Decades of early shifts had carved that habit deep into his bones—something even reincarnation hadn’t managed to erase yet.
Talmir took his own cup and leaned against the table, blowing lightly across the surface before drinking.
They stood there for a moment, sharing the quiet peace. The world outside was beginning to stir—animals were waking, the sun was starting to crest the horizon.
After a few sips, Talmir spoke again.
"Today’s training will be a bit different," he said casually.
Teclos looked up.
"No mana," Talmir continued. "Just body work. Sprints. Bodyweight exercises. And sparring."
Teclos frowned immediately.
"What?" he said, a hint of protest creeping into his voice. "I wanted to show Gillard and Ralph my mana control today."
Talmir laughed, a deep, easy sound.
"Show off?" he teased. "You already have an unfair advantage over them."
Teclos opened his mouth to argue, but Talmir continued.
"Four circles," he said, tapping the table lightly for emphasis. "And that fourth one you formed in your core—your abdomen—strengthened your body far more than your mana."
He took another sip of tea, eyes serious.
"Given where you formed it, shouldn’t brute force come easier than mana to you? Also, you trained with three hunters—they haven’t. Show some class at least."
Teclos fell silent.
He knew it was true.
Still... he frowned faintly, staring into his cup.
Gillard had three circles, yes—but two of them were also in the core. When it came to raw physical power, Teclos wasn’t overwhelmingly stronger than him. Not yet, at least. The difference wasn’t as wide as Talmir made it sound.
What truly set him apart from both Ralph and Gillard was elsewhere.
His mind circle.
His sensory field enhancement.
That was where he surpassed both of them—clarity, perception, awareness. The ability to read the opponent’s actions with the subtle movement of their muscles.
He exhaled softly.
"...Yeah," Teclos admitted at last. "Alright."
The conversation died down after that.
They drank their tea in companionable silence, the warmth spreading through Teclos’s chest, preparing him for the day ahead. When the cups were empty, they set them down on the table, side by side.
Talmir straightened and rolled his shoulders.
"Alright," he said. "Shall we go?"
Teclos nodded, already reaching for the door.
"Yeah," he replied. "Some of them could be waiting for us already."
They stepped outside together, the cool early spring air brushing against their faces, and headed toward the gates—toward the others, and the day that awaited them.
As they reached the gates, the familiar shapes of two boys were already waiting for them.
Ralph stood with his arms crossed, shifting his weight from foot to foot, while Gillard leaned casually against the gates, eyes half-lidded as if conserving energy. Off to the side, unmistakable even at a glance, was Tolk—relaxed posture, confident stance, and that ever-present, infuriating smirk carved onto his face.
Teclos frowned immediately after seeing him.
"Well, well," Tolk said as they approached, straightening slightly. His gaze slid to Teclos with open amusement. "Ready to lose again today?"
Teclos felt his jaw tighten instinctively.
He ground his teeth, then shot back, voice light but edged with promise.
"One day, I’m going to erase that smirk off your face."
Tolk laughed, clearly enjoying himself. "I have a hunch it won’t be today, so I’ll be waiting."
Talmir cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to him. He glanced around the small gathering, counting heads.
"Where’s Kosak?" he asked.
Ralph and Gillard exchanged a look, then shrugged almost in unison.
"No idea," Ralph said.
"Haven’t seen him," Gillard added.
Talmir sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"That sloth..." he muttered.
He straightened and addressed the group.
"If Kosak doesn’t show up in five minutes, we leave without him."
Neither surprise nor protest followed. This clearly wasn’t the first time.