The world snapped back into the Inner Division hall, the arena dissolving around them like smoke. One moment they were surrounded by storm clouds and stone walls; the next, they were standing on polished marble under bright lantern light.
Soren collapsed immediately.
Not dramatically. Not gracefully. Just straight down like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
Kael caught him by the back of his uniform. "Don't fall."
"I'm already falling," Soren wheezed. "I've been falling for days."
Aldric snorted. "You're fine."
"I'm emotionally dead."
Lira helped steady him. "You did well."
Soren blinked at her. "Did I? Did I really? Or did I just scream loudly enough that the universe gave up and let me live?"
The fox chirped proudly from his shoulder.
Soren sighed. "Okay. Maybe I did one thing."
The hall was buzzing.
Students whispered. Instructors murmured. Even the phoenix on Seraphine's arm tilted its head like it was impressed.
Soren hated it.
He wanted to crawl into a hole.
Preferably one without runes.
Seraphine stepped forward, her voice cutting through the noise.
"Candidates. The third evaluation is complete."
Soren braced himself.
He expected disappointment. He expected a lecture. He expected to be told he barely scraped by.
He did not expect what happened next.
Seraphine looked directly at him.
"Exceptional performance."
Soren blinked. "Who? Me?"
Aldric groaned. "Yes, you."
Kael nodded. "You earned it."
Lira smiled. "You helped all of us."
Soren stared at them like they were speaking a foreign language. "I… what?"
Seraphine continued, "Your instincts were sharp. Your calls were accurate. Your coordination with your beast was beyond expectation."
Soren pointed at himself. "Me? I was panicking the entire time."
Seraphine nodded. "Panic does not negate effectiveness."
Soren's brain short‑circuited. "I… I don't understand anything anymore."
The fox chirped and nuzzled his cheek.
Soren melted. "Okay. I understand one thing."
The opposing Inner Division team approached.
Soren immediately hid behind Kael.
Kael dragged him back out. "Stop that."
"I can't."
"You can."
"I won't."
"You will."
The silver‑haired leader of the opposing team stopped in front of them, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
Soren squeaked.
The boy spoke. "You're better than I expected."
Soren blinked. "I'm sorry?"
"That wasn't an insult."
"It felt like one."
"It wasn't."
Soren stared at him suspiciously. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Soren squinted. "I don't trust you."
Aldric snorted. "Good."
The boy ignored him and looked at the fox.
"He's strong."
Soren puffed up. "He's perfect."
The fox chirped proudly.
The boy nodded once. "We'll face you again."
Soren screamed internally.
Seraphine raised her hand.
Silence fell instantly.
"The results are as follows," she said. "All four of you—Kael, Lira, Aldric, and Soren Vale—have passed the Inner Division evaluations."
Soren's jaw dropped. "WE WHAT?!"
Kael smiled faintly. "We passed."
Lira nodded. "We did."
Aldric smirked. "Obviously."
Soren grabbed Kael's sleeve. "HOW?!"
Kael shrugged. "We worked hard."
"I screamed the whole time!"
"You screamed effectively."
Soren stared at him. "That's not a thing."
"It is now."
The fox chirped.
Seraphine continued, "You will begin training in the Inner Division starting tomorrow."
Soren fainted.
Again.
Kael caught him.
Again.
Aldric rolled his eyes. "Pathetic."
Lira sighed. "Expected."
The fox hopped onto Soren's chest and chirped.
Soren groaned weakly. "I hate this place."
The fox chirped louder.
And the entire Inner Division watched the boy who panicked, fainted, screamed, and somehow still passed with flying colors.