"Some meetings don't begin with words.
They begin with gravity—
the kind that pulls souls, not planets."
⸻
The Capital — Solaria Prime
Kayden had never seen so many people in one place.
The capital was alive.
Not metaphorically—literally, the streets buzzed with mana threads, glowing runes, floating streetlamps, and vendors screaming like their entire payroll depended on selling ONE more skewer.
Kayden stuck his head out of the carriage window like an excited golden retriever.
"DAD. LOOK. FLOATING FRUIT. FLOATING. FRUIT."
Eldric sighed. "Son, please don't shout about fruit like you've discovered gravity."
Kayden ignored him.
There, atop a shimmering platform, a merchant spun thirty glowing fruits using telekinesis.
Kayden gasped. "They're doing a fruit dance."
Lyria held his shirt to keep him from falling out. "Kayden, please. You are not auditioning to become the kingdom's next village idiot."
"I might be," he said proudly.
"You're absolutely not," she replied.
Their carriage creaked to a halt at the entrance of the Selection Arena, a coliseum-like titan carved from obsidian and starsteel.
It rose so high into the clouds that the top wasn't even visible.
Kayden stepped off the carriage and froze.
Hundreds of children ages 7–10.
Nobles. Commoners. Heirs of empires.
Mana prodigies. Swordsmen. Scholars.
Every single one radiated confidence.
Then there was Kayden.
In a hand-me-down shirt.
Holding a bag of homemade snacks.
Looking like he wandered in from a wholesome slice-of-life anime.
"Mom," he whispered, "I look like side character #4."
Lyria ruffled his hair. "That's because you ARE side character #4 until proven otherwise."
Kayden gasped. "Ruthless."
⸻
Character Introductions — The Competitors
Kayden looked around, fascinated:
1. Lyra Aelwyn —
A sharp-eyed elf girl with sky-blue hair, reading three books simultaneously using floating quills.
She glanced at Kayden. "You look like someone who studies… nothing."
Kayden grinned. "That's because I don't."
Lyra blinked. "…Courageous."
—
2. Twins: Ryn and Rale Thornwick —
Two tall, smug, fire mana users with matching smirks that screamed trust fund bullies.
Ryn pointed at Kayden's clothes. "Did you lose your fashion sense in a tragic accident?"
Kayden replied instantly: "Yeah, I got hit by a carriage full of people minding their own business."
Rale choked on air. Ryn looked personally attacked.
—
3. Mira Dawnstep —
A tiny girl with pink hair and fox ears, shyly hiding behind a wooden staff bigger than her entire body.
She approached Kayden slowly.
"H-Hi… do you… um… know where the bathroom is?"
Kayden blinked. "Do I look like a bathroom expert?"
"Uhh…"
He nodded sagely. "Bathroom is that way. Run. Full sprint. May the spirits guide you."
Mira bolted with surprising speed.
—
4. A boy covered in armor plates —
Toren Valdar, a child from a military family.
He squinted at Kayden. "You don't look strong."
Kayden shrugged. "That's the plan."
⸻
Meanwhile — The Arrival That Causes Chaos
A thunderous boom echoed across the arena.
Everyone froze.
A golden carriage descended from the sky, carried by radiant constructs shaped like winged lions. The ground trembled as they landed.
The carriage door opened.
And there she was.
Kirti Elyndra.
Age 7.
The golden anomaly.
The prodigy of the century.
Her aura was soft but immense, shimmering like sunlight reflecting off still water.
Silence swept the entire arena.
Then—
"IS THAT HER?!"
"THE GOLDEN STAR OF ELYNDRA!"
"I heard she awakened divine-level mana at age THREE."
"She's the strongest talent in 500 years."
Children were starstruck.
Parents were awestruck.
Teachers were sweating.
Kirti stepped out gracefully, looking every bit the ethereal child-prodigy destined for greatness.
And Kayden?
Kayden blinked.
"…Who's that?"
Lyra stared at him like he just asked what a door was.
"That, you uncultured farm potato, is Lady Kirti Elyndra."
He squinted at Kirti.
Something in his chest tightened.
Warm.
Painful.
Familiar.
"What the… why does my heart feel like it's buffering??"
⸻
Near Miss #1 — The Almost Interaction
Kirti walked forward, surrounded by knights.
Kayden, still staring at her, wandered directly into her path.
Lyra screamed. "KAYDEN YOU FOOL—MOVE!"
Kayden didn't hear her.
Kirti didn't see him.
Their shoulders brushed.
Just a touch.
Just a moment.
FLASH.
A spark of golden and silver light burst between them—tiny, subtle, and gone before anyone noticed.
Kayden stumbled, clutching his chest.
Kirti paused, breath hitching.
For one heartbeat—
their souls remembered.
Kirti whispered, "…Why does this feel… familiar?"
Kayden whispered, "…Ow?? Why did touching her feel like I just remembered a whole trauma arc?"
They didn't turn back.
But the universe did.
⸻
The Selection Arena — Round One Begins
Instructor Marvek—overly muscular, overly dramatic, and definitely over-caffeinated—stepped onto the platform.
"WELCOME, FUTURE LEGENDS!" he boomed.
Every child flinched except Kayden, who whispered to Lyra:
"Bro sounds like a gym ad."
Lyra snorted.
Marvek continued:
"Your first test is simple!
Basic mana detection.
Place your hand on the crystal.
It will measure your innate affinity."
The line formed.
Students placed hands on the massive mana crystal, and colors burst inside it:
Blue. Yellow. Green. Red.
Normal stuff.
Kirti stepped up.
The crystal turned GOLD.
Then WHITE.
Then a symbol appeared inside it like a blooming star.
The arena went silent.
Marvek whispered like a scared priest, "My god… divine affinity…"
The whole crowd lost its collective sanity.
"THAT'S THE HOLY-CLASS MANA SIGNATURE!"
"A 7-year-old?!"
Kirti stepped back quietly, expression confused.
She didn't feel proud.
She felt… lonely.
Like she was still searching.
Then—
Kayden stepped up.
He placed his hand on the crystal.
Nothing happened.
Ryn Thornwick laughed. "HAHA—commoner moment!"
Marvek sighed. "Alright kid, maybe step aside—"
The crystal suddenly TWITCHED.
Then SHRIEKED.
Silver light exploded outward, sending a shockwave across the arena.
The crystal cracked.
Mana surged upward in a blinding pillar.
Marvek screamed, "WHAT—WHAT IS THIS—?!"
The arena shook.
Children fell backward.
Even Kirti's eyes widened.
The crystal suddenly stabilized—
but the color inside it was something no book had ever recorded.
Silver-white.
With streaks of void-black and starlight.
Forming a rotating sigil that didn't belong to this world.
Lyra gasped.
"That's… that's impossible."
Marvek stuttered, "T-That… that's… transcendent-class affinity… reserved only for… ancient entities…"
Kayden blinked.
"I have no idea what's happening."
Ryn pointed. "He's cheating! A commoner can't have that!"
Kayden shrugged. "Well the crystal disagrees, so take it up with the rock."
⸻
After the Shock — Kirti Notices Him
Kirti turned slowly, her golden eyes locking on Kayden.
Her heart fluttered.
Why?
She didn't know.
"What… is that power?" she whispered.
Her fingers tingled.
Her soul felt warm.
She didn't understand it.
But she wanted to.
⸻
Near Miss #2 — Their Second Almost Meeting
Kayden stepped off the platform.
Kirti stepped toward the platform.
For a moment—
they stood side by side.
Only inches apart.
Kayden glanced at her.
Kirti glanced at him.
They didn't speak.
They didn't recognize.
But their mana reacted—
gold brushing against silver, a soft whisper of familiarity.
Kayden's hand twitched.
Kirti's breath caught.
Lyra, watching from the distance, whispered:
"…Why do those two look like the universe ships them?"
⸻
Round One Ends — Chaos Ensues
Marvek cleared his throat, voice squeaky after the trauma.
"A-Ahem… that concludes the mana affinity test.
Proceed to the next stage…"
Whispers erupted around Kayden:
"Is he a noble in disguise?"
"No way, look at his clothes."
"Did the gods sneeze when he was born?"
"Maybe he's dangerous—like a weapon."
Kayden sighed. "Man, I just wanted snacks."
Then—
A shadow loomed behind him.
Kayden turned—
Toren Valdar, the armored boy, glared down at him.
"You. Farm boy. I challenge you."
Kayden blinked. "Why?"
"Because you scare me."
"Oh. That's fair."
⸻
End Scene — Kirti Watches Him
From across the courtyard, Kirti observed Kayden being dragged into a duel he didn't ask for.
She didn't know him.
But something about him felt like a half-remembered story.
"Why…" she whispered, "why does looking at him feel like remembering a dream?"
Her hand rose unconsciously—
as if reaching for him.
Across the yard, Kayden rubbed his chest.
"…Why does my heart keep glitching whenever she's near?"
Two children.
Two worlds.
Two souls once bound by war and fate.
So close.
So unaware.
So inevitably connected.
The moon shimmered above them.
And somewhere in the quiet corners of destiny—
something smiled.
⸻
To be continued in Chapter 4 — "The Boy Who Breaks the Arena"
Kayden's first duel.
Kirti intervenes (without meaning to).
More rivals.
More tension.
More memories haunting the edges of their souls.