Two days later. The training ground. Packed earth, weapon racks. Mid-morning light slanted across the space.
Fin stood near the center again. Arachne and Scarlet stood opposite him, holding wooden swords. They moved through drills – block, parry, thrust, cut – their movements practiced, efficient. The clack of wood echoed rhythmically.
Meg sat on a low stone bench near the edge of the training ground. She wore simple clothes, different from the workout gear. She held a plain wooden cup in both hands, sipping slowly from it. Her face was pale, faint bruises still visible. She watched the others train, her expression quiet, observant.
Fin called out a sequence. "Parry high, spin, thrust low."
Arachne flowed through the movements, her blade precise, her balance perfect. Scarlet executed the moves with more flair, adding unnecessary flourishes but landing each step correctly. They reset.
"Again."
They repeated the sequence.
