The League on Titanium Dust (Book 1) ||Currently airing||

Chapter 1:)

5 years later...

"Look alive team!!" said a tall boy with short brown hair and tan skin. "Drew!! Sand peasants!"

"Huh?" Drew, the shortest in the bunch whirled around looking confused only to be smacked on the head by a sand peasant. "Uhhhh!"

"Nobel! Heal Drew!" The boy with short brown hair said to the blonde guy holding a staff. "Now would be a good time." The brown haired boy blasted a Gale Slice at a group of sand peasants that were advancing on Nobel.

Nobel reached Drew who was laying half unconscious near the back corner. He touched his fingertips lightly on Drew's head so that his fellow comrade wouldn't have a worst headache than he probably already did. Nobel than drew a Redemption Circle with his Apprentice Staff around his injured friend, healing him. After all, Nobel was this squadron's healer. Regan Atwood was their melee combat-mage and their squadron leader. 

Then there was Drew, he was their mage also, not to mention, the shortest in the bunch. After Drew it was Nobel who was their healer and Hank, their tank, who was currently being overwhelmed by sand peasants that were only Mana Level 1. Nobel was almost 100% sure the Arch-Mage of Foxtrot squadron-which was theirs-would be furious. But there was still true that neither one of them in the squadron were even close to becoming Mana 1, other than Regan, who was unexpectedly Mana 6. Nobel turned around to be wacked in the head and the simulation shut off.

"Foxtrot out!!" The voice of their commander, Commander Zayn, blared out of the overhead speakers. Nobody moved. "Now!" They all hurriedly shuffled out in single file order, heads down. Another failed simulation, again.

As soon as they emerged from the door of the battle simulator room they were greeted by the laughing and jeering of their fellow classmates. The loudest of them all? Dustin from squadron Zulu. Commander Zayn just stood there, watching, Nobel guessed was because they deserved to be jeered at. 

"Okay stow it cadets!" At last the commander said, raising both palms signalling them to be silent. Everyone stopped, even Dustin. "Now, can any of you tell us what went wrong?" The commander asked calmly.

"Their mage was knocked unconscious!" A girl from the Echo squadron waved her arms wildly.

"Their tank didn't follow procedure of front line attack," another said. The rest just added on to the pile and soon all were jeering at the 4 again.

Commander Zayn dismissed everyone only in the evening. Regan led the others back into the Foxtrot barrack after the worst day in history. Nobel and Drew chatting as if nothing had happened, Regan, however didn't say a single word all through dinner.

"Hey buddy," Nobel sat on the edge of Regan's bed. "You okay?"

Regan said nothing. He didn't even acknowledge the presence of Drew. He just sat there with his head down, staring at the cold tiled floor, twirling his bronze dagger around his hand. Before Drew had the courage to say anything else to try and get Regan to speak or say anything the Arch-Mage of Foxtrot squadron, Jayvaughn, stalked in.

"Another fail for the clan I see," Arch-Mage Jayvaughn raised an eyebrow at their squadron leader. "Shouldn't you all hang your heads like Atwood here? Or should you all be practicing to level up your Mana Level?" He looked at the rest of the squadron who apparently decided to follow Regan and hang their heads in shame. The Arch-Mage sighed and shook his head, obviously very disappointed in them. "You have one last try next month before they kick you out permanently."

They all stared at the Arch-Mage, mouths hanging open as if to catch flies.

Regan was the first to speak, "No, you can't do that to us. You won't..."

Arch-Mage Jayvaughn shrugged as if he didn't care, "It's not me, it's them."

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Drew woke up to a sore back. He got up, ignoring the pain, and looked out the window. It wasn't very pretty outside, just black, empty land. The sky, however, was a sight not ever to be missed. Pretty shades of blue and purple streaked the sky before dawn broke. The sight helped Drew ease his mind from all the chaos that happened the day before. Shyhaven was his second home and his dormmates were not just friends, they were closer than friends, almost like family. He didn't want to lose all of it just by failing a battle simulation a few times. Drew's mind started to get infested by his negative thoughts, not even the beautiful sky could ease it now. Sighing, he shuffled back into bed only to see Regan jumping out of bed saying it was time to get up.

Why does my life have to be soo hard? Drew thought, going for the showers first.

After everyone had done grooming themselves, Hank decided they all have breakfast at a new diner that had just opened down the street. Since today was freeday they all agreed and departed to the diner. On their way there, Hank had told them a little background history about the diner. It was called the BaconHair Diner, operated by a powerful Mage who was only 14 years old, the same age as them. Some rumors had it that she had a Mana Level of a hundred and fifty. For a girl of fourteen, that was very impressive. When they arrived the diner it was packed with people, luckily, they managed to find a booth seat and ordered some food, which came hot and steaming. The group ate and chit-chatted about things normal teenage boys chatted about, school, girls, games and ranks they could achieve in the future until a hooded and masked girl cut their conversation short. The girl was tall, she was tan, she had silky black hair that was dip dyed violet at the ends, most of her other features were covered by the black bandit mask she wore.

"Hello boys," she said. "How is the food?"

Regan choked on a bit of his quiche. That girl sounded familiar, like someone he knew from somewhere. This particular girl wasn't like any other girl he knew, her voice was sharp and guarded, just like the old times. It could only mean one thing...his childhood had come back to haunt him...

To be continued...