The arena of Aetherion Arcane Academy was shaped like a colossal stone bowl, layered with ascending stands where nearly a thousand students now gathered. Morning sunlight poured through the translucent dome overhead, refracting into shimmering colors that danced across the battlefield below. The ground was divided into sections—testing rings, mana resonance pillars, spell accuracy lanes—each glowing faintly with enchantments.
A restless sea of whispers filled the air.
"Did you see the Flamecrest rep warming up? Dude's basically a walking volcano."
"I heard Frostvale students train in ice chambers before breakfast."
"Forget them—what about him? The Awakened anomaly."
"You mean Avin? Yeah… keep your distance. I like being alive."
Kai nudged Avin with his elbow. "Bro… I swear if staring was a weapon, you'd be dead thrice."
Avin didn't respond. His gaze remained fixed on the testing grounds where Professor Lira Veloria stood with a calm, deadly elegance. Her silver hair fluttered even though there was no wind.
"Students," she announced, voice carrying effortlessly, "Phase One begins now. Each performance will be evaluated for control, potential, and adaptability."
The testing sequence would follow this order:
1. Pure Mana Output Test
2. Attribute Resonance Test
3. Situational Response Test
4. Combat Micro-Duel
Avin already sensed trouble. The Four House Representatives—Ryuven, Lena, Zane, and Brant—kept watching him like predators sharing a single meal.
Kai whispered, "We're gonna die."
"You mean you," Avin corrected.
"Okay, rude, but fair."
A massive obelisk stood at the center—crystal smooth, glowing faint cyan. Runes along its surface pulsed, waiting to measure raw energy.
A teacher called out, "Line up!"
Students rushed. A few unnamed first-years stood near Avin—nervous, whispering.
"Don't mess up, don't mess up, don't mess up—"
"If the pillar explodes, is that automatic fail?"
"Why would it explode?"
"I don't know, but it did last year."
Kai snorted. "I swear the academy should provide therapy."
The first student stepped up—thin boy with shaky hands.
He placed his palms against the crystal.
Whummmm—!
Light rippled.
"Mana Output: 42."
Students murmured:
"Average."
"Expected."
"At least he didn't faint."
Next came a girl with vine-green hair—likely Terraforge aligned.
She closed her eyes…
BAWMMM!
The pillar flared brighter.
"Output: 87."
"Whoa!"
"Terraforge kids are monsters."
"Not as much as Flamecrest!"
Ryuven swaggered up next.
He touched the pillar casually.
A red blaze erupted—FWOOSH!
The crystal roared with fire patterns.
"Output: 139."
Flamecrest students cheered wildly.
Kai whispered, "Bro, his ego will not fit inside this academy."
Lena followed moments later—icy composure incarnate.
Her mana seeped like frost into the pillar.
It froze halfway up, then cracked into radiant blue spikes.
"Output: 133."
"Frostvale Princess strikes again."
"She's terrifying."
"She's beautiful and terrifying—that's even worse."
Zane stormed forward, electricity crackling over his skin.
He slammed his palms.
KRZZT—!
The pillar flickered, buzzing violently.
"Output: 128."
Brant's turn.
He didn't slam, didn't flare—he simply breathed.
A deep golden glow surged steadily.
"Output: 141."
Kai gasped. "He beat Ryuven? Bro… that guy is a tank."
Then—
"Avin Renn. Step forward."
Silence washed over the arena.
Avin approached. He felt every stare, every breath holding. The memory of the voice from awakening still echoed inside him. The Forgotten Heir has returned…
He placed his hands on the pillar.
For a heartbeat—nothing.
A student whispered, "Is it broken?"
Another said, "Maybe he's a fake."
Zane smirked. "Told you he's unimpressive."
Then—
THUMP.
A low bass vibration.
The crystal turned black.
Whispers dropped into terrified silence.
Thump—THUMP.
Black lines crawled inside the pillar like veins.
Silver sparks snaked through them—unpredictable, unstable, alive.
Professor Lira's eyes widened sharply.
The pillar didn't show a number.
Instead—it pulsed an unreadable sigil.
A teacher whispered, "I've never… never seen that reading."
Kai choked. "Bro… what the hell did you just do?"
Avin stepped back, heart racing.
Students erupted:
"Is that good?"
"Bad?"
"Deadly?"
"He cursed the pillar!"
"No idiot, it's some rare affinity!"
"Or forbidden power!"
"Or—STOP GUESSING!"
Professor Lira raised her hand for silence.
"Continue," she ordered, though her gaze lingered on Avin.
Students stood in a circle around floating orbs, each representing an element—Flame, Frost, Storm, Earth, Light, Dark, Spirit, and Neutral.
One by one, students placed their hand near an orb.
The orb that reacted strongest revealed their affinity.
The unnamed nervous boy stepped up.
Neutral orb glowed gently.
"Neutral. Balanced type."
Students nodded.
Kai stepped forward next.
Storm and Fire flickered.
Storm won.
Kai threw his hands up. "YES! Lightning for the win!"
A few spectators clapped.
A girl murmured, "He's cute."
Her friend: "Not his hair though."
Kai froze. "I HEARD THAT."
Ryuven's Flame orb exploded into a fiery spiral.
Lena's Frost orb turned crystalline.
Zane's Storm orb shrieked with lightning.
Brant's Earth orb vibrated like a drum.
Then—
"Avin Renn."
Students leaned in.
"What will he be?"
"Shadow?"
"Light?"
"No idea."
"Hope it's not 'explosion' again."
Avin approached the circle.
Every orb reacted.
Simultaneously.
FWOOOO—KRZZZ—CRACK—FLASH—BUZZZZ—THRUM—!!!
The entire test platform shook.
Orbs flickered violently, lights crossing and colliding in a swirl of chaotic color. Students stumbled back.
"No way!"
"All eight orbs!?"
"What is he—"
"Impossible!"
"AHHH—stop pushing—!"
"This is insane!"
A few screamed when the Dark orb pulsed in sync with Light—something that should never happen.
The swirling energy suddenly collapsed inward—and vanished.
No orb chose him.
Professor Lira whispered under her breath, "A multi-affinity… no, something beyond it."
The teachers exchanged terrified glances.
A ring with projections—illusions of beasts, hazards, and traps—stood ready.
Students entered individually for one-minute responses.
The first few unnamed students struggled:
One tripped over a vine.
Another screamed when a fake wolf appeared.
One shouted, "Why is everything trying to kill me!?"
Kai went in.
He zapped illusions with wild lightning.
A bystander whispered, "He's aggressive."
Another added, "He's messy."
Third: "He's fun."
Ryuven attacked with fiery arcs like a dancer.
Lena froze traps smoothly.
Zane shot lightning like spears.
Brant bulldozed through illusions like a walking fortress.
Then—
"Avin Renn."
The illusions materialized.
Avin exhaled slowly.
Everything slowed.
Wind shifted.
Light bent.
Shadows twisted subtly.
The arena around him felt… clearer, sharper, alive.
A wolf lunged.
A vine snapped.
A lightning trap triggered.
Avin moved—not fast, but precise.
He sidestepped the wolf.
Shifted weight so the vine missed.
Tapped the trap node, deactivating it.
Students murmured:
"He didn't attack."
"He just walked through it."
"No spells?"
"Is that really allowed?"
"It's elegance. Pure predictive movement."
Professor Lira's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Pairs entered the arena.
One-minute sparring.
No severe injuries allowed.
Students were excited now.
"It's finally the fun part!"
"I bet Flamecrest dominates."
"No, Frostvale's Lena will freeze half the arena."
"I want to see Avin fight."
"Same."
"Same."
"Same!"
Kai whispered, "Bro… everyone is waiting for your turn. Don't die."
Duels began.
Unnamed students fought:
One slipped on their own spell.
Another yelled, "STOP MOVING SO FAST!"
A third complained, "Why do the teachers hate me!?"
Ryuven overwhelmed his opponent in five seconds.
Lena needed six.
Zane electrocuted the ground until his opponent surrendered.
Brant gently tapped his opponent's shoulder—who flew back anyway.
Then the teacher shouted—
"Next: Avin Renn vs… Darius Falten."
A tall Earth-type boy stepped out. Nervous but determined.
He whispered to Avin, "Please go easy."
Avin nodded. "I'll just defend."
Students gasped.
"Defend only?"
"Arrogant?"
"No… confident?"
"Or stupid."
The bell chimed.
Darius charged with stone-coated fists.
Avin shifted slightly—just enough.
Darius missed.
A whisper rose: "His footwork… it's unreal."
Another: "It's like he sees the attack before it comes."
Darius tried again—harder.
Avin dodged again.
No spells.
No counterattacks.
Just awareness.
Just precision.
Darius finally collapsed, panting. "I can't… hit him."
The teacher raised a hand. "Winner: Avin Renn."
The arena erupted:
"What IS his ability!?"
"He doesn't attack!"
"He's cheating, right?"
"No—look at the teacher's face."
"That means it's real."
"This is getting scary."
Professor Lira stepped forward, eyes locked onto Avin.
"Your evaluation… is pending," she said softly.
A hush spread.
Pending meant unknown, uncontrolled… or extremely dangerous.
Avin swallowed.
His heartbeat echoed the same whisper he'd heard on awakening:
The Forgotten Heir has returned…
The tests were far from over.