The training grounds were louder than usual.
Students filled the massive open field in scattered groups beneath the pale morning sky, academy uniforms shifting between sections as instructors barked orders across the area. Mana flickered constantly through the air—small flames, unstable wind currents, weak bursts of force collapsing moments after forming.
Farther in the distance, higher-ranked classes trained separately.
Cleaner.
Sharper.
More controlled.
Even from here, the difference was obvious.
---
F-Class had been placed near the outer edge of the grounds.
Away from the centre.
Away from attention.
---
Instructor Halvern stood before them with the same lifeless expression as always.
"Movement exercise," he said flatly.
No explanation beyond that.
He pointed toward a section of stone pillars and damaged training obstacles spread unevenly across part of the field.
"Reach the opposite side without being hit."
---
Several students groaned immediately.
Others barely listened.
---
Mana-driven constructs activated near the course moments later.
Small projectiles.
Weak enough not to seriously injure anyone.
Still fast enough to punish mistakes.
---
One student rushed immediately—
and was struck in the shoulder almost instantly.
Laughter erupted nearby.
---
Another overused mana reinforcement and exhausted himself halfway through.
---
Halvern watched everything with complete indifference.
"Again."
---
Kael observed quietly from the back.
---
Patterns.
Intervals.
Blind spots.
---
The constructs didn't fire randomly.
They rotated.
Alternated.
Some delayed slightly longer than others.
---
> Don't fight the attack.
---
His eyes shifted across the terrain.
Stone pillars.
Broken footing.
Uneven elevation.
---
> Use the environment.
---
"Still studying instead of moving?"
The voice came from the side.
---
Kael looked over slightly.
---
Three familiar figures approached from a nearby section of the grounds.
Different uniforms.
Different class markings.
---
D-Class.
---
Kellis Varn smirked faintly as he walked.
"Thought maybe F-Class was doing corpse disposal today."
Brann laughed once under his breath.
---
Rhett Kaine said nothing.
His gaze moved across the course briefly before settling on Kael.
Calm.
Observing.
---
"You gonna try?" Kellis asked. "Or are you waiting for someone to explain how walking works too?"
---
Kael ignored him.
---
"Damn," Kellis sighed dramatically. "He really doesn't talk."
---
Brann stepped closer.
"Maybe he thinks too much to answer."
---
A few nearby students started watching now.
Not because they cared.
Because something embarrassing might happen.
---
Kael's eyes shifted once toward the course again.
Then back toward Brann.
Distance.
Positioning.
Weight distribution.
---
Brann noticed the glance.
Smirked slightly.
---
"What?" he asked. "You analysing me?"
---
Several students laughed.
---
Then Brann suddenly shoved forward.
Fast.
Not a full attack.
Just enough force to send someone weaker off balance.
---
Kael moved instantly.
Not backward.
Sideways.
---
His foot shifted around a damaged section of stone he had noticed earlier.
Minimal movement.
Minimal wasted motion.
---
Brann stepped after him—
and his footing caught unevenly against the cracked ground.
---
His balance broke for half a second.
Enough.
---
He slammed shoulder-first into one of the nearby training posts with a heavy impact.
The wooden structure shook violently.
---
Silence.
---
Not because anyone was hurt.
Because Brann Holt had just embarrassed himself in front of everyone.
---
His expression twisted immediately.
"What the hell—"
---
"Enough."
Instructor Halvern's voice cut sharply across the field as he approached.
His eyes moved across the scene.
The damaged post.
Brann.
Kael standing nearby.
---
A pause.
---
Then his gaze settled on Kael.
---
"What exactly did you think you were doing?"
---
Kael frowned slightly.
"He pushed fir—"
---
"Then you should have de-escalated."
The interruption came instantly.
Cold.
Dismissive.
---
Kael stared at him silently.
---
Halvern's expression didn't change.
"Students at your level should know better than to create unnecessary problems."
---
Murmurs spread quietly through the nearby students.
---
Kellis smirked again.
Brann looked irritated, rubbing his shoulder.
---
Kael's hands tightened slightly at his sides.
---
"I didn't do anything," he said quietly.
---
Halvern looked almost annoyed by the response.
"That training post was academy property."
His voice remained flat.
"If you lack ability, the least you can do is avoid causing disruptions."
---
A few students laughed quietly.
Not loudly.
Not cruelly.
Worse.
Casually.
---
As if this outcome made perfect sense.
---
Kael's chest tightened slightly.
Not from anger.
From understanding.
---
The outcome had been decided before anyone spoke.
Before Brann shoved him.
Before the instructor even arrived.
---
Because Brann was D-Class.
And Kael was F-Class.
---
Weakness itself was treated like guilt.
---
Halvern turned away first.
"Continue the exercise."
---
That was it.
No punishment for Brann.
No further questions.
Nothing.
---
The crowd slowly lost interest.
Students returned to talking.
Training.
Laughing.
---
Kellis shook his head with a grin.
"You somehow made yourself look worse."
---
Brann exhaled irritably.
"Forget it."
---
For the first time since arriving, Rhett finally spoke.
Quietly.
Calmly.
---
"No."
---
The other two glanced toward him.
---
Rhett's eyes remained on Kael.
Studying him.
Not mocking.
Not angry.
---
"That would've been pointless."
---
Then he turned and walked away.
The others followed after him moments later.
---
Kael stayed where he was.
Silent.
---
The cold morning wind moved faintly across the training grounds.
Students continued training around him like nothing had happened.
---
But something had changed.
Not around him.
Inside him.
---
This academy didn't protect the weak.
It punished them.