The brief, sharp run-in with Lucian had broken the usual school-day routine, leaving an odd tension in its wake. But the blare of the bell and Finn's reminder snapped them back to the present. The lesson was the main focus of their day, of their lives.
Zak, Finn, and Gus walked into the spacious preparation room for the Ascension Trial, a large, open area filled with rows of empty benches and the quiet buzz of other students already gathered. The air felt charged with nervous energy. Before they could even pick a bench, Lila, a girl from their class with bright, curious eyes and a quick smile, walked up to them.
"Hey guys," Lila said, her voice clear and friendly. "Mind if I join you? This whole thing is making me a bit antsy."
"Lila!" Gus boomed, his nervous energy momentarily forgotten.
"Sure, pull up a bench! This is about to get real, huh?"
Lila laughed, a light sound that cut through the tension. She slid onto the bench next to Gus, then looked at Zak and Finn.
"You know," she began, her gaze thoughtful,
"I actually saw what happened in the hallway just now. With Lucian. What was that even about? He looked pretty intense."
Gus, his face already red, slapped his knee. "Intense? That creep's just a sore loser! Still mad about the sports fest, probably. Can't stand that someone like Zak beat him fair and square. What a brainless idiot, holding a grudge from last year! Seriously, who even cares about the Ascension Trial today?" His voice got louder with each word, not noticing the heads turning their way.
Finn leaned forward, placing a hand on Gus's arm.
"Gus, lower your voice,"
he whispered, glancing around at the curious stares they were drawing. He turned to Lila, his expression calm but serious.
"To be clear, Lila, Lucian is really hung up on the fact that Zak outscored him in the sports fest. It's more about his pride than the game itself; he simply can't accept that someone he thinks is beneath him could ever beat him."
Lila nodded, her eyes thoughtful.
"Yeah, that makes sense. I get that vibe from him sometimes."She sighed, then her eyes lit up with determination. She shifted her gaze to Zak, a direct, knowing look.
"But you know what? All that sports fest stuff is old news. What Lucian really wants, what we all want, is about to happen right here. It's the Ascension Trial that truly decides everything." She gestured around the bustling room.
"This is where our future actually begins."
She then turned fully towards Zak, her gaze steady. A slight frown creased her brow.
"And honestly, Zak... what I really want to know this lesson is what your outcome will be."
Gus, who had been listening with a visible pout, poked Zak repeatedly with his elbow. "Hey, hey, hey! What's that mean, Zak?!"
he whined, his booming voice turning into a confused, almost childish tone.
"Why's she so interested in your outcome? I'm the one with the big plans! What's so special about you?!" He looked genuinely confused, his hands thrown up in a gesture of annoyed disbelief.
Finn sighed, rubbing his temples. "Gus," he cut in, his voice firm,
"Lila is simply curious because Zak, unlike us, has shown a surprising lack of interest about the trial. It's an unusual way to act, and therefore, interesting." He gave Gus a pointed look.
Then, Finn turned his attention back to Zak, his expression shifting from frustration to a thoughtful, analytical gaze. "Actually," he added, a hint of genuine interest,
"I'm rather curious about your outcome as well, Zak. Your detached view on something so important is quite an oddity. It will be... revealing."
Just as Gus was about to launch into another protest, a sharp, commanding voice cut through the room's low hum.
"Alright, everyone! Take your seats. We're starting in exactly one minute." A tall, stern-faced Professor Aris, wearing the formal robes typically seen during big school events, had entered the room.
Her gaze swept over the students, instantly silencing any lingering chatter. Everyone grew serious, and all eyes went to the front.
Professor Aris stepped to the center of the room.
"Before we begin the trial process, I'd like to introduce a guest who will be participating as part of today's lesson for the Ascension Trial." She gestured towards the door, and another individual, dressed in similar formal attire but with a clear powerful presence, stepped into the room.
"This is Master Elara, a Class A Sentinel from the Central Academy's Elite Forces, here to show what an awakened class can do and demonstrate its capabilities."
Master Elara moved with a quiet way that made everyone pay attention. She was lean and composed, her dark uniform fit perfectly, hinting at the disciplined strength beneath. Her sharp, intelligent eyes scanned the rows of students, a professional look in her gaze.
A faint, almost unnoticeable hum seemed to come from her, a subtle energy that made her different from even Professor Aris.
As Master Elara stepped fully into the room, a strange, heavy feeling settled over Zak. It wasn't physical weight, but something oppressive, like the air itself had thickened, pressing down on his chest. It was unsettling, yet held an odd familiarity, a whisper of the void he often felt.
Beside him, Finn subtly shifted, his brow furrowing. He leaned closer to Zak, his voice a low murmur. "Did you feel that, Zak? A sudden pressure... an almost thick feeling in the air?"
Zak nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on Master Elara. "Yeah. Like walking into a wall you can't see."
Finn looked back at the imposing figure of Master Elara, then turned to Gus, a questioning look. "Gus, did you sense that sudden change in the room's… atmosphere?"
Gus, however, simply blinked, then shrugged, looking completely confused.
"Sense what? The room just got quiet, I guess. Why? Did I miss something?" He scratched his head, clearly unaware of the invisible weight that had just settled on his friends.
Professor Aris concluded her introduction. "Master Elara will be observing today's first assessments and will answer any questions you may have regarding how awakened abilities are actually used." She then turned to Master Elara, who gave a brief, short nod.
Master Elara's gaze swept over the students again, landing briefly on Finn.
"Do any of you have immediate questions?" she asked, her voice calm but with a hidden authority that made the room even quieter.
Finn hesitated, glancing at Zak, then back at Master Elara.
He took a breath, his analytical curiosity overriding his caution.
"Master Elara," he began, his voice clear,
"can a highly awakened individual, particularly a Class A Sentinel, subtly influence the ambient atmosphere or environment around them through their mere presence or the energy of their power?
A few heads in the room subtly nodded, a hushed whisper of agreement spreading through a handful of students who had also felt something. Among them, Lila's eyes widened slightly as she turned to Finn, a silent agreement to his question. She quickly looked back at Master Elara, eager for the answer.
A faint, almost unnoticeable smile touched Master Elara's lips, a knowing look more to herself than for the students.
"Indeed," she affirmed, her voice steady and clear.
"A handful of you are quite aware." Her gaze softened for a fleeting moment, a hint of apology in her sharp eyes.
"My apologies. I'm used to places where such energy is either expected or just not noticed. I forgot to properly contain my mana output upon entering. It seems my presence alone can create a subtle, small change in the air pressure for those sensitive enough to feel it."
As she finished speaking, her sharp gaze, which had been sweeping the room, suddenly fixed on Zak. She felt an unnerving sensation, like an unseen eye was watching her, a heavy, scrutinizing presence that she couldn't explain. It was akin to an aura, yet unlike any she'd ever felt before, deeper and more profound. He blinked, shaking his head slightly, and thought perhaps he was just seeing things.
Then, Master Elara subtly shifted her stance, a flicker of concentration passing over her features. The oppressive weight in the room, which only a few had truly felt, suddenly lifted. The air seemed to lighten, becoming easier to breathe, and the underlying tension that had settled over the space simply vanished. The room now felt ordinary again, the pervasive hum of her raw energy gone.