2

Seleman

Ghost Squadron

Arena One: Onyx

The ceiling light gave off an unwanted bright aura while two high ranking officers came into the room and started to rustle my roommate, they were Seraph officers, most notably because of their purple and black camo. After awakening my friend, they came to me only to realize I am already awake watching them. They told me to get up and get ready for I had a full day ahead of me. Due to the lack of time allocated I was unable to shower before my roommate, Elad, and I had to go on our run. As far as athleticness He and I were as equals, our battlefield strategy is where we differed. Upon finishing our run we head to the cafeteria and meet up with our two other teammates, Arreis and Nitsua. During our morning of discussion and planning we hear our squad name over the intercom and NEWS FLASH across the televisions. " Ghost Squadron you are needed in briefing room eighty-two your final trials will begin today." We were all ecstatic yet severely disheartened. This would be our third time to take the final trial. They have two choices, succeed and be counted among the ranks of the Onyx corporations or fail and be sent back to your families in the cities. However, to me I could only think of victory.

We quickly headed to the briefing room after barely finishing our morning meals. As we entered we gave our call-outs and entered the room. The briefing of the standard part of the mission. Then came the overview of the enemy Regalia. We didn't need it as we had already participated in this event two times before but it was standard procedure. After mission briefing we headed to hangar twenty-nine to get ready for our mission stepping into our mechs for the first time in what felt like ages. As I rode the lift to the cockpit of my Regalia, Nil Resolve, I asked the mechanic if there had been any trouble with the right leg due to our last battle I sustained heavy injuries there. He assured me there was nothing wrong with the leg and that everything is in working order.

I entered the cockpit. Flipping switches and buttons all what felt like muscle memory and Nil started rearing with life and the control panel started to light up. Then I hear Vidra over the comms, "Nilloc are you and Nil online yet, you know we need to get out of this hangar to start the mission." Always like her I thought, She is too quick to jump the gun. I continued with my standard procedure taking about thirty minutes to start Nil up. No one ever understood why I took thirty minutes before mission but it always just felt right. Over the comm I command, "This is Ghost Leader, Nilloc Nagaf, all units respond when ready." then the four one at a time came over:

"This is Ghost Two, Elad Wollip, Akel Dama ready to go."

"Ghost Three, Arreis Fountaine, Final Glory up and running."

"Ghost Four, Nitsua Esuor, Psychotic Revenge is ready."

I responded, " Alright guys let's complete this."

I didn't say what was truly going through my head because they didn't need to know. Unlike most other pilots, Nilloc was not given to Onyx by his family in hopes that he would become a pilot. Nilloc was adopted by the corporation so if he failed he would be set out into the wasteland to find a new home. However, not even that fact locked into his mind. All that circulated in his head was, Win at all costs.