[My, my, so worked up,] the dragon teased. [Relax, your little secret is safe with me for now]
Ignoring the snickering dragon on his shoulder, Kyle turned to face the others, his composure regained.
"Let's not forget why we're here," he said with a serious tone. "We're all rivals until this is over. I won't ask that we reveal our skills or backstories, even though some of us are already familiar with each other."
He glanced at Riya, then at Jonas. "We have a couple of hours until the trials begin. I'm going to use that time to prepare. The rest of you are free to do as you please."
Without another word, Kyle sat down cross-legged on the marble floor, closed his eyes, and began to focus, practicing the intricate mana control required for his spell mastery.
"Good idea," Riya said, nodding in agreement. She found a spot near him and sat down as well. Jonas, looking immensely relieved to have a clear instruction, quickly sat and mimicked them.
