The chime that pulled Rai from sleep was too clean to be natural—three even notes, crisp as glass, cutting through the quiet.
For a moment, he forgot where he was. The ceiling above him was a pale, matte panel instead of the cracked plaster he was used to. The air had that processed chill, the kind that left no scent, no hint of weather outside.
Theo was already awake, sitting cross-legged on his bunk, lacing his boots. The boy's hair was a little messier than yesterday, but his expression hadn't lost that unshakable brightness.
"Morning," Theo said, voice low but casual, like they'd known each other for weeks.
Rai gave the smallest nod and pushed himself up.
The hallways outside their door were a low hum of movement. Doors slid open and shut, footsteps quickened, voices overlapped in clipped exchanges.
By the time they reached the main corridor, the crowd had thickened into a current. Students moved in loose clusters toward a set of tall, translucent doors ahead. Light seeped through them, shifting faintly like it was alive.
A voice—calm, layered with the faint echo of the hall's speakers—guided them forward.
"Report to your Unit stations. Facility assignments will be processed in order. Remain in sequence."
The space designated for Unit Six was a square marked out by glowing floor lines. The others in their group were already there—A dark purple haired boy standing with his hands in his pockets, gloves black against the pale light; An auburn haired girl crossing her arms, posture straight as a blade; A silver haired boy with his hood drawn low; and A silver haired girl whose gaze wandering the ceiling *like she was following something only she could see.*
No one spoke.
The wait stretched. Somewhere behind the sealed doors, machinery hummed, too deep to place. An instructor passed by, scanning wrist-pads, not sparing them a glance.
Theo shifted his weight. "Feels like we're queued for judgment," he muttered.
A soft click broke the silence. The translucent doors began to part, light spilling sharper into the hall. The air that drifted through carried a faint metallic tang.
The instructor's voice returned, closer this time.
"Unit Six. Proceed."
Rai stepped forward with the others, the glow pooling against his boots. Whatever lay beyond the threshold was hidden in the white glare—only the outline of vast structures hinted through it.
The translucent doors parted with a slow hiss, letting in a spill of white daylight that made the floorlines seem dim.
An instructor waited just beyond—tall, lean with an unreadable expression, eyes flicking briefly over each of the students as they entered.
"Your Unit has been logged," the instructor said, voice precise. "From here forward, you'll train, operate, and—when necessary—compete as one."
The word compete seemed to hang in the air a little longer than the others.
They stepped aside, revealing a waist-high table lined with thin, curved devices—wrist pads, each faintly glowing with a pale light.
"These will track your performance, relay assignments, and grant you access to restricted zones. They also contain a map to your assigned facility. Pick them up in sequence."
One by one, Unit Six moved forward. The pads were cool to the touch, lighter than they looked. The moment Rai fastened his, the screen pulsed once, his name and Unit number appearing in clean lettering. A simple map bloomed in the corner of the display, the lines crisp and minimal.
Around him, the others were studying theirs—The gloved boy barely glancing at the map before tucking his hands back into his pockets, The auburn haired girl scanning the screen like she was committing every line to memory, The hooded boy silent under his hood, The silver haired girl tilting hers to catch the shifting light.
"Follow the path indicated," the instructor said. "Once you reach the hall, you'll be directed to your facility. You'll learn more when you arrive."
They didn't elaborate.
◇ ◇ ◇
The doors behind the instructor slid open to a wider corridor, the light beyond sharper now, almost cold. The air smelled faintly metallic.
Rai glanced once at Theo, who simply grinned as if this was the start of something worth grinning about.
Unit Six stepped forward together, the glowing path on their wrist pads pulsing in quiet rhythm, leading them toward whatever waited past the next set of doors.
They fell into a loose line, following the soft blue thread of light on their wrist pads.
Theo glanced down the row of unfamiliar faces, then clapped his hands once—not loud, but enough to draw a few eyes.
"So," he said, tone easy, "since we're stuck together, maybe we should at least know each other's names."
Across the line, the hooded boy lifted his gaze just enough to glance at Theo, then at Rai, before looking away again.
The gloved boy didn't react, his hands sinking deeper into his pockets.
The two girls walked side by side, their low conversation tapering off as they looked toward the rest of the group.
The silver haired girl spoke first, her voice light but steady. "Liora." She didn't add more, her gaze drifting away like her thoughts were following something far off.
The other's answer came sharp and precise, like the snap of a blade returning to its sheath. "Zeyra."
Theo nodded, then looked toward the gloved boy. "And you are…?"
A slow glance, a fraction of a second, then nothing. "Doesn't matter."
Theo's grin twitched wider. "Guess I'll call you 'Doesn't Matter' for now."
No response.
Theo's gaze moved to the hooded figure, but the boy didn't so much as turn his head. No acknowledgment—just the same steady pace.
Theo gave a quiet, half-laugh. "Alright, I'll go next. I'm Theo."
All eyes shifted briefly to Rai. He hesitated, then said simply, "Rai."
Theo glanced between the hooded boy and the one with gloves. "I'm guessing that makes you Myren… and you Kael."
Neither confirmed nor denied it.
The group's mismatched steps filled the silence that followed—sometimes aligned, sometimes scattering into dull, uneven echoes down the corridor.
Ahead, the light curved around a corner, spilling into a darker hall that seemed to swallow sound.
The darker hall was colder, the walls lined with faint, vertical seams that pulsed with the same blue as their guiding thread. The sound of their footsteps seemed to dull as if the air itself absorbed noise.
At the end of the corridor, the space widened into a bright, open chamber. Rows of translucent consoles floated at waist height, each one flickering with shifting symbols. Above them, a large holo-display cycled through Unit numbers, the glow casting soft light over the gathered students.
"In sequence," a calm mechanical voice said from somewhere above. "Step forward when your Unit is called."
Unit Six's line moved to the consoles first, each student pressing their wrist pad to the surface before a new icon flared on the screen—a glowing sigil followed by a map projection. They moved off quickly, filing through one of the branching exits.
Theo leaned slightly toward Rai. "So… what do you think they're assigning us? Dorm chores? Combat drills? A personal chef?"
Rai didn't answer. His eyes tracked the rotating names above until Unit Six flashed onto the screen.
Their floor lines brightened, guiding them toward the center. The console's light seemed to sense their approach, intensifying into a focused beam that washed over their faces.
"Place your wrist pad," the voice instructed.
Theo went first, pressing his device down. A soft pulse ran up his arm as the screen bloomed with his Unit sigil and a projected route twisting through the academy's layout. The destination was marked only as Facility Six—no description, no details.
One by one, the others followed—Liora, Zeyra, Kael, Myren. Each route was the same, the map highlighting the same corner of the sprawling academy.
When Rai's turn came, he hesitated for the smallest moment before setting the wrist pad on the console. The glow flared around his hand, cold and weightless. His map matched the others.
"Proceed to your designated facility," the voice said.
Theo glanced at the glowing thread that had appeared on all their wrist pads. "Guess that's our cue."
Without a word, Unit Six fell back into motion, the blue path ahead curling toward a part of the academy none of them had seen yet.
The blue line faded beneath their feet as they stepped through the tall glass doors.
◇ ◇ ◇
Facility Six was quieter than Rai expected. Light poured in from high panels overhead, pooling across polished stone floors and soft, muted walls. Six numbered doors lined the left wing—private quarters, from the look of them. Opposite, a glass partition gave a glimpse of the garden beyond: rows of green in neat formation, stalks and leaves catching the light in a way that made the air feel almost… different.
At the far end, the training arena waited—its broad, adaptable floor ringed by equipment. But no one moved toward it. The group's steps slowed as they entered the heart of the space: a compact common area with a wide screen set into the wall, low seating arranged in a loose half-circle, and tables pushed off to the side near a small kitchen alcove. Everything was neat, deliberate, like it had been prepared for them long before they arrived.
No one said much. Boots shuffled on the stone. Liora set her bag down by the couch. Kael leaned against a wall, gloves tucked into his pockets. Myren stood just inside the threshold, hood still shadowing his face, motionless.
Theo was the first to break the stillness, clapping his hands once and rubbing them together. "Well… guess this is home for now."
No one argued.
One by one, they drifted toward their assigned doors, the soft hum of the facility filling the space where words didn't.
Theo was the first to step forward when the doors slid open, his name flashing briefly on the panel above Room One. He tossed Rai a quick grin over his shoulder before disappearing inside.
Room Two lit for Kael. He didn't look at anyone, just crossed the space with measured steps, gloves still in his pockets, and vanished behind the door.
Rai's turn came next. Room Three. The panel pulsed once as he approached, then unlocked with a muted click. He paused just long enough to glance back at the others—briefly meeting Myren's shadowed gaze—before stepping in.
Room Four opened for Myren. He moved without hurry, no wasted motion, hood never lifting as the door slid shut behind him.
Zeyra claimed Room Five. Her stride was clean and direct, eyes forward, not lingering on anyone.
Liora was last. Room Six lit softly at her approach, the glow reflecting in her distant gaze as she stepped through.
The common area emptied out. The facility's hum settled into the background again, steady and unbroken. Outside the wide glass wall, the light was already fading, the sky deepening into muted blues and grays.
It had been a long day. No one lingered. One by one, doors closed, and the halls went still. Somewhere in the walls, the faint rhythm of the air system filled the silence as Facility Six drifted into its first quiet night.
◇ ◇ ◇
The morning came quietly.
A pale light spilled through the thin panel strips in each room, enough to draw them from sleep without the harsh bite of the arrival chime. Somewhere in the facility's inner walls, a low hum ran steady—a machine's heartbeat.
One by one, doors slid open. Theo stepped into the main area first, stretching like he'd been up for hours. Kael emerged a moment later, gloves already in place. Zeyra was precise, every motion deliberate. Myren's hood stayed low as he crossed the floor without a word, while Liora moved as if she were following some invisible thread through the air. Rai lingered last, quiet, taking in how the room felt with everyone in it.
The screen on the far wall blinked to life.
A voice—calm, without inflection—filled the space.
"Unit Six. Report to the Obsidian Ring immediately."
No further instructions.
For a moment, no one moved. Then Theo gave a faint grin and grabbed his goggles.
"Well… guess that's our morning sorted."
Chairs shifted back, footsteps picked up, and the six of them fell into motion. The garden's green shimmer and the training arena's steel curve slid past in the corridors as they followed the glowing thread toward whatever waited beyond Facility Six's walls.
◇ ◇ ◇
The path out of Facility Six wound between low structures and tall, humming pillars until the ground opened into a vast clearing.
The Obsidian Ring dominated its center—an immense black circle carved into the earth, so smooth it caught fragments of the sky in its surface. The air around it was unnervingly still, as though sound itself hesitated to cross its boundary.
Clusters of students were already gathered along the ring's outer edge, each group marked by the numbers on their sleeves. Voices murmured in low exchanges, some Units standing close together, others scattered and silent. Unit Six merged into the gathering, their presence barely acknowledged.
A lone figure stood at the front.
The moment he spoke, Rai recognized the voice—the same one that had directed them since they'd arrived at Idryma.
"I am Vail Solari, your instructor, and the one in charge of Sector Three."
He was tall, his uniform cut with precise lines of muted gold that caught the morning light. His gaze moved across the gathered Units, steady and measuring, like he could see far more than they were willing to show.
"You are here for one reason—to understand and awaken your Eidon. An Eidon is not simply a weapon, or a skill. It is the truth within you, made manifest. It will shape to your will, or it will break you. Which of those happens depends entirely on you."
The ground inside the Ring shimmered faintly, a ripple of light that faded as quickly as it came.
"Your first task is the Path Trial. Each of you will walk it. What you encounter within will be yours alone to face. Pass, and you will leave here Awakened. Fail…" His eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of challenge in his tone. "…and the Ring will decide whether you are worth another chance."
A hush spread through the crowd, the other Units watching with a mix of anticipation and unease.
◇ ◇ ◇
The air felt thick with anticipation as Vail surveyed the gathered students. A faint hum echoed from the Obsidian Ring, its dark surface almost gleaming in the shifting light. Most of the other units had already entered, their figures swallowed by the mysterious expanse of the ring, leaving only Unit Six standing at the threshold.
Vail's gaze landed on them, his expression as unreadable as ever.
"Unit Six," he said, his voice firm and deliberate. "You're next."
The words cut through the tension like a blade. Rai's heart skipped a beat, his stomach dropping. He'd watched the others step into the Ring—some with purpose, others with barely restrained anxiety—and now it was their turn.
Theo, already wide-eyed and eager, exchanged a glance with the rest of the team before stepping forward. His voice, usually light and easy, had a sharper edge to it now.
"Well, looks like we're up," he muttered, offering a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.
The others followed suit, each stepping forward with varying degrees of certainty and hesitation.
"Theo Drayce," Vail called out.
Theo gave a nod and crossed the threshold into the Obsidian Ring, disappearing into its black depths.
"Kael Yurei," Vail continued, his gaze unflinching.
Kael stepped up with his usual calm, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. His eyes flicked briefly to the other members of Unit Six before he, too, crossed the boundary and entered the darkness of the Ring.
"Rai Varen."
Rai barely heard his name over the rushing in his ears. He stood frozen for a moment, trying to collect himself. It was like the world was holding its breath, waiting for him to make his move.
With a deep, quiet exhale, he stepped forward. His foot landed on the first glowing marker, and the ground beneath him hummed, light pulsing through the cracks. The air felt dense, like something was pressing against him from all sides.
"Myren Halcross."
The hooded boy moved without a word, his dark cloak swishing as he passed into the Ring with a steady, unwavering pace.
"Zeyra Lin."
Zeyra's footsteps were precise, almost mechanical. She didn't hesitate, didn't look back, but something about the way her shoulders set told Rai she was just as uneasy as the rest of them.
Finally, "Liora Ven."
Liora lingered for a moment, her expression distant. But after a beat, she stepped forward, and the darkness of the Obsidian Ring swallowed her up, leaving nothing behind but a lingering sense of uncertainty.
◇ ◇ ◇
Once the six of them were inside, the doors to the Obsidian Ring slid shut behind them with a soft, almost imperceptible hiss. The world beyond the threshold immediately felt different—quieter, darker. A strange, resonating hum echoed beneath their feet, vibrating through the floor and into their bones.
Vail's voice broke the silence, calm but firm, coming from somewhere beyond their line of sight.
"This is the Path Trial. You will face challenges not just of strength, but of mind and will. There is no clear path to victory. Some of you may succeed. Some may falter. Only your choices will define your outcome."
The air shifted as he spoke, the temperature dropping noticeably. Rai shivered despite the lack of wind. He could sense the tension from the others, the silent understanding that they were on their own here.
Suddenly, the space around them trembled.
The floor beneath their feet cracked and splintered like glass. Fractures spiderwebbed outward, and before anyone could react, the ground buckled violently.
The next thing Rai knew, he was falling.
The floor peeled away, splitting Unit 6 apart, and each of them was sent tumbling into different spaces—separate, disconnected, as though the trial itself had chosen to separate them.
Rai's stomach lurched as he plummeted into the darkness, his mind racing. "What is this?!"
Then, just as suddenly, everything stopped. The descent was replaced by stillness. The air around him was thick, almost suffocating. A low, almost inaudible hum vibrated through the space.
Rai blinked, finding himself standing in a vast, empty void. The world around him was an endless expanse of darkness, broken only by a faint, distant glow on the horizon. He couldn't make out the source. It was as though he were standing at the edge of reality itself.
Then a voice, not Vail's, echoed in the air, but it wasn't a voice—more like an impression in his mind. "Your trial begins here. Find your path... or be lost."
Rai stood motionless, heart pounding in his chest. There was no sound, no movement. Just the oppressive weight of the void pressing in from all sides. He didn't know where to go or what to do. The only thing certain was that he was utterly alone.
Elsewhere, Kael had also been separated from the group. His space was filled with an eerie, swirling mist, tendrils of smoke curling around his ankles. The cold felt different here, sharper. His eyes scanned the haze, taking in his surroundings, but there was no clear sign of what he was meant to do.
He instinctively reached for his gloves. "I knew this was going to be more than just walking through some ring." The mists moved unnaturally around him, as if anticipating his every move.
Meanwhile, Myren stood in a cavernous, dimly lit room. The stone walls loomed over him, jagged and uneven. The air felt dense, thick with an oppressive silence. As he stepped forward, the echo of his footsteps reverberated back, as though the room itself was watching him. His hand rested on the hood of his cloak, but his eyes didn't give away any emotion.
Liora, in contrast, found herself standing in an endless forest. Tall trees surrounded her, their trunks impossibly dark, stretching up to the sky. The air was dense with the scent of moss and earth. She could hear faint whispers—too soft to make out, but undeniably present. She felt a strange pull toward them, but resisted. This was no time to be distracted.
Zeyra found herself on a narrow, crumbling bridge suspended over an abyss. The chasm below seemed endless, a black void that stretched for miles. The wind howled past her, and the bridge creaked ominously beneath her feet. Her sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, her stance unwavering, waiting for the trial to present itself.
And finally, Theo, ever the optimist, landed in what appeared to be a massive, empty arena. The space was vast, with towering walls stretching into the clouds. In the center, a pedestal sat, surrounded by shadows. The feeling of isolation gnawed at him, but he smiled through it. He wasn't about to be intimidated by some empty trial.
Each of them stood alone, separated by unknown distances, with only the trial ahead of them and their wits to rely on. The air hung thick with tension, the silence pressing down on them from all sides.
◇ ◇ ◇
Above, deep within the academy's sealed observation node, a figure watched in silence—his face obscured, his presence unreadable. From the shadows of his elevated perch, he observed the trials unfold, his gaze unwavering as the trials began to unfold below.
"Their journey has begun," he murmured, the weight of the words echoing in the stillness of the room.
A brief pause followed, then the figure allowed a faint smile to touch his lips, as if in anticipation of what was to come.
"Let's see who survives their own truth."