{Elira}
~**^**~
"Today," Rennon said, his voice steady, "we will focus on reading your opponent's stance before they even move. Combat is not just about strength, it's foresight. If you can see their decision before they act, you've already won."
Pens scratched softly against notebooks. The students at the front leaned forward, eager, while those in the middle exchanged nervous glances as if already anticipating the practical test that would follow.
I gripped my pen a little tighter, fighting off the sluggishness that threatened to creep in while trying harder to focus.
And then I felt Rennon's eyes lingering on me for just a moment. His gaze wasn't piercing like Zenon's, nor teasing like Lennon's. It was calm, steady, almost grounding.
When he called for volunteers to stand and demonstrate, my heart raced just like back then in Lennon's class. I was terrified he might call my name. But instead, he looked elsewhere, picking students who were eager to prove themselves.
