Morning came with a roar.
The academy's massive bell rang through the courtyards, each chime shaking the tension awake in every student. The grounds — normally echoing with chatter and laughter — felt like a battlefield before the war.
Kael moved with the crowd toward the Grand Arena, the heart of Crimson Eye Academy. It rose from the earth like an ancient coliseum, polished obsidian walls glinting in the light of the crimson sun.
Every seat was filled. Teachers sat high above in observation decks, their expressions unreadable. The headmaster's voice soon boomed across the arena, calm yet commanding.
> "Today begins the Pairing Trials. You are not children anymore. From this moment, your strengths, weaknesses, and instincts will decide your path."
Murmurs swept through the ranks. The rules were simple — or cruel, depending on who you asked.
Each student would be randomly paired and tested through three stages: synchronization, survival, and synergy. The better the teamwork, the higher their placement.
Kael swallowed hard, fingers twitching nervously at his side.
He glanced at Vorath — already standing ahead of him, sharp-eyed, calm as stone. Their gazes met for a brief, silent moment.
No words were needed. Just a silent promise: We'll both make it through.
A holographic board lit up in the sky, spinning rapidly through student names. When it finally stopped, Kael's name appeared —
> Kael Ardyn — Partner: Aria Valen.
His breath caught.
The girl from last night. The one who warned him.
Around him, students whispered. Aria was known for her precision and brutal efficiency in combat — someone who didn't tolerate weakness.
This could either make or break him.
"Lucky you," Vorath muttered as he passed by, smirking. "Try not to slow her down."
Kael exhaled. "I'll try not to outshine you either."
The smirk faded for a heartbeat. A flicker of mutual respect passed between them — the rare kind only rivalry could forge.
Then, the Trials began.
The ground beneath the arena shifted and broke apart into ten floating platforms, each rising like a piece of a shattered world. Barriers shimmered to life, dividing each pair from the others.
"Begin!"
A pulse of energy exploded through the arena.
Kael barely had time to move before a surge of light enveloped him and Aria, dragging them onto their platform.
The instant the light cleared, they were no longer in the arena — but inside a simulated wasteland. Cracked earth, red mist, and the faint echoes of something breathing in the dark.
"Stay close," Aria ordered, eyes glowing faintly. "They'll send illusion-beasts first."
Kael nodded, instinctively drawing his training blade. His pulse quickened, his sight sharpening — like the world was slowing down. He could almost feel the vibrations of danger before they appeared.
Something deep within him stirred.
And when the first shadow lunged from the fog — he moved faster than he ever had before.