Lyra’s heart pounded as she stepped outside, the sun high in the sky and the breeze tugging at her clothes as if trying to hold her back.
The training field stretched out before her—wide and vast like a battleground, encircled by a dense line of trees on one side and open space on the other. The ground was dry and flat, marked with different zones—some for sparring, others for weapons, and a few obstacle courses scattered around. Warriors moved like shadows, their bodies glistening with sweat as they fought, lifted weights, or ran drills under barking commands.
She saw Betas and Gammas, muscular and fierce, all of them stopping when they noticed her approaching.
Their stares burned into her.
Some sneered. Others just looked away with indifference. A few whispered among themselves, and
