Morning light poured over the Academy like molten gold, but to Neel it felt cold. The whispers had not stopped since the Ceremony. Everywhere he walked, voices followed.
"Shattered Core…"
"Two elements… cursed."
"Shouldn't even be allowed here."
Some were hushed. Others loud enough to sting. He kept his eyes down, his satchel heavy against his shoulder.
Leela walked with him, her steps light but her presence steady, like an anchor keeping him from drifting. "Ignore them," she murmured. "Whispers fade. Truth lasts longer."
He wished he could believe her.
Behind them, Aarav Menon laughed too loudly at nothing, his arm slung around a fellow student's shoulder. His words carried easily. "Careful not to stand too close. Storm-boy might explode any second."
The laughter that followed cut deeper than the words. Neel clenched his fists, but Leela touched his arm, keeping him from snapping back.
–––
The day's first lesson was in the Training Circle, a wide arena where initiates learned to control their newly awakened magic. Rows of students lined the stands as instructors called names.
"Rajput," one barked.
Shanaya stepped into the circle, her crimson cloak trailing like a banner. She lifted her hand, and fire surged to life — bright, controlled, elegant. A serpent of flame coiled around her arm, then burst outward into a phoenix that rose above the crowd before dissolving in sparks.
Gasps and cheers filled the air. Shanaya bowed slightly, her smirk sharp. Her gaze flicked through the crowd until it landed on Neel.
"Sharma," the instructor called.
The whispers rose instantly.
Neel swallowed hard and stepped into the circle. His palms burned. Sparks crackled at his fingertips before he even lifted his hands. He tried to steady his breathing, to recall Elder Meera's words during their brief lessons — "Focus, channel, control."
He raised one hand. Flame flared. The other hand. Lightning cracked.
And then they collided.
The blast sent dust swirling, a shockwave rippling through the stands. Students cried out. For a heartbeat, the storm threatened to spiral. But Neel gritted his teeth, forcing the two elements apart. The flame died down, the lightning dimmed, leaving only scorched earth at his feet.
Silence. Then laughter.
"See?" Aarav called from the stands. "He can't even hold his own magic without breaking something!"
The crowd snickered. Heat rose in Neel's chest — shame, anger, helplessness all tangled.
Then Shanaya's voice cut through.
"I'll test him."
The arena stilled. Shanaya stepped forward, fire coiling in her palm. "If Sharma can't control himself, let's see how he does against someone who can."
The instructor hesitated. Duels were not meant for the first week. But Shanaya's tone left no room for denial.
Neel's stomach dropped.
–––
They faced each other across the circle. Shanaya's phoenix fire blazed, elegant and precise. Neel's storm flickered, chaotic, unstable.
"Ready, rival?" she called, her smirk daring.
Rival. The word struck him like a spark to tinder. The childhood memory flickered — the square, her phoenix overwhelmed for just one heartbeat, her eyes wide with shock. She hadn't forgotten. Neither had he.
The signal rang.
Shanaya moved first, her fire serpent lashing out. Neel raised his hands instinctively — flame and lightning collided, the serpent bursting apart. Sparks rained down. The crowd gasped.
Shanaya's smirk sharpened. "Good. Now try this."
Her phoenix rose again, wings of fire spreading wide. Neel's storm flared in answer, lightning cracking across the sky. The two forces clashed midair, light and fire colliding in a roar that shook the arena.
For a heartbeat, Neel held. His storm carved through the flames. Shanaya's eyes widened — not with fear, but with exhilaration.
And then his control slipped. The storm exploded outward, scattering fire, sending both of them staggering back.
The instructors shouted, raising wards to contain the blast. Dust filled the circle.
When it cleared, Shanaya stood smirking, a scorch mark across her sleeve. "Not bad, Sharma. You lasted longer than I thought."
Whispers rippled through the stands. Rival. Shattered Core. Dangerous.
Keshav Rao watched from the shadows of the stands, his gaze like a brand. His voice carried only to the Elders near him.
"He will destroy us," Keshav murmured. "Or save us. Nothing in between."
–––
Later, as the students spilled from the circle, Leela rushed to Neel's side. Her hand brushed his arm, her eyes full of worry. "Are you alright? You could've—"
"I'm fine," he said quickly, though his voice shook.
From the corner, Aarav sneered. "Fine? You nearly burned half the circle. One day, Sharma, you'll take us all down with you."
Shanaya passed them, her smirk curving as her firelight danced. She leaned close enough for only Neel to hear.
"Remember, rival — I won't let you destroy yourself. If anyone burns you down, it'll be me."
–––
That night, as Neel lay in his dorm, the whisper returned, stronger than ever.
"Chains of fire… rivals of flame… awaken…"
He closed his eyes, the storm raging inside.
And for the first time, he wondered if Shanaya was right.
–––