The next morning, Aiden woke up early, though he hadn't gotten much sleep.
His duel was today.
He left the dorm quietly, careful not to wake either of them. Not that it mattered- Adrian was sprawled out on his bed, face buried in his pillow, and Sevan had his book open on his chest, barely moving. They'd been in their own heads since yesterday, frustrated with themselves.
Aiden didn't blame them.
He made his way to one of the quieter training halls, pushing past the doors and let out a slow breath.
His fire whip and sword combination was still too unrefined for his liking. The whip was easy enough. He could lash it and control its movements, but the sword was a different story.
It lacked a solid form, flickering between a blade and unstable flames. If he didn't get it under control, it would fail him in a real fight.
He rolled his shoulders, then ignited the whip first, feeling the familiar heat coil around his fingers. With a snap, it cracked against the stone floor.
