The next morning, William considered escape.
Not seriously.
Mostly academically.
He stood in front of the mirror tying part of his uniform badly, staring at his reflection like it had betrayed him personally.
"Combat training," he muttered.
The reflection offered no sympathy.
Behind him, Rowan sat upright in bed, half awake and somehow already eating bread.
"You look tense."
"I'm being sent into supervised violence."
"That's school."
"This place worries me."
"It should."
Rowan took another bite.
"Try not to get thrown through a wall today."
"That feels specific."
"It happens more than you'd think."
William turned.
"Why are you so calm?"
"I'm not in your class."
"Cruel answer."
"Honest answer."
Fair enough.
The combat arena was larger than the training grounds.
Circular.
Tiered seating.
Stone floor lined with runes that pulsed faint blue beneath the surface.
Protective barriers shimmered around the outer edges.
Too many students were already there.
That meant spectators.
Which meant humiliation risk had increased.
Kai waved wildly from the stands.
"William!"
"Why are you here?"
"To support you emotionally."
"You're holding snacks."
"I contain multitudes."
Jonah sat beside him quietly.
He lifted one hand in greeting.
That was basically enthusiasm.
Serena stood near the lower railing, arms folded.
Watching the arena.
Watching everyone.
When William approached, she glanced at him once.
"You look nervous."
"You look judgmental."
"I am."
"Good. Stability matters."
She almost smiled.
Almost.
Progress.
Vale stood at the center of the arena.
Mara beside her like a statue designed to discourage happiness.
Students formed rows around the edge.
Daren was there too, chest wrapped in fresh bandages and pride damage.
He pointed at William.
"We're even now."
"We were never close enough to be even."
Vale raised one hand.
Silence dropped over the room.
"Today is not a tournament," she said.
Several students immediately looked disappointed.
"It is fundamentals. Movement. Timing. Impact tolerance."
William frowned.
"Impact tolerance sounds like pain with branding."
"It is."
"Thought so."
Vale continued.
"You will learn how to strike, defend, and survive against enhanced opponents."
Kai shouted from the stands.
"He means you, William!"
"Thank you, distant nuisance."
Pairs were called one by one.
Students entered the ring, exchanged blows, cast weak spells, got thrown, recovered, repeated.
Some were skilled.
Some were disasters.
One boy accidentally launched himself backward while trying to punch.
William respected the effort.
Then Vale called:
"William."
He sighed.
"Of course."
She looked at the roster.
"Serena."
The arena changed instantly.
Whispers spread.
Kai stood up.
"Ohhh."
William looked offended.
"Why did the room react like that?"
Serena stepped into the ring smoothly.
"Because they enjoy suffering."
"That includes yours, right?"
"Especially yours."
Good.
Sharp answer.
Dangerous woman.
They stood opposite each other.
Vale stepped between them.
"Rules are simple. No lethal force. No permanent damage. No attacks after surrender."
William raised a hand.
"What counts as permanent?"
Vale ignored him.
"Begin on my signal."
She stepped back.
The barrier around the ring brightened.
William rolled his shoulders.
Serena didn't move.
Didn't blink much either.
"You could at least look nervous," he said.
"You could at least look prepared."
"That hurts because it's fair."
Vale dropped her hand.
"Begin."
William moved first.
Mostly because standing still near Serena felt unsafe.
He circled right.
She mirrored him.
Light.
Balanced.
No wasted motion.
He feinted forward—
She kicked immediately.
William barely leaned back in time as her foot cut past his chin.
"…Okay," he said. "Aggressive opening."
"You talk too much."
"You noticed."
She stepped in again.
Fast.
Two strikes to the chest.
One elbow.
A low sweep.
William blocked badly, stumbled over the sweep, and rolled away before the elbow landed.
The crowd cheered.
For her.
Rude.
He got back up.
"Do you hate me personally?"
"Not yet."
"Comforting."
She rushed him again.
This time he focused.
The pulse in his hand stirred.
Tiny.
Sharp.
He saw the shift before her shoulder moved.
William stepped aside.
Her palm strike missed by inches.
He tapped her wrist away and slipped behind her.
The crowd reacted louder now.
Serena turned quickly.
Eyes narrower.
"Again," she said.
"That sounded threatening."
"It was."
She launched three silver needles from her fingers.
William yelped and ducked.
The needles struck the stone wall behind him and froze into crystal spikes.
He stared.
"…You had projectiles?"
"You didn't ask."
"That feels dishonest."
She came in while he was talking.
Of course she did.
Palm to ribs.
Knee toward stomach.
Backhand strike.
William twisted, blocked one, failed the second, barely avoided the third.
Pain shot through his side.
"Right," he wheezed. "This is combat."
He retreated two steps.
Serena advanced one.
No rush.
No wasted energy.
Controlled pressure.
That was worse than aggression.
Vale called from outside the ring.
"Observe her rhythm."
William called back.
"I'm busy dying."
"Adapt faster."
"This school lacks compassion."
Serena's hands glowed faintly.
Cold mist spiraled around her fingers.
Ice.
Clean and sharp.
She thrust one hand forward.
A spear of ice shot across the ring.
William's pulse surged.
The world snapped clear.
He shifted sideways at the last instant.
The spear shattered behind him.
Gasps from the stands.
He moved before thinking.
One step.
Then another.
He was suddenly inside her guard.
Serena's eyes widened slightly.
Victory.
Tiny victory.
William touched her shoulder.
"Tagged."
She grabbed his wrist instantly and threw him over her hip.
He hit the floor hard enough to reconsider confidence.
The arena roared laughing.
Kai nearly fell from the stands.
Jonah covered his mouth.
Even Vale looked disappointed in him.
William groaned from the ground.
"I regret celebrating early."
Serena stood over him.
"You should."
She offered a hand.
He stared at it.
"…Is this mercy?"
"No."
"Honesty again. Nice."
He took it.
She pulled him up.
Then whispered quietly enough only he could hear:
"You react before attacks happen."
William froze for half a second.
"…Maybe."
"That isn't normal."
"Neither are ice needles."
"That's not an answer."
"It's all I have."
She studied him for a moment.
Then stepped back.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Round two began immediately.
This time William stopped trying to win quickly.
He watched.
Breathing.
Weight shifts.
Shoulders.
Eyes.
The tiny fractures before motion.
Serena attacked in combinations.
Strike.
Kick.
Needles.
Palm thrust.
William moved cleaner now.
Still imperfect.
Still hit twice.
But improving.
He slipped past a kick and tapped her side.
She countered with an elbow.
He ducked.
She froze the floor beneath him.
He nearly died through embarrassment.
Slid backward wildly.
Recovered with a spin that looked intentional.
It was not.
Kai screamed.
"That was amazing!"
"It was an accident!" William shouted.
"Even better!"
Serena laughed.
Actually laughed.
Short.
Unexpected.
It changed her face completely.
William noticed.
That was dangerous too.
She came forward again smiling slightly.
"Again."
"Why do you enjoy this?"
"You're entertaining."
"That is not the compliment you think it is."
They clashed harder now.
William ducked under a strike and landed a palm to her shoulder.
She caught his sleeve and froze part of it solid.
He tore free.
She spun.
He stepped inside.
Their foreheads nearly collided.
Both stopped for half a breath.
Too close.
Too sudden.
Then Vale's voice cracked through the moment.
"Continue."
Both jumped back instantly.
The crowd howled.
William pointed at them.
"You people are vultures."
The final exchange came fast.
Serena fired three ice needles.
William avoided two.
Caught the rhythm of the third—
and flicked it aside.
The class gasped.
Serena lunged.
He turned with the motion, redirected her wrist, and tapped two fingers to her chest before she could recover.
Stillness.
Vale stepped in.
"Enough."
The barrier dimmed.
Students erupted.
William blinked.
"…Did I win?"
Vale considered.
"No."
"That felt rude."
"You survived and adapted."
"That sounds like winning."
"It is passing."
Serena brushed frost from her sleeve.
"You learn quickly."
"You hit hard."
"You talk too much."
"You've said that before."
"And I meant it twice."
As students dispersed, Serena walked beside him toward the exit.
Not speaking at first.
Which somehow felt louder than talking.
Then she said:
"You're hiding how strong you are."
William snorted.
"I'm barely hiding being confused."
"That isn't what I meant."
He looked at her.
She kept facing forward.
Calm.
Cold.
Sharp.
Interesting.
"What about you?" he asked.
"What about me?"
"You hiding anything?"
She glanced sideways.
"Yes."
Then kept walking.
William stopped in place.
"…That is an illegal answer."
She didn't turn around.
"Catch up tomorrow."
And for the first time since arriving at the academy—
William smiled without trying to.