The courtyard felt strange after the arena.
Lucas noticed it immediately.
The place looked the same as always. Stone paths, trimmed hedges, the tall glass walls of the training halls catching the afternoon light. Students crossed the open space in small groups, talking the way they usually did after drills.
But the tone had shifted.
People weren't just talking about mistakes or rankings anymore. They were replaying moments from the evaluation. Lucas heard fragments as he walked past one group near the fountain.
"You saw that second wave adjustment?"
"They held longer than I expected."
"No, the suppressor saved it."
Lucas slowed for a moment, listening.
Nobody mentioned ranks.
Nobody asked who won.
They were discussing decisions.
That alone felt unusual.
Dreyden walked beside him, hands loosely in his pockets. He seemed completely unaffected by the change in atmosphere, which made Lucas wonder if he'd noticed it at all.
"You feel that?" Lucas asked.
