The following morning, I woke up to someone knocking on my door.
Again.
Three quick knocks, followed by another three. I was beginning to recognize that irritating pattern.
"Go away, Liora."
"Good morning to you too!"
I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head. The beds at North Garden Residence were dangerously comfortable. I was beginning to understand why some people enjoyed sleeping so much.
"Come on! We're going to be late!"
"Then go without me."
"Nope!"
The door creaked open.
I sighed. "Do you ever listen?"
"Sometimes."
"Clearly not."
I heard her footsteps approach before something landed on my stomach. A small bundle of fabric, judging by the weight and texture.
"What's this?"
"Your uniform! They finally got one in your size. And before you complain, yes, you have to wear it."
I ran my fingers across the fabric. It was smooth, thick, and completely free of holes. Even the stitching felt carefully made.
Another perfectly good piece of clothing wasted on me.
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"Samael, your old clothes look like they survived a war."
They practically had.
"You're exaggerating."
"There's a hole in your shirt big enough to put my hand through."
"Ventilation. Helps me cool off when needed..."
She laughed.
I was starting to realize that making Liora laugh was surprisingly easy. Almost too easy. Eda would've called me an idiot and thrown something at my head by now.
Thinking about her made my smile fade slightly.
"Hey, you alright?"
"Fine. Just give me a moment."
"Okay! I'll be downstairs. Don't make me wait too long."
Her footsteps hurried toward the door, only to stop.
"Oh, and Samael?"
"What?"
"Try not to break anything today."
I frowned.
"Why would I break anything?"
"Didn't your attunement test make the instructor look like he swallowed a lemon?"
"Get out."
Her laughter echoed down the hallway.
The academy's training grounds were much larger than I had imagined.
Unlike the classroom from yesterday, and the area with the prism. This area was filled with different structures, equipment, and what seemed to be dozens of training stations. Wave hummed throughout the grounds, but the frequencies were organized, separated into distinct sections. Some stations radiated heat, while others carried the familiar coolness of Blue Wave. I could sense students moving between them, carrying equipment that produced faint, rhythmic pulses.
Liora walked beside me, occasionally pointing out something before remembering that pointing was completely useless.
"Over there is the elemental training area, and to the right are the Prisma stations."
"Fascinating."
"You're not even paying attention!"
"I am. You just keep pointing at things."
"Oh. Right."
I heard her scratch her head.
"Well, you'll understand when we get there."
That was becoming her favorite excuse.
"Good morning, students!"
The instructor's familiar voice carried across the training grounds.
"Today, we'll begin practical Wave training. Yesterday, we learned about the nature of Wave and the dangers of losing control. Today, you'll learn how to prevent that from happening."
He clapped his hands, and several objects rose from a nearby table, suspended by a gentle current of Wave.
"Before we begin, I want everyone to understand something. A powerful Wave user isn't necessarily a skilled one. Strength without control is merely destruction waiting to happen."
I couldn't help but think of the mine manager. His fire had been terrifying, but looking back, he had wielded it carelessly. Almost like a child throwing something dangerous without understanding what it could do.
Then again, I wasn't much better.
"To help you develop control, we'll be using four different types of attunement equipment. These are among the most common applications of personal Prisma technology."
The objects lowered gently onto the table.
"First, Resonance Rings."
I felt several small objects being passed between the students. When one eventually reached me, I turned it over between my fingers.
A ring.
Nothing particularly impressive about it. The metal felt cool against my skin, with several tiny fragments embedded along its surface.
"Resonance Rings are made using crystallized prism fragments. Their purpose is simple: stabilizing your wavelength and reducing fluctuations during training."
The instructor paused while everyone put theirs on.
"Think of your Wave as a musical instrument. Without proper tuning, the sound becomes unpleasant. Your Resonance Ring helps maintain that tuning, particularly when your emotions begin interfering with your attunement."
A musical instrument?
That was one way to explain it.
"Now, I want everyone to activate their Wave. Nothing excessive, just enough to allow the rings to respond."
I slipped the ring onto my finger.
Almost immediately, something changed.
The fragments embedded within the metal began vibrating, producing a faint, continuous hum. It was subtle, almost impossible to notice, but to someone like me, it was unmistakable.
My Red Wave responded.
The familiar warmth stirred within my body, and for a brief moment, I felt something I hadn't experienced before.
Resistance.
Not the sort that prevented me from using Wave, but something gentler. Almost like an invisible hand guiding the energy into place.
"Huh..."
I turned the ring around my finger.
It was strange.
In the mines, whenever I tried to manipulate Wave, the energy always seemed to rush toward me without warning. I could feel it gathering and building, but controlling how much entered my body was another matter entirely.
This ring seemed to regulate that flow.
"Samael?"
I turned toward Liora.
"What?"
"Your ring is making a weird noise."
I paused.
"Weird how?"
"Mine sounds like a little bell. Yours sounds like two bells arguing."
I concentrated on the vibrations. She wasn't entirely wrong. There were two distinct pulses within the ring. One was unmistakably Red Wave, warm and steady. The other was quieter, almost buried beneath the first.
I frowned.
Before I could investigate further, the instructor called everyone to the next station.
"Now, let's move on to Focus Pendants."
The next object placed in my hand was a necklace.
Its chain was thin, with a small crystal pendant hanging from the center. Unlike the ring, its surface was smooth, almost like polished glass.
"Focus Pendants are designed to help regulate the emotional fluctuations that can interfere with Wave control," the instructor explained. "They're particularly useful for wavelengths associated with intense emotional responses."
He paused.
"Red users, for example, often find them beneficial."
Wonderful. Apparently, my newfound affinity came with potential anger problems.
"Different wavelengths respond to emotional disturbances differently. A Red user experiencing extreme anger might unintentionally increase their output. A Yellow user overwhelmed by excitement may struggle to maintain a consistent frequency."
Several students chuckled.
"These pendants cannot remove your emotions, nor should they. They simply help prevent those emotions from disrupting your attunement."
I slipped the necklace over my head. As the pendant settled against my chest, warmth spread through it almost immediately, matching the rhythm of my heartbeat. Each time my pulse quickened, the crystal seemed to respond, gently adjusting the flow of Wave around my body.
It was surprisingly comfortable.
"Alright, everyone. Close your eyes and concentrate on your wavelength."
Well, that was easy.
"For the next few minutes, I want you to remember something that makes you happy. Something that makes you feel safe."
Safe? My mind went blank. I could remember plenty of things that made me angry. Plenty that made me afraid. But safe? The mines certainly weren't an option. My uncle's house wasn't exactly comfortable either. The roof leaked, the walls creaked, and our dinners were usually whatever he managed to scrape together.
But...
I remembered waking up to the smell of something burning. My uncle cursing loudly in the kitchen. Eda laughing at him while I tried to pretend I was still asleep. It was ridiculous. A stupid memory. Yet I couldn't stop myself from smiling slightly.
The pendant warmed.
My Wave settled into a calm, steady rhythm.
"Very good, Samael."
I nearly jumped. The instructor had somehow approached without me noticing.
"Your resonance is much more stable now."
"Oh. Thanks."
He chuckled.
"See? Sometimes the simplest memories are the most effective."
I touched the pendant. Maybe there was something to this after all.
Our next lesson involved Harmonic Rods. Of all the equipment I had encountered today, these interested me the most. They were slender metal rods with small prism crystals embedded at either end. Their construction was simple, almost disappointingly so. But the moment I touched one, I understood what made them special.
Vibrations.
Hundreds of tiny vibrations traveled through the metal, each corresponding to a different frequency in the surrounding Wave.
"Harmonic Rods allow users to detect wavelengths they may not naturally be attuned to," the instructor explained. "They are especially useful for beginners who struggle to distinguish between different frequencies."
He raised his own rod.
"Normally, your attunement limits your sensitivity to certain wavelengths. However, these instruments respond to the Wave surrounding you, allowing you to study frequencies beyond your natural alignment."
Interesting.
Very interesting.
I gently tapped the rod against the ground. A pulse spread outward. I felt it travel through the stone, brushing against the surrounding objects before returning to the rod as a series of faint echoes.
I froze.
Wasn't this almost exactly what I had been doing my entire life? The vibrations were weaker than my usual senses, but the principle was remarkably similar.
"Now, everyone, I want you to identify the Wave contained within the objects around you."
Several small crystals had been placed across the tables.
Liora picked up her rod.
"Alright, let's see..."
She held it near one of the crystals. A faint ringing sound followed.
"Green!"
The instructor nodded.
"Correct."
She moved to another.
"Blue!"
"Very good."
Then she turned toward me.
"Your turn."
I raised the rod. The crystal nearest me hummed with a familiar warmth.
"Red."
Liora paused.
"You're supposed to use the rod."
"I did."
"You barely moved it!"
I shrugged.
"Efficient."
She huffed.
"Fine. Try this one."
She moved another crystal toward me.
I didn't even need to touch it.
"Yellow."
Another.
"Violet."
Another.
"Orange."
By the fourth crystal, Liora had stopped speaking.
I tilted my head.
"What?"
"How are you doing that?"
"Doing what?"
"You're identifying them without even using the rod properly! You're cheating, aren't you?!" she huffed out.
I considered explaining my ability to sense Wave, but I wasn't entirely sure how to describe something that had been part of my life for as long as I could remember.
"I can feel them."
"Everyone can feel Wave, Samael."
"Not like this, apparently."
She went quiet. Then I felt her lean closer, almost uncomfortably so.
"Can you feel mine?"
I concentrated.
Her Green Wave was gentle, but unusually lively. It fluctuated constantly, rising and falling in little bursts that matched her restless movements.
"Yeah."
"What's it like?"
I thought for a moment.
"Annoying."
"WHAT?!"
I couldn't help laughing. It was a strange sound.
"I'm joking."
"You better be!"
I rest my hand on my chin, contemplating.
"Your Wave is... lively. It doesn't seem to stay still for very long."
She hesitated.
Then giggled.
"That actually sounds like me."
Unfortunately, it did.
The final piece of equipment was something called a Prism Lens. Unlike the previous devices, this one seemed designed almost entirely around sight. The instructor passed around several transparent pieces of polished prism glass, each mounted within a small metal frame.
"Prism Lenses allow us to observe the movement and concentration of Wave directly. By separating the wavelengths passing through them, we can study how energy behaves during attunement."
Students immediately began examining their lenses. I heard several excited exclamations.
"Whoa!"
"I can see it moving!"
"Look at the colors!"
I turned the lens over in my hands.
Nothing. Of course.
I sighed. Of all the wonderful inventions I had discovered today, this one seemed determined to remind me of my condition.
"Something wrong?"
Liora again.
"Not particularly."
"You're holding it backward."
"..."
I slowly turned it around.
"Better?"
"Much."
"Wonderful."
She laughed before falling quiet.
"Wait. Can you actually use it?"
I hesitated.
"No."
"Oh..."
For once, she seemed unsure what to say. I almost felt bad. Almost.
"Don't worry about it. I can already sense Wave without one."
"Yeah, but seeing it is different."
I turned toward her.
"What do you mean?"
She held her lens toward one of the training crystals.
"Well, normally Wave just looks like light when someone uses it. But through this, you can see the little strands moving around. Like threads!"
Threads?
"Some are thicker than others, and some keep twisting together. Oh! And when I move the lens, they split apart!"
I listened carefully. To her, it was a fascinating display. To me, it sounded like something I had been sensing all along.
The instructor approached.
"Having difficulty, Samael?"
"A little."
He studied me for a moment.
"Your blindfold, is it necessary?"
I stiffened slightly.
"Yes."
He seemed to notice my discomfort.
"Then, we won't disturb it."
That was it. There were no demands or threats. No one trying to pull it off my face. He simply accepted my answer.
"Fortunately, there's more than one way to observe Wave."
He took the Prism Lens from my hand and placed it against the end of my Harmonic Rod.
"Try holding them together."
I did. Immediately, a series of vibrations traveled through the rod. They were different from before. It was sharper and more distinct. The lens seemed to separate the surrounding Wave into individual frequencies, while the rod translated those differences into vibrations I could feel.
I almost dropped the equipment.
"Woah..."
The instructor chuckled.
"Not quite as convenient as seeing the colors directly, but it works. Prisma technology is about understanding how to make Wave useful to everyone."
Everyone. There was that word again. I tightened my grip around the rod. In the future, devices like these would probably seem laughably outdated. The Length District possessed technology capable of manipulating entire sections of a city.
And yet...
I would have traded almost anything in the slums for one of these simple instruments. The last exercise of the day involved actual Wave manipulation.
Finally.
I had spent the entire morning learning about equipment, and while it was fascinating, I was beginning to wonder if anyone here actually used their abilities for anything beyond making pretty lights.
The instructor led us toward a series of training tables. Small flames burned within glass enclosures.
"Today, we'll practice controlled manipulation using your primary wavelength. Remember, the goal isn't strength. It's precision."
Each student was assigned an exercise based on their attunement.
Green users practiced maintaining the shape of small green light shapes. Blue users guided thin streams of blue light through narrow openings. Yellow users worked on sustaining steady illumination without letting their output flicker. These were the trainings of the Tier Six users.
I was separated into the Tier Five group. My assignment was considerably different given the difference in tier.
A candle. A single, stupid candle. I stood before it, feeling the familiar warmth rising from the tiny flame.
"Tier 5 red users, your task is to guide the existing flame toward the marked points without extinguishing it. You're not attempting to create fire, only influence what's already there."
I frowned. That sounded easy enough. Extending my hand, the flame responded immediately. Too immediately. It surged upward, nearly doubling in size before the glass enclosure rattled violently. I jerked my hand back, and finally the flame started to shrink. Several students turned toward me.
"Careful, Samael," the instructor called. "You're forcing too much Wave into the exercise."
I grimaced. Right. This as all about control. Taking a deep breath, I tried again. This time, the flame twisted sideways before abruptly going out. Wonderful. I'd managed to lose a fight against a candle. Liora, working at the station beside me, leaned over.
"Having fun?"
"Immensely."
"Want some help?"
"No."
The candle was relit. I tried again aaand... it went out. Again.
Liora snickered.
I seriously considered throwing the candle at her.
"You're doing it wrong."
"Thank you for that incredible observation."
"No, seriously. You're trying to make it move all at once."
I paused.
"What?"
"You're pushing too hard. Just guide it."
She approached my station, gently adjusting the position of my wrist.
"Here. Try moving your fingers slowly. Don't think about forcing it somewhere. Just give it a direction."
I frowned.
"That's all?"
"Pretty much."
I concentrated on the flame. The familiar Red Wave stirred within me, warming my fingers. But this time, instead of pulling more of it into my body, I focused on what was already there. The fire flickered. Slowly, carefully, it leaned toward the first marker. Then the second. I held my breath. The flame wavered, but it remained intact this time. Finally, it reached the third marker. A soft chime sounded from the training table. I had done it. A candle. I had successfully moved a candle flame. Why did that feel so satisfying?
"See!" Liora exclaimed. "I told you!"
I lowered my hand.
The Resonance Ring hummed gently around my finger, and the pendant against my chest had remained warm throughout the entire exercise. For the first time, I understood why the instructor had insisted we use them. They weren't making my Wave stronger. They were helping me understand how little strength I actually needed.
"Good work, Samael."
The instructor approached, examining the candle.
"Your output is unusually forceful for someone at your level. But once you stopped trying to overpower the flame, your control improved considerably."
I scratched my head.
"Guess I've developed a bad habit."
"Then, we'll work on correcting it."
He said it so casually. As though correcting a bad habit was something anyone could do. As though I hadn't spent my entire life learning to survive by forcing my way through whatever stood in front of me.
"Now," he continued, "try it again without the ring."
I froze.
"What?"
"Remove your Resonance Ring. I want to see how well you can maintain that control independently."
Reluctantly, I slipped it off. The steady guiding sensation disappeared almost immediately. The Red Wave within me seemed less orderly, shifting unpredictably with my breathing. I extended my hand again, and the flame twitched. I tried guiding it slowly to the first marker. However, it suddenly surged. I immediately withdrew my Wave. The flame settled without going out.
The instructor smiled. "Better."
"Better? I barely moved it."
"But you recognized the instability and corrected yourself before losing control."
He placed the ring back into my hand.
"That is what training is for, Samael. Not every success needs to be spectacular. Learn to appreciate the small before the big."
I looked down at the small metal band. Strange. In the mines, failure meant punishment. Here, even failing could apparently be considered progress. By the time classes ended, my head was throbbing. I had learned more about Wave in a single day than I had in seventeen years of living. Resonance Rings, Focus Pendants, Harmonic Rods, Prism Lenses. Four ordinary devices that any student could use. To the people of Eden City, these were nothing special.
Training tools.
Things children were expected to understand before they even became adults. Yet for me, each one felt like discovering something the world had deliberately kept hidden.
"You're quiet."
Liora walked beside me as we made our way back toward North Garden.
"Thinking."
"Again?"
"It's a terrible habit."
"Clearly."
For a while, we walked in comfortable silence. The streets were filled with the familiar hum of Wave-powered vehicles, the chatter of people returning home, and the distant laughter of children.
Eventually, Liora spoke again.
"Hey, Samael?"
"Hm?"
"You're actually pretty good at sensing Wave, y'know."
I shrugged.
"Been doing it for a while."
"How long?"
I hesitated.
"My whole life, I think. At least, I've been doing something like it."
She went quiet. Then, almost thoughtfully, she asked, "So why don't you know anything about it?"
That question caught me off guard. I could have lied. Could have invented some excuse about growing up somewhere remote or being raised by someone who didn't believe in education.
But I was tired of lying.
"Because nobody taught me."
Liora didn't answer immediately. The sound of our footsteps continued along the stone path.
"Well," she finally said, "I can teach you."
I turned toward her.
"You?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing."
"You're making fun of me!"
"Wouldn't dream of it."
She huffed. Then she grabbed my sleeve.
"Come on. There's a library at North Garden. We can study there after dinner."
I almost stumbled.
"A what?"
"A library."
I had heard of them, of course. Buildings filled with books. Actual books. Hundreds of them. Maybe even thousands. The idea was ridiculous.
"You mean people can just... read whatever they want?"
Liora stopped walking. For a moment, she said nothing. Then she laughed.
"Of course, idiot. That's what libraries are for!"
I didn't respond. Because I was thinking about something else. These lessons and equipment. The knowledge freely given to children who didn't even understand how fortunate they were. All those years in the slums, I believed Wave belonged to the powerful because they were the only ones capable of wielding it.
But that wasn't true. It had never been true. People could learn. They could train. Even those without natural attunement could use Prisma technology. The people in my time weren't powerless because they lacked potential. They were powerless because someone had made sure they never discovered it.
"Samael?"
Liora tugged on my sleeve.
"You coming or what?"
I shook myself from my thoughts.
"Yeah."
I followed her toward North Garden, listening to her excitedly explain all the things she wanted to teach me. For once, I didn't tell her to shut up. There was too much I wanted to learn, and for the first time in my life, someone was willing to teach me.