The silence that followed was deafening. Towan felt his throat tighten as Rheon’s words sank in, their weight pressing down like a challenge.

“To start,” Rheon continued, gesturing to the conduits, “each pair will select an element to work with. Your goal is simple: one of you will focus on creating an offensive technique, while the other must neutralize it. You’ll then switch roles. The key here is efficiency—minimal energy wasted, maximum precision. Every misstep will cost you in a real fight, and I expect none here today.”

Sylra nudged Towan with her elbow, her smirk softening into something more encouraging. “Relax,” she whispered. “You’ve got this.”

Towan nodded stiffly, though his fingers twitched at his sides. He glanced at the conduits, the natural Essentia within him thrumming faintly in response. He wasn’t sure if Sylra’s confidence in him was misplaced or if she simply enjoyed the idea of a challenge.

Rheon stepped back, crossing his arms as he surveyed the room. “Begin,” he commanded, his voice echoing like a crack of thunder.

The students hesitated for only a moment before moving toward the conduits. The air grew thick with tension as pairs began to strategize, murmured plans mixing with the hum of elemental energy.

“I’ve heard from Professor Valeryn that you’ve already made pairs,” Rheon said, his voice calm but with an undertone of finality. “Keep them. I expect this will make things easier for you—or at least, less chaotic.”

Towan’s stomach dropped. What?! The thought practically screamed in his head as he glanced at Sylra, who was standing with her arms crossed, looking completely at ease. I have to work with her again? And on something even harder?

His mind raced, trying to piece together the logistics. When did they even talk? Valeryn left her classroom after the students… and yet here they were, locked into pairs as if it had been planned all along.

From behind him, Elliot leaned in with a teasing grin. “You nervous, buddy?” he asked, his voice low enough not to draw Rheon’s attention but loud enough to hit its mark.

Towan frowned, his jaw tightening. Before he could respond, Alira piped up from beside Elliot, her voice warm and encouraging. “You’ve got this, beast,” she said with a grin, already tugging Elliot away toward another platform. “Don’t let her show you up!”

Towan sighed as he watched them leave. Easy for them to say. At least they’re not paired with someone who’s going to judge their every move.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

As the other students moved to their platforms, the air grew heavier with anticipation. The hum of elemental conduits activating filled the room, mingling with the faint murmurs of strategies being formed. Each pair seemed to approach their turn with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

Finally, it was Towan and Sylra’s turn. The platform loomed ahead of them, its surface faintly glowing from the Essentia seals etched into its design. The seals pulsed softly, as if eager to absorb and withstand the chaos that was about to unfold.

Towan hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady himself. You’ve got this, Towan. It’s just control. Control’s your thing. Easy, right?

But as he stepped onto the platform, his confidence wavered. Sylra was already standing at the opposite end, her posture relaxed, her arms loosely at her sides. She didn’t look nervous in the slightest. In fact, her expression was calm—almost amused, as if she was waiting to see what he’d do first.

“Relax, Towan,” Sylra called out, her tone light but with a hint of teasing. “I don’t bite. Well, not too hard, anyway.”

Towan rolled his eyes, though he couldn’t help the slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Great. Not only is she good at this, but she’s also got jokes.

The platform vibrated faintly as the Essentia seals brightened, signaling that their session was officially starting. Towan clenched his fists, feeling the faint hum of natural Essentia building within him. Across the platform, Sylra’s connection to the wind element was already palpable. The air around her seemed to shift subtly, responding to her even before she made a move.

He squared his shoulders, forcing himself to meet her gaze. Alright. Focus. Just don’t screw this up in front of her—or Rheon.

Sylra tilted her head slightly, her smirk softening into something almost encouraging. “Ready when you are,” she said, her voice steady. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Towan stood across from Sylra, the faint hum of energy from the conduits filling the air between them. The fire in Sylra’s confident gaze hadn’t wavered, even as she shifted to a defensive stance. Her connection with the wind conduit seemed effortless, the swirling air bending around her like a second skin.

“You ready, Towan?” Sylra asked, her voice cutting through the ambient hum. The wind stirred her hair as if responding to her emotions—eager, playful, but controlled. “You’ll have to give it everything if you don’t want me to embarrass you in front of the class.”

Towan exhaled slowly, trying to calm the jittery energy bubbling inside him. His connection to natural Essentia wasn’t as immediate or intuitive as Sylra’s connection to her element. Natural Essentia felt raw and unshaped, like trying to grab hold of a river’s current with bare hands. It wasn’t flashy or reactive—it was pure energy, subtle and unpredictable.

“Embarrass me, huh?” Towan muttered, meeting her smirk with a tentative smile. “Guess I’ll just have to prove you wrong.” He spread his stance and focused, feeling the familiar pulse of energy deep within. It was steady but chaotic, eager to burst forth if he let his concentration waver.

“Good,” Sylra said, her grin widening. “I like a challenge.”

Rheon’s sharp voice echoed from across the room, cutting through the tension. “Towan. You’re on the offensive first. Show me what you’ve got.”