Kael shifted his stance, his breath slow and measured. The battle hadn't lasted long, yet it felt like they had already exchanged a hundred blows. He could feel the weight of the audience's stares pressing in from every direction, their murmurs like distant thunder rolling across a plain. But his focus remained locked on Alexander, the rest of the world fading to insignificance.
The second-year stood across from him, his golden light still crackling faintly at his fingertips like bottled lightning. His usual arrogance had evaporated—replaced by something sharper, more analytical. The casual dismissal that usually colored his features was gone. He was taking this seriously now, his golden eyes calculating every movement, every breath.
Kael had expected nothing less.
