Solvyr's grand Ascendance Chamber was built like a coliseum of light — tiered seats glowing with glyphlight, scholars and students watching from above.
At its center, the Trial Arena flared alive with radiant script:
𝙏𝙀𝙎𝙏 𝙊𝙁 𝘾𝘼𝙇𝙄𝘽𝙀𝙍: 𝙇𝙊𝙒-𝙍𝘼𝙉𝙆 𝙀𝙑𝘼𝙇
But the truth was crueler.
This wasn't a test.
It was an execution dressed as curriculum.
Kaien stood alone, his name already mocked, his tier already assigned.
They had summoned Rank 3 Initiates — flamecasters with polished Protocols — to "evaluate" him.
Even Professor Velle had gone silent.
The Fight Begins
Kaien's breath fogged. Not with cold — with pressure.
Three opponents moved as one — seamless formation.
"Don't imitate. Learn."
He remembered the whisper from before.
But now, there was no time.
The first blow came fast — a whip of living flame. Kaien ducked, barely.
The second sent him flying into the arena's barrier.
The third—
He heard laughter. Not just from the arena.
From the Council seats.
A protocolist in ceremonial robes leaned over and said to the other:
"So this is the Zero boy."
Kaien coughed blood. And smiled.
"You want to see Zero?" he whispered.
"Fine."
Protocol Zero Awakens
It didn't activate like a glyph. It didn't pulse like a script.
It broke.
Like a seal cracking inside his spine, a lightless pressure exploded out of him.
The entire chamber went dead silent.
Flames collapsed into themselves. Scripts on the walls reversed — turning black, then… static.
The three combatants froze.
Then screamed.
Their Protocols unraveled mid-cast — one caught in his own fire loop, another thrown against the glyphwall, the third simply… blinked out of awareness.
Not unconscious.
Erased.
The Council Panics
"What is that cast?"
"No script registered!"
"Is he using a pre-code Protocol?!"
Professor Velle stood. Eyes wide.
"No. He's not casting anything."
"The boy isn't using a Protocol…"
"The Protocol is using him."
In the center of the arena, Kaien stood calm, his arms glowing with inverted flame — light that devoured light.
And then came the voice again.
"You were never meant to be a caster, Kaien Virell."
"You were meant to be a memory."
The Monolith Shatters (Again)
High above, the fractured Ascendance Disc — Solvyr's great pride — split once more.
A massive piece fell, striking the arena's outer ring. Screams echoed as barriers failed.
But Kaien didn't move.
He turned upward.
And saw—
Riven.
Or an echo of her.
Standing atop the fallen disc, barefoot, flame-crowned.
She raised her hand. Touched her temple.
And whispered:
"Good. You finally stopped asking permission."
Name Burned Into the Sky
The Trial Arena surged with light. Glyphs that didn't belong to any Flame School carved themselves across the ceiling.
One phrase burned into the air:
PROTOCOL ZERO: UNWRITTEN ASCENDANT
The chapter ends on Kaien's whisper — not to himself, but to the one still watching from the shadows (Nox):
"You've been waiting, haven't you?"
"So come see what you started."