Kael sensed him before he saw him.
It wasn't a sound or a visible movement that gave him away. Instead, it was a shift in the atmosphere, something subtle but distinct enough that Kael had begun to recognize it. The air felt tighter, more focused, as if someone had stepped into the space with intention rather than hesitation.
He turned slightly, already knowing who it would be.
"Training again?" the wolf-type Beastkin asked as he approached.
Kael let out a quiet breath and straightened. "You always show up at the exact moment I don't want you to."
"Timing matters," the man replied, his tone calm but deliberate.
Kael studied him more closely this time. The confidence was still there, but it felt different now. There was less amusement and more focus, as though this wasn't just observation anymore.
"You here to talk," Kael asked, "or are we doing something else?"
The wolf-type didn't hesitate. "I'm here to test you."
Kael shook his head slightly. "That keeps getting worse every time someone says it."
Lyra stepped forward immediately, placing herself between them.
"No," she said.
Her voice was calm, but there was no room for interpretation.
The wolf-type looked at her, unimpressed. "Afraid he'll fail?"
"He is not ready."
"Then he shouldn't be here."
The tension between them settled into something sharp and controlled.
Kael stepped forward before it could escalate further. "It's fine," he said, his voice steady despite the pressure building in his chest.
Lyra didn't move. "Kael."
"I've got it," he insisted, even though he wasn't entirely sure that was true.
The wolf-type's expression shifted slightly, something almost approving flickering across his face.
"There it is," he said.
He stepped into the open space, rolling his shoulders once as if preparing for something routine.
"No rules," he added.
Kael exhaled slowly. "Of course there aren't."
The fight started immediately.
There was no warning, no buildup. The wolf-type closed the distance with speed that felt sharper than before, forcing Kael to react instead of thinking.
The first strike came fast.
Kael caught it.
That part came naturally now.
He felt the shift just before impact and adjusted accordingly, redirecting the force just enough to disrupt the motion.
The second strike came before he could stabilize.
He missed.
The hit landed cleanly, forcing him back a step.
Kael tightened his jaw, resetting his stance as quickly as he could.
The third strike followed immediately, faster than the last.
He tried to catch it, but his timing slipped.
The force hit him again, harder this time, sending a jolt through his arms.
Kael exhaled sharply, trying to regain control. "Okay… yeah, you're faster," he muttered.
"Focus," Lyra said from behind him.
"I am," he replied, though he knew it wasn't entirely true.
The wolf-type didn't slow down. His attacks came in rapid succession, each one forcing Kael to react without giving him time to recover.
Kael caught one.
Held it.
Tried to redirect—
The wolf-type shifted mid-motion, breaking the timing completely.
The force slipped.
Another hit landed.
Kael dropped to one knee, the impact heavier than before.
He inhaled sharply, steadying himself. "This is not going well."
The wolf-type stepped back slightly.
Not out of mercy.
Out of evaluation.
"You're improving," he said.
Kael looked up at him. "That doesn't feel accurate."
"You're still losing," he replied.
"That part feels accurate."
The wolf-type's gaze sharpened.
"You're thinking too much now," he said.
Kael frowned. "I was told I wasn't thinking enough before."
"That was before you understood the timing," he replied. "Now you're trying to control everything at once."
Kael hesitated. "Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?"
"No."
The wolf-type tapped his own chest lightly.
"You don't control the force," he said. "You move with it."
Kael stared at him for a moment, processing that.
"…You're giving me advice in the middle of a fight," he said.
"You'll lose either way," the wolf-type replied.
"…That's harsh."
"Try again."
Kael pushed himself to his feet.
This time, he didn't rush.
When the wolf-type moved again, Kael followed.
Not ahead of him.
Not behind him.
With him.
The first strike came.
Kael caught it.
Held it.
But he didn't push immediately.
The second strike followed.
He adjusted with it, redirecting the motion cleanly instead of forcing it.
By the third exchange, Kael stepped closer instead of retreating, closing the distance just enough to disrupt the rhythm.
For the first time—
He wasn't reacting blindly.
He was fighting.
The wolf-type's eyes sharpened. "There it is."
They moved faster now, the exchange tightening as both adjusted to the other.
Kael's movements improved with each second, but the gap between them still existed.
It only took one mistake.
One moment when his timing slipped.
The wolf-type broke through.
The final hit landed cleanly.
Kael hit the ground hard, the impact knocking the breath from his lungs.
"Match ended," Lyra said.
Kael stayed there for a moment, staring at the ground as he caught his breath.
"…Yeah," he said quietly. "That felt about right."