There were thirty of them on the bus
Thirty hopefuls.
Thirty Sparks.
Thirty people who believed they deserved to stand beneath Helios' sun.
The bus hummed steadily along the private highway, carrying them toward the eastern testing grounds of Helios Vanguard Academy. No one spoke at first. The silence wasn't nervous.
It was competitive.
Then someone broke.
"I heard only four or five from each batch get in," a boy near the front said, voice a little too loud. "So statistically—"
"Statistically," a girl interrupted from two rows back, "most of you are wasting your time."
A few heads turned.
Seraphine Valehart didn't.
She was looking out the window, chin resting lightly against her knuckles, sunlight catching in her pale hair. Even sitting down, she somehow looked staged — composed, deliberate.
The comment hadn't come from her.
But it easily could have.
A whisper started near the aisle.
"Is that—?"
"It is."
"That's Aurora's daughter."
Of course.
Sera let the whispering build before she turned her head.
"Yes," she said coolly, without being asked. "I am."
Silence followed.
Across the aisle, Jun Park watched her with quiet curiosity.
She didn't look embarrassed.
She didn't look proud.
She looked… bored.
"So you're guaranteed a spot then?" the loud boy pressed.
Sera's gaze shifted to him slowly.
"If Helios admitted students based on their parents," she said evenly, "it wouldn't be worth attending."
There was something in her tone.
Not defensive.
Dismissive.
The boy flushed slightly. "I just meant—"
"I know what you meant."
That ended that.
Jun almost smiled.
She noticed.
Her eyes flicked to him. Sharp. Assessing.
"And you?" she asked. "Are you here on legacy, or ambition?"
"Ambition," he replied.
"No famous relatives?"
"None that matter."
She studied him a second longer than necessary.
"Confidence without credentials," she murmured. "That's either impressive or delusional."
Dante, seated a few rows ahead, twisted around in his seat with a grin. "I like her."
Sera didn't look at him. "That's unfortunate."
A few stifled laughs echoed through the bus.
Jun tilted his head slightly. "Do you enjoy this?"
"Enjoy what?"
"Making everyone uncomfortable."
Her expression didn't change.
"If they're uncomfortable now," she said, "they won't survive the testing field."
It was clinical.
Matter-of-fact.
Like she was doing them a favor.
The bus jolted slightly as it shifted lanes.
One of the candidates near the back muttered, "Must be nice growing up trained by the number two hero in the country."
That made her turn fully.
For the first time, something flickered behind her eyes.
"Must be," she agreed flatly.
The tone was wrong.
Not proud.
Not grateful.
Jun caught it.
"Did she train you?" he asked, before he could stop himself.
A beat.
Sera's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
"She trained the cameras," she replied. "I trained myself."
The air shifted.
Ah.
There it is.
Before anyone could dig further, Dante clapped his hands once.
"Alright, tension aside — what are we hoping the test is? Straight combat?"
"Obstacle course," someone offered.
"Team scenario would be smarter."
"They won't do team this early," Jun said. "They want individual metrics first."
Sera glanced at him again.
"You've studied their intake structure?"
"Public records exist."
"And you memorized them?"
"Yes."
She held his gaze a moment longer.
"…Good," she said finally. "I'd hate to compete with amateurs."
It was half challenge. Half warning.
Outside, the academy finally came into view — white spires cutting into blue sky, sunlight reflecting off reinforced glass.
The chatter died instantly.
Even Sera fell quiet.
The bus didn't turn toward the main entrance.
It veered east.
Toward the testing grounds.
Open terrain fields. Modular structures. Elevation shifts. Steel partitions rising and lowering mechanically.
No red carpet.
No welcome speech.
Just evaluation.
The bus rolled to a stop.
Thirty candidates inhaled.
The doors opened with a hiss.
Warm air poured in.
A Helios official stood waiting, tablet in hand.
"Batch Seven," she called calmly. "Disembark."
Gravel crunched underfoot as they stepped down.
Drones hovered above, lenses angled.
Recording everything.
Jun adjusted the strap on his bag.
Dante stretched his shoulders.
The quiet analytical girl from earlier walked ahead without hesitation.
Sera stepped onto the gravel last.
She looked at the field.
Then at the gates slowly sliding open.
Jun moved to pass her.
She spoke without looking at him.
"Try not to embarrass yourself."
He smirked. "Worried about the competition?"
She turned her head slightly, just enough for him to see the faintest curve of a smile.
"I don't worry about competition."
Then she stepped forward first.
Confident.
Untouchable.
Infuriating.
And impossible not to watch.
The gates finished opening.