Elias stepped out into the crisp morning air, dressed in his training uniform, the weight of sleep still lingering beneath his eyes. The courtyard was already alive with motion—students stretching, sparring, meditating to focus their mana. Blades clashed in the distance. Sparks of magic flickered like fireflies around some of the more advanced students. The buzz of competition hung in the air, thick with tension and the sharp scent of sweat and steel.
He took one hesitant step forward when a familiar voice rang through the courtyard.
"Elias!"
He turned just in time to see Serelith approaching at a near skip, her golden hair catching the morning light like a halo. Before he could brace himself, she slipped her arm through his with a casual grace that left him stunned.
"Wha—" he started, but his words trailed off as she beamed up at him.
"We've been waiting for you! Come on, let's go." she said cheerfully, tugging him toward the center of the courtyard like they'd been friends forever.
His steps stumbled a bit at first, but he let himself be pulled along.
What is with her and the sudden familiarity?
He wondered, glancing down at their locked arms. His heart thudded once, awkwardly, before he forced himself to look ahead.
As they approached the gathered group, Elias immediately recognized most of the faces.
Kaelrix was stretching his arms with ease, nodding to Slain, who seemed to be bubbling with excitement even this early. Dante stood off to the side, arms crossed, his cold gaze sweeping the courtyard like a hawk. Near him, Ashton and Nantos were already discussing training strategies, voices low but intense. And then—of course—Zaden stood in the center like he owned the place, tossing a small mana orb between his fingers, smirking at anyone who dared glance his way.
Sarina stood close to him, arms folded, her expression unreadable as always.
But then, three new faces turned toward Elias.
A girl with short, midnight-blue hair and striking emerald eyes stepped forward. She wore confidence like armor.
"Hi, Elias. I'm Daina Seravit." she said with a warm smile, extending her hand.
Before he could respond, a boy with dark bronze skin and sharp, amber-colored eyes stepped beside her. His hair was tied loosely behind his head, and his lean, toned figure spoke of someone who spent a lot of time training—someone dangerous.
"And I'm Razah Nakshi." he said, his voice calm and clear, but there was something in his gaze—calculated, watchful.
Just then, another figure stepped forward from the group. He was tall and composed, his movements fluid like water, yet there was an edge to him that couldn't be ignored. His silver-blue hair fell neatly over one eye, and his uniform looked untouched—precise, almost like it was part of him. But what stood out most were his eyes: a deep violet, cold and unreadable.
"I am Simyle Sanarat." he said, his voice smooth, almost too smooth—like velvet stretched over steel. "A pleasure… Elias Astiars."
He didn't smile, didn't blink—just stared with that unsettling calm, as if measuring Elias not as a person, but as a variable. A factor in a larger game.
Elias blinked, momentarily taken aback by how many people seemed to know him—or want to.
What is this? Some secret recruitment club for the socially confused?
"Uh… hey." Elias managed, shaking Daina's hand awkwardly before nodding at Razah. "Nice to meet you both."
"Serelith told us you might join us for training." Daina said, her tone light. "So we thought we'd all start off together today."
"She also said you're pretty strong when you stop pretending not to be." Razah added, his tone just a little too neutral to be friendly—or hostile.
Serelith chuckled at that, finally letting go of Elias's arm. "Don't let his tone fool you—he's curious. That's his way of saying he's impressed."
Elias rubbed the back of his neck, trying not to look as uncomfortable as he felt.
Why does it feel like I've accidentally become the center of attention? Again.
"Well." Kaelrix chimed in with a grin. "Now that everyone's here—let's see what we're working with. We've got three days to become tournament material, and we're not wasting a second."
Elias took a deep breath.
Three days. A group of powerful misfits. And eyes watching my every move.
This was going to be interesting.
As the group began preparing for the session—stretching limbs, summoning mana into their palms, exchanging practice weapons—Elias leaned slightly toward Serelith, keeping his voice low so only she could hear.
"Serelith… why are they here?" he asked, eyeing the corner of the courtyard where Dante, Ashton, Nantos, and even Sarina stood.
She blinked at him, a bit confused. "Who?"
"My roommates. And Sarina." he clarified, nodding subtly in their direction.
A flash of understanding crossed her face. "Oh. Right."
She tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear before answering. "Well… Razah's actually close friends with Dante and the other three. They've trained together before, so when he found out about our group, he asked if they could join."
Elias furrowed his brows. "He asked?"
"Yeah. He said he didn't want to train without them. Something about sharpening steel with steel." She said with a little shrug.
"I didn't mind. We need more people to push ourselves anyway."
That didn't sit well with Elias. Dante and I in the same group? What could possibly go wrong?
"And Sarina?" he added, glancing toward the tall, quiet girl who stood off to the side, arms folded, eyes sharp even in silence.
Serelith hesitated for a second before answering more softly. "She's my roommate. Doesn't really talk much—kinda introverted, you know? But… I thought maybe if she spent time with us, she might open up a little. She's not bad company once you get past the whole 'I might stab you if you say the wrong thing' vibe."
Elias blinked. "That's oddly specific."
Serelith chuckled. "Yeah, well, she hasn't stabbed me yet. So I call that a win."
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"So basically, this group went from 'we're gonna train together' to 'let's invite everyone we've ever known who might kill us in our sleep.'"
"Exactly." she said brightly, not missing a beat. "Isn't it fun?"
Elias looked around again at the deadly mix of personalities circling the courtyard like blades waiting to be drawn.
Fun wasn't the word he'd use. But it was definitely something.
And whatever it was… it had already begun.