The field exploded into motion the second Vance finished speaking.
Cadets scattered in every direction at once, calling names across the crowd, pulling friends aside by the sleeve, some already deep in strategy conversations and others just spinning in place trying to locate the one person they'd decided they needed.
Lucas stayed where he was for a moment, one hand against his chin.
'Alright. Think about this properly.
Nova. I've been training with him for months. I know his rhythm, when he attacks, when he pulls back, and he knows me just as well.' A small smirk arrived without being invited.
'That kind of understanding… it's not easy to build. We might actually pull this off cleanly. not having to explain yourself mid-fight is worth more than raw stats.'
He'd made up his mind before he finished the thought.
A few steps away, Sylvia was running her own calculation with the focused stillness she brought to everything.
