THE NEXT MORNING
ZAVIER
It happened the next morning. Because of course it did, peace, apparently, was illegal in this place. We were halfway through breakfast when the training hall doors slammed open hard enough to make half the room jump and the other half pretend they didn't. We saw how instructor Logan walked in and Riko froze mid bite.
"That's never a good sign." He said slowly.
"It is if you enjoy suffering." Ben replied.
"I don't."I said.
"You keep proving otherwise."Ben said.
Leo didn't move and Adam leaned back slightly, watching. I just sighed.
"Stand up." Logan said.
We stood.
"Training hall. Now."Logan said.
"No explanation?" Riko asked.
"No."Logan said.
"Love that for us."Ben snickered.
We moved as the arena felt different today, quieter as weapons were laid out along the racks. Not practice sticks, actual swords, blunted but real.
"Sword training."Aiden stirred.
"I see that." I muttered.
"I have made several poor life decisions."Riko leaned closer.
"You are about to make more." Ben said.
Logan stepped forward, arms crossed.
"Today." he said, voice carrying easily. "We test weapon proficiency."
A pause before his eyes landed on me.
"Omega."Logan said.
"Yes." I said and nodded.
"You rely on traps. Movement. Control."Logan added
"Yes."I said.
"That won't always be enough."He added calmly.
"I know."I nodded.
"Good." He said. "Pick up a sword."
The whispers started immediately.
"Of course."One Alpha said.
"Let's see this."Another one added.
"Now he fails."Third one snickered.
I walked forward and picked one. Balanced it once in my hand.
"Grip adjustment."Aiden's voice was calm.
"I know."I said.
I shifted my hold slightly as the weight settled. It was familiar to my surprise, Logan noticed immediately.
"So." He said slowly. "You have held one before."
"Yes."I said and nodded.
"Show me."Logan said.
A Beta stepped forward confidend, too confident.
"This won't take long." He said.
"It usually doesn't." I replied.
"Begin." Logan said.
The Beta rushed in straight and predictable.
"He is fast." Aiden noted.
"Not enough." I said.
I moved j just enough to shift the angle. Steel met steel, and the impact rang sharp through the arena. A flick of my wrist redirected it, and his strike slid past me. I stepped in too close for him. My blade tapped his wrist, and he flinched. I turned and swept low. His footing broke, and he stumbled, and my sword stopped at his throat.
"Done?" I asked.
"What?"The Beta blinked.
Logan raised a hand.
"Again." He said.
The Beta attacked harder this time. Angrier, and it was his mistake. I adjusted, blocked, redirected, and struck him.
"Better."Aiden hummed.
"I'm warming up."I said calmly.
At final clash I twisted the blade. His sword slipped from his hand, clattered to the ground and my blade rested against his chest.
"Where." Logan said slowly. "Did you learn that?"
I lowered the sword.
"At home." I said.
A pause.
"Your pack taught you?"Logan asked.
I let out a quiet breath.
"No."I said as silence stretched. "I had to win somehow." I added.
"Against who?"Riko blinked.
"My brother."I said calmly.
"The one-"Ben frowned.
"Yes."I said.
A few people laughed not loudly, but enough.
"An Omega beating an Omega?" Someone muttered. "That's not impressive."
I didn't look at them, but Logan did and his expression didn't change.
"Again." He said.
Another opponent attacked me. Stronger and faster. I fought back. When it ended he stepped back. Breathing heavily, but I wasn't.
"Enough."Logan exhaled slowly. He turned. "General."
The word hit differently as the arena shifted and then I saw him. Standing near the entrance silent and watching. He is General Kael, he hadn't been there before. Or maybe he had, that didn't matter. He stepped forward once, boots echoing softly against the stone.
"Careful." Aiden said quietly.
I didn't move, didn't speak and I saw how Kael's gaze flicked once to the fallen opponent, to the sword and back to me. Then he nodded just once. It was an approval.
"WE ARE MOVING UP IN LIFE."Riko whispered loudly.
"That was significant."Ben nodded.
"He didn't die."Leo said, barely awake.
Adam didn't speak, but I could feel it, he was smiling. Aiden's voice was quiet and satisfied.
"They see you now."He said.
I looked down at the sword in my hand then back up.
"Good," I said.
The silence didn't fade this time it shifted. Logan didn't dismiss it. Instead, his gaze slid past me straight to the rest of my team.
"D-rank." He said flatly. "Step forward."
Riko's entire face lit up like someone had just handed him permission to be a problem.
"Oh, this is my moment."He said.
"No." Ben said immediately. "It never is."
"It always is."Riko said.
Leo didn't move and Adam leaned slightly toward me.
"This should be entertaining." He murmured.
"It usually is." I said.
Logan pointed.
"You." He said. "First."
Of course Riko stepped forward. He grabbed a sword like it personally offended him.
"Alright." He said, spinning it once in his hand in a way that looked impressive but also deeply unsafe. "Who's emotionally prepared to lose?"
A Beta stepped forward already annoyed.
"I will handle him."He said.
"Bold." Riko said.
"Begin."Logan said.
The Beta attacked immediately.
Fast and direct, but Riko tripped instead as if he hit an invisible line. Actually tripped.
"Is he serious?" Someone whispered.
"He's going to die." Another added.
I pressed my fingers to my temple flustered, already knowing where this was going.
"What is he doing?" Adam asked.
"I don't know." I said.
"He knows exactly what he's doing."Aiden hummed.
Of course he did, because while everyone was watching the fall they missed the setup. Riko rolled messily, the Beta lunged to finish it and a sharp sound echoed as the Bet's footing gave out just slightly not enough to drop him. Just enough to break his balance.
"What-?"Beta asked.
Riko was already moving. Fast and precise. His sword came up, not in a clean strike, but angled and unpredictable. The Beta tried to block, but it was too late. Riko twisted and the Beta's sword flew out of his hand.
"I meant to do that."Riko grinned.
"That was ugly." Someone said.
"That was effective." Logan corrected.
"I am both."Riko beamed.
He walked back like he had just accomplished something heroic.
"You tripped." Ben said.
"I adapted."Riko said.
"You fell."I added.
"I fell strategically."Riko smirked.
"That's not a thing."Ben laughed.
"It is now."Riko grinned.
Logan pointed again.
"You. Next." He said and Ben stepped forward.
He picked up a sword like it was just another tool. Which, for him it was.
"This one looks easier."His opponent smirked.
Ben smiled and I didn't trust it. The Beta attacked, Ben stepped back, then forward. The Beta lunged and froze.
"Why can't I-?"Beta asked confused.
"Look down." I said quietly.
Too late, a thin wire snapped upward and wrapped not enough to injure. Just enough to lock movement. The Beta lost balance instantly and Ben stepped in and pushed him down.
"You set that up when?" Adam asked.
"Earlier." Ben said, adjusting his sleeve like he hadn't just weaponized the floor.
"You weren't even here earlier." Riko said.
"I passed by."Ben said.
"You prepared the battlefield in advance?" Adam asked.
"Yes. Ben said.
"You are terrifying."Riko stared at him.
"I have been told."Ben said.
Logan didn't look surprised.
"Efficient." He said. "...You."
Leo didn't move, of course he didn't.
"Leo." Ben said.
No response.
"Leo." Riko added.
Riko walked over grabbed his collar, and Leo stood up instantly.
"I was awake." He said.
"You were gone." I said.
"Mentally resting."Leo said.
"That's called sleeping."Ben said.
Leo walked into the arena like this was a mild inconvenience and an Alpha stepped forward.
"Finally." The Alpha said. "Someone worth hitting."
"Do we have to?"Leo blinked slowly.
"Yes." Logan said.
Leo sighed.
"Fine."He said.
"Begin."Logan said.
The Alpha moved fast, but Leo didn't move.
"What is he doing?" Someone whispered.
"Is he frozen?"Another one asked.
The Alpha's fist came in, and then Leo moved. Not fast like before, not visible, just differently and the Alpha stopped. His body locked, and then slowly he dropped, knees hitting the ground. His sword slipped from his hand with loud thud.
"Done?"Leo asked.
No one answered, even Logan paused. General Kael scilently.
"That one is not normal."Aiden's voice dropped low.
"I noticed." I said.
Leo yawned and turned around.
"Wake me when it matters." He muttered, already walking back.
The arena didn't recover this time. Because now it was obvious. This wasn't luck, this wasn't chaos. This was D-rank.
"You weren't kidding."Adam let out a quiet breath beside me.
"I never am." I said.
Logan turned slowly, scanning the arena. His voice cut clean through the silence.
"D-rank." He said. "This year is not weak."
No one laughed, no one argued because now they had seen it with their own eyes. General Kael stepped back once and gave another nod.
"They underestimated all of you."Aiden hummed softly.
I glanced at my team. Riko was arguing with Ben, Leo was already half asleep again, and Adam was watching everything like he is memorizing it.
"Yeah." I said.
"That was their first mistake." A slow breath left my chest.