They walked back from the training field mostly in silence.
Nathan's shirt was completely soaked through, and every step sounded like effort. Merlin could hear it in the drag of his boots through the grass. No swagger left. Just pure exhaustion.
"Remind me," Nathan muttered, "what psychopath trains like this for fun?"
'Apparently, me.'
Merlin offered a noncommittal grunt and let the breeze do most of the talking. His system pinged again, quiet, like a notification he didn't need to check.
[Sync Surge Cooling]
[Body Strain: Mild Fatigue]
[Unlock Status: Passive Skill "Ghost Step" registered successfully]
The power had leveled out. For now.
His arms still felt like they had something coiled inside them, like a spring that hadn't fully unwound. But the restraint was holding.
Barely.
Nathan stopped walking and tilted his head toward the sky. "It's not even noon, and I feel like my spine's been rearranged."
