"Second role, please come up," Instructor Duke announced, his voice a resonant baritone that echoed through the high, stone-tiled hall. The air hung heavy with the scent of old stone and anticipation, a palpable tension vibrating through the assembled students. His sharp eyes, the color of a winter sky, swept across the room, pausing on nervous faces before finally settling on the trio of boys—Asher, Nick, and Ethan—standing slightly apart, a silent knot of apprehension binding them together. The ornate, marble floor reflected the flickering candlelight, casting long, dancing shadows that seemed to amplify the suspense.
"Wait… that's us," Asher muttered, his voice a barely audible breath lost in the expectant hush. A bead of sweat traced a path down his temple, mirroring the tremor in his voice. He darted a nervous glance from Nick to Ethan, their faces reflecting his own anxiety. The weight of the moment pressed down on him, heavy and suffocating. "Where next?" he whispered, the question laced with a rising panic, his knuckles white as he clenched his fists.
Nick, however, remained unfazed. With the quiet confidence of seasoned experience, he stepped forward, his gait measured and controlled. Each step was deliberate, carrying an air of assuredness that seemed to radiate outwards, calming the nervous energy that crackled around him. The crowd of students, a sea of anxious faces, parted subtly to allow his passage, their murmurs softening into awed whispers as he moved with an almost ethereal grace, a silent calm amidst the storm of anticipation.
Asher and Ethan followed, their footsteps echoing in a sharp contrast to Nick's silent precision, their movements revealing their nervousness. The rhythmic tap-tap-tap of their shoes against the polished marble floor punctuated the silence, a counterpoint to the low hum of nervous anticipation that thrummed through the hall. The air crackled with unseen energy, a tangible buzz that hung heavy in the air.
Nick reached Instructor Duke, who regarded him with a mixture of curiosity and something akin to amusement. Nick offered a brief, disarming smile – a flash of genuine warmth that somehow managed to dispel the tension. Without a word, he raised his right hand and placed it gently on the glowing orb resting on the pedestal between them. The orb pulsed with a soft, inner light, a beacon of almost tangible power. A moment stretched, silent and expectant, before a soft white glow blossomed from within the orb, radiant and ethereal, a luminescence as gentle and calming as moonlight on still water.
Nick calmly withdrew his hand, stepping aside with an air of nonchalance that hinted at a deeper knowledge, a profound understanding of the process.
"Element: Wind," Instructor Duke declared, his voice steady and authoritative. He fixed Nick with a knowing smirk, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Guess you already knew, didn't you?"
Nick offered a curt nod, his expression an inscrutable mask. He remained silent, but the glint in his eyes betrayed a quiet confidence, a subtle acknowledgment of his inherent power.
Asher stepped forward, his breath hitching in his chest. He took a deep, steadying breath, trying to quell the tremor in his hands. His steps were less refined than Nick's, heavier, revealing the tension coiling within him. Yet, determination shone in his eyes, a fierce resolve to face whatever lay ahead. He placed his hand on the orb, his fingers trembling slightly, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs. For a moment, nothing happened, the silence stretching taut. Then, with a sudden, explosive force, the orb erupted.
A fierce, radiant red blaze burst forth, filling the hall with an intense crimson glow that was almost blinding. The light pulsed with a raw, untamed power that seemed to sear into the very soul of the watchers. Many shielded their eyes, the heat felt even at a distance. The sheer intensity of the display sent a wave of gasps and murmurs through the silent crowd. The crimson glow felt like staring directly into the heart of a blazing sun.
"Element: Fire," Instructor Duke announced, his voice barely audible above the sudden eruption of excited whispers. A ripple of awe, bordering on reverence, spread through the hall.
"The first destructive element caster from our set!" a voice exclaimed, a mix of wonder and envy lacing the words.
"I wish I'd gotten fire!"
"He's so lucky… Please, God of Elements, bestow upon me the element of fire," a hopeful, almost desperate whisper arose from the back of the crowd, expressing the universal longing for power.
(Author's Note: He was bestowed water—but that's a story for another time.)
Asher stood bathed in the fading crimson light, a joyous grin splitting his face. His laughter rang out, unrestrained and genuine, a pure expression of unadulterated delight. He didn't care who was watching, his happiness too overwhelming to contain.
Nick approached, pulling Asher into a spontaneous, heartfelt hug, his joy as palpable as his friend's. The brief embrace was a silent testament to their shared triumph, a powerful display of camaraderie.
Ethan remained frozen, a statue of silent tension. His breath came in ragged gasps, his chest heaving, his fingers curling and uncurling into fists. He was clearly battling an inner turmoil, a silent struggle against the weight of anticipation.
"Calm down, dude," Nick said, placing a reassuring hand on Ethan's shoulder. "No matter the element you have, I know you'll be the best in it. So go."
"Yeah," Asher added, his breath still catching in his throat, a lingering echo of his earlier laughter. "You got this."
Their words, laced with genuine support, seemed to break through Ethan's internal struggle, giving him the strength to move. He nodded, a single, determined movement, then took a hesitant step forward, then another, each step a small victory over his inner turmoil.
A sudden chill swept through the hall, a distinct drop in temperature that was palpable.
Each step felt heavier than the last, the weight of expectation pressing down on him. His shoulders were tight, his lips pressed into a thin line, his concentration intense. He stood before the orb, gazing into its depths, a silent battle raging within him. He closed his eyes, took two deep breaths, fighting to regain control over the storm of emotions within him. He needed to calm himself; this needed to be done properly.
He reached out, his hand trembling slightly as he placed it on the cool surface of the orb.
Silence.
Then, a flicker of color, a slow, building luminance.
A deep, vibrant glow surged from the orb – not the clean white of wind, nor the fierce red of fire, but a breathtaking swirl of purple and blue, intertwining like a tempestuous stormcloud illuminated by a sudden bolt of lightning. It pulsed with an ancient power, both captivating and terrifying. The energy within was palpable, an almost tangible force that filled the hall.
Time seemed to stretch, to slow to a crawl.
Within Ethan, something ancient stirred, a primal force awakening. It felt like fire, but not on his skin – it burned within his very soul. A searing heat coursed through his veins, an intense energy that was both exhilarating and terrifying.
*So this is… the awakening?* Ethan thought, his teeth clenched against the overwhelming intensity.
Just as Instructor Duke opened his mouth to speak—"Element: Lightning"—Ethan's body convulsed, his form wracked by a sudden, violent spasm.
He coughed, a harsh, ragged sound, then again, before a spray of blood erupted from his lips, staining the polished marble floor. His body trembled uncontrollably, collapsing to his knees before anyone could react, his form collapsing under the raw power he had unleashed.
"ETHAN!" Asher and Nick cried out in unison, their voices filled with panicked terror.
They rushed to his side, their hearts pounding in their chests. Asher knelt, clutching Ethan's shoulders, while Nick cradled his head, trying to support his shaking body.
Instructor Duke moved with surprising speed, pressing a firm hand to Ethan's back, a silent flow of energy passing between them, stabilizing the young man.
A heavy silence descended upon the hall. Every eye was fixed on Ethan, every breath held, every movement watched with bated breath.
No one noticed that his eyes had turned black—pitch black, like twin voids staring back at the world. Nor did anyone see the almost imperceptible change in the orb's glow.
From its vibrant purple and blue, it flickered…then turned black…for the briefest of moments…before returning to its original pulsing lightning-blue as if nothing had happened. The near-instantaneous shift was almost too fast to register, lost in the chaos surrounding Ethan's collapse.
Ethan's convulsions slowed, his coughs subsided. His breathing remained shallow and erratic, his face ashen, sweat slicking his skin. He lay in Nick and Asher's arms, trembling, his body still shuddering with the aftereffects of the powerful awakening.
"Ethan… are you okay?" Nick asked, his voice hoarse with worry.
"Yeah, talk to us, man," Asher urged, his face etched with concern.
Ethan's lips moved, his voice a mere rasp.
"Darkish… it was all black…"
His eyes were wide, haunted, staring at something only he could see, something that had touched the deepest recesses of his being.
Instructor Duke, seemingly oblivious to Ethan's whispered words, seemed relieved that the boy was still alive. His gaze was already shifting, his focus turning to the preparations for the next stage of the ceremony. But Asher and Nick had heard. They exchanged a look, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken fear now gripping them.
"Return to your room and rest up," Instructor Duke said, his voice softer now, tinged with a concern he didn't quite show. "Training begins tomorrow."
The boys nodded, carefully helping Ethan to his feet, supporting him between them as they began the slow, somber walk back to their quarters, the weight of their shared experience pressing heavily upon their shoulders. The unsettling events of the day had cast a long shadow over their future.
The moment they disappeared through the heavy oak doors, Instructor Duke remained alone, his gaze fixed on the now calmly pulsating blue orb. He stood in the echoing silence, troubled and perplexed.
"That has never happened before…" he murmured to himself, the words lost in the vastness of the hall. "What… happened…?" The question hung in the air, a heavy, unspoken weight, a mystery waiting to be unveiled.