A few rounds later, a familiar yet unfamiliar name echoed through the yard.
"Mira Salvatore."
Raith looked up, eyebrows lifting slightly. "Salvatore?"
It was a name he'd read before—buried deep in the battered journal he found back in the Orphan Ward. One of the First Tuners carried that name.
Not much was known about her. She'd awakened during the earliest days after the Shattering… then vanished.
Mira caught his expression.
"Why, Raith?" she asked with a dry smile. "Surprised to hear my family name?"
He opened his mouth, unsure how to answer—but the officer shouted again sharper this time.
"Mira Salvatore! Move it!"
She exhaled hard, rolled her shoulders once, and headed toward the chamber with quick, purposeful steps. Her boots crunched gravel with every stride.
At the edge of the lane, another officer flagged her down.
"Name. Force type," he said flatly.
"Sonic Blast," she replied simply.
He was surprised to hear that. Still, he signaled for Mira to proceed with the test.
Mira stepped slowly into the testing chamber. She was really nervous and closed her eyes for a moment.
She inhaled, then let out her power.
The air vibrated.
A sharp blast of concentrated sound burst from her mouth—barely visible, but the pressure wave hit like a hammer. Even standing far away, Raith flinched.
Several Tuners stumbled back. The panels trembled violently.
"What was that?"
"Did she just scream a hole through the air?"
Nearby officers winced, rubbing their ears. One cursed under his breath.
And then—green light.
A pause. Then the announcement. "Pass."
Mira turned and walked back, only the smallest smile tugging at her lips.
Eyes followed her. Some in awe. Others were in disbelief.
Raith saw the glances she was getting—not just because of her power, but because she was, well… Mira. She had a look that made people second guess approaching her.
"Remind me to bring earplugs next time," Kev muttered.
"Can't you just plug your ears with rock?" Dane added, smirking.
The tension eased a little. Mira's success gave them hope.
They'd all awakened together. They believed, maybe foolishly, that they'd all make it through this test too.
Then Kev's name was called.
He puffed his chest a little and jogged forward, shaking out his arms.
"Here goes nothing," he muttered.
He activated his Force. He imagined something like a pair of rock gloves. It formed around both his fits, hardening quickly.
"Whoa. Never expected it to follow my thought perfectly," Kev muttered.
He took position, then slammed both fists into the panel with a loud, solid crunch.
The panel shuddered.
Kev winced, pulling his hands back. "Ow. Okay. That's definitely a fracture."
The light turned green.
"Pass."
He walked back cradling one hand. "I think I cracked a fingernail," he grumbled.
"Don't be dramatic," Mira said, but her voice held amusement.
Then came Dane.
No dramatic entrance. No banter. He just stepped forward, fire crackling faintly across his arms. His eyes were calm, unreadable.
He lifted one hand, summoned a flare, and launched it in a slow, arcing burst toward the panel. He had practiced the whole night to control his power and this was the best he could do.
It didn't look flashy. It didn't roar like the others. Just a clean, smoldering curve.
The panel blackened on one side. The smell of scorched metal quickly filled the air.
Green light.
"Pass."
Someone in the crowd murmured, "What kind of fire was that?"
"Didn't look strong…"
"But the damage…"
Even Raith was surprised. It wasn't explosive—but the output was enough to burn part of the target. That was control.
More Tuners were called. Some passed, some didn't. The ones who failed were taken away quietly. No drama. Just gone.
Then came Raith's turn.
"Raith."
He stepped forward. His chest felt steady—but his body was stiff.
'Don't use too much. Just enough to pass,' he told himself.
But Super Strength wasn't like fire or water or air. It didn't scale well. It was either too little or too much—and the "too much" part usually broke something.
The officer asked for his Force. When Raith said it, the man raised a brow. So did two others nearby.
Super Strength was rare. Most assumed it was all brawn—but they also expected a show.
Raith clenched his left fist—the weaker side. He believed it would be weaker than his dominant arm.
He centered his stance and punched.
BOOOM!
The sound was like thunder. A concussive boom echoed through the chamber. The panel didn't just shake—it bent. A shallow crater formed underneath and around the chamber. Dirt blasted out around.
Everyone gasped.
"Holy—"
"What is he, a Titan?"
Raith staggered back, grabbing his shoulder. Pain lanced up his arm like lightning.
"Damn it," he hissed.
He forced himself to stand upright. He wouldn't show weakness. Not now.
The green light came on.
"P-pass," the officer stammered, clearly still stunned.
Whispers rippled through the Tuners behind him.
"Was that…?"
"Super Strength? Seriously?"
Raith returned to the group, trying to roll his shoulder loose.
"Looked good," Dane offered.
"Felt terrible," Raith muttered.
"You'll adjust," Dane said. "Eventually."
Then, without a word, the Kid stepped forward. She glanced at Raith, then held up her palm.
"You want to heal me?" he asked.
She nodded once.
Raith extended his arm. Her hand hovered, then made contact. A soft, white glow spread across his skin. Warm. Gentle. The pain dulled instantly.
"You're a miracle," he murmured. "Thank you."
She said nothing, just returned to her spot quietly.
More tests continued.
One girl tried to conjure a barrier—it flickered once, then collapsed. Fail.
A boy tried to manipulate dust—but it drifted lazily and did nothing. Fail.
Then—
"Elisa Neris."
Raith blinked. Mira raised an eyebrow. Even Kev paused.
"That's her name?" Mira whispered.
"Huh," Kev added. "Kinda elegant."
The Kid—Elisa—walked forward, calm and silent. She didn't even glance at the crowd.
Inside the chamber, she lifted her right hand. A soft white light bloomed in her palm—clean, even.
She pressed it gently against the panel.
The panel shimmered.
Green light.
"Pass."
There was a pause as people processed what had just happened.
"Healing?"
"She passed with healing?"
Some scoffed. Others seemed confused. However, the officer who recorded her test was confused. He didn't know that there was more than one Force inside her.
The panel had picked it up. But Elisa hadn't shown the other one.
She didn't need to.
As she returned, Mira gave her a small nod. Kev gave a thumbs-up.
"Elisa," Raith whispered her name once. "Good choice."
He understood why she'd held back. Duotunes were rare. Too rare. Flashing that kind of talent now would only bring attention. The wrong kind.
Better to stay hidden.
The final Tuners finished. A few more passed. A few failed badly.
One boy managed to lift sand into a swirling cone—then collapsed, face first.
Another girl tried to summon a shield. The test panel responded with a counter-blast. Her shield broke instantly. She was escorted out.
And then—it was over.
An officer stepped forward.
"Force Adaptability testing concluded. Those who failed will be reassigned. The rest of you—congratulations. You survived the first test."
There was no applause.
Just silence, tension, and a quiet breath of relief from those who remained.
Raith flexed his arm, testing the joint. It still hurt, even after Elisa's healing.
The Force was strong. But raw strength wasn't enough. If he couldn't control it, it would tear him apart from the inside.
He couldn't let that happen.
Not now.
Not with what was coming.