The next morning, fog crept over the training ground, veiling the pale faces of the recruits. No one spoke during breakfast; even the clatter of spoons sounded heavier than usual. The memories of the night before had not left their eyes, and some still turned away from the dry stains of blood on their clothes.
Captain Raun entered the yard with steady steps, two soldiers behind him dragging the bound prisoner. The man's face was pale, his body marked with bruises. They stopped him in the center of the yard. Raun turned to the recruits, his voice harsh:
— "Yesterday, you tasted first blood. Today, you'll see what comes after it. This man did not come into your forest seeking glory. He came to kill you, to take what you had. Out there, beyond these walls, men like him are not judged in halls of justice. They are judged in the field."
Silence followed. Some eyes widened, others grew colder.
Raun raised his hand, pointing at Milo:
— "You trembled last night. Today, you will not. You will ask this man one question only: Why did he attack you? If he lies… you will see it in his eyes."
Milo stepped forward, hesitant, his voice shaking:
— "Why… why did you attack us?"
The prisoner gave a faint smile and replied:
— "Hunger. You are pampered children of nobles. We have nothing—not even bread for the day."
Milo faltered, his gaze darting toward Raun as if begging for help. But Raun did not move. It was Serin who spoke instead, her tone dry:
— "If it was only hunger… why was your blade already wet with blood?"
The prisoner hesitated for a heartbeat. Then Raun's voice cut through the silence:
— "This is the truth you must learn. The world is not black and white. Every killer has a reason… but a reason does not wash away blood."
He turned to Kaizlan:
— "You. Step forward."
Kaizlan advanced, his heart pounding. One of the soldiers handed him a wooden sword, heavier than the ones used in training. Raun's voice was stern:
— "Not every fight is with a sharpened blade. Sometimes you fight with whatever you can hold. Today, you will put this man to the ground. He will not be freed—but he will resist. And you will learn what it means to face an enemy bound in chains, yet still desperate to live."
The soldiers loosened the prisoner's arms but kept his legs tied. The man rose slowly, his eyes burning with the fury of a cornered animal.
Kaizlan raised the wooden sword, swallowing hard. At that moment, all of them understood: this was no longer just training. It was a mirror of the harsh reality waiting for them beyond the walls.