In Ashmar, Silas felt the weight of Ashmar's singular focus pressing down on him like atmospheric pressure at ocean depth.
Everything here was about combat.
The academy's architecture reflected it—no art galleries, no libraries worth the name, no recreational spaces. Just training halls. Sparring rings. Armories. Meditation chambers designed specifically for combat-focused soul force refinement.
Even the dining hall felt militant. Students ate in assigned blocks by year and specialization. Conversations centered on technique, tactics, recent Shroud deployments. Nobody discussed philosophy or history beyond what was tactically relevant.
It was a stark contrast to the Republic.
Sparkshire had breadth. Arts. History. Political theory. Combat was central, obviously—survival demanded it—but students were expected to be more than just weapons. The Republic wanted soldiers who could think strategically, navigate politics, understand the broader context of their actions.
