The first week slipped by faster than Orion expected—which, in his experience, usually meant he wasn't paying enough attention. The realization hit him on a quiet, humid morning in the center of the training grounds. Sweat stung his eyes as he guided a fresh wave of Stage Two refinement through his channels. Six entire days had simply vanished. Inside his chest, the Sovereign Core spun with a quiet, heavy rhythm. It wasn't the explosive breakthrough he'd half-expected, but rather a slow, relentless momentum. Like a mountain quietly settling into the earth.
"You're doing it again," a voice drifted down.
Orion looked up to find Luna dangling her legs lazily over the edge of the training wall.
"Doing what?"
"Thinking too hard. Your face is doing that smug thing again."
Orion frowned, wiping his brow with the back of his forearm. "I'm literally frowning right now."
"Exactly. A smug frown," Luna said, looking entirely too pleased with herself.
