At lunch in the villa courtyard, Lanistia offers Vis a rare compliment on his instincts, then interrogates why he fought the Septimii and even a Sextus. Pressed, Vis admits it was not just for money—he liked it. In exchange, he asks how Lanistia “sees.” She explains she perceives by rapidly re-imbuing the surrounding air with Will at an estimated two hundred times per second, granting her an acute sense of her environment despite blindness.

That afternoon, training begins with a bout against Totius Octavus Conlis, a massive but untrained fighter. After an early hit exposes Vis’s overconfidence, Vis adjusts, exploits openings, and overwhelms Conlis with speed and targeted strikes, taking control of the fight. Lanistia ends the match, acknowledges the win, but criticizes Vis’s minimal strategy and technique, warning the Academy values physical precision, speed, and endurance because advanced Will manipulation demands fine control.

To prove the point, Lanistia removes her cloak, limits herself to holding no more Will than Conlis (reserving the rest for her vision), and challenges Vis: if he can merely touch her, she will stop implying he is deficient. She demonstrates control by briefly lifting a granite bench, then arms herself with a flexible twig.

Vis charges, confident his athleticism will suffice. Lanistia’s whip-quick strikes carve stinging welts on his cheeks as she slips in and out of range with effortless footwork, repeatedly repositioning before he can react. Attempts to guard, feint, and even throw a stone fail; she adds a precisely placed gut punch, then takes him down and pins him, forcing him to concede after a futile headbutt attempt.

Lanistia states the lesson plainly: she is better trained and more disciplined. She sends Vis to wash, leaving the six evenly striped welts on his face as a reminder. Chastened, Vis returns willing to learn and asks what he must do next.