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She took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes, waiting for the announcement.
“Aspirant Hect. Ready.”
The Warden called it tunnel focus, but it was more than that. This was what she was meant to do; it was what she was made for. Every part of her dedicated itself to this purpose; to be the cavalier primary unmatched.
At the second announcement; an invite, Camilla Hect opened her eyes and launched forward, a barrage of force and speed. She was a whirlwind of movement; a battering ram with the accuracy of a needle point. Each well-honed muscle flexed and she breathed deeply to keep the oxygen flowing through her veins.
The rapier in her hand was almost invisible, each clash of the blades ringing through the room filling the silence that hung around them; a crowd of people holding a collectively bated breath.
Her opponent thrust forward in a sudden maneuver in response to a side swipe, and Cam didn’t even have to think about the backwards flip, her legs clutched close to her body, landing perfectly on both feet despite the momentum. She didn’t hesitate before launching forward; the acrobatics had surprised her opponent, a fellow trainee hoping to be picked for a job that Camilla knew- felt - was hers. It was always meant to be.
She was at the peak of her fitness and health, powerfully built but agile and flexible.
She was unstoppable.
With a quick flourish, a side step and a thrust, and no warning, the other was defeated.
“Three-zero to Aspirant Hect.”
The other trainee shook her hand and she nodded with respect to the assessors, before moving out of the training hall silently. The Spire was packed during selection weeks and today was no exception.
It was pure autonomy that had her going straight to The Warden’s quarters instead of her own. He wasn’t allowed to watch the selections for some unknown bureaucratic nonsense, but she knew he would be anxious, waiting. Cam was breathing deeply still, keeping her heart rate down and resting it. She could do the same round of combat again, and again, and again. She needed to be ready for anything at any time; it could be the difference between life and death.
As she opened the door, Palamedes all but ran over to her, eyes wide and bright, putting both his hands on each of her arms and looking directly into her face. “Cam, how did it go? Tell me- please- how-”
It would have been a surprise to anyone but The Warden when she smiled, laughing, a delightful sound that was very rarely heard. Tears formed in her eyes and she watched as he beamed back at her, bringing a hand up to caress her cheek. She didn’t need to say it. He knew, they both knew.
Pressing their foreheads together, she breathed him in as he breathed her, and he whispered gently, “Congratulations, my darling cavalier.”
“One Flesh.”
“One End.”