The tense silence following Kael's scanner anomaly was shattered by a sharp command. "Move! Holding area, NOW!" Grey-clad attendants herded the shaken applicants toward austere barracks. Kael kept his head down, feeling Ember's burning gaze and Proctor Thorne's analytical stare like physical weights. He needed to disappear, to become just another Lightning-wielding novice.
The next stage was physical examination and synchronization. In a sterile, white-walled chamber, applicants queued to receive a sleek silver wristband. "Neural sync monitor," an attendant droned. "Tracks vitals, ability usage, location. Mandatory wear until graduation."
When Kael's turn came, the cold metal clasped around his wrist. Instantly, the Crucible screamed:
**FOREIGN ENERGY/NEURAL INTERFACE DETECTED! ATTEMPTING SYNCHRONIZATION WITH HOST SYSTEMS!**
**COUNTERMEASURES ENGAGED...**
**WARNING: USER LEVEL INSUFFICIENT FOR FULL BLOCKADE. ONLY MINOR INTERFERENCE POSSIBLE. SPECIFY PARAMETERS.**
*Block ability scans! Hide Space and Time!* Kael thought desperately.
**ATTEMPTING DATA OBSCURATION... PRIMARY MANIFESTATION (LIGHTNING) WILL BE VISIBLE. SECONDARY MANIFESTATIONS (SPACE/TIME) WILL BE MASKED AS SYSTEM GLITCHES. CONFIRM?**
*Do it!*
The console attendant frowned at her readout as Kael's band synced. The screen flickered erratically – Lightning energy flared bright and clear (Grade 1), but beneath it, the data stream dissolved into chaotic static whenever it brushed against his hidden cores. "Lightning. Solid signature," she announced, though her eyes narrowed at the interference patterns. "Bit noisy, but functional. Next!"
Kael exhaled, joining the crowd filtering toward the colossal Proving Grounds – a vast arena of shimmering energy barriers, shifting terrain, and humming kinetic cannons. He found a spot near the observation railings just as the last trials began.
That's when he saw her.
Klea Storm moved like winter given form. Tall and willowy, her hair was a cascade of moonlight silver, framing a face of such impossible perfection it stole Kael's breath – high cheekbones sharp enough to cut glass, lips a pale rose, and eyes the piercing blue of glacial ice. She radiated an aura of effortless, chilling grace, untouched by the nervous energy buzzing around her. Coldness wasn't just her ability; it was her essence.
"Pompous ice queen," muttered a sharp-featured girl beside Kael, her dark eyes fixed on Klea with a mix of envy and annoyance. She stuck out her hand. "Maya Grey. Wind affinity. You look like you just saw a ghost. Or a goddess?"
Before Kael could answer, a lanky young man with earth-stained hands pushed forward, scowling. "Maya! I told you not to wander off!" He shot a dismissive glance at Kael. "Jacob Stone. Earth. And she," he jabbed a thumb at Maya, "is stretching her legs *again*."
Maya rolled her eyes, a defiant grin playing on her lips. "A girl *can* stretch her legs, Jacob. Right?" She turned to Kael.
"A girl can," Kael managed, his attention still half-captured by Klea preparing for her trial run.
Maya's grin widened triumphantly at Jacob. "See?"
Jacob huffed. "We *know* each other, okay?" he snapped at Kael, mistaking his distracted expression for curiosity. "We're dating. Or were, before she decided flirting with strangers was a leg stretch!"
Kael suppressed a weary sigh. *Lovers' spat. Just what I need.* "Right," he murmured, turning fully back to the arena.
Klea had begun.
Her trial was the Serpentine Gauntlet – a brutal obstacle course of collapsing platforms, energy whips, and gravity wells. Klea didn't run; she *flowed*.
Where others grunted and strained, she moved with inhuman elegance. Ice blossomed under her feet, creating instant stepping stones over chasms. Energy whips lashed out, only to shatter against shimmering ice shields that formed a heartbeat before impact. Gravity wells tried to pin her; she slid through them like a phantom on ribbons of frost, her movements a breathtaking dance of precision and power. She didn't just complete the course; she redefined it, finishing in a record-shattering five minutes flat.
A rare, dazzling smile broke across Klea's cold beauty as her time flashed on the scoreboard. It was like watching the first sunrise over an arctic plain – breathtaking and utterly unexpected.
Kael realized he was staring, utterly mesmerized. Not just by her skill, but by the sheer, impossible beauty wielding it. She was, without question, the most stunning creature he'd ever seen.
As if sensing his gaze, Klea turned. Her glacial blue eyes locked onto his across the distance. Kael froze, a deer caught in headlights carved from diamond. She didn't look annoyed. Curious, perhaps. Intrigued.
She walked towards him, her steps silent and deliberate, parting the crowd like an icebreaker through a frozen sea. Maya and Jacob fell silent, eyes wide. Klea stopped before Kael, her presence a wave of cool air.
"I saw you watching," she stated, her voice clear and crisp, like ice cracking on a still lake. Her gaze swept over him, assessing, lingering on the fading scrape on his shoulder from the Storm Dome. "And you don't look so... breakable." A ghost of that radiant smile touched her lips again. "Klea Storm. I'll be watching *you*, Kael James."
She didn't wait for a reply. She simply turned and walked away, leaving Kael standing there, heart pounding, the Crucible humming with cold analysis (**SOCIAL THREAT ASSESSMENT: AMBIGUOUS. BIOLOGICAL STRESS RESPONSE ELEVATED**), and the terrifyingly beautiful promise hanging in the air.
He wasn't just facing the academy, Ember's crew, or Proctor Thorne's scrutiny anymore. He was now on the radar of Klea Storm. And surviving *that* attention felt like the most dangerous trial yet.
**<<< STATUS SNAPSHOT >>>**
**HOST:** Kael James
**LEVEL:** 10
**EXP:** 70/1100
**ENG:** 100/120 *(Regen Active)*
**GRADE 2 PROGRESS:** 73%
**MONITORED:** Academy Wristband Active (Lightning Signature Visible; Space/Time Obscured)
**OBJECTIVES:**
* **Survive Klea's Attention:** Threat Level: **Unknown**
* **Pass Physical Trials:** Utilize Lightning Only.
* **Avoid Ember's Crew:** Threat Level: **Extreme**
* **Achieve Grade 2:** (Level 15) (73%)
* **Unlock System Origin:** (Grade 3) (33%)