Kalem lay still, staring at the ceiling, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle into his bones. His body ached in a way that told him he had pushed himself beyond his limits. But despite the dull throbbing pain, his mind refused to rest.
The fight, the final exchange, the way Isolde's magic had surged out of control—all of it played over and over in his thoughts.
He needed to refine his technique.
He clenched his fists, still feeling the phantom weight of his sword. The resonance crystal had worked, but there was still much to improve.
A sigh from beside him drew his attention.
"You're thinking about it, aren't you?"
Jhaeros sat cross-legged in the chair beside his bed, his feline ears twitching as he observed Kalem closely.
Kalem exhaled. "Can't help it."
Jhaeros smirked. "You're ridiculous. Most people would still be unconscious after what happened, and here you are, already planning your next move."
Before Kalem could reply, Nara leaned forward from her seat at the edge of the room. "Speaking of which, what even happened? That last attack—it looked like you barely even swung, and yet…"
Kalem tilted his head. "Yet?"
Nara gestured with her hands. "Yet Isolde went flying. The ice shattered. The whole arena practically split apart. That sword of yours—it's insane."
Jhaeros nodded. "The way you cut through her defenses… that wasn't just raw strength."
Kalem thought about it. The resonance crystal, the etched runes, the way the vibrations had enhanced the slashes—it was all theory he had developed, but this battle had been the first real test. And the results had been… overwhelming.
Too overwhelming.
Kalem's fingers twitched. He had nearly lost control himself. The destructive capability of his weapon was far greater than he had anticipated. If he hadn't managed to direct the energy properly, the damage could have been worse.
"It's not perfect yet," Kalem admitted. "The resonance isn't stable. Too much force is wasted when it should be focused. If I had better control, the attack wouldn't have been as wild."
Jhaeros hummed in thought. "But if you do perfect it… no one will be able to block you, will they?"
Kalem didn't answer.
A chuckle came from the other side of the room.
"You sound like a damn war engineer."
Kalem turned to see Garrick sitting up in his bed, arms crossed, watching them with an amused expression.
"I can respect a good weapon, but you? You treat it like an art form. It's unsettling."
Kalem smirked. "Better than treating it like a club and swinging mindlessly."
Garrick laughed. "Fair point."
A knock on the door interrupted them.
Lyra stepped inside, her expression unreadable. She still had Kalem's notebook tucked under her arm.
"You have a visitor," she said.
Before Kalem could ask who, a familiar voice answered.
"I hope I'm not interrupting."
Isolde.
She stepped inside, walking stiffly, her bandages hidden beneath a flowing academy robe. Despite her injuries, her posture remained as regal as ever, her sharp gaze scanning the room before settling on Kalem.
"I wanted to see how you were."
Kalem raised an eyebrow. "That's a surprise. I thought you'd be celebrating."
Isolde smirked. "It's hard to celebrate a draw."
She walked closer, pausing at the foot of his bed. "I should be furious. I should be demanding a rematch. But…" She exhaled. "I can't ignore the fact that you pushed me harder than anyone has in years."
Kalem nodded. "Same here."
Isolde hesitated before speaking again. "Your weapon… I've never seen anything like it."
Kalem tilted his head. "Worried?"
Isolde chuckled. "Worried? No. Curious? Yes. If you refine it further, you'll be even more dangerous than you are now."
Kalem met her gaze. "So will you."
The room fell into silence for a moment before Isolde finally sighed. "Rest up, Kalem. Because next time, I won't hold back."
Kalem smirked. "Neither will I."
With that, Isolde turned and left, her presence lingering even after she was gone.
Nara let out a long breath. "That was intense."
Jhaeros chuckled. "Kalem, you sure know how to make enemies and allies at the same time."
Garrick leaned back, shaking his head. "That was a noble's way of saying 'I respect you.' Congrats, Steel-Master."
Kalem exhaled, letting the exhaustion finally settle in.
He had a long road ahead. But for now, just for a little while, he allowed himself to rest.