The training ground went quiet, the other newbies pausing to watch, their whispers buzzing like flies. Some stood frozen, like statues caught between fear and fascination.
I stood my ground, my chin raised, refusing to back down even as my legs trembled beneath me. Aklan and I locked eyes, neither of us blinking, a standoff that felt like it stretched on forever.
When the commander arrived, his face was carved in stone. “What’s going on here?”
I pointed at Aklan, still seething. “He tripped me. On purpose. He kicked my hand and made me fall. Then ordered me to start all over.”
The commander blinked, his brows creasing in confusion. “He… kicked your hand?”
“Yes!” My voice cracked. “That’s exactly what happened.”
I repeated myself again, slower this time, like maybe he hadn’t heard me
