The academy stood like a fortress of unyielding tradition, a place where legacy was a currency far more valuable than gold. The first day here was always a trial by fire, a gauntlet designed to test both resolve and character.
For the new girl, it was something far darker: whispered judgments, cold, calculating stares, and a curriculum of intimidation disguised as orientation.
She stood in the stark white corridor of the advanced tactical command wing, uniform immaculate, posture unnervingly straight. She did not fidget.
She did not flinch.
