The courtyard was silent. Then Kayvaan's voice cut through the heavy air. "I trust," he said, his voice low yet carrying across the gathered warriors, "that you all understand now."
Everyone listened intently, as if afraid to miss a single word. "This," Kayvaan continued, "is the power of careful observation." His gaze swept over them.
"And what you just saw? That was only the beginning." A murmur rippled through the group. "If you wish to learn it, I will teach you," Kayvaan went on.
"But let me make one thing clear—there are no guarantees. Some of you may succeed. Some of you will never grasp it, no matter how much effort you put in."
His voice hardened. "Diligence is required—but diligence alone is not enough. This skill demands talent. If you do not have the capacity for it, no amount of training will make up for that lack."
He let his words settle. "I expect skepticism. What you just witnessed seems… impossible. A person dodging crossbow fire at ten paces? It sounds like a tale out of myth."
Kayvaan folded his arms. "Perhaps you even suspect deception. That this was some staged trick between myself and Lancelot." His smirk returned.
"If you truly doubt it, then by all means—come forward. Fire your own arrows. Or, if you lack the confidence, let Lancelot fire upon you instead."
The courtyard remained still. The warriors stared straight ahead, backs stiff, unwilling to meet his gaze. Kayvaan let the silence stretch. "Good," he finally said.
"It seems you do trust me, after all. In that case, listen carefully." He began to pace. "The foundation of careful observation relies on the two most critical organs of the human body—the eyes and the brain."
He tapped his temple. "These two things separate you from beasts. Your mind allows you to think, to strategize, to analyze. Your eyes allow you to see, to perceive the world around you. Civilization itself is built upon the power of vision."
He gestured broadly. "Now, imagine this—what would happen if all of humanity were to suddenly go blind? What would the world become?"
He didn't wait for an answer. "Collapse. Instant collapse. It would be apocalyptic—proof of how precious these two things truly are."
Kayvaan's expression darkened. "Yet most men only realize their value after they've lost them." He stopped pacing and looked at them directly. "So tell me—why waste these gifts? Why not use them to their fullest potential?"
No one spoke. Kayvaan nodded, satisfied.
"Observation is not simply looking at something. It is seeing with purpose. First, your eyes gather information. Then, your brain interprets it. This process is what forms careful observation."
His tone sharpened. "It is both the simplest skill… and the most difficult." He paused. "Anyone can learn it. But how far you take it? That depends on you."
He let his words settle before continuing. "All events—all actions—leave behind traces before they happen," Kayvaan said.
"The universe is filled with signs. The swallows fly low before rain. The leaves fall before autumn sets in."
His eyes narrowed. "If you understand these signs, you can prepare. You will not be caught off guard. You will not be helpless." He let the silence stretch.
"This," he continued, "is how Rhianna was able to dodge an impossible shot. It was not a miracle. It was not divine intervention."
Kayvaan gestured toward her. "She knew where the bolt was going before Lancelot even fired."
A sharp breath of disbelief escaped from one of the warriors. Kayvaan ignored it.
"She observed—studied the angle of his crossbow, calculated the inevitable trajectory of the bolt.
The firing arc of a crossbow is predictable, almost a straight line at this range. Unlike a bow, it does not change with the user—it is set by the weapon's mechanics."
He let that sink in. "Now, if you know exactly where the bolt will land, what does that mean?" His voice was slow, deliberate. "It means all you need to do is move just enough."
His gaze locked onto them. "She watched Lancelot's hands, read the tension in his fingers, the tightening of his muscles—signs that betray the exact moment the trigger would be pulled."
Another pause. "With this knowledge, the rest is simple." He looked at them all. "Do you wish to be like Rhianna? To dodge a crossbow bolt at ten paces with ease?"
Kayvaan's voice carried across the courtyard, sharp and unwavering. "If you do, then you will have to study. And our next subject of study will be based entirely on her abilities."
He let that settle before continuing. "The first step to achieving this is learning a new discipline: biology."
A few warriors shifted at the unfamiliar word. Kayvaan smirked.
"In this course, you will come to understand how muscles and bones affect the movement of living beings. If you wish to anticipate an attack, you must first recognize the precursors to that attack.
What movements occur before a punch is thrown? What signals does the body give before it strikes?" His gaze swept over them.
"You will not just observe humans. Most creatures will become the subjects of your study."
Kayvaan folded his arms. "Let's start simple. If someone is about to throw a punch at you, what do they do first? No need for formalities—just answer."
One of the warriors hesitated before speaking. "They… get angry?"
"I know—they clench their fists!" another called out.
"They definitely raise their arm first!"
Kayvaan nodded. "Yes. As I've told you before—everything has signs. What you just described are indicators that someone is about to strike."
He took a few slow steps forward.
"These things tell us that an angry man might throw a punch. But that alone is not enough. When, exactly, will he strike? And how? What is the trajectory of his attack? What is the range?"
His voice grew sharper.
"You are all experienced warriors. You have fought. You have trained. You already make rough judgments in battle based on these signs. But rough judgments are not enough."
He let his words settle before continuing.
"What we will do next is refine those judgments—hone them to precision. You will learn to observe not just expressions and movements, but the way muscles and bones shift before an attack is made."
His eyes gleamed.
"You will learn to control not just yourself, but your enemies. You will learn how to manipulate rhythm—how to make your opponents move as you wish. You will use voice, body language, even the smallest of gestures to dictate their actions."
Kayvaan stopped and glanced at them. "There are things in your future that you cannot even imagine. Your training must prepare you for all of them."
He turned back. "And as of now, you must understand—every enemy is different. But their basic patterns do not change. What you must learn now is to recognize those patterns and make the right judgments."
He exhaled. "Starting today, we will have biology lessons every night. You will report to Auditorium 13 after dark."
He allowed a pause. "For now, we will continue our combat training."