The world tilted to one side after the sparring match. That punch to the face knocked me senseless for a long second.

I knew something was wrong the moment my legs stopped obeying me. The edges of the training field blurred, and the grunts and shouts faded into a distant hum. It was as if I'd gone blind, deaf, and paralyzed all at once.

They had hit me harder than usual. They hadn't been lenient with me. That much was clear. Every muscle in my body protested, and my ribs burned with every breat