ASSESSMENT

OLAMILEKAN

I sat on the cold metal bench beside Joshua, my wrists still tender from the dampening cuffs we had been given to wear for transport. Other recruits complained in whispers all around us, each of them tense as they waited for their turn. We sat collectively within a colossal underground chamber lit by bluish-white lights embedded within the glossy, metallic walls.

Leading the room was a large, imposing figure of a woman with silver hair and piercing blue eyes. She wore a sleek black uniform and a golden badge pinned to her chest—a high-ranking officer. Standing beside her was a man of keen features in a white lab coat, most likely one of the scientists tasked with evaluating our abilities.

The woman's throat clearing cut off the talking. "Welcome to the Awakening Facility. I am Captain Eleanor Graves. You are all here because you possess extraordinary abilities. Some of you will be warriors, some of you will be strategists, but don't be fooled—you are all in the making to be weapons. Your training today begins. Disappoint us, and you will be deemed unworthy of serving.".

A murmur of discomfort passed around the room. I shared a look with Joshua, who was just as suspicious as I was.

One of the younger men across from me snorted. "They sound big, but do they really believe they can control all of us?"

He was dark-skinned, muscle-bound, and had a cocky smile that indicated he had faith in himself.

"They don't have to control us," the young woman beside him said, pushing a piece of her cropped platinum hair behind her ear. "They just have to make us believe we need them."

I was stopped from speaking by Captain Graves's continuing. "We will move on with the Awakening Test immediately. Come forward as your name is called."

The recruits were called individually to the middle of the room, where a circular platform was prepared. A tall machine beside it measured their magical energy levels. The tests varied—some were asked to show their abilities, while others were exposed to controlled simulations.

And then Joshua's name was read out. He gave me a quick look before advancing. He was on the platform as the researcher in the white coat checked him.

"Joshua Bamidele," the man read from the computer screen. "Primary attribute: Shadow Affinity. Power level: 4 stars."

Some people murmured in awe. 4 stars was very good.

"Demonstrate," the researcher instructed him.

Joshua took a breath and extended his hand for a handshake. The light around us dimmed a fraction as dark whips of shadow pushed up from beneath him, curling like mist. The shadow flowed across the floor before rising in jagged spikes that burst forth around him. A couple of recruits gasped in amazement.

"Good control," the researcher said. "Potential for growth."

Joshua stepped down, a smile of content on his face. Then I heard my name.

"Olamilekan Bamidele.".

I stood up gradually, feeling every pair of eyes upon me. I walked to the platform as I could already feel my magic churning in my veins.

The room fell silent as the machine crunched my scores. I listened to my own heart pumping, slow and heavy, until the screen could show me where I ranked. Joshua's score had already been a sensation—he was a 4-star, ranking him well above the level of the average awakened. But when it was my turn, the world changed.

The machine wildly oscillated, never stabilizing on one type of my primary characteristic. The text on the screen fluctuated between "Light Attribute" and "Darkness Attribute," unable to decide. Whispers erupted among the trainees, and even the officials worried glances. Captain Graves, who had been so calm and composed until then, tensed, her fingers curling into a fist.

This… this can't be possible," said one of the examiners with a huff, pressing his glasses back onto the end of his nose as though he'd misread the report.

The machine ultimately settled on my rank—5-star. The highest rank. The room was even more chaotic. Some students gasped, others murmured to one another. I saw fear in some of their eyes, admiration in others.

Then, suddenly, the runes materialized.

The air around me was filled with glowing, complex symbols that whirled and changed as if responding to my presence. They were not anything I had ever seen—glowing golden with streaks of black running through them, as if light and darkness coexisted in them. The officials on the sidelines visibly trembled. Even Captain Graves stepped back.

"He's already using runes?" someone gasped. "That's only possible after years of experience and training… right?

"No," said another, voice hardly above a whisper in awe. "Only at 4-star or higher even begin to be capable of unlocking rune usage. and even then, it's something that takes time. This—this is without precedent."

There was tension in the air. My fists were balled up without knowing what was happening, yet I felt power coursing through me. Contrary to that first time that I had no control over the power, now it was persistent, honed—waiting to be told.

The ground below the platform opened up.

Gasps and wails filled the room as pressure mounted. The metal walls groaned under unseen force, and the scanner beside me malfunctioned, sparks pouring from its foundation.

"Enough!" Captain Graves bellowed.

I took a deep breath and forced the energy back inside me. The golden aura dissipated, and the room calmed.

The researcher wildly scrawled something on his clipboard. "Uncontrolled potential. Must be trained immediately."

Captain Graves nodded. "Send them and their brother for specialized training. Their powers will come in handy for the upcoming fights."

Joshua followed me, his expression concerned. "You okay?"

I nodded, but I didn't know that I was. Something about my power felt wrong. Like it wasn't even mine.

As I retreated, the cocky guy from before sneered at me. "I reckon we've got a monster in our midst."

I shot him a dirty look, but before I could say a word, Joshua interrupted. "What battle?"

Captain Graves retreated a step, her pinched face faltering for a second before she regained control. "That is classified information."

I looked harder. Something didn't smell right.

"Dismissed," she replied hastily, spinning on her heel and walking out of the room.

The tension hung in the air as everyone slowly filtered out, but the question was s

till there. What fight was she referring to? And why was she afraid of my ability?