Years Later
The war ended the day my grandfather died. The explosion of power that had erupted from me—a chaotic mix of the fire he transferred and the dormant darkness I never knew I had—had been a signal flare. It drew the attention of the Ignarion commanders, who swiftly crushed the Umbrythran forces. In the ensuing chaos, Uncle Shiba managed to get me out.
For a decade, I lived in the shadows of the Fire Nation, hidden away. Shiba told everyone I was the orphan of a soldier, a story no one questioned in a nation still licking its wounds. The power that had awoken that day remained a secret, a turbulent storm locked inside my chest. I could feel it sometimes—the fire, warm and hungry, and the darkness, cold and consuming—but I dared not let it out. I didn't know how.
On this day, by the law of the land, every citizen was to be tested for magical aptitude. For me, it was not a test, but an entrance exam. Shiba had pulled strings, calling in favors from his old military contacts to get me a spot at the prestigious Ignarion Academy of Elemental Arts.
I stood at the edge of a massive crowd, my heart hammering against my ribs. The academy stood before us, a breathtaking structure of red marble and obsidian, with spires that pierced the clouds. At its grand entrance stood a man who needed no introduction.
The crowd erupted. "It's the king! The Fire King himself!"
King Ignis, a man with a crown of living flame and a presence that warmed the very air, raised his hands for silence.
"Good day, citizens of the Fire Nation!" his voice boomed, amplified by magic. "Today, I once again open the doors of this academy to our future! You have one month to prove yourselves worthy to stand within these halls! To prove you have the strength, the control, and the heart to wield the elements."
The crowd roared its approval. I, however, felt a cold dread settle in my stomach. Worthy. The word echoed in my mind. What if I wasn't? What if my power was something else entirely? Something… wrong?
"To be here, huh?" I muttered to myself, lost in my thoughts.
I took a step back, right into someone solid.
"Watch it, punk!" a snide voice snarled.
I turned to see a boy about my age, with brilliantly red hair and a sneer that could curdle milk. He was flanked by two larger boys who looked like they enjoyed breaking things.
"Watch where you're going," I shot back, my nerves making me defensive.
His eyes narrowed. "And who are you talking back to me? Blaze o—"
He never finished his spell. A girl stepped between us, her hand raised. A shimmering, translucent barrier of light appeared before her.
"Reflect," she said calmly.
The fireball the red-haired boy had been conjuring bounced off her shield and exploded harmlessly in the air above him, singeing his own eyebrows.
"AHHHHHH! My face! It's burning!" he yelped, patting at the smoke.
"You'll get it someday, Shawn," the girl said, her voice laced with amusement.
"Fine!" he spat, shooting me a venomous look. "You'll get yours!" With that, he and his lackeys stalked off.
The girl turned to me. She had kind eyes and silver hair that seemed to catch the light. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," I said, a little breathless. "Thanks to you."
"My name is Cindy," she said with a warm smile.
"Kael," I replied, feeling a genuine smile touch my own lips for the first time in what felt like forever. "Good to meet you."
Two Hours Later - The Sorting
The grand hall was even more impressive inside. Vaulted ceilings depicted the history of the six elements in stunning murals, and floating orbs of fire provided light. Hundreds of new students like me buzzed with nervous energy.
Cindy and I had stuck together, a natural alliance formed in the face of Shawn's hostility.
"So you have no idea what your powers are?" she asked, her head tilted curiously as we found seats.
"Don't make fun of me," I grumbled, looking away.
"I'm not!" she insisted. "I've just never heard of someone who didn't know. It usually manifests in childhood."
"So, what are yours?" I asked, eager to change the subject.
"Deflection," she said. "A common type of light-elemental magic. I can deflect or reflect any attack."
"Wow!" I was genuinely impressed.
She waved a dismissive hand. "It's nothing to be amazed about. It's purely defensive."
Before I could reply, a teacher in deep red robes called for attention. "Good day, everyone! I am Professor Magnus, your instructor in Basic Magical Control. Today, we will sort you by your elemental affinity."
One by one, students were called forward. They would place their hands on a large, multi-faceted crystal. It would glow with the color of their element: blue for water, brown for earth, green for wind, white for light, purple for darkness, and red for fire.
"Nice! I got water!" one student cheered.
"Nooo, I got earth! I hate earth!" another wailed.
My anxiety grew with each name called. Finally, the professor's eyes scanned the list and landed on me.
"Kael. Step forward, please."
The walk to the crystal felt like a mile. The eyes of the entire hall were on me. I could see Shawn smirking from the sidelines. Cindy gave me an encouraging nod.
"Place your hand on the crystal, son," Professor Magnus instructed, his voice neutral.
I took a deep breath and pressed my palm against the cool, smooth surface.
For a moment, nothing happened. A wave of whispers started to ripple through the hall. Nothing? He has no element?
Then, the crystal flickered. A deep, violent purple erupted from its core—the color of darkness. The whispers turned to gasps. A darkness user in the Fire Nation was rare, viewed with suspicion.
But it wasn't over. As the purple glow intensified, flecks of bright red sparked within it, like embers in a black fire. The two colors swirled, fighting for dominance, making the crystal vibrate violently.
Professor Magnus's eyes widened. He quickly waved his hand, and the crystal went dark. The hall was dead silent.
"Mr. Kael," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Could we talk… in private?"
He led me to a small, sound-proofed office adjacent to the hall. My heart was trying to beat its way out of my chest.
"What happened?" I asked, my voice trembling.
The professor sat behind his desk, steepling his fingers. "Do you know anything about your parents?"
"Only about my grandfather who died ten years ago," I said, the lie Shiba had crafted for me coming automatically. "Why?"
"Your primary elemental source is darkness," he said, watching my reaction closely. "But… we also found a consistent, powerful trace of fire."
My blood ran cold. "And what about it?"
"First lesson, then," he said, leaning forward. "What happens if two different polarity elements collide?"
I shook my head, mute.
"In small portions, nothing. The smaller one gets nullified. But if the ratio is equal…" He paused for dramatic effect. "The explosion would be equivalent to a small black hole."
I felt the world tilt. "Wha…"
"Don't be scared," he said, though his expression was grave. "That's why you must learn to control your synergy core. You must keep these forces in perfect balance. This… condition… will be our secret."
"Why a secret?" I asked, though I already dreaded the answer.
"If the Senate, or worse, the Council of Magic, finds out…" he trailed off, his meaning clear. "You will be sent to Noman's Land."
The place of exiles. The place I was born. The circle was closing.
Suddenly, a sharp, stabbing pain lanced through my skull. It felt like the fire and darkness inside me were physically tearing each other apart. I cried out, clutching my head.
"Kael? Kael!" Professor Magnus's voice sounded distant.
The world swam, the colors of his office bleeding into a nauseating swirl of purple and red. The last thing I felt was the cold floor against my cheek before darkness, true and simple, swallowed me whole.
I woke up in a sterile white room that smelled of antiseptic and ozone. A medical wing. A whole week had passed, they told me. A week lost to a magical fever as my body struggled to contain the war within.
Now, the day I had been dreading had arrived. The Entrance Exam.
The exam hall was a colossal stadium with a sand-covered floor. In the stands, upper-year students and teachers watched. In the center stood a stern-faced examiner.
"Welcome, aspiring mages!" the examiner's voice echoed. "Today, you will demonstrate control over your element. You must successfully cast three basic spells and one advanced spell. Those who fail will be expelled. First up… Shawn Fireheart!"
Shawn strutted into the center, a confident smirk on his face. "Watch this, peasants!"
He created a massive fireball, then shaped it into a roaring dragon that circled the arena before dissolving into harmless sparks. It was showy, but undeniably powerful.
"Impressive control! Passed!" the examiner announced.
Shawn shot a triumphant look in my direction as he walked back to the line.
"Next, Cindy Lightweaver!"
Cindy stepped forward calmly. "I'm ready."
She created multiple, interlocking barriers of light, each one deflecting a test projectile fired by the examiner with perfect precision. Her control was flawless.
"Excellent defensive capabilities! Passed!"
She gave me a small, reassuring smile as she passed.
Then, it was my turn.
"Kael… step forward."
The sand felt loose under my feet. Hundreds of eyes felt like physical weights on my shoulders. Professor Magnus watched from the stands, his face unreadable.
{I have to be careful… can't let the darkness show too much,} I thought, my mind racing. {But if I only use fire, it might be too weak. What do I do?}
The examiner nodded. "Begin."
A choice lay before me, not as a menu, but as three distinct paths in my mind.
I could try to use only the fire element, the one that should be welcome here. But it felt foreign, like trying to write with my wrong hand.
I could attempt to balance both, to show my true nature and risk everything.
Or I could focus purely on control, on precision, rather than raw power.
I made my choice.
"I'll focus on precision," I announced, my voice steadier than I felt.
I closed my eyes, reaching inward. I didn't grab for the fire or the darkness. Instead, I sought the space between them, the tense equilibrium. I pictured a single point of stability.
I raised my hands. A small, unstable orb of energy flickered into existence above my palm. It was a murky, ugly color, like polluted wine, with red sparks fighting against a purple haze. It wavered, threatening to explode or fizzle out at any second. But I held it. I poured all my concentration into maintaining that fragile, volatile balance.
The examiner watched, his expression critical. "Hmm… your performance is… concerning. The energy is chaotic and weak." He stared at the struggling orb for what felt like an eternity. "However… there's something unique about your magic. The control you're exhibiting under such volatile conditions is… notable. We'll allow you to continue. On probation."
Relief washed over me so powerfully my knees almost buckled. I had passed. Barely.
After the exam, Cindy found me. "You did it! I knew you could!"
"Barely," I sighed. "I almost failed completely."
Before she could reply, Professor Magnus approached, his face grim. "Kael, meet me in my office after this. We need to discuss your… condition."
The relief I'd felt evaporated. It seemed my journey at the academy was only going to get more difficult.
In his office, Professor Magnus got straight to the point.
"That was too close. The examiners sensed something unusual. You need to learn control, and fast. Starting tomorrow, special training."
"Special training?" I asked.
"Yes. We have a choice to make," he said, pacing behind his desk. "We could focus on suppressing the fire element and training only your darkness."
I recoiled at the idea. My grandfather's fire was his final gift to me. To suppress it felt like a betrayal.
"Or," the professor continued, "we could try something riskier. We could attempt to master both."
The challenge was terrifying, but the thought of embracing my whole self, of honoring both parts of my legacy, was intoxicating.
"I want to learn to use both properly," I said, my voice firm.
Professor Magnus looked at me, a flicker of respect in his eyes. "Dangerous. But if anyone can do it… meet me at the old training grounds at dawn. Remember, your secret is safe with me. But be careful—others will be watching."
I left his office and walked to the dormitory assigned to me. The room was sparse, with a single bed and a desk. I looked out the window at the academy grounds, bathed in the light of the twin moons.
{I passed… barely,} I thought, the events of the day replaying in my mind. {But now I have this strange power to deal with. Darkness and fire… what does this mean about my family? And why does the professor seem to know more than he's telling me?}
The questions swirled, with no answers in sight. But one thing was clear: my quiet life was over. Tomorrow, the real work would begin.