The sun was high in the sky, its shadows casting long and irregular shapes across the clearing where the training was taking place. Strax stood before Bela, his gaze focused and attentive. The training had become a regular routine between them, but today there was something in the air. The energy felt different, as if the atmosphere was charged with something else. Something Strax couldn't quite identify. Bela's gaze was sharp, but there was a subtle tension in her posture, an expectation she tried to hide.
"Today, you'll see me shine, Strax. Be ready," Bela said, her voice firm, but with a slight hesitation that didn't escape his notice.
Strax raised an eyebrow. He knew Bela was a relentless trainer, but there was something different about her behavior today. The way she adjusted her sword in her hands, the stiffness in her body... It was as if she was fighting herself more than fighting him.
