The speed course lay beyond a narrow archway, hidden from the strength yard by high stone walls. As Eleres stepped through, the air shifted—cooler in the shade, but thick with the scent of trampled earth and churned dust. The track stretched across a wide field, twisting in sharp turns, its path broken by wooden barriers, low walls, dangling ropes, and shallow pits meant to punish a single misstep. At the far end, a tall brass bell gleamed in the sunlight, polished smooth by countless hands striking it to mark their finish.
Candidates waited in groups of five near the starting line, their breaths still heavy from the strength trial. The proctor here was a stocky woman with a voice like breaking stone. "Five at a time," she barked. "First to the bell gets top marks, the rest by order of finish. Fall, hesitate, or foul the course—you're out."
When Eleres joined his group, the glances began. A burly youth with close-cropped hair snorted. "You're the one who nearly dropped the stone, right? Hope you're faster than you are strong."
Another, lean and sharp-eyed, smirked. "Don't expect us to slow down if you trip. Try not to be in the way, scholar."
The third said nothing, but the curl of his lip said enough. The fourth, a quiet girl with braided hair, kept her gaze forward.
Eleres gave no reply. His hands rested loosely at his sides, his breathing calm.
The signal cracked through the air. They surged forward as one. The burly youth took an early lead, boots hammering the earth, with the sharp-eyed runner at his heels. The others fell in line, and Eleres deliberately stayed at the rear—watching, measuring, reading the rhythm of each stride.
The first barrier, a waist-high wall, came fast. The leader vaulted in a showy leap, landing with a spray of dirt. The sharp-eyed runner cleared it cleanly. The third tripped and had to scramble back to his feet. Eleres reached the wall, planted a palm, and swung his legs sideways, landing already angled into the turn—shaving a heartbeat off his time without a wasted motion.
Next came the rope section, swaying in the wind. The leader grabbed high and swung hard, but landed awkwardly, his knee buckling for half a breath. The sharp-eyed one did better. Eleres took the rope a fraction lower, using the swing to drop into a crouch that flowed instantly into a sprint. He slipped past the third runner and drew level with the sharp-eyed youth.
The zigzag alley was where the race changed. The leader's speed bled away in the tight turns; the sharp-eyed runner clipped a wall and stumbled. Eleres's movements stayed fluid—boots whispering over the dirt, each turn taken with surgical precision. By the time they cleared the alley, he was second, the leader just ahead.
The final obstacle loomed: a slanted wall slick with dripping water. The leader hit it head-on, fingers scrabbling for grip. Eleres angled his run, hit the wall at speed, one hand catching the ledge, the other hauling him up in a single motion.
He landed running. Five strides later, his palm struck the brass bell. The sharp, ringing note cut through the air before anyone else had cleared the wall.
Silence. Then the murmurs started.
"Wasn't he last at the start?""That was… fast.""Faster than Burrell, even."
The burly youth pulled himself over the wall a full three seconds later, landing with a curse. The sharp-eyed runner came third, glaring at Eleres as if the look could erase what had just happened.
Eleres stepped aside, his breathing steady despite the sprint. He didn't smile, didn't speak—only met their glances with the same calm he'd carried from the start. The proctor marked his time, raised a brow, and gave a short nod.
No explanation. No boasting. Only results.
And in the space where mockery had been, there was now the quiet weight of respect—and a trace of unease.
Eleres was still standing in the shade, letting the heat of the sprint fade from his limbs, when a familiar voice cut through the low hum of the crowd.
"Well, that was something."
Cedric was striding toward him, the sunlight flashing on the polished buckles of his uniform. Beside him, Taron kept pace, his usual easy grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. The farm boy's hair was still damp from sweat, sticking in messy clumps to his forehead.
"Not bad for a 'scholar,'" Cedric said, the faintest amusement in his tone. "I think you just cost half the betting crowd a few coins."
Taron gave a low whistle. "You had them eating their words, mate. Didn't think you'd hang back like that. You made it look easy at the end."
Eleres shook his head once. "It wasn't easy."
"That's what makes it worth watching," Cedric replied, clapping him once on the shoulder before glancing toward the instructors. "You've got their attention now. Whether that's a good thing or not…" He let the thought trail off.
Before Eleres could answer, three figures stepped out from the dispersing line of competitors. The burly youth from his heat was among them, jaw tight, the loss still fresh in his eyes. Flanking him were two others—one with a scar tracing the line of his cheek, the other tall and thin, his expression fixed in a smirk.
The burly one spoke first, his voice low but edged. "Enjoy the win, scholar. Won't mean much when you can't hide behind Cedric in the next trial."
The scarred youth leaned in slightly. "Third test's not about lifting rocks or ringing bells. It's about staying in the fight. Let's see if you last long enough to finish."
The tall one chuckled. "If you make it that far."
Cedric shifted his stance, his presence alone enough to quiet most men. But Eleres didn't move. He simply met each gaze in turn, his expression unreadable, as if already weighing them against something only he could see.
"Third test, then," he said quietly. "We'll see."
The burly youth gave a short, derisive laugh before turning away, his companions following.
Taron exhaled through his teeth. "You know they'll come for you if they can."
"They'll try," Eleres said. His voice was calm, almost detached.
And in the stillness that followed, Cedric gave him a look—part warning, part approval—before the call for the next trial echoed across the yard.