"NUMBER 3"
"Nia Centris."
On a large stage, Nia climbed up, her expression hard as she walked to stand beside the others. The crowd was loud, but she didn't look at them.
She faced the instructors lined up there, bowing her head slightly as she moved down the row.
Each instructor offered a quick handshake, some giving short words of praise, others just a nod.
At the end of the line, Mr. Callor stood with a small wooden box in his hands. He gave it to her with a brief nod, and she took it carefully, feeling the weight of it in her fingers.
Only the winners knew what was inside, but she didn't open it yet. She just held it close, her eyes steady as she turned back toward the crowd.
The cheers rose again, louder now, but she didn't smile. She just nodded once, acknowledging them without letting any of it touch her.
