Alex woke to morning light filtering through his dormitory window. For exactly three seconds, his mind remained blank. Then muscle memory kicked in and he was upright, essence channels primed, scanning for threats that didn't exist.
Empty room. Familiar walls. Academy grounds visible through the window.
Safe.
The realization settled slowly, fighting against three days of conditioning that had taught him nowhere was truly safe. His enhanced stamina had processed the exhaustion completely. His body felt rested, functional, ready.
Movement from the other bed caught his attention. Gareth was already awake, sitting at his desk with methodical precision as he organized his belongings into travel cases. Books stacked by category. Clothing folded with geometric precision. Personal effects sorted according to some analytical system only he understood.
"You're packing," Alex observed.
