Chris stood confidently at the center of the eastern training arena, the sunlight falling over him like the stage had been prepared for his arrival.
There was no nervousness in his posture. No hesitation in the way he held himself before the gathered students. He looked calm, proud, and almost polished beneath the open sky, as if this moment had not happened by accident but had been shaped carefully long before anyone else understood what was taking place. His academy uniform was neat, his shoulders squared, and his smile carried just enough restraint to seem controlled rather than openly smug.
After greeting the crowd, he let the silence stretch for a moment longer than necessary.
