The courtyard outside the arena buzzed with shouts and tension. Candidates lined the steps—some comparing weapons, others quietly testing aura in silent contests. Then the shouting sharpened. Two rookies faced off, their pressure colliding so violently the stone tiles cracked beneath them.
The crowd leaned forward as both launched. The impact sent up a cloud of dust, obscuring their view.
When the haze cleared, both rookies were on the ground—one groaning with his arm twisted behind his back, the other staring at a broken blade. Standing between them was a figure, scarf loose at his neck, eyes faintly glowing with intensity most couldn't handle.
A hush fell. Then whispers.
"Who... is that?"
"I didn't even see him move."
"Wait. That's Rin Kairo... the Black Clan."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. The cursed bloodline. A name that carried weight.
Kai's chest tightened. His gaze locked onto Rin the moment Rin's eyes flicked to him. For a second, time slowed. The noise, heat, and whispers faded away. Rin's sharp aura brushed against Kai's—reading the strange weight beneath Kai's calm that only Golds and above were said to notice.
Kai's pulse quickened. Rin didn't linger, but recognition flashed in his eyes.
Before the silence grew heavy, a voice broke through. Aria stepped forward, hands on her hips, her tone cool. "What's with you two? Staring like it's already finals. Save it for the trial."
The spell shattered. Sound crashed back in. Rookies pointed and whispered as Rin turned into the crowd. Kai blinked, unsettled, saying nothing. The acknowledgment hung unspoken.
Proctors' horns sounded. Trial by Mind was about to begin.
⸻
Rookies entered the arena chamber, nerves crackling like static. Desks in perfect rows awaited, each with parchment, brush, and a vial of ink. Armor-clad Seeker guards lounged along the walls, hands on hilts, eyes sharp enough to cut through lies.
"Trial by Mind," the proctor announced, voice ringing out. "One hour. Any cheating, and you're expelled."
Silence.
Then the rustling of parchment as everyone sat down.
Kai sank into his seat and stared in horror. The first question appeared: List the Seven Spokes of Untra and define their resonance laws. He glanced at the ceiling, lips moving. "Seven... uh... Martial, Elemental... Spiritus? Or Spiritual? What even is Abyssal?" His brush hovered uselessly.
Aria was already writing, strokes precise. She didn't look up. Kai groaned into his sleeve. "I'm dead."
Across the room, a boy with Psychic Muti closed his eyes, skimming thoughts from a neighbor's page. A girl flicked her hair, sending a ripple of Sound Muti—whispers carrying answers down the row. Another candidate folded motes with Spiritus Muti, flickering tiny light-shapes as coded signals.
A guard's head jerked up. Cheating vanished. Faces went blank. Brushes moved.
Kai tapped his brush against his forehead, muttering, "Pulse Vein... Soul Channel... Manifest Drift... God Pulse... Still Flow... That's five. Five's good, right?" He scribbled, but his handwriting disintegrated halfway through.
Two rows over, a Spatial user slid a nearly invisible mirror sliver to copy a neighbor's sheet. A guard's boot cracked the floor. The mirror winked out; her brush scribbled in fake panic.
Sweat beaded on Kai's brow; ink ran down the page. "Why didn't Darius teach me this part?" he whispered.
To an outsider, it appeared to be an ordinary exam. Inside, it was a battlefield—quiet tricks and tighter nerves.
Kai raised a timid hand. "Uh... can I get another paper? This one looks like I sneezed in Untra."
Snickers. Aria covered a smile with her hand and kept writing.
The test had barely started, and Kai was already fighting for his life in ink and panic.
⸻
The hall was stone-still when guards collected papers. Only the quills' sealing and boots on marble broke the silence. Rookies froze, waiting.
Minutes dragged on. The proctor returned with a long scroll and unrolled it; parchment snapped like thunder.
"Those who failed the Trial by Mind will leave now."
Names scrolled out. Shoulders sagged, chairs scraped, and dozens filed out. Some cursed; others kept their heads down. The air grew lighter—and sharper. Those remaining knew they'd crossed the first threshold.
Kai gripped his desk, holding his breath until the last name was called. Not his. Relief hit so hard he almost laughed; he hid it with a hand to his neck. Still in.
When the doors closed on the failures, the proctor lifted the scroll again, his voice final.
"Now we form your squads. Four to a team. These are the allies you'll fight beside in the Trial by Combat."
The room held its breath.
"Team One: Zhen Murai. Solene Ivaris. Omar Hakim. Mei-Lan of the Crimson Fan."
Four figures rose—pride, poise, whispers.
"Team Two: Drexus of Emberhold. Nyro Yusara. Calen Vorr. Shira Dae."
Gasps. Brutal lineup. Rivals were already sizing each other up.
The proctor's gaze drifted down.
"Team Three: Rin Kairo."
The room tensed. The Black Clan name cut sharply. Rin rose, scarf draped, presence as sharp as a blade through the murmurs.
"Your teammates... Kai Xander."
Kai blinked. "Me?" He stood under a hundred stares. His eyes brushed Rin's—no words, just pressure—then Rin looked away.
"Lila Butters."
She nearly tripped, jumping up. "That's me! Totally saw that coming." She yanked her bag free, grinning at the silence. "Okay, maybe not."
Snickers slipped through the tension.
"And finally... Aria Flamehart."
She rose smoothly, confidence in every step. Lightning flickered faintly at her knuckles, scarf trailing. Passing Kai, her glance slid sideways just enough to straighten him.
The scroll rolled shut.
"Further teams are posted outside. Tomorrow begins your Trial by Combat. Rest well—your squad may be the only reason you leave alive."
Murmurs surged. Candidates moved toward their new allies—some laughing, others already sharpening rivalries.
Kai stood with Rin—silent, unreadable; Lila—practically bouncing; Aria—calm, keen eyes.
One team among many.
But to Kai, it felt like the start of something heavier.