The auditorium of the Unlock Academy was massive— large enough to fit a hundred students, but quiet enough to make a single cough sound like a gunshot. Sunlight streamed through the crystal ceiling, scattering across banners that shimmered with faint essence lines. Every wall seemed to hum with power.
Jayden didn't know whether to be amazed or anxious.
He sat beside Kael Ardent, who looked like he'd rather fight a Dread-class beast than sit through another minute of waiting. His leg bounced restlessly, lightning-like energy pulsing under his skin.
"Do you think they'll let us duel today?" Kael whispered, grinning. "I need to burn off this tension before I fry someone by accident."
Jayden gave a dry look. "You'd probably fry yourself first."
"Rude. Confident, but rude."
Before Jayden could reply, the air shifted— literally. A gust rippled through the hall, thick with elemental essence. The murmuring crowd fell silent.
A woman strode to the front platform with the calm grace of someone used to being obeyed. She didn't need a mic or drone. Her voice cut through the hall, infused with power that resonated like a living echo.
"I am Instructor Inbound," she began, her tone sharp yet magnetic. "Welcome, Unlocked."
The essence woven into her words vibrated through the marble floor, brushing against every student's core. A collective shiver ran through the crowd.
"You stand at the threshold of your second life. Whatever you were before— the failures, the glories, the small-town champions— none of it matters here."
"Here," she continued, "you learn to shape essence, to fight without losing your humanity, and to understand the laws that bind this world. Fail, and you'll be forgotten. Succeed…" Her lips curled slightly. "And the world will remember your name."
Her gaze swept the crowd, sharp and knowing. For a second, Jayden thought her eyes lingered on him — but maybe that was his imagination.
A faint murmur rose from the crowd— half fear, half excitement. Kael leaned closer to Jayden.
"She's terrifying," he whispered. "I think I'm in love."
Jayden elbowed him lightly. "You're an idiot."
A ripple of laughter moved through the crowd. Her expression didn't change. "Here, we don't train warriors. We train survivors. Because out there—" she pointed toward the horizon, where the sky met the sprawling wilderness, "—you're not fighting classmates. You're fighting extinction."
The silence that followed wasn't fear — it was realization.
Then she smirked. "But before that, you'll fight boredom, homework, and Kael Ardent's ego."
The students laughed. Kael pretended to bow, soaking it in.
Jayden didn't laugh, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
Inbound continued. "You'll be assigned mentors, routines, and tasks. You'll spar, study, bleed, and probably question your life choices. But remember this — unlocking your essence was only the start. Mastery requires more than talent. It requires clarity. Control. Purpose."
She paced the stage, her steps light, each word measured. "You will fail often. Some of you will rise because of it. Others will break. That difference — that moment — is what we'll be watching for."
Inbound clapped her hands once. The lights dimmed, replaced by a vast projection of the Academy's floating structure— rings of stone and crystal suspended over what looked like an endless sea. Dorm towers branched from the main ring like glowing spires.
"Dorm assignments are now posted," she said. "Four per room. You'll learn faster together— or die trying. Dismissed."
Her voice faded, essence retracting like a tide. For a moment, silence reigned again. Then the hall exploded into motion.
Outside, chaos ruled.
Hundreds of students crowded around glowing boards listing dorm placements. Some cheered. Some groaned. Others were already arguing about roommates.
Jayden walked among them, bag slung over his shoulder, his posture loose but his eyes sharp. Every face he passed looked a little too excited, a little too loud. Kael, of course, was one of them.
Kael scanned the list, eyes narrowing. "Room 42… Kael Ardent… Jayden Vale." He grinned. "Ha! Fate knows greatness when it sees it."
"Or misfortune," Jayden muttered.
Kael slung an arm around his shoulder. "Relax, bro. We'll rule this place by midterm."
"Pretty sure that's not the goal."
Nearby, a group of girls compared room numbers. Jayden recognized one immediately— Kira Valen, from the entrance exam. Her fiery hair caught the sunlight like liquid amber. She smiled at something her roommate said, unaware that Jayden was watching. Then, as if sensing it, she turned. Their eyes met briefly before she looked away.
Kael caught the look and smirked. "Don't even think about it. Fire burns, remember?"
Jayden didn't answer. He wasn't thinking about romance. Not really. More about how strange it felt— seeing someone who fought like the world was ending now standing there, smiling.
Their dorm room wasn't bad. Four beds lined opposite walls, with a single shared desk and a window that overlooked the training fields. The faint hum of essence from the Academy's walls made the air vibrate subtly.
Kael dropped his bag on the nearest bed. "Called it."
"You didn't even ask."
"I just did—with confidence."
Jayden shook his head, setting his pack on the far bunk. "Confidence doesn't count as manners."
The door slid open again. Two more students entered—one tall and sleepy-eyed, the other with nervous energy that could power a small generator.
"Guess we're your new family," the taller one said, yawning. "Name's Reno. Don't touch my snacks."
The nervous one adjusted his glasses. "And I'm Theo. Please tell me none of you snore."
Kael smirked. "No promises."
"Hey, don't sound so disappointed. I snore only on battle days," Kael said, grinning.
Jayden scoffed. "Every day's a battle with you."
"Exactly!"
Kael dropped his bag and clapped his hands. "Boys, your lives just got better. I'm Kael Ardent — future storm god, full-time troublemaker, and part-time hero."
The nervous boy raised an eyebrow. "You talk too much."
Kael grinned wider. "You'll get used to it."
Jayden ignored the exchange and took the bed by the window. It overlooked the entire lower courtyard — a sea of students, uniforms, and instructors shouting directions. From here, the world seemed to move in rhythm, each group finding its place in the Academy's machine.
He sat on the edge of the bed, running a thumb along the small line of his eye.
Kael flopped onto his bed, stretching. "Think they'll make us fight again today?"
"Not likely," Jayden said. "They want us alive long enough to pay tuition."
Jayden just sighed. For the first time since arriving, he let himself relax slightly. The uncertainty, the grandeur, the chaos— it was all still overwhelming. But for the first time, it also felt real.