Ezra exhaled softly and slid his practice blade back into its sheath.
The dummy froze mid-motion, gears locking in place. At the edge of the training ground, Xavier lowered his hand from the control lever with a faint smile.
"Not bad," he said. "Blindfolded, strength suppressed, mana sealed… and you still made it look effortless."
Ezra tugged off the suppression bands from his wrists and ankles, their dull weight clattering against the floor. Pulling off the blindfold, he blinked against the light before walking to the side of the training hall. A small refrigerator hummed quietly in the corner. He bent down, pulled out a chilled energy drink, cracked it open, and took a long sip.
