice rank by then. And in less than a month, I’ll be on par with all of you.”
The boldness of his claim left them speechless. The Iron Vanguards were no strangers to ambition, but the pace Ethan promised was unprecedented. They had trained for years to achieve their current ranks, and here was Ethan, calmly declaring he would match their strength within a month.
Lucan finally broke the silence, his voice laced with respect and caution. “That’s… a bold claim, Ethan.”
Ethan’s expression didn’t waver. “I know. But I wouldn’t say it if I weren’t certain. All I need from you is trust—and the willingness to take on this journey with me.”
The Iron Vanguards exchanged glances, the weight of his words settling deeply within them. They could feel the shift in the air, the possibility that maybe, just maybe, Ethan could achieve the impossible.
A moment of silence hung in the room, heavy with the gravity of Ethan’s words. And then, as if on cue, the Iron Vanguards burst into laughter—a rich, genuine sound that echoed through the hall. It wasn’t mocking or doubtful; it was a release, a surprising rush of something they hadn’t felt in a long time.
Lucan chuckled, shaking his head. “Well, I’ll be damned,” he said, his grin wide. “It’s been too long since we had something to look forward to, something real.”
Rhea crossed her arms, her eyes glinting with amusement. “I thought I’d seen it all. But here we are, about to gamble on something… extraordinary.”
The others nodded in agreement, their laughter fading into quiet smiles filled with anticipation.
“It feels good,” Thorne rumbled, his voice like distant thunder, “to have a reason to push forward again. We’ve all fought for duty, but hope? That’s rare.”
Ethan’s smile widened as he looked at each of them, grateful for their trust in him. At that moment, the room felt charged with a new kind of energy—one born of camaraderie and an unspoken vow to face whatever came next together.
=====
Mission Completed: Recruit Elders
Reward:
1. 2,500 EXP
2. Unlock: “Elder Management”
3. 25 Free Attribute Points
4. 15 Ascension Points.
======
Changed the mission’s name from “Recruit Core Members” to “Recruit Elders”.
