Fifteen-year-old Amr sat on the edge of his bed, tugging at the laces of his boots. His messy hair flopped into his eyes, still mussed from sleep. He muttered to himself, “So, this is my new life now. Not what I imagined, but hey, at least she didn’t make me her slave. What was her name again? Heri? No, that doesn’t sound right... Hera? Yeah, I think it was Hera.”

As he tied the last knot, he leaned back with a wry grin. “Actually, I’m glad my class’s dorm was full. Now I’m stuck with upper-class roommates. Bet I’ll learn a lot from them.”

Realizing he was getting sidetracked, Amr shook his head and refocused. “Alright, first class of the day... What was it again? Oh yeah, hand-to-hand combat! Finally, a chance to show off my skills.”

He pulled on his training gear, sliding into the chainmail shirt—it was heavier than expected but mandatory for class. Then he reached for Zigy, his zigzag-shaped sword, and slung it over his shoulder.

Narrator: The only special thing about Zigy was its zigzag shape. In truth, it was an awful sword—terrible for cutting, slashing, or piercing. But for reasons no one else could understand, Amr adored it.

With a confident nod to himself, Amr stepped out of his room. He turned left down the hallway, climbed the stairs at the end, and emerged into a sprawling training field. The coliseum-like space was surrounded by rows of seating, its vastness buzzing with the energy of students preparing for the day. This was Hera’s domain, a place for learning and proving oneself.

“Finally, my new student is here!” called a voice.

Amr looked up to see Adrian, the school’s combat master, striding toward him with a wide grin. Adrian’s presence was commanding, his sharp eyes and graying hair exuding both wisdom and strength.

“Good morning, sir!” Amr greeted, his enthusiasm bubbling over. “I’m ready to let off some steam!”

Adrian chuckled, eyeing Zigy with a raised brow. “Well, you’re certainly eager. Not many swordsmen here can match that energy.”

Amr tilted his head, curious. “Wait... how do you know I’m any good?”

Adrian smirked knowingly. “You’ve got the look. No one gets this excited for combat unless they’ve got some skills—or at least potential.”

Before Amr could respond, Adrian turned and called out to the gathered students. “Alright, everyone, listen up! Today we’re doing 1v1 matches. I want to see how you fight. We’ll split into three pairs at a time so we can keep things moving.”

He held up a list. “First matchups are: Amr versus Rem, Sera versus Nisha, and the brothers, Zabi and Alexander. Everyone else, take a seat and pay attention. You might learn something.”

Amr and Rem stepped into their assigned circle. Amr stretched out his arms, adjusting his stance. His left foot slid forward, his right leg bent slightly, grounding his weight. He extended his left hand in front of him, fingers loose, as if inviting an attack. In his right hand, Zigy was raised near his face, its jagged tip aimed at Rem.

Across from him, Rem’s stance was more reserved. Both hands gripped the hilt of his short sword, held solidly in front of his chest. His expression was calm and focused.

Adrian’s voice rang out, cutting through the tension. “Begin!”

Rem didn’t waste a second. He dashed forward, sword raised for a downward strike. His movements were precise and aggressive. But just as he reached the midpoint of the circle, Amr lunged forward, Zigy angled toward Rem’s neck.

The crowd tensed. The match seemed over in an instant.

But then, without warning, both swords vanished.

Amr froze mid-strike, his hand grasping at thin air. He glanced down in confusion. “What the... did I drop it?” His eyes scanned the ground, searching for Zigy. “Where is it?”

Rem blinked, equally dumbfounded, his empty hands trembling.

A familiar voice broke the silence. “Looking for these?”

Amr whipped around, his jaw dropping. Adrian stood in the circle, holding both Zigy and Rem’s sword with an almost bored expression.

“You?! How?!” Amr stammered, pointing to the chair Adrian had been sitting in moments ago. “You were over there!”

Adrian gave a casual shrug, tossing the swords lightly into the air before catching them again. “I was. Now I’m here. Speed’s my thing. Disarming you two before you noticed? Easy.”

Amr’s shock turned to awe. “That’s... so cool! Can I learn how to do that?”

Adrian smirked, handing Zigy back to him. “Sorry, kid. That’s an Adrian exclusive. But keep working hard—maybe you’ll discover your own special skill.”

The murmurs of amazement from the surrounding students were almost deafening. Adrian silenced them with a raised hand and turned back to Amr. “I think I’ve seen enough from you for today. You’re dismissed early.”

Amr blinked, confused. “Wait, but my next class is science, and that’s not for another hour.”

“I know,” Adrian said, his tone steady but pointed. “Lady Hera wants to see you before then. Head to her now—don’t keep her waiting.”