Half a year.
That was the time Thiriel had spent in the tower since the day he set foot in it. Half a year that, for most apprentices, had meant a radical change. For him, it had been a silent and constant transformation.
Advancing was becoming increasingly difficult.
The first steps in Rank D had been fast, almost fluid, but as the stars increased, refinement demanded more control, more time, and a finer understanding of the magical flow.
It wasn't enough to absorb energy; one had to order it, compact it, and make it obey.
At that point, Thiriel was already at Rank D three stars, close to reaching the 4-star rank.
He didn't say it aloud.
He didn't show it.
To the others—and, more importantly, to Vexar—he continued feigning being at two stars, at the same level as Drowen. He adjusted his visible refinement, hid part of his control, and ensured he didn't stand out more than necessary.
Since the fight against the Wandering Hunter, his experience in combat magic had grown exponentially.
They were no longer simple guided practices. Excursions into the forest had become frequent, always in the company of senior apprentices.
And the beasts they faced varied in size, ferocity, and cunning. Some ambushed. Others fled. Others fought to the bitter end.
Over time, Vexar had given the four apprentices—Thiriel, Drowen, Kael, and Lorian—their own spatial bags. They weren't as large as Drowen's initially, but they served the same function. In them, they stored meat, hides, bones, and, when luck allowed, valuable fragments extracted from the beasts.
Just as Thiriel had assumed from the beginning, Vexar never allowed them to go into the forest alone during the first months. There was always one or two senior apprentices accompanying them, watching and guarding.
Nothing in the tower happened without supervision.
In that same period, the differences between them became clear.
Drowen had stabilized at Rank D two stars. His progress was rapid compared to a common apprentice, and much more solid than at the start.
His control had improved, and in combat, he no longer wasted magic like before.
Kael, for his part, remained at one star, but his progress was steady.
He didn't have Drowen's talent or aggression.
Nor Thiriel's silent control, but he compensated with discipline and attention. In support combat, he was becoming increasingly reliable.
Lorian was also still at one star, somewhat more unstable, but he had learned to coordinate better.
Thiriel watched them all carefully.
Especially Drowen.
Because as the months passed, something had become evident.
Vexar was increasingly attentive to him.
At first, it was occasional glances.
Then, seemingly casual questions. Later, direct observations during training.
The surveillance had intensified right after Thiriel reached his third star... even though no one else knew.
Or almost no one.
The test came unexpectedly.
One morning, Vexar gathered them in front of the lake and announced he would conduct an evaluation of magical capacity. Nothing complex: a measurement of the core, the flow, and stability.
"Do not lie," Vexar said with his usual tone.
One by one, they went forward.
When it was Thiriel's turn, he controlled the flow as always... but something went wrong.
For a fraction of a second, the core reacted with greater intensity than he had foreseen.
The measuring crystal shone brighter than expected.
"Three stars," Vexar ruled, with no apparent surprise.
The silence was immediate.
Drowen turned his head, incredulous. Kael, Lorian, and the other apprentices widened their eyes in astonishment.
Thiriel said nothing.
"I thought you were at rank two stars," Vexar added, looking directly at him.
"I advanced recently," Thiriel replied calmly. "I didn't consider it relevant."
Vexar didn't insist at that moment, but from that day on, the attention on him became more evident.
It was also then that Drowen began to change.
He became more restless. More attentive to Vexar's every move. More careful with what he said.
And one night, he made a decision.
Drowen went to see Vexar.
He handed him the training manual they had found long ago, the one that had been the origin of the betrayal at the orphanage.
Vexar appeared genuinely pleased to see the manual and what was recorded in it.
He rewarded him with more resources and clearly preferential treatment.
Drowen also spoke.
He told him that Thiriel held a grudge against him.
That he knew he was preparing to take revenge on him.
When Vexar called Thiriel after that, his tone was strangely kind.
"I hope everything that happened in the past remains behind," he said. "Here we all advance with the same goal."
It was in that instant that Thiriel understood something crucial.
Drowen had always been one step ahead.
Not just because of talent.
But because he had understood—albeit incompletely—that manual from the beginning.
That was the real reason.
Even so, Thiriel didn't react. He showed no hostility. He gave no grounds.
"Understood, Master. I will cause no trouble," Thiriel said with a calm tone of voice.
In those six months, aside from advancing in rank, he also became friends with Kael.
Not suddenly or dramatically. It was gradual.
Kael didn't ask too many questions. He didn't demand explanations. He just helped when he could.
Thiriel knew trusting was dangerous.
But he also knew how to recognize someone sincere.
Half a year after arriving at the tower, an important change occurred.
Thanks to his real rank of three stars, Vexar allowed Thiriel to go out into the forest without direct supervision from the senior apprentices. Officially, it was to hunt alone and accelerate his progress.
Unofficially…
He was never alone.
There was always a puppet servant following him at a certain distance. Silent. Discreet.
They thought it wasn't noticeable.
But Thiriel knew.
His instincts never failed.
And then, one afternoon, Vexar gathered everyone once more.
"I will be away from the tower for a while," he announced. "Matters that require my personal attention."
"While I am gone," he continued, "you will follow the orders of the senior apprentices. Nothing changes. Train. Hunt. Do not deviate from what is established."
Having said that, he withdrew.
That night.
Thiriel remained awake in his room, sitting in silence.
For the first time since he had arrived at the tower...
Vexar would not be there.
And Thiriel smiled.
The opportunity he had been waiting for had just presented itself.