First Day of Training

The academy's bells hadn't rung yet when Levi opened his eyes. Pre-dawn light filtered through their window, casting gray shadows across the room. He wasn't surprised to see Alex already up, performing a series of controlled stretches in the common area.

"Morning," Alex nodded, moving into a deep lunge.

From his bed, Ryn sat cross-legged, scrolling through training manuals on his watch. The soft blue glow illuminated his focused expression.

Only Toby remained bundled in his blankets, though his irregular breathing betrayed his wakefulness.

"Get up, Toby," Levi called out. "Unless you want another bathroom adventure."

A pillow flew across the room. "I hate morning people," Toby groaned, finally emerging from his cocoon. "The sun isn't even up yet!"