CBLT: Huntsmen in Training

Chapter 1: First Day, First Test

It was the dead of night, out in the distant forest howling frosted winds biting against every bit of exposed skin, hands, and cheeks. Blood pooled into the snow around a grown man, dead on the ground only a few feet away. As a black furred monster stood, its once white bone claws now drenched in blood. It stood slowly, becoming inch by inch, a more towering figure, vibrant pure yellow eyes narrowed with hatred at the boy before it, unleashing a violent howl...

"Sir!" the academy attendee yelled at Cobalt, knocking him out of his trance, locked against a pair of deep blue eyes now clearly paying attention to him "Your name please."

"Cobalt, Frost" he finally replied.

"Thank you" said the attendee now settling down. Taking a few moments searching for his profile among the hundreds of other students, finally settling on his. The attendee downloads the information onto a scroll grabbed from the nearby box, then hands it to Cobalt. "This is your scroll, you'll be using it to access your own profile, grades, aura monitor, and video debriefings while here at the academy, make sure everything is correct and move onto the auditorium. Welcome to Atlas Academy."

Cobalt thanks him and moves on passing the row of tables lined up from wall to wall with many more students lined up in front of each one. The entrance hall shielding everyone from the harsh cold outside, with only minor bits of light entering the windows due to overcast clouds constantly shrouding the city. Moving on into the auditorium to join the rest of the students, he glances about the room taking in every one of his peers that have quickly formed small groups to pass the time with small talk. Each person carrying several bags for clothing and keepsakes from home along with their weapons.

'I wonder if most of them knew each other before coming here?' Cobalt thought.

"Hey! You alive? Dead? Nervous? Or are you just ignoring me?" A hand waving in front of his face, slightly startling Cobalt to now notice the beaming wide smiled girl dressed in a white tank top, black dress pants, a pure white duster coat, but the red diamond tattooed under her left eye is what really caught his eyes.

'tank top? Diamond? Shouldn't she be cold?' Cobalt thought to himself.

Cherry beamed at him, "I'm Cherry, everyone here's forming up groups and getting to know their new friendly allied strangers so I thought I'd do the same! Who are you?"

"Cobalt, Frost" he replied rather flatly.

Cherry replied, speaking fast excited "You're not one for small talk are ya? Guess not, I get it, I'm a complete stranger that you have no idea how to talk to but no worries! I'm really good at making friends, that's why I'm gonna make a bunch before we even get our teams, so I hopefully end up with someone I know... kind of. Anyway, I'll catch you later I'm gonna check out the girl with the long sniper rifle she's tuning up in the corner, bye!!" She quickly dashed away disappearing into the forest of students around him.

"She's exciting" a new voice pointed out from behind, Cobalt turned around only to come face to a metal chest plate with a guy practically twice his size. His bulky frame looking even mightier compared to Cobalt's thin athletic build.

"Cobalt" he told the new guy.

"Tanaka" he replied, blue eyes meeting amber, speaking more with stares than words, a mutual understanding of pleasantness to meet one another.

The busy noises of every student hushed to an utter silence as a man well dressed in a white overcoat and matching suit pants takes the stage calmly coming the center podium. Everyone knew who he was before he spoke, this was General James Ironwood, the official headmaster of the academy and General of the Atlesian military. His narrow eyes carefully judging every new student present before speaking.

"To everyone here who has chosen this path of risk and sacrifice, I welcome you. You are the next generation huntsmen who will fend off the darkness that is the creatures of grimm. From now on, we stand as bastion of protectors for the people, for Atlas. You each have a reason for joining us, but I will not ask for it because no matter the reason we are here together to build a higher future. As each one of you will become a professional huntsmen or huntress by studying at our prestigious Atlas Academy. You each will prove your strength to stand against the tide of grimm that claws at our walls. I, James Ironwood, formally welcome you to Atlas Academy." Cheers and applause erupt in response filling every inch of the room with cheerful noise. Letting it go on for some time until raising his hand with a closed fist and a dead silence takes the room.

"There is however no rest in your line of work, as such, your first test begins now" the pair of heavy double doors at the auditorium's side heave open to the cold wind outside, revealing rows of atlesian dropships whose engines spur to life and doors slide open to the side.

"You will find your debriefing on your brand-new scrolls, pick a ship and prepare yourself; this is your initiation to Atlas Academy. I wish everyone of you good luck." The general ends his speech and ushers his way out of the room leaving the students to begin boarding.