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"I'm guessing that went well."

"Oh, perfectly." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "He said since you're an outsider, you need to prove yourself more than the others. That the challenge was completely fair," she scoffed.

"How did the others do?"

"Kenna's quick—managed to hold her own. Mira too, though she took a nasty hit to the ribs. Soren..." She pursed her lips. "Let's just say the medics have been busy today."

I shifted, trying to find a position that didn't hurt. "And Valkan?"

Something dark flashed across Vexa's face. "He requested to spar with two Sentinels at once." Her fingers curled into fists. "And bested them both. Withflying colors."

The silence stretched as I processed everything. My headthrobbed with each heartbeat, but something else nagged at me—the conversation I'd overheard.

"Aether was supposed to have Urkin's position?"

Her eyebrow arched. "You heard that?"

"Some of it. Before I fully woke up."

Vexa stood, keeping her back to me. "You should focus on tomorrow. The tether observation will be crucial if you want to continue?—"

"Why didn't he take it?"

She turned, studying me for a long moment. "It's not important."

"None of this makes sense." I pushed myself straighter despite the pain. "The way everyone defers to him, even when Urkin's in charge."

"Fia..." There was a warning in her tone.

"The Council wanted him to lead instead of Urkin, didn't they?"

Vexa sighed, leaning against the stone wall. "Yes. All of us did. Even being second in command was more than he initially agreed to, but they convinced him to take that much at least."

"Why him?"

She hesitated, something cautious creeping into her expression. "Aether has always been... different. The Council saw that, especially as the drought worsened. While other Kalfar grew weaker, his abilities never faltered. They wanted to create a new position for him—Commander of the entire Umbra forces."

"What do you mean?"

"They wanted him to oversee everything—the Ground forces, Archivists, Scout Regiment, Medics. One leader to command them all, someone who could unite the different units." Her fingers traced one of her void burns absently. "It made sense. His experience, his strength... especially now, with the essence failing..."

I tried to process this. "But he refused?"

"Multiple times. Then two years ago, when General Doranretired, they practically begged him to at least take control of the combat forces. It would have been a compromise—less responsibility than commanding everything, but still..." She shook her head. "He wouldn't do it. So Urkin stepped in."

"And now we're stuck with him," I muttered.

"Yes. Even though Aether has been serving this realm for thirty years." Her voice turned bitter. “Don’t repeat this, but Urkin was never cut out for the job.”

The words hung between us. Thirty years. The number kept repeating in my head, refusing to make sense. Aether couldn't be a day over thirty. And hadn't she mentioned how the drought affected…

"That's not possible," I said slowly. "Thirty years? You told me the drought has shortened Kalfar lifespans. And Aether... he can't be more than thirty himself."

Vexa's expression shifted, becoming guarded. "I shouldn't have mentioned the timeframe."

"But you did." I pushed myself up straighter, ignoring the throb in my temple. "How can he have served for thirty years when he looks barely that age himself?"

She moved to the doorway, checking the corridor before turning back. "Some things about Aether are... complicated."