Kael stood at the edge of the Skyveil launch ring, facing a dozen storm cadets in full armor. The wind howled, but none of them flinched. This was the proving ground. Fail here, and your name vanished. Succeed, and you joined the Storm Vanguard.
A captain barked orders. "On my mark, you'll drop into the Cloud Arena. Last one standing wins command."
Kael spun his spear once, ignoring the stares. He wore light gear, no crest, and had no allies. His only goal was simple—move faster than everyone else.
A countdown flashed across the sky.
5… 4… 3…
Kael exhaled. His Truth Binding pulsed.
2… 1…
The floor vanished.
They dropped fast, wind screaming past their ears. The Cloud Arena emerged below—floating stone platforms wrapped in wind tunnels and lightning storms. Kael twisted mid-air, redirected force with a burst from his foot, and landed first.
Boom.
Sonic shock beneath him.
He rolled, slid into a crouch, spear out.
Another cadet landed nearby—big, armored, spear-first. Rokan Vell, musclehead from the main fleet. No strategy, just pressure.
Rokan charged without hesitation.
Kael sidestepped.
He wasn't there.
Then he was.
Behind Rokan.
One clean strike to the back.
Crack.
Rokan's armor buckled. He fell.
Out cold.
Another cadet dropped in—Lyra Orien, dual-blade style, quick on her feet. She didn't rush. She watched.
Smart.
Kael moved, using short bursts to flicker across stone platforms. She followed. They clashed—sparks, metal, echoing strikes.
Lyra smiled. "You're faster than they said."
Kael replied, "You're still too slow."
He disappeared mid-strike, reappearing behind her.
She blocked. Barely.
He respected that.
But she wasn't his focus. Not yet.
The storm intensified. A thunder spike shot down, splitting a platform in two. Two cadets screamed as they fell out of bounds.
A voice rang in the clouds. "Half eliminated."
Kael kept moving, each step feeding his Truth Binding. If he stopped too long, the backlash would cripple him.
On the far side of the arena, Maris Zephyreon descended. Her entrance came with a roar of controlled thunder. She wore the full Zephyreon crest and wielded twin lightning glaives.
The others backed off.
Kael stood still for one breath.
Then moved again.
Maris launched forward, glaives spinning. Her strikes were fast, sharp, clean.
Kael blocked two, dodged one, slid beneath the fourth.
"You're not ready," she said mid-combo.
Kael smirked. "Neither are you."
They clashed. Lightning cracked around them. Maris tried to box him in with arc bursts, but he danced through the gaps.
A thunder orb charged above her head—too slow.
Kael lunged past her guard, flipped over her shoulder, and kicked her toward a collapsing platform.
She landed with a grunt.
Before she could rise, another cadet took advantage and blasted her from behind.
Kael turned.
Only four remained.
Him.
Lyra.
Maris.
And a silent, cloaked figure standing in the eye of the storm.
Kael's instincts flared.
The figure raised a hand. Black wind spiraled. Not Tempus.
Umbra?
No. It was different. Faster. Colder.
The figure pointed at Kael.
"Stormspawn. The Dreadwing remembers your blood."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "You picked the wrong trial."
The final phase began.
Lightning struck from all sides. Platforms collapsed. Kael leapt from piece to piece, racing toward the cloaked figure.
Lyra followed from another angle.
Maris rose again, slower this time.
The figure launched compressed wind blades. Kael dashed through them, momentum humming in his bones.
He struck.
The figure blocked with a clawed arm—Soul Manifestation.
The impact threw both of them apart.
Kael landed in a crouch, chest burning.
His Truth Binding throbbed.
He had paused.
Too long.
His legs buckled.
Pain shot through him.
He gritted his teeth. Moved.
The pain faded. Barely.
He charged again.
This time, he didn't aim to clash.
He aimed to end it.
Flash Step.
One step.
Crash Pulse.
Second step.
Spear raised.
Final strike.
Boom.
The cloaked figure flew off the platform, out of bounds. Vanished in the clouds below.
Silence.
Then a voice boomed from above.
"Trial complete. Victor: Zephyr Kael Zephyreon."
The arena platforms dissolved.
Kael floated midair as the storm settled.
He didn't smile. Didn't raise a fist.
He just kept moving.
Truth Binding whispered in his ear: You live.
Back above, in the Sky Citadel, Admiral Tyr watched from a balcony.
"Looks like the storm won't die quietly," he muttered.
Beside him, Maris stood silent.
End of Chapter 2