The previous night had been a fortable one for Krion. Ohey had returned from the tral Archive, he had takeime to prepare another dinner for himself and Hatsuhe meal had passed iive silence, but he could tell that the Leporine was gradually being more fortable with him. After he had ed up, with Hatsune again helping him with the dishes, he had goo his room while Hatsune had excused herself to take some time iing the various rooms and hidden ers of Banor. She assured him that she would be back to the room before he turned in for the night.
For his part, Krion thought that she was less ied in ensuring the security of the residend more in seeking a break from his presence. He uood, so he gave her some space. While she was doing that, he had gotten ready for bed and focused his attention on his new Assessment Orb. Initially, he had some faint hope that he would be able to tap into an Essence immediately, but as the minutes passed, the sphere remained unresponsive. Frustration soo up on in, but rather tha upset he set it aside, resolving to tirying eaight before bed. Hatsune had e back to the room not much ter, and after a brief goodnight, had taken what was fast being her regur spot on the couch. He wasn’t sure who fell asleep first.
When m came, Krion gave Hatsune some time to get dressed ao the kit to prepare a hearty breakfast. In the process of pulling out some eggs, Krion noticed that the food supply would st maybe the rest of the week. At that point, he would have to figure out a way to restock the kit. Perhaps he could ask a Seer. He hadn’t been able to sider the issue further, as by that point Hatsune had shown up ready for breakfast and to escort him to his css for the day. bat Studies.
Krio a mixture of curiosity and apprehension for the uping course. He was by no meao fighting, based on what had happened over the previous few weeks, but her did he sider himself anything more than a beginner. Much of the experience he did have was shaped by the one-oraining sessions with Rolfun. His half-ogre friend had taught him the basics of using a greatsword, from the precise weight distribution of a swing to the importance of footwork in maintaining bance, yet those lessons had been practical and straightforward. If he could guess, the css sessions in bat Studies might be more uable, and how well his training with Rolfun would transte remaio be seen.
Before long the stone walls of the Martial Hall loomed before them, dark and imposing. As they went inside, Krion couldn’t help but look up at the intricate designs of the banners ad the front of the building that fluttered in the breeze. The interior was much like he had expected, with intricate stonework and refereo various battles and military figures from Imperial history. Or at least, that was what he guessed they were, as he had only the text of where he was to determine what was around him. Students, the majority in their first year based on their uniforms, moved through the halls to their s.
When Krioually found the room his bat Studies css was supposed to be in, he was supposed to see that a h rough handwriting had been pced on the door direg students down the hall to a gymnasium at the back of the Martial Hall. Exging a look with Hatsuhey made their way there. The closer they got to their destination, the clearer Krion could make out the faint sounds of bat — sharply timed blows, the rhythm of feet shifting across the ground. He pushed a set of doors open that stood o a pcard that said they were at the right pce. trary to the gyms he had been in ba Earth, the one in the Martial Hall was not an open space but rather seemed to be divided into four separate ses whose walls did not quite reach the ceiling. The sounds of bat were louder now, and faster, but all he saw in front of him was a group of students. Perhaps the sound was ing from one of the other areas.
Despite his i iing a glimpse of who was fighting, Krio in the dire of a gathered group of students who looked like they might be in his css. Before he could ask someone, he overheard firmation that they had indeed e to the right spot. Standing at the back of the group, he noticed that ss and bodyguards alike were once again avoiding looking in his dire. After briefly firming that Redrek and Valdre nor their bodyguards were present, he put it out of his mind. Instead, he focused on the space he and Hatsune were now in, hoping to get some insight into what css would be like.
The space practically reeked with the st of sweat, wood, aal. Scattered along the walls were various training equipment — dummies, stacks of sparring ons, shields, and training armor. Across the floor were painted lines, but rather than the more familiar outlines of a basketball court, they were a fusing mix of circles and boxes. Used for sparring would be his guess. As he looked around, he heard the door to the gymnasium open again, so he turo look, expeg that it was the Professor who was arriving in time to get the css started.
Instead, he saw Hector.
Much like every other time he had seen him, Hector carried himself with an air of fidence, his bodyguard close behind. The bodyguard gave him pause as he was a race Krion had not yet seen. He was a t figure cloaked in a dark, seamless robe that cealed a muscur frame. His blue scales shimmered faintly uhe light while his slit-pupiled eyes surveyed the surroundings with an uling, predatory calm. A curved bde rested at his hip, its hilt shaped like the head of a serpent. The snakekin, for ck of a better word, had movements that were fluid and deliberate, bringing to mind a cobra uncoiled and ready to strike. Though silent, his presence exuded a quiet menace. He was dangerous.
Turning his attention back to Hector, Krion made eye tact with the other s. This time, unlike in their other shared css, wheor saw him he did not head in his dire. Instead, he gave a casual wave and mouthed something about ter. Perhaps he wao talk with Krion after css? Unlike most of the others of noble lineage he had met so far, Hector had been nothing but helpful. Ihe other s’s advice had been good and Krion couldn’t deny that Hector had made an ho effort to be friendly. He would have to see what Hector wanted after css, but he still had hope that he might bee, if not a friend, at least an ally for the rest of the year and beyond.
“Looks like Hector wants to talk after css,” Krion said quietly, turning to Hatsune, who was already watg the other s with her usual sharp eye.
Hatsune’s ears shifted back towards the door, “That would make sense, as the Professor is about to arrive.”
The door opened yet again, and the room fell silent as a man who could only be their Professor strode to the ter of the gymnasium, his boots eg sharply against the floor. Murmuring picked up as his dark eyes surveyed the gathered students, scrutinizing eae as though he could already measure their potential — or ck thereof. Krio Hatsuiffen at his side when those eyes drifted over them.
“Gather ‘round,” the professor barked, his grizzled voice cutting through the renewed murmurs. The students shuffled closer, f a loose semi-circle around him.
“I am Professor Ardek Thrain,” he began, his tone as sharp as the bde strapped to his side. “For those of you who don’t know my name, which should be all of you first years,” he said with a sharp grin, “you’ll learn to respect it before long. This is bat Studies, the foundation of your ability to survive and thrive in the Academy — and beyond.”
He paused, letting his words sink in before tinuing. “This course is not about some fancy tricks or showmanship,” he growled, “and if you want that, I ence you to go bae to hire one of the armsmasters that subscribe to that nonsense. No, this css is about the art of in and simple. bat is chaos. It doesn’t care how noble your house is, how fancy your style is, or how clever you think you are. It cares only about ohing: who’s left standing at the end.”
Thrain crossed his arms, his muscur frame a testament to the traini in to stay bat-ready. His gaze swept across the students again, lingering momentarily on a few, including Krion. “In this css, you’ll learn to fight. Not just to swing a on or throunch, but to uand bat — how to read your oppo, how to exploit weaknesses, and how to turhe worst situation to your advantage. A me be clear: I expect ead every one of you to give your all. Anything less is a waste of my time — and yours.”
Thrain’s eyes shifted to the bodyguards standing alongside their ss. “Now, some of you may think that your bodyguard’s job is to handle all the fighting while you stand bad watch. Let me disabuse you of that notiht now. A s that ’t defend themselves is a liability, no matter how powerful their bodyguard might be. In this course, both ss and bodyguards will train together. You’ll spar together, strategize together, and, ultimately, fight together.”
Krio a flicker of anticipation as Thrain tinued. “Bodyguards, your role is crucial. You’re not just a shield; you’re aension of your s. Your skill and strength should plement theirs, and vice versa. But don’t think for a moment that this means ss sck off. If anything, you’ll be held to an even higher standard. After all, your name carries weight, and that weight will either elevate you — or crush you.”
Thrain began to pace slowly across the front of the group of gathered ss and bodyguards. “This course will test your ability to work as a team. It will test your trust, your unication, and your willio put everything on the line for each other. Because, let me tell you, out there—” he gestured broadly as if to enpass the entire Academy and beyond— “there are no sed ces. If you fail, you die. And if you die, y your House and yacy down with you.”
Thrain stopped pag and faced the group directly. “With that being said, bat Studies is divided into three main pos. The first is skill development. This includes on training, hand-to-hand bat, aually, the use of magical and Essence-based attacks in battle. Though the tter two might well take you until the sed year or ter to begin doing. Regardless, whether you wield a on, cast spells, or rely on raw strength, you will refine your teiques to a razor’s edge.”
“The sed po,” he tinued, “is tactics. Knowing how to fight is ohing; knowing how to win is another. You’ll study battlefield sarios, learn to anticipate your oppo’s moves, and adapt to ging circumstances. We’ll cover everything from one-on-one duels to the roles of individuals in rge-scale es, so be prepared to think as much as you sweat.”
“And finally,” Thrain’s voice hardened, “there’s survival. bat isn’t just about defeating your enemy; it’s about enduring the fight. You’ll learn how to push past your limits, manage your resources, and recover from setbacks. Because in the real world, there’s no such thing as a fair fight.”
The emphasis that Thrain utting on the individual made seo Krion after a moment of thinking about it. While he was just as excited to get started learning about the Empire’s wars and battles of the past, his brief time learning how to fight with Rolfun had shown him that before he could lead others, he first o uand the proper way to fight himself. Given how magid Essences existed here and how levels could push capabilities far beyond that of soldiers oh, Krion was, in a way, relieved that he would be taking time to uand the basics a bit more before diving into the more plicated topics. Based on the groans around him, he was only one of the few that felt that way, however.
Thrain’s lips curled into a grim smile. “Now, let’s talk about your final exam. By the end of this course, you’ll be expected to put everything you’ve learo the ultimate test — a Dungeon run.”
A murmur of surprise rippled through the group, but Thrain sile with a raised hand. “For the unaware, which I hope is very few of you, Dungeons offer a perfect setting to assess how well you have learned what I will be teag you. They are uable, dangerous, and unfiving. Eae is unique, filled with traps, monsters, and challenges desigo test your every skill. For this exam, you and your bodyguard will form a party and desd into the Pit, the Academy’s designated first-year training Dungeon. Make no mistake, this will be one of the most challenging experiences of your first year. Much like the enemies of the Empire beyond this Academy, Dungeons do not care about your lineage or your potential. I ence you all to pay attention during css so that don’t find out what it is like to lose someone on a Dungeon run.”
The professor let his words hang in the air for a moment before tinuing once more. “The stakes are high, but so are the rewards. Those who excel in bat Studies gain more than just a grade. You’ll earn respect, reition, and opportuhat could shape your future. And for those of you ire to greatness, let me remind you that nothing worth having es without risk.” He g a few ss eared particurly nervous. “If you’re afraid, good. Fear keeps you sharp. But don’t let it trol you. el it. Use it. Because in this css, fear is just another on that you will learn to wield.”
Thrain took a step back, his gaze sweeping over the group one final time. “This is your ce to prove yourselves. To your peers, to your Houses, and to me. Show me that you have what it takes to survive, to adapt, to win.”
He gestured toward the ons racks lining the nearby wall. “Now, both ss and bodyguards: choose your training ons. We start now.”
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