Chapter 3 #3
I grabbed a jar of pain-killing salve from the shelf and scanned the ward.
A girl sat stiffly on the edge of a bed, cradling her arm.
I recognized her instantly. The same one from Strategic Decisions.
The individual who looked at me as if I were an idiot when I answered the professor’s question.
Her shoulder-length dark brown hair was damp with sweat; she caught sight of me and immediately rolled her olive-green eyes with a scoff.
“You know,” I said coolly as I approached, unscrewing the lid of the salve, “I don’t have to help you.” She didn’t answer at first. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she winced, clearly in pain.
Finally, she exhaled a shaky breath. “Sorry. It’s just…
this really hurts.” Her voice was softer now, and her pride was obviously losing to the pain.
I nodded and moved to her side, gently applying the salve to her shoulder.
As the cooling effect kicked in, her posture eased, and the tension in her body melted away.
“Thanks,” she murmured.
“No problem,” I replied. “We’re in the same unit, after all.” I turned to go, but her voice stopped me.
“I’m Luna, by the way.” I paused and peered back. She offered a faint smile, small but genuine.
“Rynlee,” I said, reaching out to shake her uninjured hand.
“Yeah, I remember.” She gave my hand a quick squeeze before leaning back into bed with a relieved sigh. I smiled faintly and nodded, then turned to help the next student. One olive branch at a time.
By the time I left the medical ward that night, exhaustion had settled deep into my bones. The scent of salves and smoke clung to my clothes long after I returned to my room, and even after I crawled into bed, my mind refused to quiet.
The next morning came too quickly and I made my way to the training wing beside Gia. I still felt the weight of the day before, my muscles stiff and my thoughts scattered. As we stepped into the sparring room, the heavy door creaking shut behind us.
I stepped into the sparring room, the heavy door creaking shut behind me. The space was massive; the ceiling was held up by thick stone pillars that reached toward the rafters. Black mats were laid out evenly across the stone floor in tidy rows, though nothing else about the room seemed orderly.
The air reeked of sweat, blood, and barely contained aggression.
It was almost enough to make me gag. This morning, our unit had space for the first two hours.
I took my spot next to Gia and Ryan. “Listen up!” Aiden’s voice cut through the buzz of chatter.
He stood in front of the mats, his shoulders straight and his eyes piercing like a commander before war.
“I’m pairing you off. It’s hand-to-hand only today, no weapons. ”
“But don’t forget, this is preparation for survival.
So, fight as if your life depends on it.
Because one day it will.” His tone was sharp.
No room for leniency. “Gia, you’re with Luna.
Ryan with Sofia. Jackson and Clive.” He continued rattling off names, slowly dividing the group.
But not mine. As everyone broke off and stepped onto their mats, I stayed where I was, a pit forming in my stomach.
Of course. I should’ve known. He wasn’t even going to pair me up. I wasn’t worth the effort. But then… “Oh, and Ruin…you’re with me.” I blinked. Aiden smirked, already stepping onto one of the center mats.
“Isn’t that, like… against the rules?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
“There are no rules.” He tilted his head. “Unless you’re scared.”
My blood simmered.
This fucking asshole.
“Fine,” I snapped. “But I warn you, I’ve gotten better at hand-to-hand.
” That was a lie. A bold one. But he didn’t need to know that.
I stepped onto the mat and took a defensive stance, fists raised and feet light.
Aiden? He didn’t even move. Just stood there with his arms still crossed, as if he couldn’t be bothered to prepare.
“Come on, Ruin,” he said, voice smooth and infuriating.
“Show me what you’ve got.” I charged forward, aiming straight for his jaw, but before I could land a hit, he snatched my wrist and spun me around.
In the next breath, my arm was pinned behind my back.
A jolt of pain shot through my shoulder, but I gritted my teeth.
Not giving him the satisfaction. I twisted and slammed my elbow into his ribs.
The hit gave me just enough room to wriggle free and stumble away, putting space between us. He turned slowly, eyes gleaming.
“Not bad,” he admitted, now circling me like a predator sizing up its prey.
“But let me make something clear, Ruin. Out there, on the battlefield, hesitation gets you killed.” He took another slow step.
“No time to think. No room to be scared. You die, or you kill.” His voice dropped an octave.
“Don’t tell me all those sparring sessions we had when we were little were wasted. ”
He stopped inches from me. I moved fast, swinging again, but he grabbed my arm mid-strike and yanked me forward.
“Still predictable as ever, Ruin,” he murmured, his breath brushing against my cheek.
Without thinking, I used my free hand to punch him.
Right in the jaw. He stumbled back, caught off-guard.
His expression twisted from smug to stunned.