บท 128: kill

The next morning, Esteria awoke to a faint rumbling that vibrated through the walls of her room. The air felt heavier, warmer, almost suffocating. She blinked against the faint glow of the firelight streaming through her window, her muscles aching from the previous day's exertion. Yet she pushed herself out of bed, determined not to show weakness—not to Gladius, not to Calyx, and most certainly not to herself.

The training ground, when she arrived, was a stark contrast to the day before. The once-vivid flames flickering along the boundary walls had dulled to an ominous ember. The sky overhead was a mix of dark orange and smoky gray, as though the Fire Nation itself was holding its breath. Gladius stood at the center, his imposing figure framed by a circle of blazing torches planted into the scorched earth.

"Good, you're here," he said, his deep voice carrying an edge of urgency.