I won't go into detail, mostly because the warm-up was agonizing. I had never run so much in my life. The combat moves weren't unfamiliar to me, but as the pain slowly faded, everything started to feel more natural. The more I practiced, the more I felt that this was meant for me.
At first, we fought one-on-one, then in groups, and finally as teams. It was both mesmerizing and terrifying to witness how these people did this every single day. Not just fighting others, but battling themselves to maintain this pace, this strength. It was unbelievable to me. Exhausting beyond words, yet they never seemed to tire.
I admired them. I wanted to be like them.
I focused. I didn't fall, I didn't let myself be defeated. I kept pushing forward, and the more I immersed myself in it, the more I enjoyed it. Deep down, I knew—I was finally where I truly belonged. Here, I could become someone who could protect those I cared about.
Even though I wasn't unfamiliar with combat—Clara had hired people to train me—this was entirely different. Fighting among humans was nothing compared to this. Learning from angels… it felt unnaturally perfect. As if their every move carried the essence of their knowledge.
By the end of the day, I was completely drained. I couldn't even count how many hours we had spent training. I took the last sip of water from my flask when the black-haired girl and her companions threw their arms around me, leading me toward the dining hall.
On the way, we got to know each other. I learned their names:
– Dave—short, but unbelievably fast, like a rabbit.
– Zak—tall, strong, a warrior with incredible physical power.
– Chloe—the black-haired girl, also an exceptional fighter.
– David, Rosalind, Jace, and Nico.
– Emily—a very sweet girl who immediately seemed kind.
They were a colorful group. It was surreal to find myself among them, but it felt good to be accepted.
We were already deep into our dinner when Chloe suddenly spoke up beside me, her voice filled with excitement:
– Everyone, grab your stuff! We're meeting at the gate after dinner!
I looked at her, confused.
– Why are we meeting at the gate? Is training continuing? – I asked suspiciously.
Chloe laughed.
– No, don't worry! I know that after today, you'll probably be reliving these moves even in your nightmares, but no—we're going out to have fun!
– Fun? – I repeated in disbelief.
– Yes, why? – she looked at me with amusement. – Do you think we live in the middle of the apocalypse? Of course, we can have fun!
Jacob, the taller one, grinned and added:
– That's the best part of all this!
One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was standing at the gate.
I put on a white knee-length dress, curled my hair into soft waves, and let it fall over my shoulders. I wasn't a fan of makeup—I liked showing my natural face. This way, I felt truly like myself.
As we headed toward the city, I noticed we weren't the only ones going in that direction. My curiosity got the better of me, and I turned to Chloe.
– Those who are always on duty, guarding the castle, the city… Are they trained for that, or do they get time off?
Chloe explained that, of course, they had breaks, and eventually, we would be assigned similar duties as well. But that wasn't important now.
– This is our night! – she declared and, with a determined pull, led me toward the city.
As we walked through the winding streets, I became more and more excited, wondering where they were taking me. Everyone else seemed just as eager. Emily walked beside me with small, bouncing steps, linking her arm through mine, while Chloe did the same on my other side.
I missed Elise so much, and I couldn't help but think about how much she would enjoy this moment. But it felt good to be surrounded by friendly people—even if our first meeting hadn't exactly been friendly. I was in awe of the way the city was filled with stunning lights, how human and inviting its atmosphere was. It almost felt like I was in a completely normal human city.
The place we were heading to stood out from the rest—it was huge, and there was something truly special about its presence. As we walked down the red carpet and entered, I immediately sensed that this was no ordinary venue. Watching the many familiar faces, I realized that most of these people were likely from the academy. It was reassuring to see them relaxing, enjoying life.
As the music started, I let go of everything and danced without a care. There was a strange feeling lingering inside me, as if someone was watching me, but I tried to ignore it—after all, since I arrived, this wasn't unusual. I had already made up my mind: tonight, I would focus only on enjoying myself, on being happy, on growing—because in the end, isn't that what life is supposed to be about?