The snow crunched under Kael's boots as he stepped away from the Realm platform, the biting cold still clinging to his uniform like a stubborn frost. He exhaled, his breath steaming in the crisp air.
"Next week, then?" Seraphina's voice drifted over his shoulder, flat but final.
Kael turned, offering a lazy two-finger salute. "Same time. Don't ditch me."
She didn't reply, only gave a single nod before vanishing into the nearest shimmering portal, leaving behind only the faint scent of ozone.
Kael sighed, brushing lingering snow off his arms.
His body ached in all the usual places—shoulder, back, wrist—but it was a satisfying kind of soreness, a testament to his efforts. His task was complete. He had earned the right to his first technique.
And now, it was time for some official business.
He sprinted across the academy walkways, weaving through the afternoon crowd of students like a shadow in uniform.
