Chapter 58: The Anatomy of a Brawl
The Vanguard training hall was stripped of all luxuries. There were no padded mats. There were no safety barriers. The floor was solid, unforgiving concrete.
Instructor Garrick Stonehelm stood in the dead center of the room. He looked at the Top Ten prodigies standing before him.
"Magic is a crutch," Stonehelm growled. His rough voice echoed off the concrete walls.
"You rely on your auras to make you faster and stronger. But what happens when you are drained? What happens when a Cultist grabs you by the throat in the dark? Today, we strip away the magic. Hand to hand combat only. No weapons. No elemental auras."
Stonehelm crossed his massive, scarred arms.
"Pair up. I want to see your bare foundations. I want to see how you bleed."
The students quickly dispersed across the wide hall. Aegon immediately locked eyes with Bram Stoneheart, slapping his fists together in anticipation. Reina grinned fiercely and marched straight toward Nyx Vespera.
