Chapter 181: Hold the Line
Nox took off first, already carrying the weight, weaving through the new obstacles Lyra had added. They were tighter now, placed in awkward spots that forced him to think while moving.
"Why is this worse than yesterday?" she shouted as he ducked past a swinging bar.
Arthur didn’t answer.
He was already moving.
Fire gathered in his palm and he sent it forward without hesitation. Not wild, not reckless. Controlled.
But still heavy.
"Move, Nox!" Arthur called out.
"I am moving!" Nox snapped back, barely slipping past another attack.
Selene wasn’t standing still anymore.
That was the biggest change.
Yesterday she practiced not staying in one place buy today she moved with more purpose, adjusting her position, cutting off angles.
Her shots came faster.
Cleaner.
"Left!" she called.
As a sharp strike flew toward Nox from a blind angle.
He barely saw it.
Althea reacted first.
A soft glow spread from her hands and wrapped around Nox just before the hit landed.
The impact softened.
Nox still stumbled.
"Ouch," she muttered, not slowing down.
Torren stepped in next.
A heavier layer reinforced the shield for a brief moment, just enough to keep Nox steady as he pushed forward again.
But they weren’t free.
Arthur’s attacks kept coming. it wasn’t constant, but well timed and accurate.
He didn’t waste his mana.
Every strike had intent behind it.
And Ryn noticed.
Ryn moved in.
Fast.
He didn’t try to block the fire directly. Instead he closed the distance, aiming to break Arthur’s rhythm.
Arthur saw him coming.
"Of course you would," he muttered.
Ryn stepped into range and swung.
Arthur shifted.
His body moved easier now, smoother.
Intent Skin activated almost without thought.
The moment Ryn’s strike came in, Arthur raised his arm.
Thud.
The impact landed but spread across the layer.
Arthur stepped back, but not as much as before.
Ryn’s eyes sharpened.
"You’re getting used to it."
Arthur smirked.
"Trying to."
Ryn didn’t give him time to talk more.
Another strike.
Arthur blocked again, but this time he answered.
A quick burst of fire forced Ryn to step back.
"Still annoying," Ryn said.
Arthur laughed.
"That’s the plan."
They moved again.
Arthur kept his focus split.
Part of him handled Ryn.
The other part supported the drill.
Fire shots aimed at pressure points, forcing movement, forcing mistakes.
Selene adjusted again, her timing getting better.
Torren held steady.
Althea kept watching everything.
And Nox...
"I hate all of you," she said while jumping over another obstacle.
But she didn’t stop moving.
Yesterday, she struggled, but today, she adapted even better.
Even if she kept complaining every few minutes.
The drill continued.
Each of them pushed harder.
Mistakes still happened, but they corrected quicker.
Arthur noticed it, they were syncing better.
Ryn felt it too.
So he pushed more. But Arthur matched him immediately.
Fire clashed with movement.
Pressure met pressure.
And slowly, they all started reaching their limit.
Their breathing got heavier and movements slowed just a bit.
But no one gave up yet.
Lyra watched everything.
Quiet and observing.
She let it go on longer than the previous day as she tested to see where they would break.
Or if they would.
Arthur felt the strain in his body.
His control was slipping slightly but he adjusted quickly.
Focused and held on.
Then finally... "Stop."
The word cut through everything.
They all froze.
Nox dropped the weight immediately.
"I’m done," she said, lying flat on the ground.
"No one talk to me."
Selene sat down where she stood earlier, catching her breath.
Torren rolled his shoulders.
Althea leaned slightly, exhaling slowly.
Arthur stood still for a second before letting his mana fade.
He wiped his face.
"...That was better."
Ryn nodded.
"Way better."
Nox raised a hand from the ground.
"I disagree."
Arthur laughed.
"You survived."
"Barely."
They all started talking at once.
Complaining.
Joking.
Pointing out mistakes.
The mood felt lighter even with the exhaustion.
Lyra let them be.
She didn’t interrupt as she observed.
There was something different about them now.
The communication wasn’t perfect. But it definitely felt closer now.
After a while, she stepped forward.
"That’s enough."
They quieted down slowly.
Lyra crossed her arms.
"We’re starting the team drill."
Groans followed immediately.
Nox sat up.
"Already?"
Selene sighed.
"You’re serious?"
Lyra raised a brow.
"Did you expect a break?"
Arthur chuckled.
"You’re asking the wrong person."
Nox pointed at him again.
"You enjoy this too much."
Arthur shrugged.
"Someone has to."
Lyra didn’t take their reactions seriously.
She could see it.
They were tired.
But they also wanted more.
They just wouldn’t say it out loud.
"Listen," she said.
They focused.
"This time, we change things."
She stepped forward and started dividing them.
"Teams."
They straightened.
Lyra pointed.
"Ryn. Selene. Torren. You’re together."
The three of them nodded.
Then she looked at the others.
"Arthur. Althea. Nox."
Arthur glanced at his team.
Nox sighed.
"Guess I’m stuck with you again."
Arthur smirked.
"You’ll survive."
Althea smiled softly.
"It’s not a bad team."
They all understood what Lyra was doing.
Mixing them and forcing them to adapt.
Ryn looked at his group.
"Let’s make it work."
Selene nodded.
Torren cracked his neck.
"Simple enough."
Then Lyra added something unexpected.
"I’m joining."
They all paused.
"...What?" Nox said.
Lyra walked to the center of the training ground.
"You’ll be facing me."
Arthur’s eyes lit up slightly.
Now this is interesting.
He had sparred her before.
But this...
This was different.
A team against her.
He smiled.
"Yeah... this is good."
Lyra ignored him.
Instead, she drew a circle on the ground.
Not too big.
Not too small.
Just enough space for what she intended as she stepped inside it.
Then she brought out a core.
She held it up so they could all see.
"This is the objective."
They all focused.
Lyra explained.
"You win if you keep me out of this circle for three seconds."
Arthur nodded slowly.
"Or?"
Lyra’s lips curved slightly.
"Or you knock this out of my hand."