Entrance Exam [8] : The Arena

Fianna knelt beside Caspian, the glow of her phoenix flames casting flickering shadows against his skin.

The wound on his hand slowly knitted itself together.

"Anywhere else?" she asked.

Caspian flexed his fingers, watching as the last traces of the wound faded.

"Nope," he replied.

.

Time passed in silence, the echoes of distant clashes ringing through the battlefield.

Caspian leaned back, his thoughts drifting.

Every bloodline had its defining abilities.

Some had one, others had two—powerful extensions of their lineage.

Fianna's flames could heal and destroy.

Vynesaa, bound to the World Tree, had nature's embrace and spiritual protection.

Lyrius wielded gravity—and something else.

Even among the strongest, there was always a pattern.

A gift. A physical manifestation of their bloodline.

But his?

Equivalent exchange.

That's what it felt like.