"Now… let's begin!"
A sharp, commanding voice sliced through the morning air like a blade. Everyone on the training grounds froze. The one who spoke was a woman in a long navy coat with silver linings Instructor Renya. She walked with absolute certainty, every step demanding attention. Her voice carried the weight of discipline.
"You are here to sharpen more than just your bodies," she said. "You are here to master instinct. Control. Survival."
Her eyes scanned the crowd. Then landed on me.
"You," she said. "Newcomer."
My body stiffened.
"This isn't a schoolyard. No one will slow down for you."
Before I could reply, a tall boy with dark brown skin, black hair, and a single silver earring stepped forward. His arms were crossed. His expression unreadable.
"I'll take him," the boy said.
Olsen's head snapped around. "Wait, Vayne."
The boy, Vayne, turned to Olsen with a glance. "Relax. Just curious what your friend's made of."
Aqua leaned in and whispered to me, "That's Vayne. He's kind of Olsen's rival. Doesn't talk much, but he's scary good."
I stood there blinking. I was hoping Olsen would take it easy on me this guy didn't look like he even knew what easy meant.
---
We stepped into the circle. A small crowd gathered. I heard whispers.
"Is he gonna break the new guy?"
"He looks weak."
"Better call the medics now."
Vayne took his stance. I tried to copy what I saw Olsen do earlier, but my legs felt stiff and unsure.
Instructor Renya raised her hand.
"Begin."
Before I could even blink he moved.
A fist slammed into my ribs. My body folded in half from the impact. I tried to step back, but his leg swept mine, and I crashed to the ground. The wind flew out of my lungs.
I heard Aqua shout, "Hey! Take it easy!"
"No," Renya said flatly. "He stepped into the ring. He learns like everyone else."
I scrambled to my feet barely. My vision blurred, and Vayne was already there again.
Another strike this one to the shoulder sent me spinning. I hit the dirt face-first. Blood filled my mouth. I tried to push myself up, but my arms buckled.
The match was over before I could even land a single hit.
Vayne stood over me. Not mocking. Just watching.
He finally said, "You've got nothing. Yet."
Then he turned and walked off.
Olsen helped me sit up, shaking his head. "Yeah… I was gonna take it easy on you. Guess that plan's out the window now."
Despite the pain, I forced out a breathy laugh. "So… how'd I do?"
"You stood up once," Aqua said with a smile. "Better than most people manage against Vayne."
I sat back, my chest aching, my pride in pieces but oddly, something inside me felt lit. A fire I hadn't known I needed.
This was going to be harder than I thought.
But I was still here.
Still breathing.
Still learning.
And I wasn't done yet.
"Time to switch partners!" Instructor Renya's voice boomed across the training field, slicing through the air like a blade.
Olsen's head snapped toward Vayne with the eagerness of a long-awaited rematch. He didn't say a word, just walked past me with a grin that said everything.
Not revenge.
Not anger.
Pure joy.
Vayne was already cracking his knuckles, that same unreadable expression on his face. As they stepped into the ring, even the students who were still stretching or recovering from their own spars turned to watch.
You could feel it in the air.
This was the main event.
---
They clashed in an instant.
Olsen struck first a sharp front kick aimed at Vayne's ribs but Vayne turned, catching the blow with his arm before twisting and countering with a sweeping backfist. Olsen ducked under it, grinning now, stepping in with a knee that Vayne blocked with his forearm.
The sound echoed across the yard:
crack crack slam!
A flurry of punches, elbows, and low kicks came from both sides. It was fast too fast to follow. Each movement was honed, practiced, reactive. Where one would strike, the other would block or dodge by an inch. Every moment was a coin flip between power and finesse.
They weren't just fighting.
They were dancing with danger.
A hush fell over the training yard. Everyone was locked in.
Then...
Olsen leapt, twisting midair with a spinning kick aimed at Vayne's shoulder. Vayne shifted, blocked it with his palm, and dragged Olsen down by the ankle. Olsen rolled mid-fall, launched himself up, and swept Vayne's leg in return but Vayne caught himself on his hands, flipped backwards, and landed like a cat.
They faced off again, sweat dripping down both of their faces.
Still. Neither had landed a decisive blow.
Just when it looked like one would break through Renya clapped her hands.
"Enough!"
Olsen and Vayne both stopped, breathing hard.
No winner.
No loser.
Just mutual understanding.
---
"It always ends like that with them." Aqua said, joining me on the bench as the tension eased across the yard.
"They've always been on the same level," she added, tossing me a side glance. "But who knows maybe once they unlock their magic, we'll finally see a clear winner."
Before I could respond, Instructor Renya's eyes locked on us.
"Aqua!" she barked. "Don't think I didn't notice you trying to vanish into the crowd. You haven't sparred yet you can't ditch me that easily."
Aqua groaned audibly.
"Let's see… you'll be up against… Flora!"
"Ugh, again? She always gets Renya to make us fight." Aqua stood, brushing dust off her pants. "Every time."
I glanced toward Flora. She was already cracking her knuckles, grinning.
---
They entered the sparring circle.
Aqua walked to the rack and picked up a long wooden spear, its point dulled for safety.
Flora chose her signature: a wooden short sword, light, sharp, and fast.
"A new weapon?" Flora tilted her head. "Trying to keep up?"
Aqua smirked. "No. I just wanted to give you a chance this time."
The crowd chuckled nervously and immediately began to gather. Everyone knew what came next.
"Begin!" Renya called.
---
Flora struck first, dashing in with a flurry of sword strikes. She moved like lightning, spinning and pivoting, her blade dancing through the air but Aqua kept her distance, using the spear's reach to deflect, knock away, and strike from afar.
Aqua didn't move much. She didn't need to.
She was all timing and precision.
Flora lunged Aqua pivoted, using the pole to sweep Flora's feet. Flora caught herself and slashed upward. Aqua leaned back just enough to avoid it, then drove the butt of the spear into Flora's stomach.
"Oof!"
Flora stumbled, gritting her teeth, and swung wildly. Aqua sidestepped, twirled the spear, and delivered a clean sweep to Flora's knees. She dropped to the ground.
Still, Flora tried to rise, fury in her eyes. She charged again screaming this time.
But Aqua's expression didn't change.
She stepped aside, tripped Flora with the spear shaft, and pressed the tip gently to her neck.
"Yield."
Flora groaned. "You're so annoying."
Aqua smiled. "You're just predictable."
The crowd broke into applause and a few groans. One student whispered to another:
"Again? Hasn't she learned her lesson?"
"Guess not."
"So, how was your first day?" Aqua asked, nudging me with a grin as we walked back from the field.
I let out a dry laugh. "I'm not even sure I want there to be a second one."
She snorted. "Well, too bad. You think Instructor Renya's just gonna let you walk away? You've officially entered the war zone."
Olsen, still catching his breath from earlier, sat up on the bench and smirked. "Besides, don't you want to win someday? You can't win if you don't fight."
I looked ahead at the dozens of students still training under the morning sun, at the glimmer of magic still lingering in the air and muttered, "Yeah… that's fair."
"I think you should rest for today," Olsen added, stretching his arms. "Breakfast will start soon. But tomorrow, you're no longer the new kid."
He looked at me dead serious now.
"You train like the rest of us."
And the way he said it?
I got literal chills.