Page 2 of Witch's Promise

For a moment, it seemed like stalemate. Then Lucas's shield began to flicker.

"Adapt, Lucas," Alex instructed. "If one strategy isn't working, try another."

Lucas's eyes narrowed in concentration. Suddenly, his blue energy shield collapsed inward, condensing into a swirling vortex. Before Gabe could react, it shot forward, engulfing his golden battering ram.

Gabe felt his magic being pulled, twisted. With a startled curse, he cut off the flow of power. His golden energy dissipated, leaving him momentarily vulnerable.

Lucas seized the opportunity. A bolt of blue lightning leapt from his fingers, catching Gabe square in the chest. It wasn't strong enough to do real damage, but the impact sent him staggering backward.

"Point to Lucas," Alex declared. "Excellent use of your opponent's momentum against them."

Gabe rubbed his chest, grimacing. "Damn, Lucas. When did you learn that trick?"

Lucas grinned, looking both exhausted and elated. "Been working on it for a while. Never had a chance to test it out properly before."

"Well, consider me officially impressed," Gabe conceded. He turned to Alex. "How'd we do, boss?"

Alex nodded approvingly. "Much better. You're both showing improvement in adapting to unexpected situations. Gabe, your offensive capabilities are top-notch, but don't neglect your defensive skills. And Lucas, excellent work on expanding your magical repertoire. Your tech skills make you a valuable asset, but being able to hold your own in magical combat is crucial."

Both men nodded, absorbing the feedback. Gabe could feel the familiar ache of magical exertion settling into his bones, but there was also a sense of satisfaction. These training sessions were grueling, but necessary. In their line of work, being unprepared could be fatal.

"Alright, take five," Alex said. "Then we'll run through some teamwork drills.”.

Gabe collapsed onto the training mat, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Sweat poured down his face, stinging his eyes and leaving salty trails on his lips. He'd ditched his shirt ages ago, the drenched fabric now lying in a crumpled heap near the wall. Across the room, Lucas wasn't faring much better, his bare torso glistening under the harsh fluorescent lights.

But a five-minute break didn't mean they could truly relax. Not with Alex's piercing gaze fixed on them, cataloging every heaving breath, every trembling muscle. And it wasn't just Alex watching. Gabe could feel the eyes of his teammates boring into him from the sidelines. Eryx, Marcus, Olivia, Emma, Finn—they were all there, observing, assessing.

No pressure or anything.

Gabe pushed himself up onto his elbows, stealing a glance at Lucas. His friend's face was flushed with exertion, dark hairplastered to his forehead. But there was a glint of determination in Lucas's eyes that made something in Gabe's chest tighten with pride.

"Looking good out there, techie," Gabe called out, managing a grin despite his exhaustion. "Your shields are getting tougher to crack."

Lucas snorted, but Gabe could see the pleased smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, well, someone's gotta keep you on your toes, witch boy."

The banter was familiar, comfortable. It was easier to focus on their friendship, on the camaraderie that came from countless hours of training together.

"Alright, break's over," Alex's voice cut through Gabe's wandering thoughts. "On your feet. Let's see how you two handle yourselves in a tag-team situation."

Gabe groaned as he pushed himself up, muscles protesting the movement. He was about to stand when a hand appeared in front of his face. He looked up to see Lucas offering him a boost, that same determined glint still in his eyes.

"Come on, partner," Lucas said. "Let's show 'em what we've got."

Gabe clasped Lucas's hand, ignoring the way his heart skipped at the contact. As Lucas pulled him to his feet, Gabe allowed himself a moment to marvel at how far his friend had come. When they'd first joined the Shadowguards, Lucas had relied almost entirely on his tech skills, his magical abilities raw and unfocused. Now, after months of intense training, he was holding his own against Gabe, one of the team's strongest combat mages.

It was impressive as hell, and Gabe couldn't deny the swell of pride he felt. He'd spent countless hours working with Lucas, helping him hone his magical control, pushing him to expand hisrepertoire beyond defensive spells. Seeing it all pay off—well, it was pretty damn satisfying.

"Earth to Gabe," Alex's voice snapped him back to reality. "You with us?"

"Yeah, boss," Gabe replied, shaking off his momentary distraction. "Ready when you are."

Alex nodded, his expression stern. "Good. Because out in the field, you don't get time to daydream. You need to be alert, focused, ready to react at a moment's notice. Your lives—and the lives of civilians—depend on it."

The reminder sent a familiar jolt of anxiety through Gabe's system. Right. This wasn't just about friendly competition or personal improvement. Every training session, every drill, every drop of sweat—it was all in service of their greater mission. Protecting the city. Saving lives. The weight of that responsibility settled over Gabe like a physical thing, pressing down on his shoulders.

"Understood," Gabe said, his voice tight. Beside him, Lucas nodded, his earlier playfulness replaced by serious focus.

"Alright then," Alex said. "Scenario: you're responding to reports of supernatural activity in a crowded shopping mall. Civilians everywhere, limited visibility, high risk of collateral damage. Your objective is to locate and neutralize the threat while minimizing civilian casualties. Eryx, Marcus—you're playing our hostiles. Emma, Olivia—you're on civilian duty. Let's go."

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