Chapter 6: The Final Trial Approaches

The evening air was thick with unease as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the village square. Axton stood at the edge of the gathering, his hands shoved deep into his jacket pockets. The trials were drawing to a close, and the final test—one that would determine if anyone here was worthy of the academy's attention—loomed just ahead.

Elias stood beside him, bouncing on the balls of his feet with barely contained excitement. "You're going to crush this, Axton. I know it. You've got something they haven't seen yet."

Axton nodded absently, his mind elsewhere. The day had been grueling. Each trial seemed to push him further into doubt. The illusion trial had rattled him in ways he hadn't expected. The manipulations of his mind had made him question everything—his past, his abilities, and even his own sense of self. For a brief moment, he'd wondered if he was losing grip on reality. It had taken everything in him to shake off the sense of disorientation, to convince himself that he wasn't the sum of those illusions.

But the Elemental Power Trial would be different, he hoped. He was certain that whatever he had hidden inside of him—whatever power he had yet to unlock—was somehow tied to his own latent abilities. But what if he was wrong? What if the academy wouldn't see past the surface?

"You've got more potential than you realize," Elias said, his voice cutting through Axton's spiraling thoughts. "Everyone can see it. The agility trial? That wasn't just luck."

Axton hesitated, eyes fixed on the ground. He appreciated Elias's belief in him, but the truth was harder to face. He wasn't sure if he even believed in himself. He had spent his life training, expecting something to awaken within him, but nothing had come. What if there was no great potential hidden beneath the surface? What if he was just an ordinary boy, destined to remain a nobody in a world of magic?

His thoughts were interrupted as the academy representatives began to gather at the far side of the square, preparing for the last trial. The Elemental Power Trial. Axton's pulse quickened.

Elias noticed his friend's unease and slapped him on the back. "No more second-guessing. Just go out there and show them who you really are."

Axton gave him a small, uncertain smile, but inside, a storm of doubt raged. What if he wasn't enough? What if Elias was wrong?

As the candidates were called to line up, Axton found himself at the front, an involuntary feeling of being exposed pressing down on him. The representatives, their cold eyes fixed on the group, didn't speak at first, only observing them in silence.

The sharp-featured man from earlier finally stepped forward, his voice loud and commanding. "This trial will assess your elemental affinity. Each of you will be asked to channel your power—whatever form it may take. We are looking for mastery, control, and potential."

The crowd stirred with excitement, some candidates visibly tense. The trial was simple in theory, but for Axton, it felt like the final reckoning. Could he summon the power he had felt flickering inside of him all this time?

One by one, the candidates stepped forward. A girl with wind abilities summoned a cyclone that whirled around her with incredible speed. A boy with earth manipulation caused the ground to quake beneath his feet, solidifying his place in the trial with ease. Gavin's flames roared to life in a brilliant display, drawing cheers from the onlookers.

Then it was Axton's turn.

His heart pounded in his chest as he stepped up to the center, his thoughts racing. What if nothing happened? What if he stood there, powerless, while the others surged ahead? The weight of the academy's gaze bore down on him. Elias was in the crowd, watching with hopeful eyes. Axton couldn't let him down. He couldn't let himself down.

He raised his hands, trying to focus. His breath was shallow, his palms cold. Nothing came. The seconds stretched painfully, the weight of the moment almost unbearable.

The crowd was starting to murmur. The academy representatives exchanged glances. Axton's stomach churned with frustration. The power had always been there, hidden beneath the surface. But was it truly there now?

A low sigh escaped him, and he dropped his hands, ready to give up. He was nothing. Just a boy from a village, unremarkable and powerless.

Then, something shifted.

A sudden flicker of energy flared in his chest—weak, fleeting, but undeniably real. Axton's eyes shot open, his hands jerking upward as the power rushed through him. It wasn't like the other powers he'd seen; it wasn't fire or earth or air. No, it was something else—a darkness that wrapped around his fingers like smoke, twisting and spiraling as if it had a life of its own.

The crowd fell silent. The academy representatives were no longer looking at the other candidates. Their eyes were fixed on him, their faces unreadable. The sharp-featured man stepped forward, but even he seemed to hesitate.

Axton's breath caught in his throat. What was this? What had he just done?

The shadows swirled around his hands, growing darker, thicker. It felt right, but also frightening. His mind screamed at him to stop, but his body wouldn't obey. He was caught in the thrall of something ancient, something powerful.

And then, as quickly as it had come, the power flickered out.

Axton stood frozen, his hands trembling as the shadows dissipated into the air, leaving only a faint, lingering trace of their presence. Silence enveloped the square.

The academy representatives exchanged looks, murmurs rippling through the crowd. Axton's heart was racing in his chest, but he couldn't make sense of what had just happened.

Elias was the first to speak, breaking the tense silence. "See? I knew you had it in you." His grin was wide, but Axton couldn't bring himself to smile.

What had he done? What did it mean? And why had the academy reacted so strangely?

The square fell into a heavy silence as Axton stood there, still processing what had just happened. His pulse thudded in his ears, and for a moment, everything felt distant. The shadows had risen, almost as if responding to his internal turmoil. He didn't understand it, but the strange energy had pulsed within him, making the air around him thick with an unfamiliar weight.

The academy representatives exchanged glances once more, their expressions unreadable. No one moved or spoke, and for a few moments, Axton thought he might fade back into the crowd, just another boy from a small village who didn't belong.

But then, a voice broke through the tension.

"That was… interesting."

Axton turned, his heart still racing, to find a tall girl stepping forward from the crowd of candidates. She had striking, silvery-blue hair that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, and her piercing eyes were the color of the ocean on a clear day. She exuded a quiet confidence, as though she knew exactly what she was capable of.

Axton's brow furrowed. He hadn't seen her before—at least, not clearly.

"My name is Thalia Rivers," the girl said, her voice smooth and calm. "I hail from the coastal village of Marrow Bay." She paused as if considering her words. "Water is my element. I control the tides, the currents, the rain. It's in my blood."

Axton felt a pang of envy. Thalia's powers were so visible, so natural. It was the exact opposite of what he'd just experienced. He couldn't help but wonder: what would it feel like to control something so tangible?

Thalia stepped onto the trial stage, her movements slow and deliberate. She held out her hand, and as if summoned by her will, a small sphere of water formed in the air before her. The water twisted and danced, flowing like liquid silk as it hovered around her palm.

The crowd watched in awe, murmurs spreading through the square. It was clear that Thalia had mastered her powers to an impressive degree. She was a force to be reckoned with.

Without a word, she flicked her wrist, sending the water sphere shooting toward the first obstacle in the course—a massive stone wall that loomed ahead. As the water hit the wall, it froze in an instant, forming a slick layer of ice that allowed her to scale the wall effortlessly. The crowd gasped in appreciation as she moved with a fluid grace, as if the water and ice were extensions of her own body.

Axton watched, transfixed. Thalia had a precision and mastery that he could only dream of. The water element seemed like such an elegant power, so controlled, yet so dynamic.

When Thalia reached the final obstacle, a long gap to leap over, she didn't hesitate. With a single swipe of her hand, a jet of water shot from the ground, forming a brief bridge of ice just long enough for her to cross. Her movements were swift, but she didn't break a sweat.

She finished the trial with ease, her eyes meeting the academy representatives' faces with an expression of calm satisfaction.

"That was impressive," the silver-haired woman said, nodding slightly. "You show both control and adaptability, Thalia Rivers. Well done."

Thalia gave a small smile, stepping off the stage as the crowd erupted into applause. She didn't seem to care for the attention, though; it was as if she expected it.

Axton couldn't help but feel small next to her. His shadowy power had been more a surprise than anything else, and while it had earned some measure of intrigue, he knew it was nothing compared to what Thalia had just shown.

"You'll get there," Elias's voice cut through his thoughts.

Axton glanced over at his friend, who gave him a comforting grin. "Don't let her show-off skills get to you. You've got something they don't."

Axton nodded, still feeling uneasy but appreciating the encouragement. He turned back to watch the other candidates, most of whom were still taking their turns.

One by one, they displayed their elemental powers—fire, earth, lightning, air—each one more impressive than the last. Yet, despite his unease, Axton couldn't help but feel the faintest flicker of something deep within him. His power was still mysterious, still hidden, but something told him it wasn't quite finished with him yet.

The final trial was coming, and Axton wasn't sure whether he was ready for it. But for the first time, he had the inkling that whatever happened, he wouldn't be alone in his journey.