The final echoes of their clash faded, and the barrier shimmered before dissolving entirely.
"The exam is finished."
Ron barely had time to register the words before the white light engulfed him. Lia, unconscious beside him, vanished in the same glow.
When the light receded, they found themselves lying in a vast marble-floored hall. The air was filled with the soft hum of magic as healers moved swiftly between rows of beds, tending to battered candidates pulled from the exam grounds.
The moment Ron and Lia appeared—bloodied, burned, and bruised—three healers hurried toward them. Warm, restorative mana washed over their bodies, closing cuts, knitting torn muscles, and easing the throbbing ache in their limbs.
Lia stirred first, blinking herself awake. She shifted slightly, only to find Ron watching her from the next bed over, a familiar teasing grin on his face.
"Well," he said with mock satisfaction, "now we're even—ninety-two wins, ninety-two losses."
