"This is the final exercise. We've reports of something extremely dangerous inside this cave, but we lack more detailed information."
This was it. The last test. Their chance to succeed. All their training had prepared them for this mission.
"We're to eliminate it?"
Baralai was the one who asked. He was the quiet one, but pretty quick on the uptake. He was at the front of the line her team mates stood in.
"No, you are simply to investigate. Report your findings back to me. Those who return here alive will become formal members of the Crimson Squad."
So, no one to bail them out if they happened to fail this mission. Death would be their consolation prize. At once, all the candidates saluted, apart from the recorders.
"There aren't enough weapons for all of you. Claiming a weapon for yourself will be part of this exercise. This is it, gentlemen. You have your orders. Begin!"
At the Maester's order, the ranks broke as most of the soldiers rushed for the limited arsenal. Paine stayed back, but the rush made it hard for her to hold the camera straight. Everyone was so eager to pass. Of course, Paine was, too. An elite fighting force, leading the Crusaders all over Spira. Who wouldn't want to be part of that? Paine looked to Nooj, who simply nodded, before turning the camera off. She wouldn't be much of a recorder if her camera broke.
Inside the cave, she began recording again. Pyreflies were everywhere. Her team mates were all looking around, but the camera stayed on the group. It was creepy, sure, but the real problem Paine had was that it was too quiet. Maester Kinoc had said there was something dangerous here.
Suddenly, there was a scream from further in the cave. All eyes followed the sound, as did Paine's camera. The pyreflies were swarming around some of the other candidates up ahead, it seemed. They were holding their heads and screaming, bending in abnormal ways. One slowly raised his weapon and, without hesitation, shot the other repeatedly. This caused immediate panic among the others. Somewhere in all the chaos, the camera had stopped recording. Paine barely noticed, though.
This was their chance to succeed. To triumph over the rest. But…it all went wrong. Whatever was in that cave, they hadn't planned for it. No one had.