Chapter 89: Zephyr vs Seralyn
"Next". The sharp bark of the instructor’s voice snapped Zephyr out of his thoughts like a whip. His shoulders twitched slightly before he sat straighter, blinking at the loosely formed combat circle in front of him.
The instructor stood in the center like a weathered monument—stone-faced and built like one too. He was a member of the Vermilion Clan, and the distinct features made that fact impossible to miss— murky yellow hair that looked like burnt gold left out in a storm, sun-tanned skin crisscrossed with old battle scars, and an Aether presence so thick it made the air feel sluggish around him. Zephyr didn’t know his name and wasn’t interested in asking.
His eyes, narrow and dull like aging amber, scanned the crowd with quiet contempt, as if everyone here had already failed him before even lifting a weapon.
"Get in the ring," the man said again, and this time Oliver trudged over to Zephyr’s side, wincing as he moved.
Even though Zephyr had zoned out he didn’t need an Oracle to tell him that Oliver got his ass whooped.
Zephyr rubbed his eyes. The day had started early.
He’d jolted awake when space itself whispered to him—someone approaching. It wasn’t loud or threatening, just a faint bend in space that tickled his skin. His instincts flared and he leapt to his feet... only to find Oliver sheepishly reaching out to shake him awake.
"You’re jumpy in the morning". Oliver had laughed, clearly startled.
The girls had already taken their bath, returning fully dressed. It was the boys’ turn. Zephyr followed Oliver’s lead around the massive tree at the edge of the dorms, arriving at a small bathhouse. It was called "small," but only in comparison to the world-sized tree it crouched behind.
Inside, their toiletries were set up like military gear—organized, minimal, and generic. They washed near the steaming pools and soaked briefly in silence. The mist was comforting.
Afterwards, they returned to the building, slipped into the standard academy and everyone headed to their respective corners.