The private session dragged on into the night, long after the other students had been dismissed.
The large training hall felt colder now, illuminated only by the faint silver light of the crescent moon streaming through the high windows.
Aziz stood on trembling legs, sweat pooling beneath him as his chest heaved.
Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, and his limbs felt heavy, unresponsive. His internal energy reserves were vast, but his body had reached its physical limit—a reminder that even the strongest reserves of power meant little if the vessel was too battered to wield them.
Finally, his knees buckled, and Aziz collapsed to the floor, catching himself with his hands. His sweat dripped in slow, deliberate drops onto the polished stone beneath him.
