The dorm room smelled faintly of metal.
That was the first thing Rayden noticed.
Not sweat.
Not dust.
Metal.
Residual lightning clung to the air like static after a storm, crawling along the walls in faint blue threads before dying out completely.
Rayden Wolfe stood in the center of the room, fists clenched so tightly his knuckles had gone white.
"Unbelievable…"
His voice was hoarse, strained raw from shouting at something that wasn't there.
An hour.
It had been one full hour since Primyte had flicked his wrist and erased him from the training field like an inconvenience.
Not defeated.
Not knocked unconscious.
Not overpowered.
Just—removed.
Rayden exhaled sharply and turned, pacing the cramped dorm room like a caged animal.
"To fail," he muttered.
"Safely."
His lip curled.
"What kind of twisted mentor says something like that?"
He stopped beside his bed and slammed his fist down on the mattress.
The fabric dipped uselessly, absorbing the impact without protest.
Lightning sparked along his arm.
Crack.
The energy fizzled before it could spread.
Rayden stared at his hand.
"…Tch."
Even his lightning felt embarrassed.
He dropped onto the edge of the bed and leaned forward, elbows on his knees, head hanging low.
He had lightning.
Lightning.
A power people spent their entire lives trying to cultivate.
And it hadn't mattered.
Not against invisible pressure.
Not against an opponent he couldn't see.
Not against a man who didn't even bother to look impressed.
Rayden laughed once, bitter and short.
"I didn't even get beaten properly."
The dorm door creaked.
Rayden didn't look up.
He didn't need to.
"…Rayden?" Liora's voice came carefully, like she was stepping onto thin ice.
Rayden groaned. "Door's open."
The door opened wider.
Footsteps entered.
Kayden came in first, as always. Calm.
Hands in his pockets. Expression unreadable.
Liora followed, eyes sharp, posture straight despite the exhaustion still clinging to her shoulders. Her braid was loose, strands of hair escaping around her face.
They both stopped when they saw Rayden.
Lightning still danced faintly along his arms, unstable and unfocused.
Kayden tilted his head slightly.
"You look," he said, thoughtfully, "like someone insulted your entire bloodline."
Rayden snapped his head up. "DON'T."
Liora sighed. "He's been like this the whole walk here, hasn't he?"
Kayden nodded. "I could feel it through the walls."
"That's not funny!" Rayden barked.
Kayden considered that. "It's a little funny."
Rayden grabbed a pillow and threw it.
Kayden caught it without effort and gently placed it back on the bed.
"Violence won't help," Kayden said.
Rayden stared at him. "…I hate you."
Kayden shrugged. "Noted."
Liora stepped forward, arms crossed. "You disappeared without warning. We had to finish the session without you."
Rayden scoffed. "Oh, poor you."
"We almost got crushed," she added.
Rayden paused.
"…You what?"
Kayden nodded calmly. "Invisible pressure increased after you left."
Rayden blinked. "So he wasn't targeting me?"
"No," Kayden said. "He was testing endurance thresholds."
Rayden leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
"…That makes it worse."
Liora pulled a chair closer and sat, watching him carefully. "Tell us what happened.
Exactly."
Rayden hesitated.
Then sighed.
"…By the fifth strike, I couldn't track anything anymore," he admitted. "It wasn't speed. It wasn't power. It was like the space around me was… folding."
Kayden listened without interrupting.
"I kept thinking," Rayden continued, "if I just poured more lightning into my body, I'd overwhelm it. Burn through whatever he was doing."
Lightning flickered unconsciously at his fingertips.
"And then—"
He swallowed.
"He said I wasn't supposed to dodge."
Kayden's eyes narrowed slightly. "That part stuck with you."
Rayden laughed humorlessly. "How could it not?"
Liora leaned forward. "He wanted you to fail, but I think we shouldn't underestimate him, because he may be more..."
"No," Kayden corrected quietly. "He wanted him to reach himself."
Rayden turned his head. "What does that even mean?"
Kayden stood and walked slowly toward the window.
"Primyte doesn't train power," he said. "He trains awareness."
Rayden snorted. "Awareness doesn't stop invisible attacks."
Kayden glanced back. "It does. Eventually."
Silence fell.
Rayden looked down at his hands again.
"…I felt it," he said softly. "For a second. Right before the boundary seal activated. Like something inside me wanted to explode."
Liora stiffened.
Kayden didn't move.
"But I couldn't control it," Rayden continued. "It just… surged."
He clenched his fists. "And then I was gone."
Liora exhaled slowly. "You hit your limit."
Rayden nodded. "…And everyone saw."
Kayden shook his head. "No. Only Primyte did."
Rayden looked up sharply. "You think that makes it better?"
Kayden met his gaze evenly. "Yes."
Rayden opened his mouth—then closed it.
"…Damn it."
Liora stood. "You weren't expelled. You weren't punished."
Rayden muttered, "Felt like it."
"You were protected," she said. "That matters."
Rayden leaned back, arms spread on the bed.
"…I hate that you're both so calm."
Kayden smiled faintly. "Someone has to be."
Rayden squinted. "You're enjoying this."
"No," Kayden replied honestly. "I'm learning."
Liora nodded. "Same."
Rayden groaned loudly and rolled onto his side. "I'm surrounded by monsters."
Kayden considered that. "Technically inaccurate."
Rayden grabbed the pillow again and shoved it over his face.
"Wake me when the humiliation wears off."
Liora smiled despite herself.
Kayden glanced at the faint lightning still clinging to Rayden's aura.
"…You'll adapt," he said quietly.
Rayden pulled the pillow down. "How are you so sure?"
Kayden paused.
"…Because you're still angry."
Rayden blinked.
Kayden met his eyes. "Anger means you haven't broken."
For a moment, the room was silent except for the faint hum of the academy wards.
Rayden finally laughed.
A real laugh this time.
"…You're annoying," he said. "But… thanks."
Kayden nodded.
Liora picked up her bag. "Come on. Dinner."
Rayden sighed. "I'm not hungry."
Kayden tilted his head. "Your lightning says otherwise."
Rayden groaned. "Fine."
As they stepped into the hallway, Rayden cast one last look at his dorm room.
Failure lingered there.
But so did something else.
Expectation.
And deep beneath the academy—
The system remained silent.
To be continued....