SMT: Reflections Prelude

Chaldea – Vanguard Barracks

- Bastion -

Hmm, this wasn't so bad. Vayu and Zephyr seemed to be receptive to his strategies, and Zephyr even tried to weigh in with a few suggestions.

"Ah, yes, thank you," Bastion said, surprised, but pleasantly so. Honestly, he'd taken them for a couple of meatheads who just attacked first and thought later, acting on blind instinct rather than reasoning.

After going over all the strategies, Bastion felt a lot more at ease. Even with all his strategies and formulations, it was reassuring to have some of the other trainees on the same page as him.

"It's funny," Bastion said after a pause, when they seemed to have finished digesting all the information. "Passing this exam will be such a relief, despite knowing every mission after that will probably be even more grueling. Perhaps even fatal..."

That probably wasn't the best thing to dwell on right now. He wasn't a pessimist or anything, just a realist.

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Chaldea – Vanguard Barracks

- Bastion -

Van Frost squeaked in surprise as Gad's scythe took out his Ice Bullet. But to make matters worse, the human fired off his Force Bullets once more. If he'd been at top form, he might have been able to evade them in time. As it was, he could only bring up his katana as he fell through the air before the Force Bullets struck.

"Hee hoooooo!" Van Frost cried as he flew back, tumbling into a ball across the ground.

"No fair," he muttered, rolling back onto his feet. "Spamming spells. Well, this'll hee ho show you!"

He wound back his arm, a ball of ice forming in his palm, the hurled it at Gad. "Everfrost!"

Gad, who had been rushing in for an attack, only just had time to bring up his scythe to block when the ice hit his weapon. There was a crackling noise, and ice seemed to creep up the blade, turning the metal crystalline.

"No fair, no fair!" Van Frost stomped his foot. "Even my hee ho secret move got blocked. I guess I need to get stronger..."

Gad's ailment spell seemed to wear off, and Van Frost jumped backward and landed on the nearby roof.

"I'll be back for a rematch. You can hee ho count on it! I'll be a Vanguard someday!"

With that declaration and a dramatic flash of his katana, he disappeared from sight... leaving Gad to wonder what had just happened.

Gad, Vanguard Barracks - Garden

Gad managed to block the incoming attack with his weapon, then Van Frost stomped his foot. "No fair, no fair! Even my hee ho secret move got blocked. I guess I need to get stronger..."

"Wait!" Said Gad, "I am not done with you yet!" but his area spell was lifted and Van Frost jumped backwards, away to the roof nearby.

"I'll be back for a rematch. You can hee ho count on it! I'll be a Vanguard someday!"

The demon struck his pose with his katana and disappeared. Gad sighed, shaking his head. "Oh man, seriously?" Then he smiled. "Well, guess that was a good warm up."

Gad spun his sycthe and his other hand was back in form as well. "Talk about an interesting encounter." Said Gad, and he shrugged. He looked at his sycthe, somehow his weapon had changed its property as it took hit on that spell. "Well, can't wait to try it out tomorrow." Said Gad and walked back to the barracks.

It was time to catch some sleep.