They were walking through a long, sloping tunnel, moving steadily from beneath the arena toward the open grounds above. The sound of footsteps echoed off the stone walls as the group advanced toward the light.
As they neared the end of the passage, they came face to face with a translucent magical barrier, it shimmered faintly, stopping them from advancing any further for now.
"Remember, during this part we'll still be with you," Panla said, turning to face the students behind her.
She looked across the group with a calm but firm expression. "We'll be allowed to advise you for two minutes before you head into the field, but honestly... there's not much more to say other than this, give it your best."
Her eyes lingered briefly on the transfer students.
They stood quietly, composed and still, like they weren't facing a high-stakes public event but just another scheduled task in their day. Calm. Collected. Unshaken.
And that made sense.
