Averis let out a quiet sigh as she sat beside Jimmy in the common hall.
He was the only one who didn't constantly bring up her family or ask about her brother. That was why she didn't mind being around him. With him, there was no pressure—just silence she could breathe in.
"It was… a bit too much," she muttered, nudging a lone pea around her plate.
Jimmy, seated across from her, answered almost right away. "The assessment? I thought it was fair."
His voice was calm, but his eyes told a different story—one shaped by memories too heavy for most.
He had seen real bloodshed. Demons had torn through his hometown with no warning, no mercy. They didn't wait for backup or choose their targets. Everyone was fair game. The old, the young, the innocent. It didn't matter.
So when he watched today's assessment, he didn't flinch. To him, it was a small taste—just a glimpse—of what was out there. The real world didn't give second chances. It crushed those who weren't ready.
