“Where do you think they are taking us?” Axel asked 6. He and the rest of the gang were on a bus with sealed windows making their way to some unknown destination.

“This is the vehicle they use for prisoners.” Lance said. “With these blacked windows and dense barriers surrounding the vehicle, I cant even use the wind to gauge where we are.” Lance said

“Well, one thing is for sure,” 6 said.

“What's that?”

“Wherever we are headed is somewhere high in elevation, I've felt the subtle difference in the pressure.” 6 said.

“Heh, it doesn't matter where we’re headed! I’ll just punch my way out of it!” B said smiling

“What if we’re headed for a written exam?” Reggi said. “Can’t punch your way outta that!”

“I wouldn’t put it past her!” Lily said giggling “She punched her way out of a library card remember?”

As the group laughed the vehicle came to a stop. Without a word from their driver, the large black windows on the bus rolled down, as a cold winter wind blew into the van.

“What the heck? I thought it was June!” Reggie said shivering

“I had no Idea we were this high in elevation!” 6 exclaimed.

The finThe double doors on the bus opened, as Axel and freinds walked out into the cold.

“What is this place?” Axel said getting off of a shuttle. He stepped off the bus looking up at a huge mountain. It was so tall. that even the clouds couldn’t reach the top of its snow covered peak.

“Are they serious right now!!” Reggie said “I didn’t bring any hiking gear! How the hell am I going to climb a mountain!”

“Hiking gear? That's the least of our problems!” Lily said. “This is Mt. Fujitama! There's freaking werewolves and Wendigos on that mountain!” Lily exclaimed

“What's a wendigo?” 6 asked

“Trust me… you do not want to know,” B said, shaking her head.

“Heh, what are you losers scared or something!” Pb said grinning

“Hehe yeh losers!: Jeff chimed in

“I was hoping you two had failed! Now I’m gonna be stuck on a mountain with you lunatics!” Reggie exclaimed

Axel and friends walked to the end of a path, reaching a checkpoint set up by the SPA. Riley, and his group of friends had already arrived, sitting quietly around Colonel grant. Sitting on a stump, Grant waited patiently, surrounded by 5 SPA officers.

Each one of them looked extremely powerful, causually grouped together eyeing the group of aspiring students.

"Heh, these kids are going to become agents? Is this foreal?"

"I feel bad for them..."

"Heh I'll destroy them all!"

"if the exam doesnt destroy them first..."

"Ey man, I swear one of them checking you out!"

“Now… where is that Hendrix…” Grant said.

“Yawwwnnnnn” Came a voice behind set of bushes. “I was here early, I got bored so I took a nap…” Alex said coming out.

As he lackidazily walked into their circle, he received silent stares as he took his place among them.

“What?” He asked

“This kid…” One of the SPA officers whispered. “It's like he doesnt care… its like he isn’t about to go through one of the hardest parts of becoming an agent…”

“Alexander Hendrix… that kid either has nerves of steel, Or a head full of peanuts ” Another said.

“Well now that you are all here, allow me to welcome you to the gauntlet.” Grant said

“This exam is called the gauntlet because of our SPA tradition of handing out our agents gauntlets!”

Colonel grant signaled to his group of SPA agents, and with the snap of his fingers, a dozen fist sized gauntlets were tossed at the students.

Axel caught one in his hand, confused by the strange state of the object. There was no flame, and not even a wick coming out of the device. It was just a metal stick with a round base at the end, with some kind of technological device installed inside of it.

“Your duty is to make it to the top of this mountain without your flame burning out! When you reach the top, light the banner that has been assigned with your name on it and you will be finished. You can either then come back down or wait at the top.

“How exactly does this thing work!” Axel yelled “This just looks like a stick to me.”

“Why don't you try channeling your ether into that stick?” Grant rebutted

“Channeling my ether…” Axel thought.

Axel ran the invisible strings of ether into his arm, and in an instant, a bright blue flame lit up, illuminating his face. Within moments there were an assortment of flames all surrounding the colonel.

“That gauntlet is basically your current ether capacity.” Colonel said. “If it runs out or gets too small you won’t be able to light your banner at the top! Your job is basically to get to the top without depleting all of your ether!”

“Wait… if all we have to do is light a fire, what's stopping someone from lighting a fire and igniting it themselves or using someone else's gauntlet?” Lance asked.

“Heh, we have special precautions for that” Grant said. “You will have 24 hours to reach the top. If you run into trouble, use your flare gun we have provided as a way to signal the 5 captains I will have stationed here.”

Grant ended his speech and took a step back, providing room for the captains.

“EHemm!” He said lighting a cigar. “Now would be the time to introduce yourselves…” Grant grumbled

One of the agents stepped forward, and letting out a sigh addressed himself.

“My name is Nights…I don’t like kids… hopefully I don’t end up seeing any of you.” A hooded agent said.

One by one the other agents joined him.

“I’m Veronica” A curvy looking woman said sternly. “Fujitama is a dangerous mountain be careful of the Windigos”

“Sup, Im Vik, Veronica’s big bro, I catch any of you twerps trying any pervy shit, And your ass is gonna get zapped” He said sparking a purple bolt of electricity with his fingers

“I'm core” A man with crazy eyes said. The horns on his head made him look like he was some kind of demon. “If you call on me…..” He said grinding his teeth “I’ll destroy you!”

“Core…. Your supposed to save them… they’re kids…” Veronica said shaking her head

“Eh??? Fine If you call on me… I’ll save you… and then… I’ll destroy you!” He said shaking his fist

“I apologize for the brazeness of my colleagues” A man with long white hair said “I’m Wei, the one who you will most likely be seeing, after all I am the fastest of the 6 here, may the blessings of the creator guide you on your journey he said bowing.”

“Man, these guys are a bunch of Weirdos!” Pb said laughing “Who in the hell-”

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!

In a flash all 5 Captains disappeared from view.

“What the heck where did they” Axel asked

Lance tapped Axel on the shoulder and pointed him to the place Pb was standing

All 5 captains were in a deadlock standing directly over PB’s body. Nights,Core and Vik had their fists extended just inches away from Pb’s face.

“Go ahead” Core groaned. "Finsh that sentance"

"These guys are on a completely different level Pb!" Jeff said "Lets just play it cool man.

“If you three don’t stop messing around I’m going to call the master general out here! You don’t want that now do you?” Grant jived.

The three agents stopped in their tracks, terrified by Grants words.

“Fine” They said, walking away from Pb.

Vik pointed two fingers at Pb’s eyes one last time before they parted.

“Alright thats it! Everyone will take a different starting position on the mountain! Captains, show them to their designated locations!” Grant yelled

'This is it!” Axel thought “I'm one step closer to becoming am agent!" He gazed up at the huge mountain ready to begin his joirney.