The morning sun had barely broken through the haze of Neo-Arcadia when Leor and Arin met again at their familiar training lot. The city was quieter than usual, the usual hum of traffic muted under the weight of the week-long preparation.

  Leor jogged up to Arin, slightly out of breath. “We need to talk.”

  Arin raised an eyebrow, pausing mid-stretch. “Is this about yesterday’s spar? Because I think I blacked out mentally for half of it.”

  “No, it’s… more important than that.” Leor lowered his voice as he leaned against a concrete slab. “Elizabeth Brightheart… she came to my apartment last night.”

  Arin’s eyes widened slightly. “Elizabeth Brightheart?” His voice carried both awe and caution. “Wait… the Arcane student? The one people call Radiant Force?”

  Leor nodded. “Yes. She’s a second-year student at Arcane Academy now. And apparently… she was one of the strongest first-years the Academy has ever seen.”

  Arin whistled softly. “I’ve heard of her. Radiant Force. They say she can manipulate light— but nobody really knows the extent yet.

  Leor exhaled slowly. “She told me… everything. About the entrance exam, the Academy, and the political stakes.”

  Arin crossed his arms, attentive. “Go on. Start from the top.”

  Leor took a seat on a nearby concrete slab. “Arcane Academy isn’t just a school. It’s the most influential Academy in the Eastern Kingdom of Lysara. The entrance exam isn’t simply a measure of raw ability anymore—it’s about strategy, resilience, control, and political awareness. The Academy’s goal is to identify candidates who can serve not just as students, but as future leaders, military advisors, explorers, and influential ability users in the kingdom—and beyond.”

  Arin frowned. “So it’s basically… a recruitment program for elites.”

  “Exactly,” Leor continued. “She also told me about the continents. Azure Star has five in total. Four are inhabited—Elyndor, Virelia, Korrath, and Thassel—and one is the Wild Continent. Nobody knows what’s really out there, but the Academy uses their top students for exploration missions there. They monitor candidates with extreme potential for such roles.”

  Arin whistled again. “I’ve heard the Wild Continent is dangerous. Anything could be there—creatures, ancient ruins… even powers beyond comprehension.”

  Leor nodded. “Yeah. she gave me the names of the top academies in the world: Arcane Academy in Lysara, of course. Then there’s the Dominion Academy in Darvalin, the Frostspire Academy in Redwind, and the Obsidian Academy in Thassel.”

  Arin’s eyes lit up. “So four top academies. Each one’s the best in its kingdom, and Arcane is currently the most influential in Elyndor. Makes sense why she’s watching us.”

  Stolen story; please report.

  Leor’s jaw tightened slightly. “She also warned me—our abilities are being watched, analyzed, and evaluated. The entrance exam is no longer just about individual performance; it’s about political value, strategic thinking, and survival under extreme stress. Even side effects can be a deciding factor. Overstrain, poor energy management… all of that counts.”

  Arin’s expression shifted from fascination to concern. “And she’s… already second-year? That means she’s experienced, strong, and already has influence at the Academy. If she’s observing us, then we’re on their radar—big time.”

  “Exactly.” Leor ran a hand through his hair. “She called it a crucible. Every move we make is measured, judged, and compared to the Academy’s expectations. And our one-week prep… is all we have to refine, strengthen, and understand our abilities before the exam.”

  Arin frowned. “One week. That’s… not a lot of time. But we can do it. We’ve already figured out the basics of control, precision, and synergy. Now it’s about pushing the limits without breaking ourselves.”

  Leor nodded. “She specifically mentioned hidden side effects—like what we experienced during the spar yesterday. Push’s snapback, overcompression… your frost ability overproducing. We need to anticipate that and keep it under control. The Academy will be watching for candidates who can handle these conditions calmly, adapt, and execute strategically.”

  Arin smirked. “Well, you’ve already survived my blades of frost yesterday. That’s a good start.”

  Leor rolled his eyes, but a small smile formed. “We’ve got to be smarter this time. I don’t want another situation like yesterday.”

  Arin raised a hand, ice shards forming immediately. “Then let’s train. Precision, multi-construct coordination, and applying force under stress. We still have a week, and I want to make every hour count.”

  The rest of the day was spent in rigorous training.

  Leor focused on the palm imprint technique, gradually increasing the density and control of his pushes. He discovered that subtle variations in hand positioning allowed him to shape force more accurately. Sometimes, a single finger could redirect energy to create ripple effects across multiple surfaces.

  Arin, on the other hand, worked to expand his shard count further. By the afternoon, he had fourteen shards in constant motion and was beginning to experiment with overlapping formations, layering offensive and defensive constructs simultaneously. His control over thermal output had improved, reducing the creeping frost that had appeared during the sparring session.

  They alternated drills, applying pressure while introducing simulated combat scenarios. Leor would practice controlling pushes in motion, redirecting Arin’s ice shards, and then withdrawing safely to avoid snapback damage. Arin would test the formation limits, spinning shards in different planes, changing trajectory mid-flight, and forcing Leor to adjust force distribution dynamically.

  Between exercises, they would pause briefly to discuss adjustments, sharing observations on energy conservation, movement timing, and the hidden costs of repeated exertion.

  “Your wristband readings spike every time you compress force into tiny vectors,” Arin observed. “You might be underestimating how much energy you’re expending.”

  Leor wiped sweat from his brow. “Yeah, I feel it too. But if I don’t push small, precise bursts… I can’t control force in combat scenarios.”

  “And if I overextend my frost shards, my thermal balance destabilizes. Could get dangerous if it happens mid-fight.” Arin adjusted his stance, forming a spiral of ice blades around him. “We’ll need to manage this carefully during the exam. That’s why Elizabeth’s warning matters. She’s not just telling us what we already know—she’s giving us insight into Arcane’s evaluation criteria.”

  Leor nodded thoughtfully. “We’ll have to be tactical, not just strong.”

  By sunset, they were exhausted but satisfied. Their improvements were evident—the precision of Leor’s pushes, the efficiency of Arin’s multi-construct control, and the synchronization between their abilities had all advanced significantly.

  End of one-week prep:

  They collapsed onto separate concrete slabs, panting.

  Arin gave a satisfied grin. “Well… we’ve used the entire week wisely. Tomorrow, the entrance exam begins.”

  Leor leaned back, staring at the darkening sky. “One week. Enough time to push ourselves to our limits… and hope that it’s enough to survive Arcane Academy.”

  For a moment, they sat in silence, letting the city’s hum fade into the background. The lot had become their crucible, their testing ground, and now, after a week of focused training, they were ready—or as ready as anyone could be.