Aren stepped up to the strength-testing wall, his heart drumming against his ribs.
"Come on, Aren! Show them what you've got!" Theo's voice boomed from the sidelines, full of genuine encouragement. The other students in Group D watched with mild curiosity. Since they were all from different schools, none of them knew the truth none of them knew Aren was a "Null."
Aren took a deep, shaky breath. I can do this, he told himself. He visualized the power he had felt in the jungle, pulled back his fist, and swung with everything he had.
Thud.
The sound was underwhelming. Aren turned around to find the class staring at him with bizarre, unreadable expressions. Theo, who had been cheering a moment ago, stood frozen with his mouth hanging open.
Why are they looking at me like that? Aren thought, a pit forming in his stomach. He turned back to the digital display.
Score: 10
Aren's shoulders slumped. Disappointment washed over him like ice water. Just as I thought, he mused bitterly. He still didn't have a clue how to call upon Varkas's divinity at will.
Instructor Silvia stared at the screen, her expression twisting into a sneer. She didn't hide her contempt as she spoke in a cold, loud voice. "A ten? I suppose one shouldn't expect anything more from a worthless Null."
The room erupted in hushed murmurs. The curious looks turned into glares of mockery or pity. The "interest" the class had in Aren vanished instantly; to them, he was now invisible just another obstacle in the way of their training.
Aren lowered his head and moved toward the next station. But then, a familiar voice cut through the cold atmosphere. "Hey, don't sweat it, Aren! You'll definitely crush the next one."
It was Theo. He was still smiling, still rooting for him. Aren felt a flicker of surprise, then offered a small, grateful nod before facing the Reflex Test.
The test began. Mud balls were launched at Aren with staggering speed. He scrambled, dodging the first few by pure luck and frantic movement.
But as the pace increased, his lack of training showed. The final ball caught him squarely in the face, the force of it sending him sprawling onto the floor.
Laughter erupted from the students. Aren stood up, wiped the mud from his eyes, and kept his head down. Silvia gave him a look of pure disappointment as he moved toward the final test the sprint.
He failed that, too.
After recording the abysmal results in her tablet, Silvia looked at Aren with sharp, stern eyes. "Go back to your place."
Aren walked back to the line, his face burning with shame. "Don't let it get to you," Theo said, placing a comforting hand on Aren's shoulder. "For someone without powers, that was actually a decent effort."
Aren looked at Theo, seeing no mockery in his eyes only sincerity. He forced a smile and nodded.
"Last student," Silvia announced, her voice echoing through the chamber. "Evy Ross."
A girl stepped out from the crowd. She carried herself with a quiet, sharp confidence. Standing before the wall, she closed her eyes. Suddenly, the air beside her shimmered, and two identical clones stepped out of her body.
"Replication magic," Theo whispered to Aren.
Evy and her two clones synchronized their movements, striking the wall with a simultaneous, triple-force punch.
Score: 90
With a clever efficiency, she sent one clone to handle the reflex test and the other to the speed track. Some students grumbled, calling it cheating, but Silvia said nothing; it was a clever use of her innate ability. Evy passed all rounds with high marks and quietly returned to her spot.
"Line up!" Silvia commanded.
A sleek robot rolled into the room, carrying a box filled with sophisticated smartwatches.
"These watches are your ID cards," Silvia explained. "As long as you are students at Apex High, these stay on your wrists. They contain the campus map, student support services, and your personal info."
As the robot distributed the devices, Aren strapped the black band to his wrist, inspecting the glowing interface.
"Man, this thing doesn't even have internet?" Theo complained, looking disappointed.
Aren turned to Theo, the question he'd been holding back finally slipping out. "Theo... why aren't you disappointed? You found out I'm a Null, yet you're still talking to me."
Theo stopped fiddling with his watch and scratched his head. "Why would your being a Null disappoint me? That's your business, not mine."
Aren was stunned. Every person he had ever met either bullied him or avoided him like a plague. To Theo, it simply didn't matter.
"Relax, buddy! Don't overthink it," Theo laughed, patting Aren's back.
"Take the rest of the day to explore the campus and settle in," Silvia announced. "Classes begin tomorrow at dawn. Dismissed."
Theo and Aren used the map on their watches to find the boys' dormitory. To their delight, they were assigned to the same room.
"Maybe this watch isn't so bad after all," Theo joked as they reached their door. They scanned their watches, and the door slid open.
Inside, a boy with dark green hair was already seated at a table, meticulously working on a high-tech drone.
"Hello! I'm Theo, and this is Aren," Theo said energetically. "What's your name, friend?"
The boy stopped his work and turned, his face etched with exhaustion. "Duke Tyler," he muttered, before turning back to his drone.
Aren looked at him curiously. "Were you at the ability test? I don't remember seeing you there."
Duke sighed without looking up. "I faked a headache to take the test early. I hate crowds."
Can the faculty even allow that? Aren wondered.
"Enough brooding!" Theo shouted, throwing his bag onto his bed. "Let's go see the campus before the boring classes start tomorrow."
Duke groaned as Theo practically dragged him and Aren out of the room. "I was planning to sleep, but I guess I can test my drone while we walk."
The trio wandered through the massive grounds, which were as large as several football fields. Towering classroom blocks and training facilities surrounded them. Theo was buzzing with excitement, while Duke looked like he wanted to fall over.
Aren, however, was lost in thought. I need to learn how to control Varkas's power. If I can't summon it when I need it, I'm just a target.
His thoughts were interrupted by a pathetic cry. "Please! Forgive me! I won't do it again!"
A boy was on his knees, trembling as he begged a girl for mercy. Aren's heart skipped a beat when he saw the girl. It was Faith Cryo, the girl with the ice spear.
"Hey, Aren, look! It's the girl who slammed me," Theo noted.
Faith's face was a mask of cold fury. She conjured a jagged ice spear, the air around her dropping several degrees. "I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget," she hissed. She raised the spear, thrusting it directly toward the boy's chest.
Students gasped, some even closing their eyes. But before the ice could pierce the boy, Theo moved. He caught the spear with his bare hands. With a sharp tap of his finger, a burst of kinetic energy shattered the ice into a thousand glittering shards.
Aren rushed to the fallen boy, helping him up. "What happened? Why is she attacking you?"
"I... I just asked her if she wanted to be friends," the boy stammered, terrified. "I didn't know she'd get this angry!"
Theo turned to Faith with a playful, mocking grin. "Look, we get that you're an introvert, but that doesn't mean you can go around impaling people."
Faith's eyes flashed with a deadly, freezing light. She was beyond rational thought now. "You love playing the hero, don't you? First at the test, and now this. Fine."
She pointed a frozen finger at Theo. "I challenge you to a Student Duel. Right here. Right now."