Jace the Elemental

"So you must really be Lord Severian's granddaughter if your family is that focused on fighting," Ethan said, throwing his hands into the air in mock disbelief. His tone was light, but his eyes flickered with curiosity as he studied Aurora.

"I am," Aurora replied simply, her voice as calm and steady as ever. The group blinked, caught off guard by her blunt confirmation.

"Oh… Well…" Jace stuttered, his mind racing to process the implications. "Wait, is that why you have so much information when it comes to the Academy? Like, do you get special access or something?"

Aurora shook her head, the silver streaks in her hair catching the sunlight as she turned to face him. "No, that's all just research." she said, brushing off his question as if it was obvious. "Anyone in House Dusk needs to be able to find their own advantages, otherwise they are considered a waste." 

Her words hung in the air, heavy and unyielding. The others exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of her statement settling over them like a shadow. They couldn't imagine growing up in a household where your worth was measured by your ability to outmaneuver others, where failure wasn't just a setback but a mark of shame.

Ethan whistled low under his breath, breaking the tension with his usual irreverence. "Damn, that's harsh. No pressure, right?"

Aurora's face remained expressionless, but Jace noticed something flicker through her golden eyes. Was it resignation? Pride? Or a hint of sadness. He wasn't quite sure. "Pressure is what forms us into capable warriors," she said, plainly. "House Dusk has little tolerance for weaklings. If you can't stand on your own feet, then there's little point in keeping you around." 

Selene, who had been fairly quiet until now frowned, crossing her arms, her gaze fixed onto Aurora with a hint of discomfort. "That sounds… intense," she said carefully. What happens if someone doesn't meet their expectations? Are they just cast aside?"

Aurora's gaze shifted towards Selene, her expression still unreadable. "It can depend," she said after a few moments. "Some are given administrative roles, others purely supportive roles where they can't embarrass the family. Those who fail spectacularly, are sent away. Like my uncle, he was disowned after refusing to represent the family during a contest. I was only a child the last time I saw him.

The group fell silent, the weight of her words sinking in. Jace couldn't help himself, glancing at Aurora he felt a new sense of respect, and maybe a little bit of pity. From the way she carried herself he had figured she was skilled, but seeing her fight against Lyra he realized just how skilled she really was. But really it made sense, for her it wasn't just about being strong, it was about surviving.

Ethan, ever the one to lighten the mood, clapped his hands together. "Well, lucky for us, you're clearly not a waste. I mean, you just wiped the floor with Lyra without even breaking a sweat. If that's what House Dusk produces, maybe I should start training with them."

Aurora's lip twitched ever so slightly, the tiniest hint of a smile creeping through her stoicism. "You wouldn't survive a week, "she said, her tone dry but not quite unkind.

The group laughed, the tension easing. But even with the conversation shifting, Jace couldn't shake the image of a young Aurora, barely eight years old, stepping into her first dueling ring, determined to prove she wasn't worthless. Just how many times had she been knocked down before she learned to stand so tall.

Jace had always been proud of how hard he trained to get where he was. But training was always his choice, something he pursued because he wanted to be stronger, faster, better. He didn't know how he would've felt if he had been forced to train as hard as he did, if every failure had been met with disappointment instead of encouragement, if every victory had been expected rather than celebrated.

But he couldn't really argue the results. Aurora was exceptionally talented, and while he believed she was probably a standout even among the other members of her family, he had no doubt that the rest of House Dusk were forces to be reckoned with. Even if the other members only reached seventy percent of their potential, they would still be monsters to regular people. The thought sent a shiver down his spine. How did someone like him, who had chosen this path, measure up to those who had been forged in fire from the moment they could walk?

Jace couldn't help but wonder how Aurora really felt about it. Did she resent the pressure, or had she come to embrace it? It was impossible for him to tell; even when she told them about it, her face had remained calm and unreadable. He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. Whatever he thought about Aurora, he knew she was right. It was time to start thinking properly about the options for his team.

His gaze shifted back to the dueling ring, the last of the duels looking like it was about to finish. Since he wasn't sure exactly what the formatting for choosing your team was going to be, he had a lot to consider. He knew for certain that if given the choice that Ethan would join him, it sounded like Aurora wanted him and Selene to join her team, leaving them with a pretty good start.