Before time began, five primordial dragons forged the world with their elemental might. But when their power threatened to unravel creation itself in a cataclysm called the Great Destruction, five brave humans sealed the dragons within themselves—creating a bloodline of legendary vessels passed down through generations.
Now, in a world where 80% of humanity is born with supernatural abilities known as Resonance, five teenagers discover that they are the next generation of dragon hosts. Each bonded with a Dragon Emperor—Water, Flame, Darkness, Wind, or Lightning—they must learn to control their overwhelming powers while attending the Academy of Elation, the world's most prestigious training ground for Resonants.
But peace is short-lived. A powerful villain seeks the Orb of Averus, a relic that can tear the veil between Earth and the Spirit World. Ancient threats rise again. Friendships are tested. Loyalties are broken. And the dragons within begin to awaken…
It started with the eye. Blue. Slitted. Ancient.
It stared at me from a dark void, glowing like a moon underwater, pulsing with power I didn't understand. Around it, I could hear something breathing—huge, slow, heavy, like the sound of an ocean rolling in its sleep.
Then came the voice.
"You are not ready yet, little wave…"
The eye flared, my chest tightened—and suddenly, I was falling, sinking into the dark.
I jolted awake, gasping, drenched in sweat. My sheets were twisted around my legs, and the morning sun was already spilling across my floor.
For a second, I just lay there, blinking at the ceiling.
Then it hit me.
"Oh crap, I'm late—!"
I jumped out of bed and immediately tripped over my shoes. Hit the floor hard. Swore loudly.
That was how my day began: face-first on the hardwood, half-asleep, and probably about to miss the most important test of my life.
I scrambled up, shoved my feet into my scuffed boots, yanked on my jacket, and grabbed the silver pendant from my nightstand—the one my mom gave me before I left home. Simple, round, carved with the crest of a water dragon.
I never take it off. Not today.
I bolted out the door.
Vitermer Plaza was already alive by the time I hit it. Early sunlight lit up the glass spires and stone walkways, and the air buzzed with energy—literal energy. Sparks of Resonance shimmered in the air around patrolling guards, their weapons humming with power. One had a spear crackling with green wind currents. Another wore gauntlets glowing with heated runes.
Shops were just opening—bakeries letting out the smell of fresh bread, tech vendors displaying floating crystals, smiths hammering Resonated steel in open-air forges. I wove through them all, ducking around a fruit cart and nearly colliding with a guy in a floating coat.
"Sorry!" I shouted, not slowing down.
By the time the Academy's outer gates came into view, I was already out of breath, sweating again, and wondering if I looked as panicked as I felt.
A tall man in dark robes stood by a glowing archway, holding a crystal tablet and giving me a look like I was a bug under his boot.
"You're late," he said flatly.
"Good morning to you too," I muttered, catching my breath.
"Name."
"Wyatt Harlenn."
He tapped something, then nodded. "Arena 7. Go."
I blinked. That was it?
Well, I thought, stepping into the light, that was a warm welcome.
The second page of my Dragon Resonance novel. Arena 7
When I stepped through the archway, five kids were already waiting on the platform: six guys and four girls. They were all dressed sharp, powered-up, focused. Meanwhile, I looked like I'd run through a hurricane and forgot to brush my hair. Again.
Then I saw him.
Standing near the edge with his arms crossed, his usually serious face waiting for the test to begin, was Hunter. My childhood friend. My biggest rival. My reminder that no matter how strong I thought I was, he was stronger.
He turned and looked at me like I was a bug that forgot it could fly.
"You're late, Waveboy."
"You know me I was too excited to sleep you were to huh?" I smirked, trying to act like my heart wasn't pounding. "Admit it—you were hoping I'd show."
He didn't smile.
"Whatever Just don't get in my way The Instructor Appears
A loud BOOM cracked through the arena as the instructor landed in front of us—literally descended from the sky with a burst of wind and pressure. He wore long silver robes with a glowing staff at his back and a crooked smile on his face.
"Welcome, future Resonants! I am Master Ryden, your proctor and possibly your favorite teacher. Or your worst nightmare, depending on how today goes."
He walked past us slowly, sizing each of us up.
"This test isn't about how strong you are. It's about how well you work as a team. Five of you will enter the Simulation Room. Survive. Defeat the creature inside. Do not die. And maybe you'll pass."
Jake, the quiet one with green hair and calm eyes, raised his hand. "What kind of creature?"
"Surprise," Ryden said, grinning.
The Trial Begins
The platform beneath us dropped.
Literally dropped—we were in freefall for about two seconds before crashing down into a canyon-sized dome filled with shifting terrain: ice-covered cliffs, rivers, broken ruins, and some kind of jungle. Everything glowed faintly blue.
"Initiating Resonance Simulation: Difficulty Level—Unstable."
I barely had time to process that before the ground shook—and something burst out of the forest like a missile.
A giant armored beast, like a rhino made of obsidian and magma, charged straight at us with a roar that cracked the sky.
Alex—the wild-looking one with electric-black gloves—grinned. "Hell yeah Now this is my kind of test."
Hunter moved first, igniting his arms in flame, dashing to intercept. Jake pulled up a wall of earth to shield us. Blade—tall, quiet, unnerving—was already analyzing.
And me?
I froze.
The beast was barreling toward us and all I could think about was that voice from my dream.
"You are not ready yet, little wave…"
But then something inside me clicked.
Water. I could feel it—in the air, in the ground, in my blood.
I thrust my hand forward.
The nearby river exploded upward like it had been waiting for me—rising into a spiral around my arm. Cold, powerful, ancient. My vision blurred as the dragon's eye flashed behind my eyelids.
"Kaeryn..."
I slammed the water into the charging beast with everything I had.
The monster staggered, steam hissing off its body. The others looked at me—really looked at me—for the first time.
Hunter narrowed his eyes.
Blade tilted his head.
Alex laughed.
Jake just nodded like he'd expected it.
And Master Ryden's voice echoed through the arena:
"Now that's more like it."
The monster staggered, steam hissing off its obsidian hide. For a heartbeat, everything stopped.
I stood there, chest heaving, water spiraling slowly around my arm like it was alive. No... not alive. Watching. Waiting.
The others were staring.
Hunter's eyes narrowed—not in surprise, but irritation.
Blade gave a small nod, unreadable.
Alex? He looked like he'd just found out Christmas came early.
"Dude," he grinned, sparks crackling across his gloves. "That was awesome."
Jake placed a hand on my shoulder,
Great job on defeating the beast,
I stared at him for a moment not knowing what just occurred myself.
"Oh uh, thanks I guess I'm Wyatt by the way,
He glanced at me, and a faint smile appeared on his face. He reached his hand out, and of course, I took it, and it shook.
I'm Jake nice to meet you,
Suddenly I feel an arm around my neck and I glance and see Alex with his other arm around Jake's neck.
Hey, don't forget about me the great Alex!,
I smiled happy to have made two new friends on my first day here but then Suddenly, we all felt it—like something shifting beneath our skin. A pulse. A beat. A whisper that didn't come from outside, but from deep within.
Jake let go of my hand and staggered back slightly, clutching his chest.
Alex blinked and stepped away, glancing at his gloved palms. "Okay... anyone else feel that earthquake inside their ribcage?
I nodded slowly. "Yeah. What was that?"
Before anyone could answer, the ground trembled again. But this time, it wasn't the monster.
It was us.
Blue mist rose from my skin. Jake's eyes briefly glowed green. Sparks danced across Alex like living fireflies. Hunter's hair lit up like fire. An ominous aura began to leak out blade's body. And I heard it again—that same voice from my dream.
"You are waking now, little wave. You are the tide, and the tide does not ask permission to rise."
Then, just like that, the power settled... still there, but calm. Waiting.
Master Ryden's voice echoed over the arena, but not with its usual charm.
"...Simulation paused. All participants remain still."
In a blink, he was in front of us again, staff humming with silver light, his expression more serious than I'd seen so far.
"You five. Wyatt, Jake, Alex, Hunter, Blade," he said, looking at each of us. "You just resonated. Not like normal students. Not like anyone I've ever trained."
He glanced toward the observation deck—glass windows high above the arena where instructors and Council members watched the exam. Figures were moving behind the tinted panels. Whispering.
"Report to me after the test. Alone," Ryden said quietly. "Do not speak of what just happened. Not yet."
Then he raised his voice again. "Hunter. Blade. You're up next."
As they stepped forward, I noticed something strange. Blade's eyes... they weren't just focused. They were calculating. Like he knew more than he should. Like he was watching a puzzle fall into place.
And Hunter? He wasn't even looking at Ryden. He was looking at me.
He didn't look impressed.
He looked furious.
Scene break: After the test
We met Ryden in a quiet chamber behind the Arena—a tall room lined with old dragon statues and glowing crystal sconces.
He paced for a while before turning to face us.
"What I'm about to say stays here. Understood?"
We nodded.
"You five just awakened something that hasn't been seen in a hundred years. True resonance. Not with external energy. With something older. Primal. You're not just students. You're dragon vessels."
The word hung in the air like a storm cloud.
Jake inhaled slowly. "I thought the stories were just myths. The Five Emperors..."
"They're real," Ryden said. "And I believe they've chosen their next hosts."
Alex gave an excited laugh. "So... does this come with like, a cool badge or maybe a raise in my lunch allowance?"
Ryden gave him a flat look. "It comes with danger. And responsibility. And enemies. Ones that already know you're here.
A silence fell between us.
I looked down at my hands. The water spirit. Kaeryn. That voice. That eye.
This wasn't just a school test anymore.
This was the beginning of something far bigger.
Something ancient.
And somehow, I was right in the center of it.
We left the chamber in silence.
No one said a word—not even Alex, which had to be some kind of world record. The hallways of the Academy of Elation were quieter now, lit with soft resonance torches casting ripples of light across the stone walls. My boots echoed as we walked, and I kept glancing down at my hands like they might start glowing again.
Dragon vessels.
I kept turning the words over in my head, like if I thought about them enough, they'd start making sense.
They didn't.
"Hey," Alex finally whispered, glancing over. "So... do we get cool dragon nicknames now? Because I vote for Thunder Fang. No, wait. Voltage Vortex."
"Alex," Jake muttered.
"Okay, okay. Too soon. Got it."
Hunter hadn't said anything since we left the chamber. He walked ahead of us, arms crossed, jaw clenched. I could practically feel the heat radiating off him—and I wasn't sure if it was from his dragon or just his ego throwing a tantrum.
I didn't blame him, though.
We were all probably freaking out in our own way.
We parted ways at the student dorms—Jake and Alex heading to the east wing, Blade disappearing without a word, and Hunter stomping off to wherever he brooded when he was mad at the world.
I stood alone in the courtyard for a while.
Above me, the sky had turned a deep blue, stars peeking out behind the floating crystals that powered the upper towers. The Academy looked calm. Peaceful.
But nothing felt peaceful anymore.
I didn't sleep much that night.
Dreams came in fragments—waves crashing against obsidian cliffs, a shape moving beneath the ocean, eyes watching me from the deep.
At one point, I heard a voice whisper my name—"Wyatt…"—but when I opened my eyes, the room was empty, and moonlight was spilling across my floor again.
I sat up, sweating. My pendant—the one with the water dragon crest—was glowing faintly against my chest.
What the hell is happening to me?
Next Morning – Academy Mess Hall"Dude," Alex said, dropping a tray of food next to me. "You look like you got chewed up by a dream and spit out sideways."
"Thanks," I muttered, poking at something that might've been eggs.
Jake sat across from us, already halfway through his meal, scanning the news updates on his wristband. "There's talk that yesterday's test results were classified by the Resonance Council. We're not on the rankings."
"So we're… secret students now?" Alex asked, eyebrows raised. "Like, Dragon Agents?"
"I think they're trying to keep what happened quiet," Jake said. "Too much power, too fast. It'll attract attention."
"Yeah," I muttered, glancing toward the window. "Like that guy Ryden mentioned. The one after the Orb of Averus."
Alex leaned back. "So what exactly is that thing? The orb."
Jake adjusted his band, pulling up a faded diagram. "It's supposedly a conduit—links Earth to the Spirit World. Ancient magic. Forbidden, sealed, forgotten. All the usual warnings."
"Why would someone want to tear open a hole to a spirit dimension?" I asked.
Jake shrugged. "Power. Control. Resurrection. Take your pick."
Alex elbowed me. "Maybe your dragon's got the answer, huh, Waveboy?"
I gave a half-smile. "I think he's still waking up."
Training Hall – Later That DayMaster Ryden wasn't smiling when we showed up.
"We don't have time for a slow awakening," he said. "If what I suspect is true, then your dragons will stir faster than expected—and your enemies won't wait for you to get comfortable."
He led us into a new chamber—round, dome-like, with glowing symbols etched across the floor in a swirling spiral. Blue, red, gold, green, violet—one for each element.
"Today, we begin your first Resonant Sync."
"What's that?" I asked, already guessing it'd be painful.
Ryden raised a brow. "It's how we figure out the type of resonance affinity you possess."
A sudden gust of wind slammed the doors shut behind us. The symbols beneath our feet lit up, and I felt my skin buzz—like I was standing on a storm cloud full of nerves and static.
"Sit," he said. "Close your eyes. And listen."
We obeyed.
And then the world vanished.
Spirit Dive – Wyatt's MindI was underwater again.
But this time, it wasn't a dream. It was real.
The ocean wasn't cold—it was vast, endless, lit by glowing currents and drifting stars. I floated through it like I was made of light and breath, weightless and slow.
Then I saw him.
Kaeryn.
His form was a massive serpent of silver-blue scales, eyes like lunar tides, fins trailing mist like smoke. He coiled through the water in slow circles, watching me. Not just with his eyes—but with something deeper.
"You are the vessel," he said, his voice rippling through the current like thunder in reverse. "The next in a line forged by sacrifice. Why do you hesitate, little wave?"
"I…" I floated toward him, "I'm not sure I can handle this."
"The tide does not ask permission to rise."
"I'm not a hero. I barely passed the entrance exam."
He turned slowly, his body miles long, weaving around pillars of coral and light.
"Yet you acted. When fear gripped you, you stood. That is not weakness. That is awakening."
I swallowed hard. "What if I lose control?"
"Then you learn. Or you drown. But either way, you do not stop."
He moved closer, and one massive eye filled my vision again—the same eye from my dreams.
"You are not a wave, Wyatt. You are the tide."
He touched his forehead to mine, and my world went white.
Back in the Training HallI gasped, falling back with a shout as water exploded off my skin. I was soaked, shaking, and breathing like I'd run a marathon.
Ryden stood over me, nodding slowly.
"Good," he said. "You made contact."
I blinked. "What—what was that?"
"Your bond," Ryden said. "The beginning of something ancient. And the first step to mastering your Resonance."
Around me, the others were starting to wake—each one shrouded in faint elemental glow.
Jake. Alex. Blade. Even Hunter.
We were different now.
I could feel it.
And whatever came next... I was finally ready to face it.