The Trial of Sparks
The arena for the preliminary trials wasn't as grand as the one reserved for final examinations, but it was intimidating all the same. A circular space lined with elemental conduits, it was designed to enhance the natural powers of those inside. Sand covered the floor, the grains infused with traces of magical energy to respond to the contestants' abilities. Around the edges, instructors and high-ranking Guild members stood in observation, their expressions ranging from boredom to mild interest.
Aeryn stood near the edge of the group, silent and unassuming as always. Her peers in the special admissions class were a loud, restless bunch. Some were nervously fidgeting, others puffing themselves up with bravado. Aeryn glanced to her right, where Kael—a lanky boy with perpetually messy hair—was pacing in a small circle, muttering something under his breath.
"You okay?" Aeryn asked, her voice soft.
Kael jumped, nearly tripping over his own feet. "Oh, yeah, totally. Just... uh, psyching myself up. You know? Like… mentally preparing."
Aeryn didn't respond, but the corner of her mouth twitched upward in a faint smile. Kael was hopelessly awkward, but at least he wasn't openly hostile, unlike some of the others. Across the arena, she spotted Rynan, a stocky boy with an affinity for earth magic, glaring in her direction. He'd made it clear from the first day that he thought she didn't belong here. Aeryn's lack of obvious elemental power was an easy target for ridicule.
"Contestants, gather!" The booming voice of Instructor Veyra cut through the chatter like a blade. The group shuffled into formation, their chatter fading to nervous silence. Veyra was a towering woman with sharp features and an aura of authority that demanded respect. Her piercing blue eyes swept over the group, lingering briefly on each student. When her gaze landed on Aeryn, there was no sign of approval or disdain—just cold evaluation.
"Today's trial will test your control, creativity, and ability to adapt under pressure," Veyra announced. "You will face one another in pairs, using your elemental abilities to subdue your opponent. This is not a battle to the death. Injure or incapacitate your opponent, and you will pass. Lose control or fail to demonstrate competence, and you will be dismissed from the program. Do I make myself clear?"
A chorus of nervous "Yes, Instructor" followed.
Veyra clapped her hands, and the conduits lining the arena began to hum, their glow intensifying. "The pairings have already been decided. First up: Selene Vaeloria versus Taryn Kren."
The students stepped back, creating a wide circle around the arena. Selene, the fiery prodigy from a noble family, strode forward with an air of confidence. Her crimson hair, tied in a high ponytail, caught the light like embers. Taryn, a wiry boy with short-cropped hair, looked nervous but determined as he stepped into the ring.
"Begin!" Veyra commanded.
Taryn moved first, summoning a swirl of air to lift him off the ground. He darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the plume of fire Selene launched in his direction. The crowd murmured in approval at the quick maneuver, but Selene was unfazed. She planted her feet and raised her arms, conjuring a wall of flame to block Taryn's next attack. With a flick of her wrist, the flames surged forward, forcing Taryn to retreat.
The battle was over in less than a minute. Selene's precision and overwhelming power left Taryn defenseless, and he was forced to yield. The crowd clapped politely as the two contestants stepped aside, though Selene's victory had been a foregone conclusion.
One by one, the other students took their turns. Rynan overpowered his opponent with sheer brute force, using jagged pillars of stone to trap and disarm a girl with a weak affinity for water. Kael barely scraped by, using a combination of desperation and luck to deflect a lightning strike and knock his opponent off balance. His face was pale as he stumbled back to the group, but he gave Aeryn a weak thumbs-up.
As the matches continued, Aeryn felt the knot of anxiety in her stomach tighten. Most of her classmates had at least some control over their elements, even if they weren't particularly strong. But Aeryn… She wasn't even sure what her element was supposed to be. She'd spent weeks trying to coax something—anything—to manifest, with little success. The most she'd managed was a faint flicker of energy, gone before she could grasp it.
"Aeryn versus Lirael," Veyra called.
Aeryn's heart sank. Of all the opponents she could have faced, Lirael was the worst. The petite girl with silver hair and piercing gray eyes had an affinity for lightning, and she was merciless in combat. Aeryn stepped forward, her legs feeling like lead as she took her place in the ring. Across from her, Lirael smirked, crackling arcs of electricity already dancing across her fingertips.
"Don't hold back," Lirael taunted, her voice dripping with mockery. "Oh wait, you don't have anything to hold back, do you?"
Aeryn didn't respond. She focused on her breathing, trying to ignore the jeers from the audience.
"Begin!" Veyra's command snapped her out of her thoughts.
Lirael attacked immediately, sending a bolt of lightning streaking toward Aeryn. She barely dodged, the electricity singeing the air where she'd stood a moment ago. Aeryn scrambled to the side, her mind racing. She needed to do something, anything, to avoid being completely humiliated.
Summoning all her will, she reached inward, searching for the faint spark she'd felt before. Her hands tingled, and for a brief moment, a shadowy tendril flickered into existence. But it wasn't enough. Lirael's next attack came too quickly, and Aeryn was forced to dive to the ground to avoid it.
Aeryn rolled to her feet, sand clinging to her palms as she tried to steady herself. Lirael was relentless, her smirk widening with each bolt of lightning that forced Aeryn to retreat further. "Come on, fight back!" Lirael sneered, sending another crackling arc toward her.
Desperation clawed at Aeryn's chest. She couldn't win this. She couldn't even manage a single proper defense. The other students' jeers and laughter echoed in her ears, their disdain tangible. Rynan's voice stood out among the crowd. "Just give up already, nobody!"
Aeryn clenched her fists. She wasn't sure what drove her forward—anger, shame, or sheer stubbornness—but she forced herself to stop running. Gritting her teeth, she raised her hands and reached inward again. The tingling in her palms returned, stronger this time, and the air around her seemed to shift. For the briefest moment, a shadowy barrier materialized in front of her.
Lirael's next bolt collided with the barrier, shattering it into wisps of dark energy but leaving Aeryn unscathed. The crowd gasped, and even Lirael faltered, her confident expression giving way to surprise.
"What was that?" one of the students whispered.
Aeryn didn't know. She didn't have time to think about it. The effort of summoning the barrier had left her drained, her knees wobbling as she struggled to stay upright. Lirael's hesitation lasted only a moment before her smirk returned. "Cute trick," she said, electricity crackling along her arms. "Let's see if you can do it again."
Aeryn braced herself as Lirael unleashed a flurry of smaller bolts, each one testing the limits of her reflexes. She managed to dodge a few, and another shadowy flicker absorbed one of the strikes, but the strain was overwhelming. Her vision blurred, and her breaths came in ragged gasps. She could feel the energy inside her—wild and chaotic—but it refused to obey her commands.
"Enough!" Veyra's voice rang out, cutting through the chaos. "Lirael, stand down."
Lirael stopped mid-attack, her eyes narrowing in frustration. "But I—"
"I said stand down," Veyra repeated, her tone leaving no room for argument. She turned to Aeryn, her expression unreadable. "You're dismissed for now. Return to the sidelines."
Aeryn didn't need to be told twice. She stumbled out of the ring, her legs barely carrying her to the edge of the group. Kael rushed to her side, his face pale with worry. "Are you okay? That looked… intense."
"I'm fine," Aeryn lied, though her trembling hands betrayed her. She avoided looking at the other students, whose whispers and judgmental stares bore into her like knives.
Veyra's gaze lingered on Aeryn for a moment before she turned back to the group. "Next match: Talia versus Rynan."
The examination continued, but Aeryn barely registered it. Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion and frustration. What had she done in the ring? Where had that strange energy come from? And why did it feel like it was slipping further away the more she tried to grasp it?
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the final matches concluded, and Veyra called the students to attention. "Today's trials have shown me what I expected," she said, her sharp eyes scanning the group. "Some of you have potential. Others… do not."
Her gaze landed on Aeryn, and for a moment, Aeryn thought she was about to be dismissed outright. But Veyra said nothing, moving on to address the rest of the group.
"You've all taken your first steps," Veyra continued. "But this is only the beginning. The real test lies ahead. Dismissed."
The students began to disperse, some celebrating small victories, others sulking in defeat. Aeryn stayed where she was, staring at the sand beneath her feet. The faint spark she'd felt during the battle was gone now, leaving behind only exhaustion and doubt.
Kael hovered nearby, clearly unsure of what to say. After a moment, he patted her awkwardly on the shoulder. "Hey, you didn't do too bad. I mean, you're still here, right? That's something."
Aeryn managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Kael."
He grinned, the tension easing from his face. "No problem. And hey, if you ever want to practice or… you know, figure out whatever that shadowy thing was, let me know."
"I'll think about it," Aeryn said, though she wasn't sure she meant it. Right now, all she wanted was to disappear.
As the students filed out of the arena, Aeryn lingered at the edge, her thoughts a tangled mess. She didn't notice Veyra approaching until the instructor was standing right in front of her.
"You surprised me today," Veyra said, her tone as sharp as ever.
Aeryn looked up, startled. "I… I did?"
Veyra nodded. "That shadow ability of yours. It's unusual. Raw and uncontrolled, but not without promise."
"I don't even know what it is," Aeryn admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"That's something you'll need to figure out," Veyra said. "But let me be clear: potential alone won't save you here. You'll need to work twice as hard as the others to survive in this program. Do you understand?"
Aeryn swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, Instructor."
"Good." Veyra's expression softened—just barely. "Don't disappoint me."
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Aeryn alone in the fading light. For the first time that day, a flicker of hope stirred in Aeryn's chest. She wasn't sure what lay ahead, but she knew one thing: she wasn't ready to give up just yet.