<h4>Chapter 84: An Enjoyable Combat ss</h4>


    <strong><i>{Elira}</i></strong>


    ~**^**~


    Lennon stood at the front and pped his hands once. "Today is about control, coordination, and learning how to adjust your instincts in a real-time scenario. Some of you think fighting is just throwing punches harder than the other guy. It’s not. You’re going to learn that today."


    He scanned the group, his eyes brieflynding on me. My spine straightened automatically.


    "Let’s start with a few demonstrations. Cadren, Vyra, front and center."


    Two students stepped forward—Cadren was broad-shouldered and fast on his feet. Vyra was lean and sharp-eyed. They faced each other, and Lennon nodded at them to begin.


    The fight wasn’t shy, but it was solid. Vyra moved with grace, Cadren with sheer force. Lennon watched like a hawk, then raised his voice mid-spar.


    "Vyra, you’re pulling back too far with each step. That’s wasted time. Cadren, you’re dropping your elbow every time you swing. That’s an invitation for a broken wrist."


    They paused, panting. Lennon gave a sharp nod. "Again. Fix it."


    They continued, and everyone watched closely.


    Then, Lennon stepped forward. "Anyone feeling brave enough to take me on?"


    The room went still. No one moved. Then a tall guy with dark-red hair raised his hand.


    "Brave man," Lennon said, grinning faintly. "Come on, then."


    The spar was quick and brutal—but clean. Lennon didn’t humiliate him. He corrected every move in real time, even as he dodged and countered like it was second nature.


    In less than a minute, the guy was on the ground, blinking up at the ceiling.


    "Anyone else?" Lennon asked, casually stepping back. "No? Alright then."


    He pped again. "Pair up."


    The students scrambled to find partners. I didn’t move.


    Lennon’s voice rang out again. "If you don’t have a partner, don’t worry. You will be sparring with this."


    He gestured, and one of the staff assistants rolled in argebat dummy—tall, padded, and humanoid in shape, but clearly built with motion sensors and automation in its joints.


    "Thebat dummy moves on its own," Lennon exined. "The speed depends on your strength. You hit harder, it moves faster. You hit softer... well, it might just p you."


    A few studentsughed. My turn came. My name was called.


    "Elira Shaw."


    My breath caught. I stepped forward slowly.


    "Dummy three," Lennon instructed. "It’s already calibrated for you. Give it everything you’ve got."


    I swallowed my nerves and took my stance.


    The dummy didn’t move at first. Then I swung, but it dodged.


    I blinked.


    <i>’Okay.’</i>


    I adjusted my stance and punched again. The dummy jerked back, then pivoted toward me—and lunged.


    I squealed, stepping back quickly and swinging reflexively. My fist hit its chest. It rolled with the motion.


    I began to get the rhythm. Step in, swing. Move back. Block. Dodge. Strike.


    It wasn’t perfect. I stumbled once. But I didn’t fall. I didn’t look like a fool.


    I was...enjoying it.


    The rush of movement, the way my body remembered old drills I thought I’d forgotten.


    I hadn’t done this—not properly—since before my parents died. Since before everything fell apart.


    But now? This felt good and safe.


    Because it was just me and the dummy. No judgment. No cruel whispers. No magic involved. Justbat.


    And Lennon—he hadn’t thrown me into a mess. He made it manageable and bnced. He gave me something I could handle, something that didn’t set me up to fail.


    I nced over once. He was watching me.


    He gave a small nod.


    That was it.


    But it meant everything.


    By the end of the sparring round, I was out of breath but smiling faintly. I hadn’t even realized.


    As ss wrapped up, Lennon walked to the front again.


    "Good effort today," he said. "Next week, we will push further. Be ready."


    We all bowed slightly—part of the etiquette I’d learned in my first week.


    As everyone began gathering their things, I stepped aside and grabbed my notebook again, my arms aching just enough to remind me that I’d done something worthwhile.


    ---


    The cafeteria was loud and bright as usual, humming with student chatter and the clinking of cutlery.


    My tray was full—chicken stir-fry, sweet corn soup, and some soft bread rolls. The smell alone could’ve lifted my mood, but what really warmed me was seeing the familiar faces of my roommates already seated at our usual table by the window.


    "Hey, look who remembered toe back to school," Juniper teased the second I walked up.


    I rolled my eyes, grinning. "Miss me that much?"


    "We didn’t cry or anything," Nari said dryly, though she scooted over so I could sit between her and Cambria.


    Tamryn gave me a quiet nod of greeting, her attention mostly on her food, while Cambria offered a smile that said she was genuinely d to see me again.


    As I sat down, setting my tray in front of me, Nari leaned over with narrowed eyes. "So... did you bring us anything?"


    I blinked, confused for a second—then I remembered.


    "Oh," I said, straightening a little. "Actually, yeah. I did."


    I had the nerves to reply confidently only because Lennon and Rennon had given me gift bags.


    Nari’s eyes sparkled with delight. "Seriously? What is it?"


    I gave her a teasing smile. "You will find out after sses today."


    Nari nodded enthusiastically. "Though I hate surprises, I will wait patiently."


    For a moment, everything felt normalughing, eating, just being a group of students in the middle of the chaos that was ESA.


    But then I remembered something else. I reached for my cup of warm water and said, "Oh, by the way... I got another red envelope this morning."


    Nari’s eyes widened. "Don’t tell me—another one from those creepy council people?"


    I nodded. "It was stuck to my locker again. They want me toe to their office by 3 PM today."


    Juniper groaned, dropping her chopsticks on her tray. "Ugh. What do those people even want from you?"


    "I don’t know," I admitted. "There’s never any detail in the letter. Just the time and ce."


    "They really think they’re above everyone else," Nari muttered. "Throwing out mysterious invitations like they’re in a royal court or something."


    Cambria leaned forward slightly, her voice softer than the others. "Are you okay with going? Do you want one of us toe with you?"


    I shook my head. "No, it’s fine. I’ll be okay. Besides, they might just have a file or question or... I don’t know. Something basic."


    Juniper didn’t look convinced. "Well, if they try anything, you tell us. Seriously."


    Tamryn finally looked up from her te. "If they’re pushing too hard, it’s because they’re interested in you. And not all attention from the Student Council is good attention."


    Thatment made me pause. But I just nodded slowly and said, "I will be careful."


    The conversation shifted again after that—Nari talking about how yesterday, one of the male students tried to carry three trays and dropped his food all over a prefect’s boots—but in the back of my mind, I was already counting down the time.


    3 PM wasn’t so far away.


    And something about this second invitation made my stomach twist with unease.