Luke thought combat training was just a more intense way of saying gym class. Do a couple of push-ups here, run some laps there, maybe wrestle someone a couple of times and bingo, class is done.

But nothing is that simple at SGA.

First everyone split up into their houses according to years. A Tempest student from each house usually oversaw the training. The training took place inside an indoor arena about the size of a four-story mall. The top three levels had students training, while the bottom level was for combat simulation.

At least once a week, every student had to partake in combat simulation. During combat simulation, students are usually pitted either against persons within their own house or against different houses depending on the week as it alternates. This involved a full out battle with weapons, armor, and powers. The goal was to subdue your enemy without killing them. That being said, there have been some 'mistakes' in the past.

Luckily, they have House Raphael students who are really good at healing people. And if by chance that fails, House Raguel students can simply bury them in the Earth.

Throughout the rest of the week when they don't stand a chance of dying in the simulation, they are taught how to wield weapons: from guns and swords, to bows and drones. They are also taught to master their abilities, as unique as they may be.

Oh, and all newbies are forced to fight in combat simulation the first combat training class they attend. Once Luke was told all of this by Sirius, Sirius patted him on the back. "Good luck newbie."

"I just took down a Yak yesterday so let's do this." Luke tried to look confident, although he knew he wasn't. If he had to go up against someone like Sirius, he might get his ass kicked. "Who will I be up against?"

"That's the problem. See we only have three people in our house. Usually a Tempest student from a different house trains with us, but me and Alpha usually battle against each other."

Luke thought that was just an outmatched battle until he remembered that George's fist passed through Alpha's body in the mess hall yesterday. If he could do that constantly, it'd make Alpha, no matter how childish he is, a difficult opponent to defeat.

An announcement came onto the loudspeaker that boomed across the arena. "House Raguel, please report to the battlefield simulation floor. All other houses commence combat and survival training."

Luke breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wasn't going first. Maybe he can learn a thing or two from the Tempest student who was going to be teaching him.

"Come one," Sirius said. "We have to get off the first floor quickly before we get stampeded by the Raguel students near the stairs."

Luke followed Sirius up the stairs and against traffic as students in various colored shirts rushed down to the training field. They went up to the fourth floor and by the time they had gotten up there, people on the ground floor were already stabbing at one another.

"They didn't even give us time to find our seats," Luke joked.

"They have a quick turnaround time since we only have about an hour and a half of practice, although sometimes it may go over."

Luke looked down below and saw at least five or six battles happening simultaneously below. Students in different years fought against each other. Here, your year did not matter. You fought on your skill level, and there were some doves who could square off against Tempest students, although that was extremely rare.

In the middle of the open space floors were giant monitors that showcased the battles to other students who were training or taking a break from training. However, since the session had just started, most students weren't paying any attention.

"I believe I'll be the one tutoring you three today," said a soft voice from behind Luke. He turned and noticed a guy that could've been a male model. Slick black hair, a mix between hazel and green eyes that made a kind of vibrant jungle hue that matched his olive skin, a chiseled body with abs that could grate cheese and a barrel chest that could punch someone in the face.

All Luke was wondering was, why is he shirtless? Wouldn't a person want all the protection he can get during training?

Guess that explains the scars that Luke noticed popping up from the guy's skin. It looked like a child tried coloring his chest with a knife and couldn't stay within the lines.

"Hey, you're the kid we escorted here from the Rockies—Luke was it?" The Tempest student said with his black sweatpants.

Luke tried recalling his name. "Tejero?" When he last saw him, he couldn't see his face since it had been covered in a mask.

"Yeah, sorry I never fully introduced myself." He reached out his hand for Luke to shake it.

Next thing he knew Luke was lying on the ground with his back cracking against the padded floor and his arm pinned behind his back.

"You have a nice ass Luke, maybe I should kick it around," Tejero smirked as he got off of him. "First rule, when in combat, don't get distracted. Distractions kill. You saw what happened to me in the mountains right?"

Luke remembered that Tejero had gotten possessed. He also remembered that the possessed Tejero shot Luke with an arrow that almost killed him had it not been for Sirius saving his life.

Tejero brought out three bows and tossed them over to the three of them. Luke almost fell to the ground trying to catch one with just one hand. He had misjudged how heavy a bow could weigh. It was like trying to catch a small child with one hand.

Meanwhile, the quiet Alpha, like a machine being turned back on, snatched the bow in mid-air and started fiddling with it. "Cool, a one-string harp!"

"He always makes this joke," Sirius whispered to Luke.

"Alright, first rule of archery, your bow is your bae. I want you to name your bow Luke. The other two have already. Shout them out boys."

"Tiffany!" Alpha shouted.

"Rin," Sirius mused.

"Rin?" Luke asked.

"After my mother," Sirius said. "And what will yours be?"
If we're naming our bows after girls...

"Nellie," Luke mumbled and caressed the bow as if it really were his girlfriend. God how much he missed her.

Tejero demonstrated by leveling off the bow, taking a deep breath and pulling the string as far back as he could. "Can you do that little Luke?"

Luke didn't like being called little anything. He tried to show Tejero he meant business but struggled to just lift the bow to his shoulder let alone pull the bowstring back.

"You got spaghetti arms," Alpha pointed at Luke. "They dance kinda funny."

Luke wanted to mistakenly drop the bow on Alpha's head. Maybe that'd fix his mind. But he scolded himself for taking out his weak stature on Alpha.

"Alright, seems like you need a kid's bow," Tejero went into a nearby shed and pulled out a pink bow with blue and yellow flowers painted on the wooden face and back. He swapped the heavy bow for the lighter one and Luke immediately felt relieved, even though his face blushed brighter than the bow.

Luke lifted the bow with ease and the others followed him. Sirius and Alpha had their knees bent slightly while Luke looked like he was stiffer than an icicle.

Tejero slapped the back of Luke's knees with a nock. "Bend down, I promise not to shove this up your bum."

"You really like my ass, don't you?" Luke said.

"Might as well admire it now before it gets destroyed in the sim soon. Now, I'm going to place an arrow by the rest. Get a grip on the arrow without losing tension in the string and then on my mark, release it at the targets ahead."

On cue, three wooden mannequins shot up from the ground about a couple of SUV's lengths away from them.

"Release!"

Alpha and Sirius more or less hit the target dead on. Sirius struck the heart, and Alpha an eye.

Luke's arrow went flying backwards in the opposite direction.

"You stink," Alpha laughed.

Tejero shook his head. "Like I said, your ass will be destroyed here."