The courtyard was tense, thick with anticipation as the survivors of the stamina run stood before Princess Aurora. The officials moved with precision, preparing for the attunement phase—the moment that would determine who would wield power and who would remain ordinary.
Kai stood among them, drenched in sweat, his pulse steady despite the weight of the moment pressing down on him. His legs ached, his muscles screamed, but none of that mattered now. This was it. The true test.
Aurora's voice carried across the courtyard. "Each of you will step forward and be tested. The elements will either accept you or reject you."
A murmur passed through the group, nervous whispers mixing with excitement. The nobles, despite their arrogance, knew the truth—bloodline alone did not guarantee awakening. Power was granted, not taken.
The first applicant stepped forward, placing their hands on a stone pedestal carved with ancient symbols. A moment of silence passed, then—the pedestal glowed. Blue light rippled through the surface, rising into the air before enveloping the applicant.
Gasps echoed around the courtyard.
The official nodded. "Water attunement. Accepted."
The applicant stumbled back, eyes wide with realization. The crowd buzzed with awe.
More stepped forward.
One noble trembled as flames erupted around him, his body wreathed in fire but left unburned. Another gasped as electricity crackled along her arms, jolting through her veins with raw power.
One after another, awakenings occurred.
Then—
"Rejected."
The words rang out, sharp, unforgiving.
A boy stood before the pedestal, his hands still pressed against the surface, but there was no glow. No resonance. No elemental reaction.
He stepped back, his face pale, horror dawning as the crowd shifted away from him.
It was the first failure. A reminder that not everyone was chosen.
Kai forced down his nerves.
Then—
"Kai."
His name echoed through the courtyard. It was his turn.
He stepped forward, swallowing the lump in his throat. His fingers pressed against the ancient stone, the cool surface grounding him for a moment.
He breathed in.
Waited.
Silence.
Nothing.
Seconds stretched into eternity, and yet—the stone remained dormant. No flames. No ice. No lightning. No power.
Kai's chest tightened.
Then—
"Rejected."
The official's voice was cold, emotionless.
Mockery followed.
It started as whispers, then grew louder.
One of the nobles sneered. "I knew it! The rat has nothing in him."
Another chuckled. "Pathetic."
Rico's face twisted, caught between disbelief and frustration. He opened his mouth, but Kai had already stepped back.
He felt numb.
The world around him blurred, their laughter distant but sharp enough to cut.
Rejected.
Ordinary.
Nothing.
Aurora's gaze lingered on him for a brief second—then, she looked away.
The test continued.
Kai had already been cast aside.
---
Kai didn't remember walking away. He barely registered how his body moved through the corridors of the castle, his steps robotic, his mind tangled in the weight of his failure.
The nobles whispered as he passed, some openly mocking, others ignoring him completely.
He had been discarded.
Kai clenched his fists.
Had he really believed—truly believed—that he could awaken? That he could rise above his place in the world?
The answer had been cruelly handed to him.
A servant directed him toward the exit—toward the place where the failures were sent away.
Kai stepped outside, feeling the cold bite of the wind against his damp clothes.
"Leaving already?" a voice murmured.
Kai turned sharply—Rico.
The noble boy stood with his arms crossed, expression unreadable.
Kai swallowed down his frustration. "You don't have to pretend to care."
Rico sighed. "That's not what I'm doing."
Kai stared at him. "Then what do you want?"
Rico hesitated, glancing around before answering, "You saved me in the maze."
Kai scoffed, turning away. "That was a mistake."
Rico's eyes flickered, watching him carefully. "Was it?"
Kai didn't respond.
The wind howled against the castle walls.
"You really thought you would awaken, didn't you?" Rico asked quietly.
Kai tensed.
Rico exhaled. "That's the difference between us and them." He motioned toward the nobles still lingering inside the courtyard. "They assume they're destined for greatness. You fought for it."
Kai clenched his jaw, refusing to let the words sink in.
"I can't change what happened," Rico said, shifting slightly. "But if you think this is the end, you're wrong."
Kai's gaze snapped toward him, irritation flashing. "What do you know?"
Rico grinned slightly. "More than you'd think."
Kai shook his head, turning toward the distant gates.
He wouldn't stay here any longer.
Rejected.
Cast aside.
Forgotten.
But something deep inside him burned.
Something that refused to die.
Even if he wasn't chosen.
Even if the test had rejected him.
Kai would find a way.