The rattling of wheels grew louder, then lanternlight spilled across the frozen path The caravan rolled into view, a small train of carriages, heavy wagons laden with goods, and the long necked draft beasts pulling them, their breath steaming in the night air The merchants rode close, cloaks drawn tight, their jeweled rings and polished buckles glinting in the firelight Wealthy, nervous, out of place on a mountain road
But what drew Rhyka's attention wasn't them
Four distinct auras pressed outward from the front of the caravan, sharp and undeniable They weren't just stronger than the students or villagers, these were presences that distorted the air itself The kind of weight that forced a body to recognize it
Rank 3
Three stood at mid stage, solid and well balanced, their cores steady and disciplined The fourth… heavier, sharper, carrying an authority the others lacked Peak stage, a fighter on the edge of breaking through again
