The dawn carried a hush unlike any other. Even the wind seemed gentler that morning, whispering through the golden spires of Monster Academy as if it knew the day would not end without history being made. Word had spread like wildfire among the new angels: the Temple of Purity would open its gates for the annual testing. For centuries, this was where young angels stood before the ancient crystal of judgment to awaken their gifts, to see what destiny had etched into their souls.
The temple itself stood apart from the rest of the academy grounds, an architectural wonder carved from shimmering marble and lit with veins of glowing crystal that pulsed like living veins of starlight. Its tall columns rose into the heavens, casting shadows that seemed both protective and severe. At the heart of the structure, a massive circular chamber awaited, where light pooled in streams from a crystalline dome above, making the entire room shimmer like dawn caught in eternal stillness.
This was not just ceremony. This was law, tradition, and identity all at once. For an angel, their powers defined them— their worth, their place, even their alliances. Everyone knew that today would reveal truths about who they were destined to become.
Valkyrie walked in with Soda at her side, Jasmine trailing close behind. Her stomach twisted as she stared at the polished marble beneath her sandals. She had felt nerves before— on her first day, when she stepped through the academy gates— but this was different. This was heavy, like the weight of unseen eyes pressing against her.
Soda, ever the chatterbox, leaned in close and whispered, "Relax, Val. Everyone looks like they're about to faint. You're not the only one shaking like a leaf."
"I'm not shaking," Valkyrie muttered quickly, though she realized her hands betrayed her, her fingers were tightening and loosening around the hem of her robe.
Jasmine, standing on her other side, gave her a soft nudge. "Think of it like a performance. The crystal only shows what's already inside you— it doesn't judge. It just… reveals."
"Easy for you to say," Valkyrie murmured. "You already know you're the angel of ideas and creativity. You sound confident about it. I don't even know what I am."
"That's the fun part," Jasmine said with a little grin. "It's like opening a wrapped present."
"Yeah," Soda added brightly, "except if the present explodes in your face, you get laughed at by half the academy."
Valkyrie shot her a look, and Soda gave a sheepish smile. "Kidding. Totally kidding."
Their whispers faded as the ceremony began.
At the center of the chamber stood Mr. Waltz, the senior angelic teacher of magical history, his long gold hair tied neatly behind his shoulders. Beside him stood Miss Vivian, the angel of grace and enchantment skilled with advanced water and air powers. her robes flowing like woven moonlight. Together, they represented wisdom and discipline, a balance that often kept even the proudest angels grounded.
Mr. Waltz raised his hand for silence. The chatter of wings and voices hushed immediately, leaving only the soft hum of the crystal at the chamber's core.
"New angels of this academy," Mr. Waltz began, his voice was rich and commanding, "today you stand not as children, but as heirs of power. The Temple does not give— it uncovers. It does not create— it remembers. Within you lies a gift already woven at birth, and today, that truth will be revealed."
His eyes swept across the group of gathered angels, each one visibly nervous. "Do not fear the outcome. There is no shame in what you are, the only shame in not becoming it."
Miss Vivian stepped forward, her smile was serene and encouraging, a softer contrast to Waltz's solemnity. "The crystal responds to honesty. Do not fight it. Open yourself, let your spirit touch the light, and it will sing back to you." She gestured gracefully toward the radiant orb pulsing in the center of the chamber— a floating gem larger than any angel, suspended between golden arches. Its glow shifted colors in slow waves, like breathing light.
"Now," Mr. Waltz said, clapping his hands once. "Step forward, one by one. We begin."
The line of angels moved slowly. One by one, students approached the crystal, pressed their palms to its surface, and let the glow wash over them. Each time, the crystal shimmered with a particular hue, forming patterns in the air that revealed the angel's gift. Gasps of delight followed when abilities manifested clearly— blue for water, green for nature, white sparks for healing. Teachers nodded in approval, recording each revelation on scrolls.
"Angel of flame."
"Angel of whispers."
"Angel of stone."
On and on it went. Each angel left the crystal with a smile— or sometimes a look of disappointment when their powers weren't as flashy as they hoped.
Soda leaned toward Valkyrie every time. "See that? You could totally be like that. Or maybe like me. Air is amazing, right? Who doesn't want to control a hurricane?" She puffed her chest proudly, and Valkyrie laughed softly despite her nerves.
Finally, Soda's name was called. She bounded forward like a child running to the front of a classroom. "Watch this," she mouthed dramatically at Valkyrie.
The crystal flared the moment Soda touched it. Air swirled around her, whipping her hair into a halo of golden curls as small gusts lifted objects from the floor. The crowd murmured in approval.
"Angel of Air," Miss Vivian announced with a warm smile.
Soda pranced back, with a wide grin. "See? Easy as pie. Now your turn."
And just like that, Valkyrie's heart nearly stopped when her name was called next.
Her legs felt heavy as she stepped forward. Every sound in the chamber dulled until it was only her footsteps echoing against marble, each step louder than the last. She approached the crystal, and it pulsed as though sensing her approach.
"Relax," she told herself under her breath. But the closer she got, the harder her chest pounded. She could feel everyone's eyes on her— Soda's excited grin, Jasmine's encouraging nod, the curious stares of dozens of new angels waiting to see what she was.
Her hands trembled as she lifted them, pressing her palms against the crystal's cool surface. The moment her skin touched it, a surge of energy shot through her body. It was not gentle like she had expected— it was fierce and overwhelming, like being caught between storm and sun.
The crystal shuddered.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, it exploded with light. Not a simple glow, nor a single color, but a blinding cascade of brilliance that filled the chamber in waves. It was as though dawn itself had been reborn inside the temple.
Students shielded their eyes. Gasps rippled through the room. Even Miss Vivian stepped back in shock, her serene composure faltering.
The light grew stronger, searing and pure, until shapes began to form within it— wings, radiant and infinite, like silhouettes of celestial fire stretching across the dome.
Mr. Waltz's eyes widened. He whispered, almost to himself, "Impossible…"
The light dimmed only slightly, enough to reveal Valkyrie still standing with her palms pressed to the crystal. Her hair glowed like threads of gold and silver, her eyes reflecting the brilliance like mirrors of the sun.
Miss Vivian finally found her voice. "This… this is not ordinary light." She turned to the stunned students. "She… she is the Angel of Light."
A hush swept the chamber. Some angels looked awestruck. Others looked uneasy, whispering to each other. This was not normal. This was not expected.
Mr. Waltz stepped closer, studying Valkyrie with piercing eyes. His usual authority seemed shaken, his voice carrying a weight of disbelief. "In all my years… I have never seen such a manifestation. Not once in centuries. Angel of Light… thought only to exist in ancient scripture, a myth."
"Yet here she stands," Miss Vivian said softly, her eyes fixed on Valkyrie. "The prophecy whispered in the old hymns… 'From the veil of shadow shall rise the light that cannot be broken.'"
Valkyrie pulled her hands back, breathing hard, her chest rising and falling rapidly. The glow finally faded from her skin, but the memory of it lingered in the stunned silence of everyone present.
Soda was the first to break it. "Did you see that?!" she shouted, her voice cracking with excitement. "Val, you just fried half the temple with your glow! You're… you're legendary!"
Some angels clapped hesitantly. Others whispered nervously. A few glanced at each other with uncertainty, as if trying to decide whether to cheer or fear.
Valkyrie, still trembling, whispered under her breath, "What… what does this mean?"
Mr. Waltz's answer was grave, his tone was carrying more weight than ever before. "It means, child, that you are not just another student in this academy. You are something far greater… and far more dangerous."
The chamber remained thick with silence, broken only by the crystal's faint hum— now dimmed, as if exhausted from revealing the truth.
And though Valkyrie stood there surrounded by peers and teachers, she had never felt so exposed, so seen… and so uncertain of what tomorrow would bring.