Classes and Trainings

The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of dew-covered grass as Yanika gripped her weapon, her breathing steady despite the fatigue of their earlier workout. Across from her, Alaric stood with his arms crossed.

It had been a week since the five of them began training, and each had settled into their routines.

Every morning, Yanika sparred with Alaric, her movements growing sharper with each attempt.

"Again," Alaric instructed.

Yanika lunged, her staff shifting into a sword mid-strike. Alaric dodged with ease, tapping her exposed side.

"Too rigid," he said. "You're forcing the sword instead of letting it flow with you."

Yanika frowned. "But I'm improving, right?"

"You are, but you're still fighting against yourself. Your form doesn't suit a swordsman's style."

Yanika hesitated before attacking again, this time moving with more fluidity. She spun, her footwork lighter.

Alaric nodded slightly. "That's better. You're meant for something with reach and finesse, not brute force."

Austin smirked to himself. He's finally starting to notice it as well. He thought.

Austin, always the early riser, watched her progress as he jogged before sunrise.

But his attention wasn't solely on Yanika—he also kept an eye on Lucian behind him.

Unlike before, Lucian no longer skipped the morning jog to sleep in a corner. He was serious about it now, though his ragged breathing and near-collapse posture made it clear that his body was struggling to keep up.

Austin glanced at the end of the training ground.

Penelope spent her mornings in a quiet corner, conjuring steel in various forms, refining her control with unwavering focus.

Austin noticed the impatience in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Cai was always absent from the training grounds—Austin knew she was in her room. He was informed that ever since she were little, she was trained to meditate before dawn.

But just like any other normal days, they also focused on their studies, taking time to rest and complete their assignments at night before going to bed.

While Yanika, Penelope, and Cai were already capable of handling weaker monsters in the dungeon, Lucian was a different story. His affinity, though and might be powerful, was too obscure—there's no concrete study about it so he is also unable to use enough spells in combat.

Austin knew they couldn't afford that risk yet, aside from being seen by other students in the dungeun so they decided to submit a request to the Headmistress to camp in the woods outside the campus to train in real combat scenarios.

Tonight marked their first outing.

His curiosity about the Mystican Tower would have to wait.

***

In the woods, a sharp gust of wind cut through the clearing as Yanika lunged forward, her staff now transformed into a sword. Her movements were fast, but they lacked weight—each strike came in fluid arcs, swift yet lacking the solid impact expected of a swordsman.

Austin deflected with ease, sidestepping as he tilted his head.

"Yanika, you're swinging like you're handling a ribbon, not a sword," he commented. "Your body's naturally moving to avoid direct clashes—like you're trying to coil around me rather than cut through." He effortlessly parried her next strike. "You might want to rethink your weapon choice."

Yanika clicked her tongue, trying to put more force behind her attacks, but her footwork gave her away. She was light on her feet, twirling around like she was guiding momentum rather than enforcing it. Austin could already tell—she wasn't built for a sword.

Behind him, Penelope stomped the ground, sending jagged pillars of earth shooting toward him. At the same time, Cai's incantation rang out, a gust of wind sweeping through the battlefield. Austin pivoted, dodging the rising earth and bracing against the wind that tried to knock him off balance.

"Penelope, I told you to conjure steel not some random stone." Austin corrected.

Penelope clicked her tongue.

"You two are trying to disrupt my footing, good. But Cai, you're encantation is too obvious since you can only chant one spell at a time—you either shake the ground or throw wind, never both at once," he noted, dodging another stone.

"I'm sorry." Cai apologized.

"Penelope, why aren't you conjuring steel? You're throwing pure earth at me when you should be training with steel."

Penelope frowned but didn't respond.

Lucian, standing at the far end of the battlefield, raised a hand. A bright flash erupted from his palm, pure light radiating toward Austin's eyes. It was a solid attempt, but Austin barely flinched—he could still see through the dim glow.

"Lucian, this is not enough," Austin sighed. "If you're going to use light to blind someone, make it sear into their vision, not just give them a headache." He dodged another of Yanika's strikes, then swiped a hand through the air, knocking her sword aside.

Despite their efforts, the battle ended the same way it had the past ten times—Austin standing tall while the four of them lay defeated on dirt, catching their breath.

"Again?" Yanika huffed.

Austin cracked his neck. "Obviously."

They tried again.

In a blur of movement, Austin closed the distance between them, his stick whistling through the air.

Thwack!

Yanika barely had time to react before the strike landed against her ribs. She staggered back, wincing. "Your stance is too rigid. You're leaving your sides completely open."

And again.

Austin darted past Penelope and Cai. "You were supposed to guard your support but failed. The consequence? His life."

Before Lucian could even process what happened, Austin pivoted and jabbed him lightly in the stomach.

Thud.

Lucian let out a choked sound, doubling over. "You're too focused on channeling magic. Move your feet, or you're nothing more than a stationary target."

And again.

Cai fired a burst of wind at his back, but Austin spun on his heel, evading effortlessly. With a sharp stomp, he turned the ground beneath her into mud, throwing off her balance before tapping the back of her knee.

Smack.

Cai yelped, collapsing into a crouch. "Your spellcasting is too obvious. If you don't mask your intent, you'll be taken out before you even finish an incantation."

"Again!"

Penelope panicked, launching a barrage of rod-like steel in retaliation. But Austin sidestepped effortlessly and flicked his stick against her wrist.

Tap.

She flinched, losing control of her spell. "You hesitate in close range. That split second of doubt is all it takes to get yourself killed."

All four of them groaned in frustration, clutching their sore spots as Austin rested the stick over his shoulders. He exhaled, shaking his head. "Fourteen times, and I still see the same mistakes."

No matter how many times they coordinated their attacks, no matter how hard they pushed themselves, the outcome remained the same—defeat.

Lucian was sprawled on the ground, panting heavily. "This is impossible," he mumbled between breaths. "Why can't we beat you when you're barely even trying? You're using a stick for gods' sake! And all you do with it is parry Yanika's—whatever you call it—sword? Staff? I don't even know anymore!"

Austin smirked, resting the so-called decoration on his shoulder. "You're thinking about it the wrong way." He surveyed the four of them, arms crossed. "Performance rating: one out of ten."

A collective groan filled the clearing.

Without wasting time, Austin turned to Yanika first.