The next morning came with a sharp chill in the air. The towers of Pyrelith Academy gleamed under the rising sun, their crimson banners snapping in the wind. The courtyard bustled with movement as students poured into the eastern grounds. Today was not another day of lectures it was the Academy's first true trial.
The Training Grounds of Elites.
Alex followed the crowd, his small hands tugging nervously at his plain academy uniform. He kept his head down, not wanting to attract the attention of Serion or his lackeys. The memory of yesterday's humiliation still gnawed at him, but beneath that shame was a flicker of resolve.
Stand your ground. Endure. Grow stronger.
Those words repeated in his head like a mantra. The System's reward from yesterday strength and willpower reminded him that progress wasn't always visible. It was earned, piece by piece, in silence.
The training grounds stretched wide as a battlefield, ringed by towering stone walls. Dozens of dummies stood in neat rows, some made of straw, others carved from charred wood. At the far end, a circular arena had been set up, its sand already marked by scuffs from past duels. Tall braziers lined the edges, their flames swaying in the cold morning wind.
The instructors stood waiting.
At their center was Instructor Veynar, a towering elf with shoulders like steel beams. His crimson cloak billowed as he stepped forward, eyes hard as obsidian. His voice carried across the grounds with commanding weight.
"Welcome, new initiates. Today marks the true beginning of your journey at Pyrelith Academy. You have been chosen to train here because you carry within you the spark of fire.
But let me make this clear spark alone is worthless. Only discipline and strength can forge that spark into flame."
His gaze swept across the students. Nobles stood tall and proud, many smirking as though the speech were beneath them. Common-born children shifted uncomfortably, their nerves written plain across their faces.
Alex swallowed, standing among them, small and silent.
Veynar raised a hand, and a nearby assistant brought forward a glowing crystal, crimson light pulsing within it. "The test is simple. Each of you will place your hand upon the Flame Resonance Crystal. It will measure your affinity your capacity to control fire. Strength of flame, stability of control, depth of potential."
Murmurs rippled through the students. This was the moment many of them had awaited, the chance to prove their lineage, their superiority.
"Step forward, one at a time," Veynar ordered.
The line began.
The first noble, a tall girl draped in silken robes, pressed her palm against the crystal. Instantly, fire flared bright within it, the light spilling across the sand. Gasps of admiration spread among the crowd.
"Affinity: High," the assistant announced. The girl smirked and stepped aside, soaking in the praise.
One by one, students approached. Flames sparked, some bright, some dim. Nobles typically shone the strongest, their bloodlines thick with fire magic. Commoners varied, some managing small glimmers, others barely stirring the crystal at all.
And then Serion Veythar stepped forward.
The silver-haired noble pressed his hand against the crystal with practiced ease. At once, the crimson light erupted, blazing like a miniature sun. The crystal cracked faintly under the force of his affinity, its glow spilling so bright that students shielded their eyes.
"Incredible…" murmurs spread.
"Affinity: Supreme," the assistant declared loudly, his tone full of awe.
Serion turned, smirking at the gathered students, his silver hair glinting. His gaze lingered briefly on Alex mocking, triumphant as if daring him to follow.
Alex's stomach knotted. He tried to ignore Serion's eyes, focusing instead on the next students. Some shone brightly, others dimmed quickly. Each announcement felt heavier, closer to his turn.
Finally, his name was called.
"Alex of Elderleaf."
The murmurs grew louder. Whispers darted across the crowd.
"That's the half-blood."
"The weak one who couldn't summon a spark yesterday."
"Why's he even here?"
Alex's legs trembled as he stepped forward. The Flame Resonance Crystal pulsed faintly before him, waiting. He extended his hand slowly, every nerve in his body screaming with doubt.
I have to try. I can't back down. Not now.
He pressed his palm to the crystal.
For a long moment nothing happened.
The silence in the training grounds was deafening. Nobles began to snicker. A few commoners lowered their heads, pity in their eyes.
"Just as I thought," Serion muttered under his breath, loud enough for those near him to hear. "Ash without flame."
Alex clenched his jaw. Come on… please. Just a spark.
He closed his eyes, reaching deep inside himself. He thought of Kael, his brother's voice guiding his stance. He thought of his father's lessons, his mother's final wish. He thought of Lyanna's laughter, of the promise he had made.
I have to endure. I have to grow stronger. I can't let it end here.
And then faintly, like a whisper of heat something stirred.
A flicker.
The crystal pulsed once. A small ember glowed within, no larger than a candle's flame. It sputtered weakly, as though struggling to breathe.
But it was there.
The assistant leaned closer, squinting. "Affinity: Low. Extremely unstable."
The laughter burst instantly. Nobles clutched their stomachs, some wiping tears from their eyes. Even common-born students chuckled nervously, eager not to draw attention.
"A candle!" one noble shouted.
"No, a spark! Careful, or he'll set his hair on fire!"
The mocking rolled across the grounds, wave after wave. Serion's smirk widened, his voice sharp. "Behold, the great future of the Academy! The half-blood who can't even light a torch!"
Alex's hand trembled against the crystal, but he refused to pull it away. He knew it was weak. He knew it was pitiful compared to the others. But that ember it was his. His alone.
And for him, that was enough.
Slowly, he withdrew his hand. The laughter continued, but Alex forced himself to stand tall, his eyes fixed ahead. He would not give Serion the satisfaction of seeing him break.
Veynar's eyes lingered on him for a long moment. The instructor's face betrayed no emotion, but something flickered in his gaze a shadow of curiosity, perhaps.
"The test is complete," Veynar declared, cutting through the laughter. "Affinity does not determine destiny. Discipline does. Remember this well, for many of you with bright flames will burn out long before the end."
The laughter dulled, though smirks remained. The students dispersed toward the practice fields, some eager to show off, others whispering about Alex's humiliation.
Alex walked slowly toward the dummies, his hands clenched tight. His chest ached, but his eyes burned not with tears this time, but with determination.
Low affinity? Then I'll train twice as hard. If fire won't come easily, I'll drag it out, ember by ember.
As he lifted a wooden practice sword, the System chimed faintly.
[Hidden Progress Detected.]
[Affinity Registered: Fire — 1%.]
[Condition Met: Despite low resonance, user endured public humiliation.]
[Hidden Stat Bonus: +1 Endurance, +1 Willpower.]
Alex exhaled shakily. It wasn't much. But it was something.
And for him, that was enough to keep going.