They didn't call it a test.
No one said it out loud.
But the moment Kael stepped into the chamber, it was obvious.
The room was different from the summoning hall.
Still large. Still circular. But simpler.
No glowing symbols. No towering pillars. Just smooth stone walls and a wide, empty center, like the space itself was waiting for something to happen.
The kind of place built for demonstrations.
Or mistakes.
The others were already inside.
Kael noticed that immediately.
They stood in loose positions around the room, each near a different official or attendant. No one looked panicked anymore. Confused, maybe—but that sharp edge from before had dulled.
Or been pushed down.
Leon stood near the center again.
He was talking—actually talking—to the older man from before, posture straight, voice steady. Not forced. Not trying to act confident.
He just… was.
That was new.
Elira stood a little off to the side, hands clasped tightly together. The faint glow around her hadn't faded. If anything, it looked calmer now. Like it had settled into her instead of surrounding her.
She glanced up when Kael entered.
Their eyes met for a second.
Then she looked away.
Not avoidance.
Just… unsure.
Rook was pacing.
Not nervously—restlessly.
"This is the test, right?" he said, not bothering to lower his voice. "You're gonna have us fight something or what?"
One of the attendants gave a polite smile. "In time."
Rook exhaled sharply through his nose. "Yeah, that's what I thought."
Sylven had already found something to occupy himself with.
One of the crystal devices from earlier sat in his hand, and he was turning it slowly, watching the light shift inside.
"…it reacts," he muttered, almost to himself.
No one answered.
He didn't seem to care.
Kain stood apart from the others.
Still.
Quiet.
Watching.
His gaze moved once—briefly—to Kael, then away again. Not curiosity.
Recognition.
Like he'd already decided something.
And Mira—
Mira wasn't doing anything.
She stood near the edge of the room, her posture relaxed, her attention drifting like she wasn't fully there.
Then, without looking at him—
"You're late."
Kael paused.
"…I was brought here."
Mira tilted her head slightly.
"Still late."
No one reacted.
Or maybe they chose not to.
"Good."
The word cut cleanly through the room.
Director Halven stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention back to the center.
"Now that all seven are present," he said, calm as ever, "we will begin preliminary evaluation."
There it was.
"You will each demonstrate your Authority."
A slight pause.
"Individually."
Rook grinned immediately. "Finally."
Leon didn't react, but his focus sharpened.
Elira's fingers tightened together.
Sylven looked up, interested.
Kain—
Already ready.
Kael stayed quiet.
"The purpose of this evaluation is not strength," Halven continued. "It is control."
His gaze shifted slightly.
"…and stability."
Yeah.
That part was for him.
"Leon Ardent. Step forward."
Leon moved without hesitation.
He stepped into the center of the room, rolling his shoulders once before stopping.
"…what exactly am I supposed to do?"
"Use your ability."
Leon frowned slightly.
"…I don't know how."
A pause.
Then—
He stopped.
Something changed.
Not outside.
Inside.
"…wait."
His hand tightened slightly.
"I think—"
He moved.
Too fast.
Leon blinked as he stopped near the far side of the room, his breath catching slightly.
"…what?"
He looked back at where he'd been standing, then down at his hands.
"I didn't— I didn't mean to do that."
"Again."
This time, he hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then moved again.
The second motion was smoother.
Cleaner.
Like his body had adjusted without asking him.
Leon frowned slightly.
"…it's easier the second time."
Kael narrowed his eyes.
That wasn't practice.
"Continue."
Leon moved again.
And again.
Each time, sharper. More precise.
Like something was lining him up from the inside.
"Enough."
Leon stepped back, breathing steady.
Not even tired.
"Next."
"Elira Vayne."
Elira stepped forward slowly, clearly less certain.
"I don't— I don't know how to use this," she admitted.
"Just try."
She nodded, taking a breath.
Closing her eyes.
For a moment—
Nothing.
Then—
Warmth.
It spread outward gently, filling the space without force. The tension in the room eased slightly, like something had been smoothed over.
Elira's eyes snapped open.
"…I didn't do anything."
"You did," Halven said.
She looked around, confused.
"…it just… happened."
"Next."
"Sylven Raith."
Sylven stepped forward with interest rather than hesitation.
"…let's see."
He raised his hand.
Nothing happened.
Then—
Light flickered into existence.
Unstable at first, shifting slightly—
Then it steadied.
Sylven tilted his head.
"…huh."
He adjusted his hand.
The light shifted with it.
"…so it listens."
That was all he said.
But his expression sharpened.
"Kain Drazel."
Kain stepped forward.
No hesitation.
No questions.
He moved once.
A single motion.
Clean.
Something invisible cut through the air in front of him.
No sound.
But everyone felt it.
Kain stopped.
Looked at his hand.
"…good."
He stepped back.
"Rook Valen."
Rook cracked his neck, grinning.
"Alright, my turn."
He didn't focus.
Didn't think.
And it still answered.
A heavy pressure burst outward from him, the ground beneath his feet cracking slightly as something wild pushed into the space around him.
Rook blinked.
Then laughed.
"…yeah, okay. I like this."
"Next."
"Mira Solenne."
Mira didn't move.
"I've already seen it."
Halven's gaze shifted.
"…seen what?"
"The result."
A pause.
Mira's eyes moved.
To Kael.
"…this part doesn't fit."
Silence.
"…noted," Halven said.
That left one.
"Kael Veyron."
No title.
Kael stepped forward.
Slower than the others.
More aware.
Every eye was on him now.
"Demonstrate your Authority."
Kael exhaled quietly.
"…still don't know how."
"Then try."
Of course.
He stepped into the center.
Same place Leon had stood.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Kael looked at his hand.
Waited.
Nothing guided him.
No instinct.
No pull.
Just silence.
"…right."
He reached out anyway.
For a second—
Nothing.
Then—
The air twisted.
Sharp.
Sudden.
A crack spread across the floor beneath him—not breaking, but bending, like the stone had forgotten how to stay solid for a moment.
Then it snapped back.
The sound echoed.
Wrong.
Someone stepped back.
Kael froze.
"…I didn't—"
"Again."
Too fast.
Kael hesitated.
Then tried again.
This time—
It spread.
The distortion pushed outward, the air warping unevenly, like something invisible was forcing its way through the space.
For a split second—
Everything felt off.
Then—
It stopped.
Silence.
Rook frowned. "What the hell was that?"
Sylven took a small step forward, eyes fixed on the space.
"…that's not normal."
Kain said nothing.
But he hadn't looked away once.
Leon's expression had changed.
Subtle.
But real.
Elira looked uneasy.
Like she couldn't explain why.
Mira—
Mira smiled.
Just slightly.
Halven spoke last.
"…instability confirmed."
Kael lowered his hand slowly.
"…yeah. No kidding."
No one laughed.
And somewhere far above—
Something cracked.
This time—
Louder.