The first real mistake of the day happened during the third rotation block.
By that point the training hall had settled into a steady rhythm. Projection grids lit the floor in overlapping circles, hazard arcs rising and dissolving as teams ran through their assigned patterns. Students moved with more confidence than they had the day before. That confidence was earned, but it also carried a familiar danger.
People were beginning to believe they had figured things out.
Lucas noticed the shift long before the failure happened.
He stood near the barrier rail with Dreyden, watching two A-tier formations run back-to-back drills in the central grid. Both teams had been performing well all morning. Their movements were sharp and fast, each cycle finishing just a little cleaner than the one before.
But something about their pacing bothered him.
"Too fast," Lucas muttered.
Dreyden didn't look away from the floor.
"Yes."
Lucas folded his arms.
"They're trying to beat each other."
