We all straightened. My pulse thundered in my ears, so loud I swore it echoed in the simulator.
Jesper’s eyes scanned over all of us. “Creative use of magic and role alignment?” He flicked a glance toward Koa. “Your healer used his special healing power with control under pressure, despite…less-than-ideal vocal responses from one patient.”
Koa flushed scarlet, and I looked away quickly. The memory of my reaction burned in me hotter than his magic ever could.
Jesper’s gaze shifted. “Aura.”
She straightened, shoulders pulled back.
“You used ingenuity under pressure,” he said. “Constructed a stable crystal amplifier from unstable components. Without it, the purification ritual would’ve failed.”
Aura’s lips parted in surprise, but she only nodded.
“Slater.”
Slater gave a cute two-finger salute.
“Chaos magic can turn a situation unpredictable. You kept it restrained. Broke the summoning circle without triggering a backlash. Protected your spy without destabilizing the objective. Your instincts were efficient and lethal. Though, your arcane knowledge was lacking.”
Slater’s grin was wide as he nodded. “That’s why I’m here. To learn.”
“Dimitri.” Jesper’s tone didn’t change, but there was something solid in it. “Clear leadership. You shielded your teammate. Maintained formation even when emotions and magic were running high. You didn’t allow sentiment to cloud your judgment.”
Dimitri’s jaw flexed once. He didn’t respond.
Jesper’s eyes found mine next. “Rune.”
My throat went dry. I looked up to meet his gaze, steady and unreadable.
“You reported what you knew when you knew it. You didn’t run off for personal glory or sabotage your role. You took a hit for your squadmate, and when you eliminated the warlock, you ensured it was done with ethics.”
I swallowed, then gave a respectful nod.
“Coralynn,” Jesper continued, shifting focus. “Arcane understanding was solid. You contributed knowledge that clarified the ritual. You didn’t demand the spotlight, but you were precise when it counted.”
Coralynn inclined her head in acknowledgement.
Jesper’s mouth twitched as his eyes found Zuko next. “You did not get to torture anyone.”
Zuko spread his hands in mock innocence. “Disappointing for all of us.”
Jesper ignored it. “However, you protected Aura. You used venom strategically to disarm. That was a team-motivated move. Not all squad roles will be utilized on every mission.”
Zuko dropped his hands and nodded.
Jesper’s attention moved last to Eleanor.
She was already trembling again, but she didn’t look away from him.
“Attempted de-escalation,” Jesper said. “You pursued empathy when it could’ve been easier to turn to anger. You failed to contain the threat, but you held to your values and didn’t hinder the team. The Fates do not ask for perfection. They ask for intention.”
Eleanor bowed her head, blinking rapidly. Her lips were tight, but she didn’t break.
Jesper tapped the panel again, and the air above us shimmered.
Eight glowing words pulsed into existence:
PASS.
