Three days into training, Victor decided it was time to try the second core.
He waited until after the evening session, when Samuel had already left the yard and the others were the only ones around to witness it. Caleb noticed him pull the small crimson stone from his inventory before anyone else did.
"Please tell me you're not doing that again without a plan," Caleb said.
"I have a plan. The plan is to sit down first, this time."
"Wildly comforting."
"It's an improvement over last time."
Nyx crossed her arms. "Last time you nearly died on your bedroom floor alone. At least now we're here."
"To do what, exactly, if it goes wrong?"
"Panic more efficiently as a group," she said. "Coordination, remember?"
Victor almost laughed despite himself. He sat down against the training yard wall, the core warm in his palm, and looked up at the three of them standing over him with varying degrees of concern.
