The morning air carried a quiet intensity, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Kael walked beside his mother through the wide stone path that led to the Kyrios Empire's Cadet Arena — a coliseum of ancient design and overwhelming presence. The sheer scale of it made his chest tighten. Towering archways curved high above the streets, casting long shadows across the sea of parents, guardians, and aspiring cadets crowding the entrance.
It stung a little, realizing his father wouldn't be there. Kael tried not to show it. He's out there protecting a border town, he reminded himself. If he could, he'd be here. Still, part of him wished he could see his father's silent nod of approval before stepping into the unknown.
Lira, however, was as steadfast as ever — eyes sharp, posture straight, and expression unreadable. When they reached the registration checkpoint, a uniformed officer in a dark crimson jacket inspected their documents, nodded, and waved them through.
Soon they arrived at the massive cadet lobby, a grand hall filled with pillars, blue banners, and crowds of kids Kael's age or older — many clad in battle-ready tunics, some already bearing training scars across their exposed arms.
Lira turned to Kael just before she had to part ways. Her hands rested firmly on his shoulders.
"Be careful out there," she said quietly, her eyes locking with his. "Trust your instincts. Remember what you were taught — in order, Kael. You only have seconds to think out there. If your body hesitates, your opponent won't."
Kael nodded. Her words rooted him, as always. Then she hugged him once — brief, strong — before disappearing into the crowd of guardians making their way to the observation stands.
Inside the cadet lobby, Kael found himself surrounded by at least two hundred others — all younger than fifteen. The space was massive, yet the tension between them made it feel crowded. Some stretched, others meditated, while a few sized up the competition with hard stares and clenched fists.
As Kael walked deeper into the room, scanning the different groups, a familiar face caught his eye — one he hadn't expected to see here.
Ryn.
The boy stood by the far wall, posture stiff, eyes darting toward the floor the moment Kael's gaze landed on him. Ryn's presence stirred something complicated in Kael — a mix of betrayal, nostalgia, and muted curiosity.
Kael held his gaze for a moment longer, waiting for some form of acknowledgement. But Ryn avoided eye contact entirely.
So you made it here too, Kael thought. Let's see if you earned it.
He didn't approach. Whatever past they shared, this wasn't the time or place to settle it.
Shortly after, a tall figure in military garb walked into the center of the room. He bore the silver insignia of a Second-Rank Commander — a sign that this exam wasn't going to be a formality.
"Attention," the man barked. "Your first exam begins shortly. Listen carefully — I'll only say this once."
The room stilled.
"There are 267 of you present today. The Kyrios Academy only accepts a maximum of 70 cadets per cycle. You'll be evaluated in several phases. If you fail to meet the standard — you're out."
A few cadets exchanged nervous glances. Kael didn't blink.
"The first phase," the commander continued, "will test your physical strength and speed under Acarna strain."
A diagram lit up on a floating glyph screen behind him, displaying two stages.
"Trial one: A 500-meter sprint across a field saturated with wild energy — unrefined Acarna. The further you run, the heavier your body will feel. Many collapse halfway."
Kael's pulse quickened — That sounds like training in the chamber...
"Trial two: You'll attempt to lift and hold one of several stone blocks imbued with gravity magic. Each block has been calibrated to a different level of pressure — from novice to elite. You may only attempt one lift. Choose wisely."
A hush fell over the room. Kael's smile was subtle, but real. Speed and strength. This might be fun.
Outside, the arena thundered with excitement. Lira had found a spot high in the stands, arms crossed as she watched the gates open. From her vantage point, the field looked endless, crackling with residual magic. Glyphs were burned into the soil. Wind whipped across the open-air battleground.
Kael stood with a group of twenty as the first batch, heart steady, eyes forward. His plain tunic fluttered in the wind, and the weights still strapped to his ankles and wrists were hidden beneath his sleeves and pants.
A horn sounded.
The gates opened.
And the trial began
The gates creaked open with a deep groan, revealing the expansive arena floor. Rows upon rows of audience members watched from the stands above, their eyes fixed on the incoming cadets. Kael stepped forward with nineteen others, boots meeting sun-warmed stone.
This was the first group — the beginning of the trial that would separate the weak from the capable.
The path before them stretched out like a corridor of crystalized light and shadow, 500 meters long and enclosed by shimmering walls of energy-tuned crystal. It reminded Kael instantly of the training chamber in his basement, though the energy radiating here was less intense — more widespread but less refined.
Still, the sensation was unmistakable.
As he stepped closer, he could feel the pressure — like a weight slowly pressing down on his bones. It wasn't unbearable, but he knew it would grow worse with each step.
Kael couldn't help but grin.
Familiar terrain. I've lived through worse.
He took a moment to look toward the audience stands. The crowd stretched far and wide, too many faces to pick out his mother's, but he knew she was there. Watching. Judging.
And he wasn't going to let her down.
The instructor stepped in front of the line of cadets — a lean man clad in military blue, eyes sharp, jaw tight. He raised his hand, fingers glowing with condensed light.
"You run when the spark fires," he said clearly. "No cheating. No hesitating. If you fall — stay down. Medics will come. There is no shame in knowing your limits, but there is death in ignoring them."
The cadets stiffened. Kael took his position at the starting line.
"On your mark…"
Muscles tensed. Breaths steadied.
"Set…"
The light flared in the instructor's palm.
Pop!
The spell fired like a flare into the air, bursting into a blue-white explosion.
The cadets launched forward, boots pounding the crystal-lined path as they disappeared into the enclosed corridor. The top of the course was sealed with clear enchanted glass, allowing the audience to watch every second of the test. Floating glyphs broadcast the runners' progress to magical viewing panels high above.
Kael moved swiftly — faster than most — his movements fluid, practiced. The pressure of the unrefined Acarna energy weighed on his shoulders like a familiar cloak.
This is nothing compared to the chamber, he thought. But these damn weights…
Despite his speed, Kael found six cadets already ahead of him — moving like shadows, fast and sure-footed. His breath caught for a moment.
They've trained too. Some of them might be like me.
The crystal corridor pushed harder the farther they went. At around 200 meters, the energy thickened, slowing the unprepared. A few cadets stumbled. One fell hard and didn't get back up.
By the time Kael reached 300 meters, the air felt dense as iron. Every movement demanded focus, every breath was heavy. His limbs burned, but his heart burned brighter.
He pushed harder.
At 450 meters, another cadet dropped — crawling before being engulfed in a glowing field and teleported out by the medical staff. Kael passed him without slowing down.
Finally, with sweat dripping from his forehead and his chest burning with exertion, Kael broke through the shimmering arch at the end of the path.
He was the fourth to cross the finish line.
Not first — but not far behind.
He stumbled a step, then caught himself. Three cadets behind him collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion. Three others never made it to the end.
A magical screen flared in the sky:
Heat 1 Results
Participants: 20
Completed: 17
Eliminated: 3
Kael let out a long breath. Around him, other cadets caught their breath in silence. No one cheered. No one gloated. Everyone knew this was just the beginning.
The remaining cadets were quickly ushered to the side by academy attendants in navy cloaks, each handed a small identification glyph to log their time and rank in the first trial. Kael took his silently, watching as the second batch of cadets entered the arena.
He stepped aside, leaning slightly against the stone wall to let his muscles recover.
As the next heat began, the instructor repeated the process.
Twenty more cadets lined up. The flare exploded in the sky.
The second trial started.
And again… and again.
It would take 26 heats total before all 267 cadets had their turn.
And each time, the pressure of the course claimed at least one runner.
Some collapsed from exhaustion. Others from panic. A few barely made it to the end, limbs shaking, eyes wide with shock.
Kael remained quiet throughout, watching the field, studying the patterns.
There's more to this exam than strength and speed, he thought. There's discipline. Timing. Control. Anyone can sprint fast once. But can they adapt? Can they endure what comes next?