By midday, word had spread through the halls: Class A's first challenge had been announced.
Not a duel. Not a theory test. A team trial.
We gathered in the eastern arena, where golden wards pulsed high above, enclosing the space like a dome. Professor Caelum hovered at the center, his staff glowing faintly.
"Individual skill means little if you cannot fight alongside others," he said, voice steady. "Today you will face an opponent designed to test not power, but cooperation. If you cannot work together, you will fail."
A low rumble shook the ground. From the far side of the warded floor, stone shifted and rose, forming a towering figure—an animated golem of solid granite, runes etched across its chest. Its eyes glowed with molten light.
Several students gasped. A challenge-tier construct this early? Even in Class A, it was brutal.
Pairs and trios formed quickly, everyone clustering with friends or allies.
Except me.
I stood alone, until Mira hesitated, then stepped to my side. Her staff glowed faintly, feathers of light drifting from its tip.
Lyra joined next, blade drawn. She didn't look at me, but her stance said enough.
Then Casian sauntered up, fire flickering eagerly in his hands. "Fine. I'll babysit too. Don't slow me down."
"Babysit?" Lyra snapped. "Try not to burn your own team first."
"Children," Mira sighed, though her voice carried warmth.
The professor's staff struck the ground. "Begin."
The golem roared, stone fists slamming into the arena floor, sending cracks spiderwebbing across the warded surface.
Casian charged first, fire exploding around him. His blast hit the golem square in the chest—flames splashing harmlessly against its runes. The construct barely noticed.
"Idiot!" Lyra hissed, darting forward. Her blade flashed, precise strikes targeting the glowing etchings. Chips of stone cracked away, but the monster's swing nearly flattened her.
Mira's staff flared, light weaving into a shield just in time. The blow rebounded, but the strain showed in her clenched jaw.
I stepped in, silver glow flickering around my hand. One arc, focused, severed a chunk from the golem's leg. It staggered, buying us precious seconds.
Casian gawked. "What the hell was that?"
"Control," I said flatly.
We fell into a rhythm—if you could call it that. Casian hurled reckless flames, Lyra cut clean and fast, Mira patched the damage, and I slipped in between, holding it all together. It was chaos barely disguised as teamwork.
At last, Lyra's blade pierced the final rune. The golem shuddered, cracked, and collapsed into rubble.
The wards dimmed. Silence hung for a moment before cheers erupted from the watching students.
Professor Caelum's eyes swept across us. "Sloppy. Unbalanced. But effective enough. Pass."
Casian smirked like he'd won the entire war. Lyra scowled, though pride flickered in her eyes. Mira just sighed in relief.
I stood quiet, dust settling on my uniform.
This was only the first trial.And already, Class A was fracturing at the seams.