The following morning, fog hung low over the academy fields — thick enough to swallow sound. The air smelled faintly of burnt ozone, leftover from yesterday's training disasters.
Jayden trudged toward the gymnasium with Kael half-asleep beside him, clutching a thermos like it was sacred.
"You ever think Inbound's trying to kill us slowly?" Kael muttered.
"Pretty sure she's succeeding," Jayden said.
Ahead, Kira was already at the door, arguing with a senior cadet who guarded the equipment room. Her voice carried through the mist.
"I signed for that training permit yesterday!" she snapped.
The boy shrugged. "Then sign again. Policy update."
Kira's eyes flared, but before she could speak, Aiden's heavy steps cut through the tension. He walked straight past the guard, took the clipboard, and handed it to Kira. "She signed. Move."
The guard hesitated, then wisely stepped aside.
Kael whistled. "See, that's what I like about Earth users. Straightforward solutions."
Inbound's voice echoed from the hallway. "If you're done breaking rules before breakfast, report to the track. Now."
The field had changed.
Five dummies stood in a circle, each glowing with a faint sigil — elemental resonance targets. The exercise board labeled it Coordination Trial: Class 3.
Inbound paced slowly around them, her coat brushing frost. "You'll run relay combat rotations. Coordination, not strength. The dummies shift resonance every ten seconds. Hit the wrong phase, you lose points."
Kael frowned. "So… a team test?"
"Exactly," Inbound said. "You'll rotate in pairs. Synchronize on instinct. No talking."
Jayden's eyes met hers briefly — she wasn't looking for control. She wanted to see who adapted.
"Ready?" she said.
They nodded.
"Begin."
The targets pulsed red. Kira moved first — flame flaring, controlled, clean. Jayden followed, water cutting through the residual heat, cooling the air just enough for Lyra's wind to spiral into focus.
Kael stepped in with his lightning — steady this time, not reckless — grounding through Aiden's stabilizing pillars.
It almost looked like choreography. Almost.
Until one target flickered between phases too fast. Kira missed the signal by half a second — her flame collided with Jayden's stream, bursting into a cloud of vapor.
Visibility dropped instantly.
Jayden squinted through the steam. "Adjust left!"
"No talking," Inbound barked.
He bit down on a curse, motioning with his hand instead. Lyra caught the signal, directing her wind to clear the fog. Kael moved in behind them, landing the final strike.
The dummy shattered, scattering sparks.
Inbound clicked her pen, expression unreadable. "Better. Slower than optimal, but better."
Kael grinned through his sweat. "You mean amazing."
"No," she said flatly. "Just not a disaster."
After drills, they sat by the field steps, exhausted. The sky had turned bright, sunlight cutting through the remaining fog.
Kira leaned back against the railing, breathing hard.
"Two days straight of assessments. What's she trying to prove?"
Aiden shrugged. "That we're not hopeless?"
"Not working," Kael muttered.
Lyra glanced up, her tone even. "You're improving."
Kael blinked. "Was that… encouragement?"
She stood, brushing dust from her uniform. "Observation."
Jayden couldn't help the faint smile tugging at his lips. "Close enough."
They sat there a while longer — not as strangers anymore, but not quite friends either. The space between them wasn't cold now, just quiet.
Students passed by in groups, laughing, gossiping about weekend passes and rumors of an incoming inspection from the central academy board.
Kira's eyes followed them. "I heard the inspection team isn't just for records. They're checking combat units too. The last academy failed the sync trials, and half their teams got reassigned."
Kael's grin faltered. "Wait, reassigned like… kicked out?"
"Or transferred," Aiden said. "If we don't rank high enough by end term, we lose squad status."
Jayden's stomach tightened. "So that's what this is about."
Lyra's voice was quiet but sure. "Then we can't fail again."
Inbound's distant whistle cut through the courtyard air, summoning them for afternoon rounds. The moment broke, but something in their silence shifted — not fear, not pride. Determination.
Lyra finally said, "We'll figure it out."
Jayden looked at her — really looked — and nodded once. "Yeah. We will."