Chapter 4:The Pulse Within

The air inside the Crystal Pulse Halls was cold like the moment just before a storm. Dozens of students from various Year 3 classes stood in lines, eyes raised to the crystalline orbs floating silently above pedestals. Each orb pulsed softly with muted light, resonating with unseen energy which is called Qi.

Guren Von Duran stood near the back of the Class 3D formation, arms crossed. His black tunic itched under his uniform robes, but he didn't shift. Instead, his sharp eyes scanned the hall quiet, focused, watching everything.

"You're awfully serious this morning," said Scott Kawski, standing just behind him. The boy had sleepy eyes and a loose posture, but Guren had already learned that was just a cover. Scott was sharp too sharp for someone who pretended not to care. "Let me guess you're trying to see how many ways this test can kill you?"

Guren smiled faintly. "No. I'm trying to see who's likely to cry first."

Scott snorted. "You or me?"

"Definitely you," Guren replied without looking.

"Is it just me or does this place smell like elderberry soap and student panic," Scott murmured. "You think if I trip and fall, they'll give me bonus points for effort?"

"You'd need extra credit just for waking up," Guren replied under his breath.

Scott smirked. "Touché."

They both chuckled quietly.

At the center , Lady Stephanie Kross raised a hand, and the noise quieted instantly.

"The Harmony Assessment begins now," she said. "This is the Pulse Phase. The Qi within your body whether awakened or dormant will resonate with the Crystal Orbs. Your emotional alignment, inner balance, and latent Qi sensitivity will be tested."

She stepped aside. "You will approach when your name is called. Do not try to force your Qi. The orb reads truth, not performance."

One by one, names were called. A few upper-class students from 3A and 3B looked bored, already knowing what their results would be. But in Class 3D, tension rippled like wind over still water.

A tall girl from 3C stepped forward. The orb pulsed steadily as she approached it. Then flash. A green light enveloped her for three seconds before fading. Her instructor nodded. "Stable. Decent potential."

Then came Jared Cross, a talkative boy from Guren's class. He stood rigid, breathing hard as the orb hovered before him. It blinked red twice before shifting to orange and settling on yellow.

"Emotional instability. Qi scatter present. Borderline pass."

Jared walked back with a shaky grin. "Didn't cry," he whispered as he passed Guren.

A tall boy with sleek silver hair and pale skin stepped forward. Elias Rowe from Class 5A. The air around him almost shifted when he walked.

As the orb scanned him, it turned a brilliant white, humming like wind chimes.

"Perfect rhythm. Internal Qi alignment flawless," an instructor muttered in awe.

He didn't even glance at the others as he returned to his group.

"Now that's talent," Scott muttered, looking at Elias. "Bet he gets silk robes and his own pavilion."

"Or he collapses from the weight of his own ego," Guren added.

Soon came Scott Kawski's turn.

Scott sighed dramatically, then stepped forward, scratching the back of his head. A few students from Class 3B whispered and smirked, expecting a comedic disaster.

But the moment he stepped onto the assessment ring, the crystal orb shifted. It flared quietly, once, then twice. On the third pulse, it glowed with a strong deep blue, tinged faintly with silver.

Mistress Kim's brows lifted slightly.

"Curious," she murmured. "Qi rhythm is calm, near-lucid. Suppressed potential… intentional restraint."

Scott gave a light shrug, almost bored. "Guess I've been napping too close to the leyline."

Whispers erupted behind him as he walked back to Class 3D.

"Scott, what the hell was that?" Guren asked.

Scott grinned lazily. "That was me trying not to be interesting."

Guren chuckled.

Then came Guren Von Duran's turn.

He approached the pedestal silently, every step measured. The crystal orb hovered lower, like it sensed something curious. A single hum escaped it as he stepped into range.

Then silence.

The orb remained dull for several seconds. Then...BOOM!!!.

A solid indigo-blue pulse echoed from it. Strong, resonant, but without the flickering silver edge Scott's had. The orb pulsed once more, then settled into a slow, heavy glow.

Mistress Kim examined the reading.

"Qi presence: latent. Emotional rhythm: compressed. Intent: focused. Restraint… natural, not trained."

She looked at Guren for a long moment. "Interesting resonance, if underdeveloped. Strong internal alignment. Minimal external influence."

Guren gave a polite nod and returned to his line.

Scott leaned in. "Yours sounded like a heartbeat. Intense."

"You think?" Guren said, hiding a small grin. "Yours had flair."

Scott grinned. "Well, I do try to impress the ladies."

"No one was watching."

"Ouch."

From Class 5A, Naomi Sterling stepped forward like she was walking to claim a throne. The orb responded before she even reached the ring flashing pure silver with traces of violet.

"Advanced Qi circulation detected," an instructor muttered. "Clarity of mind exceptional."

She didn't even blink. When she turned, her eyes briefly passed over Guren's.

He looked away first.

By the end of the assessment, over 200 students had been scanned. A handful failed entirely mostly from Class 3D and 3C. A few upper class students passed with distinction. But it was Guren's scan that kept whispers alive.

Instructors murmured terms like latent density and submerged Qi alignment. A few even passed glances toward Mistress Kim, who only nodded slightly.

***

Back in the dorm hallway, as the day ended, Guren sat on the edge of his cot, hands folded. The result hadn't been bad but it hadn't been normal either. He wasn't sure what it meant.

But one thing was certain: He belonged here.

And whatever came next, he'd face it without fear.

From across the room, Scott tossed a pillow at him. "Hey genius, don't forget to breathe. Next up is the Breath Assessment. You gonna hold yours and pass out?"

Guren grinned, sharp and easy. "Only if you catch me."

To be Continued.