Halo: Magicka

"What a goddamned first day of training. I feel like every cell in my body is about to break," I sighed as I collapsed in my bed at the end of the day. Soong had us working out every muscle group and by the end of it, I couldn't feel anything.

I lay there, staring up at the dark ceiling of the barracks, the only sound the quiet rustling of bodies as the other cadets tried to find some semblance of rest. My entire body ached, muscles and joints screaming in protest with every tiny movement, but I was too exhausted to care.

Jon was lying in the bed across from mine, his face hidden beneath the covers, his breathing deep but steady. I could tell he was struggling just as much as I was, but he'd never admit it. That was just how he was—always toughing it out, no matter what.

"You good?" I asked, barely able to lift my head off the pillow.

A grunt came from his bed. "Just... tired," he muttered. "But it's... it's nothing."

Taking a deep sigh I noted the activation of his magicka before I realised his body and fatigue had been healed.

"Nice, I think you've finally mastered the basics."

I followed soon after and felt rejuvenated.

"What would I have done without you Eli?" Jon grinned as he lay in bed,

"I don't know, you probably would have had to ride it out," I whispered with a chuckle which he reciprocated before he fell asleep.

We both fell into silence after that, the weight of the day finally pulling me into a light sleep.

.....

Six months later,

"ON YOUR FEET MAG-" Instructor Soong stopped mid-sentence as he noted everyone was already standing at attention in front of their beds.

The sharp, piercing glare he threw at the company was met with a perfectly synchronized posture. No slouching. No fidgeting. No sign of hesitation or fatigue. A collective display of discipline that came after months of gruelling training.

"Well, I'll be damned," Soong muttered under his breath, his eyes sweeping over the room, "Looks like the holy spirit itself visited this dorm and taught you how to get your asses in gear."

A few of the more hardened cadets stood a little taller, but most of us remained still, accustomed to the heavy presence of Soong's authority. The silence stretched on for a moment before he stepped forward, his boots thudding against the floor.

"Good," he said, his voice unusually calm, "Now, it's time to see if that discipline actually means something. We're not doing the same shit today. We're doing something that will test your resolve, your ability to work as a team, and most importantly, your adaptability. So pay attention."

Jon stood next to me, his eyes narrowed slightly, his body tense but controlled. We'd gotten used to these kinds of moments—the sudden shifts in routine, the change in tone. Soong was notorious for keeping us on edge, never knowing what to expect.

"You'll be heading out into the field for an exercise in the surrounding woodlands" Soong continued. "You'll eat, drink, shit and sleep in the wilderness for the next three days. We've set up a boundary made of red tape around the perimeter, you will not pass that line. The objective is simple—survive. Sounds easy enough, right?"

A few groans of annoyance rippled through the group, but they quickly stopped when Soong shot a glare that could melt steel.

"Got it?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" we all replied in unison.

"Good," he said with a sharp nod. "The twist is that you will not be doing it all together, only half of you will - along with another unit. So let's see if you can actually work with someone other than your usual partner and apply all that we've taught you about fieldcraft. I'll announce who's departing us now: NPC1, NPC2, NPC3...NPC11, Jon-B312. Good luck to you all. A tip as well, work together if you're going to hunt anything larger than a dog."

Of course, they wouldn't put me on the same team as Jon, in fact, they've put me with the people I know the least. Well, he'll be alright, he's got a good grasp of Restoration and Alteration school spells so he'll be able to handle anything that comes at him if necessary.

"Now, those names I just called out, go and gear up in your combat suits and wait outside the Camp for the NCO to give you a final briefing. Dismissed," He said as he looked at the group that had to depart.

As they filed out, I looked at Jon and he nodded at me,

'I got this,' he enunciated silently.

For the rest of you unfortunate maggots," he began, voice dripping with disdain, "it's back to morning training. We've got no time for resting on our laurels. You've been getting a bit too comfortable with this standard, haven't you?"

We all stood straighter. No one dared to move, no one dared to show even a hint of hesitation. The few of us who didn't get chosen for the wilderness trial were going to get our asses kicked in different ways today.

"So, get your gear. We're starting with a 10k run in full combat suits," Soong continued. "But it's not just a sprint, oh no. You'll be dodging obstacles that we so graciously set up last night, I expect everyone to have a perfect score when it's over. If you don't, we'll do it again and again and again until you can."

I glanced over at Jon, who had already gone out with the others. No doubt he was already starting his own personal battle with whatever survival test Soong had set up. I was glad Jon could hold his own—he would be fine out there. He'd probably get some practice with his magic, even in the wild.

As for me? My progress had been steady, I'd reached about the halfway mark in the Apprentice Rank now.

Soong's voice cut through my thoughts, sharper now. "Move it, maggots! No more slacking off!"

We all rushed out to the training field after equipping our combat suits, the sun rising high in the sky. Today, it wasn't about surviving the woods—it was about surviving Soong's corner of hell. And I had no intention of falling into despair.

....

Grabbing my dinner tray, I sighed as I looked for the group that I was placed with today and noticed one of them, Roland-B210. Making my way over, I smiled as I placed my tray down on the table.

"Gods, you really do end up hating and loving this place at the same time, ey?" I sighed.

You get used to it," Roland said, his voice low, almost muffled by the hum of the mess hall. "It's the only place you really belong, after all. Everything else? Just noise."

I nodded, taking my seat across from him. The cafeteria was always full of voices—laughing, shouting, complaining—but even in the chaos, there was something oddly comforting about it. Like it was the only place we could all exist without pretending to be anything else.

"Well, it's either that or go stir-crazy in the barracks, I guess," I said, poking at my mashed potatoes. "You're probably right. The constant grind kinda forces you to focus on what really matters... even if that's just getting through the next training session without collapsing."

Roland chuckled, though it wasn't the loud, boisterous laugh I'd expect from most of the others. It was a quiet acknowledgement, the kind that came from long experience.

"I'll take collapsing after the session over sitting around doing nothing," he replied, his eyes scanning the mess hall. "At least then you know you gave it everything. No point in being here if you're not going to push until it hurts."

"Yeah," I agreed, thinking of the brutal morning training that awaited us tomorrow. "It's the only thing that makes sense anymore."

We both fell into a brief silence as we scoffed our food, only broken when Roland lifted his tray and nodded toward the exit.

"C'mon, we've got a few hours before curfew. Let's make sure we're still alive by the time Soong shows up with the next round of fun."

I couldn't help but laugh at that, this guy was cool.

...

"Well done B210 and B283, your shooting was on point. B313...My grandad could've shot better than you and he was blind!" Soong screamed at me. Well, I couldn't show that I'm perfect now, could I? I was really tempted though.

"The rest of you are dismissed, B313 - go again," Soong affirmed as I watched the rest of the group file out.

I fired.

The shot hit the target in the head, close to the smallest circle.

I took a breath and reset, pretending to focus harder.

Firing again, the shot went slightly to the left, still hitting the target's head but a bit wide. I could feel the burn of Soong's gaze on me, okay the next one will be a bullseye. His footsteps echoed behind me as he circled like a hawk.

"You've got a fancy gun and all that training," Soong muttered, "But you can't even shoot straight? What a joke."

I bit back the urge to roll my eyes. My fingers itched to simply correct the shot with a spell, but I held myself back. I took another shot, this time aiming dead centre. The bullet whizzed straight at its target.

"So, finally, a good run. You're dismissed, B313," Soong spoke, his voice begrudgingly approving.

I nodded silently, pretending to struggle as I walked off the range. Soong would never know how close I was to just fixing everything with a flick of magic. But for now, it was better to let him believe I was just an under-performing to average Spartan—one who had to fight for every shot.