The dorm lights flared on before dawn.
Metal shutters clanged open as a voice echoed through the room from the ceiling speaker:
"Rise, Cadets! Orientation begins in twenty minutes. Failure to report will result in deduction of ten discipline points."
Xander blinked awake. His dorm was small — two bunks, a locker, and a narrow window that overlooked the academy's massive courtyard. From here, he could see hundreds of children already marching in formation below, uniforms of gray and blue glinting under the rising sun.
He climbed down quietly. His roommate — a stocky boy with ash-blonde hair — was already tying his boots.
"You're the anomaly kid, right?" the boy said, not looking up.
Xander hesitated. "…Yeah."
"Name's Renn Albrecht. Terran element. Don't worry, I don't bite."
He grinned, adjusting his training band. "You look nervous. First day?"
"Yeah. Just… don't know what to expect."
Renn laughed. "Expect pain. And lectures about 'duty' and 'honor.' You'll get used to it."
The Academy Courtyard
When Xander and Renn joined the others, the air buzzed with energy — not just from the chatter, but from the faint shimmer of elemental resonance around the students.
Some hands glowed faintly with embers. Others left ripples in the air or tiny sparks.
At the center stage stood Instructor Valen Harrow, a tall man with a scar across his cheek and eyes like polished steel.
He raised his hand — silence fell instantly.
"Welcome to Velden Prime Academy," he said. "Here, you are not children. You are cadets of the Hero Authority.
You will learn control, obedience, and purpose.
Your power is not your own — it belongs to the world."
Xander noticed how no one questioned it. The words rolled through the crowd like a sermon.
Valen's gaze swept over them, then stopped.
On Xander.
"You. Step forward."
Xander froze, then obeyed.
The instructor's eyes narrowed. "Name."
"Xander Valois, sir."
A low murmur rippled through the students. Valois… that's him. The anomaly.
Valen's expression remained unreadable. "You were assigned to House Aetherion. The others will learn what that means in time."
He turned to the rest. "Remember this: every anomaly either becomes a weapon… or a warning."
He dismissed them to the training grounds.
Training Grounds — Resonance Practice
The open-air arena was divided into elemental zones — fire rings, water channels, rock platforms, and sparring circles.
Xander and Renn joined a group led by a calm, pale-haired girl whose uniform bore a silver serpent insignia.
"House Ocealis?" Renn whispered. "That's Serin Elvenholt. Second-year prodigy."
Serin glanced at them, her blue eyes unreadable.
"I'll be assessing your resonance control," she said softly. "If you can't stabilize your element within ten seconds, you lose five discipline points."
Students began to summon their powers. Flames, stone, lightning, and wind erupted across the ground.
When it was Xander's turn, the air shifted.
He raised his hand. Lightning flickered — then water shimmered alongside it, swirling together before bursting into steam. The ground hissed.
Serin's eyes widened slightly. "Two resonances…"
The others stepped back instinctively.
Renn muttered, "That's… actually kind of amazing."
Serin didn't praise him. "It's unstable. You'll burn yourself if you keep forcing them together."
"I can control it," Xander said quietly.
"Can you?" she asked. "Or are you just hoping it'll listen?"
Before he could answer, another voice cut in — sharp and arrogant.
"He can't control anything."
A tall boy with golden hair strode forward, lightning dancing effortlessly across his hand. His uniform bore the eagle of House Voltaris.
"Darius Kellen, B-Class," he said, smirking. "And this—" he nodded at Xander, "—is what happens when the government lets broken toys into our academy."
A few students laughed.
Renn clenched his fists, but Serin raised a hand to silence him.
"Enough," she said. "This is a training session, not an arena."
Darius ignored her. "If he wants to be here, he should prove he belongs."
The air thickened with static.
Valen's voice echoed from the tower above:
"Cadets, rule fourteen. If a challenge is issued, it must be accepted."
A holographic circle flared on the floor — Duel Protocol Initiated.
Serin sighed. "You'll regret this, Darius."
First Duel
The crowd formed a ring. Xander and Darius stepped into the circle, the resonance scanners flaring to life.
"Objective: Stabilize and strike. First to incapacitate wins."
Darius grinned. "I'll make this quick."
He raised his hand — lightning erupted, forming a spear of pure energy. He lunged.
Xander barely dodged, sparks slicing past his cheek. Instinctively, he countered with water — the stream arced forward, colliding with the spear and exploding in steam.
The crowd gasped.
"Elemental interference…" Serin murmured. "He's using polarity to deflect."
Darius growled and unleashed another surge. "You think you can beat me with tricks?!"
Xander's pulse raced. His elements surged again — lightning and water clashing violently inside him. He gritted his teeth, forcing them to flow together.
For an instant, the two resonances aligned —
a storm of blue-white energy burst from his hand, striking the ground beside Darius and cracking the arena floor.
When the light faded, both stood panting.
The duel timer beeped — Draw.
The crowd was silent. Then whispers spread like wildfire.
"He matched Darius."
"With no training."
"But his control—did you see the steam?"
"He's dangerous…"
Valen's voice boomed again.
"Duel complete. Cadet Valois: unstable, but promising. Assign him to control training with Instructor Serin."
Darius glared at Xander. "You're still a mistake. Don't forget that."
Xander didn't answer.
He looked at his trembling hand — at the faint sparks and droplets fighting for dominance.
That night, in his dorm, Renn threw him a grin. "You were insane out there."
"I almost lost control," Xander admitted.
Renn shrugged. "Almost doesn't matter. You stood your ground."
Xander stared out the window at the academy towers, their lights stretching into the night sky.
"If this is what being a hero means," he whispered,
"then maybe someone needs to change what 'hero' stands for."