As night fell, a notice echoed through the dorm halls:
"Year-One students — tonight begins your first Resonance Trail."
Students rushed outside.
Kai grabbed Arin's wrist.
"Come on! We'll see more beauties in training outfits!"
Arin dragged him along.
The Resonance Trail was held in a clearing behind the academy—lit by floating blue runes, surrounded by tall trees that whispered with wind.
Dozens of students stood in formation.
Tonight, their goal was to test their compatibility with the academy's energy flow.
Arin felt a faint dread.
When his turn came…
what if it failed again?
The night air buzzed with excitement as the first-year students gathered behind the academy grounds for the Resonance Trail. Floating blue runes glowed like scattered stars, lighting up the clearing.
Arin and Kai stepped into the crowd, earning the same reaction as always:
Whispers.
Stares.
Mocking looks.
"Look, it's the mist boy."
"Trash awakening."
"Can he even make the stone glow?"
Kai muttered, "Brother, if insults were currency, these people would be billionaires."
Arin stayed quiet.
But tonight wasn't about him alone.
Because this trial also introduced the academy's strongest — the four house prodigies, the pillars of their factions.
And every one of them held the academy's attention like gravity.
The Four Prodigies of each houses
1. Orion Drayke – Ironblood House
A tall, fierce-looking boy with storm-grey hair and eyes sharp as blades. His uniform fit tightly over a body shaped from brutal physical training.
Orion didn't walk — he strode, like the ground should move for him.
He glanced at Sarena once and scoffed softly as if silently declaring:
She belongs in my orbit.
His followers echoed him.
"That icy girl will choose Orion eventually."
"Who'd look at a nobody like Arin?"
Kai cracked his knuckles.
"Brother, want me to rearrange their teeth alphabetically?"
Arin sighed. "No violence tonight.
2. Lysandra Vale – Starweave House
A girl with silver hair braided like moonlight and eyes bright violet. Her beauty was calm, graceful, the kind that pulled attention even if she didn't speak.
She admired Sarena openly.
"She's fascinating," Lysandra murmured softly. "Her aura is perfect… I want to rival her."
She didn't even notice Arin.
Kai whispered, "Brother, I think she's too elegant for mortals like us."
3. Rael Solvine – Solarcrest House
Golden hair. Golden eyes. Golden ego.
Rael sparkled like a walking festival lamp. Girls sighed when he smiled. Boys hated his guts.
Rael bowed dramatically when Sarena appeared.
"Sarena, you will shine brighter if you stand beside me."
Sarena ignored him.
Kai gagged loudly. "Brother, I just caught diabetes from that sugar-coated line."
Arin struggled not to laugh.
4. Mira Thornwall – Moonshade House
Short black hair, cold expression, and presence like a quiet dagger.
Mira wasn't interested in romance — but she watched everyone, especially Sarena.
Her eyes lingered on Arin too, narrowing.
Not admiration.
Suspicion.
"She's dangerous…" Kai whispered.
"No," Arin corrected, "she's worse — observant.
The Crowd Turns Against Arin
Before the test started, a bulky second-ranked boy stepped in front of Arin.
Brug the Bull.
A huge Ironblood brute whose brain size didn't match his muscles.
"So, mist-trash," he growled, "try not to embarrass the academy."
Kai instantly stepped forward.
"Hey, meat-mountain, take one more step and I'll—"
Arin grabbed him.
"Kai. No."
Brug spat near Arin's feet, sneered, and walked away.
But his lackeys stayed behind.
"He'll probably faint again."
"What a waste of space."
"Let's see him cry later."
Arin clenched his fists but stayed calm.
Kai didn't.
He leaned in and whispered loud enough for them to hear:
"You're all talking too much for people with such tiny futures."
The bullies stiffened but the instructors' arrival saved them.
Soft steps. Moon-like crystals glowing on her staff.
Instructor Selene appeared — calm, elegant, beautiful in a distant way that made everyone straighten.
"We begin the Resonance Trail."
The glowing stone pillar pulsed alive.
Selene called names one by one.
Lysandra Vale — Starweave
Silver runes spiraled upward in elegant, dancing waves.
Students gasped.
"She's incredible!"
"As expected of Starweave!"
Kai whispered, "Her aura's so pretty even I almost fell in love."
Arin snorted.
Rael Solvine — Solarcrest
Gold erupted upward like sunlight breaking through clouds.
Girls swooned.
Boys glared.
Rael winked at Sarena.
Kai griped, "Brother, is he glowing or is that just his ego?"
Mira Thornwall — Moonshade
Dark blue shadows wrapped the pillar, spiraling like silent mist.
Chills spread through the audience.
"Terrifying…"
"She didn't even blink!"
Even Kai whispered, "She scares my soul."
Orion Drayke — Ironblood
He slammed his palm onto the stone.
BOOM—
Red light exploded like thunder.
The ground shook.
Pebbles lifted.
Students stumbled back in shock.
Orion smirked at Arin.
"Try to match that, weakling."
Kai snarled. "Brother, let me punch him just once."
"No."
Kai's Turn
Kai stepped forward next.
Everyone expected a joke.
Some laughed already.
But when Kai touched the stone—
BOOM!
A shockwave blasted outward, making students stagger.
Blue-white lightning crackled around his arm before fading.
Silence.
Then whispers erupted:
"W-What was that?!"
"He's a monster!"
"That wasn't normal lightning—what kind of power does he have?"
Kai rubbed his head sheepishly.
"Oops. Got excited."
Arin just stared at him.
"Kai…"
Kai shrugged.
"You always forget, brother. I'm awesome by accident."
Even the prodigies watched him seriously now.
---
Sarena's Turn
She walked forward silently.
When her palm touched the stone —
the world seemed to hush.
Frost spread like fractal art across the pillar, forming crystalline patterns glowing with silver-blue light.
Students stared, hypnotized.
Kai whispered, "Brother… the snowflakes are smiling at her."
Arin didn't even argue this time.
She truly was breathtaking.
Even Rael, Orion, and Lysandra stared at her with open admiration.
Arin's Turn
Whispers turned spiteful immediately.
"He'll break the stone—by making it bored."
"This will be funny."
"Trash time!"
Arin breathed slowly.
Stepped forward.
Placed his hand.
Nothing happened.
Mocking laughter broke instantly.
Then—
A tiny pulse.
The stone flickered.
Dimmed.
Flickered again.
A pale grey ripple spread across its surface — trembling, unstable, unnatural.
Students froze.
"What the—?"
"That color doesn't exist!"
"Is that a failure or a success?!"
"Why do I feel… uneasy?"
The instructors all stiffened.
Selene's eyes widened.
Lyria stepped forward.
Even Sarena turned sharply toward him.
Mira's stare grew more dangerous.
Orion muttered, "What kind of power is that?"
Rael frowned deeply.
Kai whispered, "Brother… that was scary. Cool—but scary."
Arin felt dizzy.
That voice again—
"Soon…"
His vision blurred.
He snatched his hand away.
The stone went dark.
Silence.
Selene spoke softly:
"…interesting."
Althea, who appeared behind her, whispered with a faint smile:
"It has begun."
And the prodigies all looked at Arin as if he had just become their newest problem.
Or threat.
Or rival.
Arin had no clue which.
But he knew one thing:
His quiet life was officially over.