There are a couple of different assignments available to all students upon graduation. A majority of students will enter into a contract with a relic and enter into self-study, where they will focus on mastering their relic. A lucky few get selected for a special assignment based on their temperament, grades, and overall performance. There are three different special assignments.
The first and most challenging to get accepted into is the Retrieval Corp. This assault squad is typically deployed to retrieve relics from terrorists who have made unsanctioned contracts with illegal relics. During their retrieval missions, they often save a lot of people and prevent disasters. They are hailed as an elite group of heroes by the public. A majority of the people in the retrieval squad have bloodline traits and are contracted to powerful attack-based relics. They primarily handle all internal issues involving relics.
The second is The Expedition Corp. They handle expeditions outside the wall to gather intel and work closely with the engineering college to try and collect as much new information about the world as possible. The expedition team consists primarily of contractors with strong assault and support-based relics designed to help survive outside the wall. They primarily handle all foreign issues outside the wall.
The final special assignment is the Shadow Corp. The shadow corp is designed to gather information all across New Roark and keep the Institute in the loop about the inner workings of the safety zone. The shadow corp is the lifeblood of the retrieval team. They both work hand in hand to apprehend rogue contractors and prevent violent acts of terror. The Shadow Corp only recruits people with a travel-based bloodline trait or a strong utility-type relic.
Thalia's foot has been shaking nonstop since Tyler asked her to sit down and reminded her of the assignment selection process. A student can only put in a formal request to be placed in a specific assignment, but it does not in any way mean that it is the one you will receive. The only student that gets to pick unilaterally is the number 1 seat of each graduating class on where he would like to go. And Even though she reassured Theo, she still wasn't sure if her tia would allow her to be placed in such a dangerous assignment. She is rather protective of both Theo and Thalia. At the very least, Thalia imagines her tia signing off on Theo entering the expedition team, where he can request entry into the engineering district city 11.
In her heart, Thalia knows that there is no other path for her than the retrieval team. Like her tia, Thalia wants to use her unique bloodline trait to help people and make a difference. In the past four years, Thalia has always caught every day of practical combat training. In her final year, she was so feared for her combat prowess that only a select few would even dare to spar with her, let alone fight her. The Institute has a strict rule that bloodline traits will not be used unless both parties agree and an official judge watches the match to prevent serious injury. Thalia was skilled enough to have graduated as the 2nd strongest in her whole class. Her combat prowess would easily land her in the top 10 of the entire school. That is if you don't count the instructors. The story's moral is that she has always admired the work of the previous Expedition team.
The previous team, and arguably the most famous, was known as the "Apex Legends." They earned a majority of their fame during a terrorist attack referred to as liberation day. They showed up just in the nick of time and apprehended the terrorist saving the entire Labor District City Three. Their actions directly contributed to the peace and unity of the safety zone. The Legends made the whole idea of being in the retrieval team so romantic for Thalia. They were heralded as heroes and revered as some of the strongest contractors in the safety zone. So they naturally were a perfect stage for Thalia to achieve her dreams of being a superhero and protecting the safety zone.
Everyone was finally seated, and the bell rang a second time, causing the audience to fall silent. A white flash blinds the audience. A sweet angelic voice rings through the assembly hall.
"Hello, my lovelies," Director Diez appears from the light floating above all of the students. Her smile and presence instantly brightened up the room.
"How are my favorite wolf cubs doing today?" The crowd of students was mesmerized by her voice and beautiful appearance.
Her long brunette hair flows behind her as she lands gracefully on the stage. Her black pumps clicked across the stage as she walked to the podium. Thalia and Theo seemed to be the only ones immune to their tia's angelic appearance. They look up to see her gentle eyes and demeanor.
Thalia notices Tia smiling down at her, almost as if she had pinpointed her almost immediately out of the crowd. Thalia smiles back nervously; she quickly retreats into herself. Today is definitely a big day for her, but the crowd is the more pressing issue. She is deadly scared of audiences, and for some reason, she feels everyone's eyes on her. It reminds her of when she first came to life with Tia 4 years ago.
Thalias Tia is the Institute's director and principal, Dr. Michele Diez. The director is also among the strongest people in all of New Roark's safety zones, and she is ranked 2nd in the Crimson records. Director Diez is considered second to only the chancellor regarding ability and power. The audience, restless and talking amongst themselves, fell silent hearing the director's soft voice that projected throughout the assembly hall. Director Diez is dressed in her completely white pants suit, and she is the only person in the school that wears white. The students hypothesized that she wears white because of the nickname she earned during the War of Rising and her achievements that earned her the nickname the "White Ghost."
The director's bloodline trait, "Esper," allows her to manipulate things in reality with almost psychic-like abilities. It often manifests with levitation, gravity manipulation, attraction, and repulsion. The director's bloodline trait is extremely rare and so powerful that it's considered the second strongest trait in New Roark. The director's power often manifests itself in a soft white aura.
She rarely leaves District Seven and is the Institute's director, headmaster, dean, and protector. Michele is respected in all circles and is loved as the mother and creator of the Apex Institute. Director Diez leans against the podium. Her large breast pushes against the wood. The boys in the auditorium's face light up, and their mouths drop. The director is known for her domineering power. However, she is arguably more famous for being a contender for New Roark's most beautiful ranker.
Her eyes scan the assembly hall making each student feel individually acknowledged. "I want to congratulate you for proving yourself strong enough to join our little pack." She says, smiling.
"Today may be the final day you are regarded as students, but you will always be my cubs. Anywhere you go from today onward, you are full-grown wolves capable of handling anything this cruel world hands you! No matter how far your assignment takes you, this will always be your home and Den." The director's eyes fill with tears looking out into the crowd.
"I'm sorry," she says, wiping her eyes. "It's hard for a mother to think about her cubs leaving the den."
Thalia and Theo look over at each other and try not to giggle. Apparently, there, Tia cries every year at graduation. She is a very emotional person. Her compassionate and soft demeanor almost makes people forget how truly powerful and scary her abilities can be. Thalia locks eyes with her Tia, and she discretely blows a kiss at her. Thalia, embarrassed, scratches her head looking away.
Director Diez cry's for a few more moments before wiping her eyes again.
"Okay, no more of that. Now I want to turn the stage over to a man who needs no introduction. A man who still holds a majority of the records in this institution. The world knows him as the infamous Hell hound of the Apex Institute. However, we call him the super rookie and key player in the liberation day disaster. The current captain of the Retrieval team, the "Predators. Please welcome to the stage, Captain Dante Elceed," the director says.
While looking over to the stage's side, she held her hand out. The crowd bursts out in applause, welcoming the captain to the stage.
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