I arrived at the field when the training had already started.
This time, it wasn't exercise.
It was combat.
The demi-dragon sorceress was at the center, and unlike the other days, she didn't seem calm. Her gaze was sharp, serious.
In front of her, the three were positioned.
Rai'kanna wasn't maintaining just one magic circle. There were three formations rotating around her at the same time, all active, all stable.
Elara wasn't waiting for any command anymore.
She was moving.
Lyannis kept her hands raised, focused, and the air around her trembled lightly.
Then the sorceress attacked.
Without warning.
A fast advance, almost impossible to follow.
Before she could get close, Rai'kanna's first circle glowed.
The ground in front of the sorceress sank slightly, altering her step.
Elara fired.
The arrow grazed the sorceress's shoulder.
It wasn't meant to hit.
It was meant to force movement.
And it worked.
The sorceress shifted her direction, and at that instant Lyannis acted.
The air around her compressed like an invisible wall.
The sorceress was forced to twist her body to avoid losing balance.
Another arrow.
This time, it lightly struck her clothing.
The sorceress smiled.
And increased her speed.
She disappeared from in front of them and reappeared beside Rai'kanna.
Too fast.
But Rai'kanna had already predicted it.
The second circle glowed.
A barrier emerged at the exact point where the sorceress would appear.
The impact echoed sharply.
Elara was already changing position without looking.
Lyannis altered the air pressure behind the sorceress, lightly pushing her body forward.
Another arrow passed so close to her face that it tore off a strand of hair.
I stood still, watching.
That wasn't training.
It was real coordination.
It was reading movement.
It was true teamwork.
The sorceress stepped back a few paces.
Took a deep breath.
And then spoke.
"Again."
They weren't tired.
They were focused.
The sorceress's second advance was even faster.
She created illusions of her own body moving in different directions.
Rai'kanna didn't try to identify the real one.
She activated the three circles at the same time.
The entire field became a zone of magical control.
Elara closed her eyes for a second.
When she opened them, she shot at the only point where there was no mana distortion.
The arrow struck the sorceress's sleeve.
Lyannis seized the moment and distorted the air beneath her feet.
The sorceress lost her balance for an instant.
Long enough.
Rai'kanna activated a magical prison that closed around her for half a second.
Half a second.
But enough.
Elara already had the third arrow drawn.
Still.
Aimed at the sorceress's chest.
Silence.
The sorceress looked at the arrow.
Then at the three of them.
And began to laugh.
Not a mocking laugh.
A satisfied one.
"Enough."
The three lowered their guard at the same time.
I approached slowly.
They looked at me.
They weren't exhausted.
They were confident.
I looked first at Rai'kanna.
"You're no longer setting up circles. You're controlling the entire field."
She smiled lightly.
I looked at Elara.
"You're no longer just shooting. You're deciding where the enemy will move."
She lowered her bow slowly.
I looked at Lyannis.
"You're no longer supporting. You're commanding the rhythm of the fight without anyone noticing."
Lyannis took a deep breath, as if only now she had relaxed.
The sorceress came to my side.
"They are no longer beginners."
I nodded.
"I know."
I looked at the three of them again.
And for the first time since this training began, I felt something different.
They no longer needed protection.
They were dangerous.
Very dangerous.
And they knew exactly what they were doing.
I smiled without realizing it.
"You've become strong."
Rai'kanna answered first.
"We just stopped depending on you."
And that didn't sound bad.
It sounded right.