Kael Veyris crouched at the edge of the training arena, his palms pressed against the cold, cracked stone floor. Around him, the other students were already moving—agile, precise, confident. He was last, as always. The instructors' gazes swept over the trainees like judges at a gladiator arena, each nod or frown broadcasting a verdict Kael had heard too many times: insufficient, incapable, forgettable.
"Come on, Veyris," a sneering voice cut through the air. "Try not to embarrass yourself today."
Kael's jaw tightened. He said nothing. Words had never been his weapon. Observation, patience, and timing were.
The trial began with the arena doors slamming shut. Inside, the infamous Veil Zone, a glowing rift of fractured energy, pulsed like a heartbeat, casting erratic shadows across the stone. Students rushed in, weapons flashing, powers igniting. Kael stayed on the edge, watching the patterns, watching the mistakes. He could feel the faint hum of the Veil Zone, a resonance deep in his chest, but nothing extraordinary happened. Nothing yet.
A piercing shriek echoed. One of the top-tier students had already triggered a Veil anomaly, and the energy exploded outward, sending him crashing into a wall. The instructors barely flinched. Another student rushed forward, confident, only to be swallowed by a sudden surge of the zone's power. Panic rippled through the arena. Kael's heart raced, but not with fear. With interest.
Then it happened. A shadow flickered near him, almost unnoticed, like a whisper in the corner of the world. He didn't move. The shadow touched his skin, cold and electric. His chest tightened. Images flashed in his mind: glimpses of skills, reflexes, and strength not his own. Kael's vision sharpened, and the chaotic energy of the arena slowed.
He rose calmly. Every movement was measured, precise. The first monster of the trial lunged at him, a hulking creature born from the Veil Zone, its teeth bared, eyes glowing red. He sidestepped effortlessly, his hands brushing the air. A wave of borrowed skill surged through him. With a motion he had never consciously learned, Kael struck. The creature collapsed instantly. Silence.
The arena froze. Students stared. Instructors' eyes widened. Kael, the perennial last-place trainee, had just done the impossible.
He didn't smile. He didn't gloat. He simply turned, walking toward the edge of the Veil Zone. He had tasted power briefly, chaotically, dangerously, and he knew this was only the beginning.
Somewhere, a whisper seemed to echo through the Zone itself:
"The one who masters the Veil will change everything."
Kael Veyris walked on, unnoticed, yet alreadya storm in the making.