### Chapter 1: The Weight of the Mark
Kaiya Veyne's wrist still burned as she slipped through the shadowed corridors of the Aetherial Academy, the glow of her Soul Mark hidden beneath a hastily wrapped scarf. The memory of the Ruins of Aether clung to her like damp moss—the altar's pulse, the Soulwraith's voice, the sigil that now bound her to something she didn't understand. Fenris. Fen. Their name echoed in her mind, sharp and unyielding, like the smirk they'd thrown her before vanishing into a swirl of shadows.
She'd barely slept, the mark's heat pulsing through the night, a constant reminder of her mistake. The Academy's morning bell tolled, its chime reverberating through the crystal-spired halls. Students bustled past, their Soul Sparks flickering—flashes of lightning, ripples of water, glimmers of light. Kaiya kept her head down, her dark hair falling over her eyes. She was used to being invisible, the "sparkless" girl who couldn't even light a candle without singeing her own fingers. But now, with Fen's power thrumming through her, she felt exposed, like a flame in a storm.
"Veyne!" a voice barked, and Kaiya flinched. Instructor Valthorne loomed in the doorway of the training hall, his steel-gray eyes narrowing. His Soul Mark, a jagged band of iron-blue across his forearm, pulsed faintly, a testament to his bond with a Bound who'd long since graduated—or broken. "Late again. If you're planning to fail today's trial, at least do it with some dignity."
Kaiya mumbled an apology, slipping into the hall. The training arena was a vast dome, its walls etched with sigils that hummed with aetheric energy. Students lined the tiered seats, their chatter a low roar. At the center, a sparring platform glowed, ready to test their Sparks. Kaiya's stomach churned. Trials were where Heroes were made—or broken. And she'd never passed one.
"Focus, sparkless," Fen's voice hissed in her mind, sharp and sudden. Kaiya nearly dropped her satchel. She glanced around, but no one else seemed to hear. The Soulwraith's presence was a shadow in her thoughts, their bond linking them even across distance. "You're radiating panic. It's embarrassing."
"Get out of my head," Kaiya muttered under her breath, clutching her wrist. The mark flared, a chaotic swirl of orange flames and purple-black shadows, barely concealed by the scarf.
"Not how this works, little Binder." Fen's tone was mocking, but there was an edge of curiosity. "You dragged me into this mess. Now you're stuck with me."
Kaiya gritted her teeth, weaving through the crowd to her assigned spot. She didn't have time for Fen's barbs. Today's trial was a paired combat exercise, pitting students against each other to showcase their Sparks. Failure meant a lower rank, another step closer to expulsion. For someone like Kaiya, already scraping the bottom of the Academy's hierarchy, it was a death sentence for her dreams of becoming a Hero.
"Kaiya Veyne and Aisling Vorrath!" Valthorne's voice boomed, and the crowd hushed. Kaiya's heart sank. Aisling. Of course.
Aisling Vorrath glided onto the platform, her silver hair catching the light like a halo. Her Gift, *Starweave*, shimmered around her, conjuring delicate tendrils of light that danced like blades. Her Soul Marks—sharp, star-shaped sigils on her wrists—glowed with cold precision, each tied to one of her Bound. She was the Academy's prodigy, untouchable, her every move a reminder of what Kaiya wasn't. Aisling's eyes locked onto Kaiya, her smile sharp as a knife.
"Poor little sparkless," Aisling said, her voice carrying just enough to draw snickers from the crowd. "Let's make this quick."
Kaiya's fists clenched, her *Emberflow* sparking at her fingertips, erratic and weak. She could feel Fen's presence, a shadow coiling in her mind, but their power was distant, locked behind their mutual distrust. "Come on, Fen," she whispered. "If you're stuck with me, at least help."
A low chuckle echoed in her thoughts. "You want my power? Earn it. Show me you're not just a child playing Hero."
The trial began with a gong, and Aisling struck first. Her light tendrils lashed out, slicing the air. Kaiya dove, her flames flaring instinctively, but they sputtered, barely deflecting the attack. The crowd jeered, and Kaiya's cheeks burned. She scrambled to her feet, dodging another barrage. Aisling was toying with her, her movements effortless, her marks glowing brighter with each command to her Bound, who stood silently at the arena's edge.
One of them caught Kaiya's eye—Taro Kael, his head bowed, a faint blue Soul Mark on his neck pulsing under Aisling's control. His Gift, *Tideheart*, could summon torrents of water, but Aisling kept it leashed, using only a fraction to amplify her own attacks. Kaiya's chest tightened. Taro didn't deserve this. No one did.
"Stop gawking!" Fen snapped, and Kaiya felt a surge through her mark. Shadows coiled around her flames, stabilizing them into a vibrant burst. She thrust her hands forward, sending a wave of flame-wreathed darkness at Aisling. The crowd gasped, and Aisling's eyes widened, her tendrils faltering for a moment.
"What was *that*?" Aisling hissed, recovering quickly. Her light constructs sharpened, slicing through Kaiya's attack. "You're hiding something, Veyne."
Kaiya's scarf slipped, revealing the glowing mark on her wrist. Whispers rippled through the crowd. A Soulwraith's mark. Forbidden. Dangerous. Valthorne's gaze darkened, and Kaiya's heart pounded. She'd exposed herself, and there was no going back.
"Enough!" Valthorne barked, halting the trial. "Veyne, to my office. Now."
As Kaiya stepped off the platform, Aisling's smirk followed her, predatory and knowing. Taro's eyes met hers for a fleeting moment, a flicker of something—hope, maybe?—before he looked away. Fen's voice slithered through her mind, dry and unyielding. "Well, sparkless, you've certainly made things interesting."
Kaiya's mark burned, its chaotic design a promise and a curse. She'd wanted to prove herself, but all she'd done was light a fuse. The Academy, Aisling, the Soul Contract system—everything was about to ignite.