Chapter 194: Orion and Tobias

The trainees scrambled back, forming a wide circle around the two men. The air seemed to tighten, charged with expectation. Snowflakes drifted lazily between them, the only movement for a heartbeat.

Then Tobias moved first.

The bow came up in one smooth arc, fingers drawing the string back. His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t look at Orion—he looked past him, as if aiming at the horizon.

The arrow released with a sound like a breath.

Orion’s sword rose before the arrow even reached him, deflecting it with a sharp clang. The motion was effortless. He stepped into the movement, twisting at the hips, and lunged forward.

Tobias sidestepped, light as wind, drawing another arrow mid-step. He didn’t even glance at where Orion was moving; he seemed to feel it instead. The next arrow streaked low. Orion pivoted, blade slicing it from the air before it could strike his leg.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

Sophia’s eyes widened. She’d seen Orion fight before—the day she sneaked out to watch him fighting the Trihydra and Skylur. That had been a battle, and he had used his wolf, Noctis—or rather, he and Noctis had fought together as one. But this was different.

It was just simple sparring, but it felt like more. She followed their steps, how they always seemed to know what the other was going to do before they even did it. It was smooth. There was no hesitation in their movements.

Orion pressed forward, feinting left, testing Tobias’s reaction. Tobias shifted back, the packed earth barely disturbed under his boots. He loosed another arrow without aiming, eyes half-closed, relying on instinct. Orion caught it mid-motion, twisted his wrist, and sent the arrow spinning to the ground.

Laia whispered, "How’s he doing that without even looking?"

Sophia didn’t answer. She was too focused on the patterns—the footwork, the flow.

Tobias’s movements were strange—light, almost playful. Each step was measured but not rigid. It looked less like a fight and more like a dance, each motion blending seamlessly into the next. The bow never stopped moving, always ready for the next draw.

Orion’s movement was the counterpoint—solid, grounded, deliberate. Where Tobias flowed, he cut. Where Tobias evaded, he pursued. Every slash and block came with purpose.

Every step, every twitch of muscle, was a conversation. The clash between them wasn’t violent; it was elegant—a study in rhythm and instinct.

Sophia could only imagine what it would be like to fight like this. To flow like this—like the weapon was an extension of oneself. Tobias’s footwork wasn’t one she had seen in the books. It was different, and she remembered Orion’s words about making things your own.

Even Orion’s footwork, while steady and familiar, had slight differences from what she had seen in the book too. It was like each step he took had a purpose—which they did.

Seeing him fight now, it was like his words from the previous night were flowing through her ears, and she could better understand what was written.

Tobias loosed two arrows in rapid succession, faster than most could blink. Orion parried the first, ducked under the second, and closed the distance between them in a rush of motion. Tobias stepped back, spun, and drew again, his bowstring singing under the pressure.

The arrow shot forward—but this time, Orion caught it.

The field went dead quiet.

For a second, Orion just stood there, holding the arrow between his fingers. He smirked. Orion twirled the arrow once and flung it back.

Even if Sophia was annoyed that Orion had let her sleep in when she should have been at the training grounds with the other trainees, she had to admit that the show he just put on was impressive. Orion was teaching them but showing off at the same time—and to be honest, she enjoyed it... a lot.

Tobias’s eyes gleamed as the arrow approached him. He didn’t flinch. Instead, his hands moved so quickly that just a blink would make one miss it—and another arrow met the first mid-air, shattering it. The broken shafts fell harmlessly between them.

"Goddess’s tits," Laia breathed.

Before anyone could react, Tobias nocked two more arrows and released them simultaneously. Orion dodged sideways, boots skidding through the earth, and then slid low—his sword flashing up in a clean arc until its edge stopped at Tobias’s throat.

At the same moment, Tobias’s last arrow was aimed at Orion’s chest, inches from release.

Both froze, breathing hard. The entire training ground seemed to hold its breath.

"That’s a draw," Tobias said to him.

Orion smiled. "Yeah."

Tobias extended his hand, and Orion took it, standing up as he dusted his body.

The sound of applause broke the silence. The trainees were clapping now, some cheering, others still stunned. Garron just folded his arms and nodded approvingly.

Sophia clapped too, but her eyes stayed fixed on Orion. She was quick to hide how impressed she was before Orion’s gaze found hers.

He was expecting to see awe, maybe a flicker of admiration—or even something warmer. But what he found was curiosity. Sharp, measuring curiosity.

Of course, he thought. After the way she asked questions the previous night, he wasn’t surprised that she was staring at him with curiosity now.

Laia was still humming to herself, clearly impressed. "That was beautiful," she said. "Did you see how Tobias moved? It was like dancing. Do you think that kind of footwork would work for short swords?"

Nia nodded, her eyes filled with intrigue too. "Alpha Orion did say we can use any footwork technique."

Sophia smiled faintly, her attention drifting back to the clearing where Orion and Tobias stood, both catching their breath. She’d noticed something the others hadn’t—the subtle shifts in weight, the way Tobias had mirrored Orion’s stance without copying it, the way Orion’s sword had adjusted to the rhythm of Tobias’s arrows. It wasn’t just strength. It was instinct built from years of knowing how to read someone.

When Orion finally straightened, the applause quieted. He handed his sword to Garron, then turned back to the trainees.

"So," he said, tone casual. "What did you learn from that?"

A few blank looks. Someone near the back raised a hesitant hand. "That you two are terrifying?"

Laughter broke through the crowd.

"Will you accept my bow now?" Joren asked loudly, sending a hush through the grounds as everyone turned to look at the boy.