Alex was the one to break the silence; he rolled his eyes and twisted his mouth. "Don’t you just say we are already far behind?"

"Of course. Is there a problem with that?" Kael asked.

Alex threw up his hands, but Stallus cut him off before he started speaking. "Uhm... Captain Kael, the problem is that we might not get our techniques attuned in time."

Kael Hound put up his fist and they all looked at him, stunned, then he changed it and spread his fingers—all five of them. "I will get you attuned in five days."

Azaroth raised his brows, so that’s what Kael was driving at. A shortcut again?

"What do you mean?" Stallus demanded as the shock passed; she gave the captain a look that meant he was being ridiculous.

"What do you think I meant? Exactly what I said earlier! I will get you attuned in five days." Kael leaned forward, his voice taking a dangerous tone of warning. "You might wish I didn’t, though."

Silence again until Alex tried to open his mouth more than two times before he blurted out, "Do you mean like putting pressure on our cores?"

The other two students reacted differently: Stallus flinched and Catena stilled. Azaroth himself did not react; he had already prepared his mind to cut any road for power. Still, he felt his cheek twitch as he remembered the fire that burned him.

Kael shrugged. "More or less. I will stretch your mind with training so that your attunement will be fast."

That’s good. How many more shortcuts does Kael Hound have? Azaroth looked at the Captain briefly with eagle eyes. Who taught the Captain?

Alex whistled. "Who would have thought! You’re trying to kill us, aren’t you?"

"I would not need all that to kill you," Kael said flatly, and Alex grumbled that there’s not much difference.

"How are you planning on doing it this time?" Stallus asked. "Since you are not putting pressure on our cores."

"Just training," Kael said simply, as if that explained everything.

It didn’t.

What type of training shrinks three weeks to five days? Azaroth wondered. The others must be too because the room suddenly became pensive.

"What type?" Alex asked.

"Never mind that for now. What I want now is to see how far you are in your Essence Forge." Kael pointed at Alex and Catena. "The two of you move to the fighting area and fight. Full force with Forge."

Alex grumbled, but he did as he was told, while Catena took his time in standing. Then he stretched, his joints popping before facing Kael. "Are we using our weapons?"

"Of course," Kael said.

The two moved to the fighting area and the rest turned to face them.

Alex’s sword rang as he drew it and took his usual stance, his leg planted solidly on the floor, his eyes on Catena, who had rolled his chains out.

Catena took the smooth ball in his left hand like a hammer and whirled the other one with his right hand.

They both activated their Essence Forge.

Alex forged his two legs, covering them in thick translucent energy. To Azaroth, it seemed like an anchor, chaining his legs to the stone floor.

Catena’s was subtle; it covered his feet up to his ankles, while his hands were also covered.

"Interesting." Stallus’s eyes were on Alex’s leg. "What’s he doing? He put all his essence into forging only his legs."

Kael chuckled. "Interesting indeed. He’s taken a single defensive post where he will also launch his attacks. It’s been a while since I’ve seen this fighting style before."

Azaroth frowned. Wouldn’t a fast and strong opponent chip away at you like that? From what Azaroth could see, Alex wasn’t forging his hands.

"Begin," Kael called.

Immediately Catena moved. He blurred through the air like a diving eagle straight at Alex at high speed and backhanded him with the metal ball. Alex defended himself with the sword, but the strength behind Catena’s blow would have sent him flying if not for his anchored legs.

Metal rang and sparked as Catena jumped back, but he instantly sent his chain with the spike out. Alex bent just before the spiked ball took his head, then he rolled to the side to avoid the second swing of the weapon.

The two gave themselves space, eyeing each other warily.

"So he can still move," Stallus said. "I thought he was rooted there."

Azaroth narrowed his eyes. "I get it now... a little."

"You do?" Stallus asked.

"A form of defense, I think," Azaroth said.

"Yes!" Kael said without taking his eyes off the two trading blows. "It’s a defense mechanism where you take blows much stronger than yours by redirecting them to your legs. In short, you need a stout stance to pull it off well."

Alex and Catena were evenly matched from what Azaroth could see. Catena was very good at both long-distance and close combat styles; his chain was like a whip, snapping the air like flexible leather.

He would send his chain out at very high speed like a striking cobra, usually at his opponent’s face, and dart in at the same time, swinging his metal ball.

But unfortunately, Alex was a good swordsman. Azaroth didn’t fully understand his fighting style—staying put in one place—but Alex made it work for him as he countered any attack meant for him, his sword a blur of dark steel.

The two were breathing hard now as they disengaged from their recent exchange of blows, but their eyes were shining with battle light as they looked for a weakness they could use.

"Who do you think will win?" Stallus asked.

It was Kael who answered. "I think it will be Alex." He continued speaking before Stallus could ask why. "Catena is getting weaker faster because Alex barely moved from one place."

So there was that too—saving energy from staying in one place instead of moving about like Catena.

Not as stupid as you want others to think, are you, Alex? Azaroth asked mentally.

"...also, that style has a secret move Alex hasn’t used," Kael said.

Catena swung the chain in his right hand and went for the kill.