The arena trembled beneath them, the fissure glowing with silver light that reflected across the polished stone walls. Kael's pulse raced—not from fear, but from the Hollow Veyra stirring inside him. Its presence was undeniable, pulsing like molten silver through his veins, seeking release, testing his boundaries.
The towering colossi that had emerged from the fissure now loomed over the arena floor, their hollow eyes fixed on him. Unlike the others, this first figure radiated an intelligence, as if it were alive—not merely a construct, but a guardian of some ancient memory.
Kael's first instinct was to step back, to let Rienne and Marin handle it. But the Hollow thrummed insistently, and he felt the strange resonance of the colossus responding to his very presence.
He took a deep breath, centering himself. Control. It's control I need first.
1. Testing the Pulse
Kael extended his hand, focusing. A thin wave of energy radiated outward from him—subtle, almost imperceptible—but enough to make the nearest colossus flinch. The others hesitated, their movements synchronized like shadows tethered to the first.
"Kael… are you trying to fight it?" Rienne called, her twin spectral blades raised. She wasn't annoyed—yet—but her tone carried concern.
"No," Kael replied, his voice calm. "I'm… feeling it."
He closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the Hollow Veyra, letting it flow rather than forcing it. He could feel the pulse, the heartbeat of something buried beneath centuries of stone. It responded to his blood, to his lineage, to Kael Veylorn—the name he could not yet claim, but which resonated within him.
When he opened his eyes, the nearest colossus lowered its massive stone arm, as if acknowledging him. The others followed, hesitant but obedient to the rhythm he projected.
Marin stepped forward, awe in her gaze. "It's… responding to you," she whispered.
Rienne didn't reply. She was studying him, her gray eyes narrowed. "Be careful. You don't know what happens if it resists."
Kael nodded. He did know. That was why he moved slowly, testing his limits, learning the rhythm of the Hollow Veyra, letting it guide his first steps.
2. First Clash
The silence shattered when Head Examiner Vaaris raised his hand. "Now, demonstrate! Show that you can control your force!"
With a wave of his palm, Kael directed the nearest colossus toward a large stone platform. Instead of striking blindly, the construct halted, then pivoted exactly as Kael willed, its massive body moving like water over rocks.
A ripple of surprise passed through the other students. No one had seen control at this scale. Not over the constructs, not over the ancient runes, and certainly not over the Hollow itself.
But it was far from perfect.
The second colossus surged forward, ignoring Kael's subtle pulses. The energy inside him reacted violently, flaring outward in a jagged burst that shook the arena. Kael stumbled back, barely keeping his balance. The energy recoiled, slamming against the arena walls, sending shards of stone flying.
Rienne lunged forward to steady him. "Kael! You can't just—"
"Control," he cut her off, gripping the air around him. "I have to learn control!"
The Hollow Veyra's pulse surged again. This time, he channeled it deliberately, guiding it through his core rather than letting it lash outward. The second colossus froze, its runes pulsing erratically, then slowly knelt, obeying him.
Marin exhaled, relief flooding her features. "You did it…"
Kael didn't smile. He had. But only barely. The energy inside him remained unpredictable, and he knew this was only the very first brush with the Hollow Veyra's true potential.
3. Talyssa's Challenge
From across the arena, Talyssa's eyes glinted dangerously. She had been observing, arms crossed, and now she stepped forward, her voice sharp.
"So, the great Kael finally shows his 'gift.' Let's see how you handle this without the Academy holding your leash."
Kael looked at her. The thrill of the challenge burned in her gaze, the same fire that made him both admire and resent her. Not now, Talyssa, he thought. But he didn't dismiss her; she was part of the trial now, whether he liked it or not.
A signal from her summoned a massive colossus from the far side, bigger than any they had faced yet. Its runes flared red, a warning Kael felt in his bones. This one didn't respond to the gentle pulses he had used before—it resisted, testing him.
He inhaled slowly. Then I'll test control at another level.
The Hollow Veyra roared in response, surging through him like wildfire. Energy spiraled from his body in precise patterns, directing the resistant construct, bending it with a force he had only begun to understand. His hands shook from the strain, and his legs almost gave out—but slowly, with deliberate patience, the colossus knelt.
A single bead of sweat traced his temple, but Kael straightened, breathing deeply. His control was growing. Not perfect. Not complete. But it was there.
4. The First Realization
Rienne and Marin flanked him, exhausted but unwavering. Talyssa stared in disbelief—part irritation, part curiosity. Kael knew she would be analyzing every movement, every pulse, for weaknesses.
He looked down at the fissure still glowing beneath the arena. The Hollow Veyra pulsed in quiet satisfaction. It wasn't just a power—it was a living force, connected to him, tied to a history he had yet to uncover, bound to the name Kael Veylorn that no one knew he carried.
The first trial of control had begun. But Kael knew this: the Hollow would push him, challenge him, and perhaps, in time, consume him if he didn't grow stronger.
And Kael Veylorn—the boy everyone saw as ordinary, weak, unremarkable—would meet that challenge head-on.
Not because he had to.
Because he wanted to understand the power that had been waiting for him his entire life.