A loud, sharp knock rattled the door, followed by Rylan’s impatient voice.“Kelvin, get up!”Kelvin opened his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling for a moment before turning toward the door. “I’m awake.”“but you're still on bed!” Rylan shot back, already dressed with his bag slung over one shoulder.Kelvin groaned, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and rubbing the sleep from his face. “What do we have today?”“Practical Science.”Kelvin sighed, reaching reluctantly for his uniform. A heavy, familiar knot of anxiety tightened in his stomach—practical sessions rarely ended well for him.Rylan offered a sympathetic grin. “Don't look so terrified, Kelvin. You might actually enjoy it for once.”“I’ll believe that when I make it out in one piece,” Kelvin muttered, following him into the hallway.The corridors were busy with the morning rush, a sea of students talking and hurrying toward their respective wings. By the time they reached the science hall, the room was nearly full.

For several minutes after Adrain left, neither Kelvin nor Rylan spoke. The room had become strangely quiet. Kelvin sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the drawer where he had hidden the parchment. The words were no longer visible, but they remained in his mind. DON'T TRUST YOUR ROOMMATE. He hated how easily four words could get inside his head. Rylan was already lying on his mattress, one arm behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. “You're thinking about it again,” Rylan said softly, his voice cutting through the silence. Kelvin looked over at him. “How do you know?” “Because you've been staring at that drawer for almost a minute.” Kelvin looked away, letting out a heavy breath. “I can't help it,” Kelvin admitted. “I know,” Rylan replied, his tone growing quieter, free of its usual teasing edge. Kelvin rubbed his hands together, staring down at his floorboards. “Adrain said we shouldn't let fear make our decisions for us.” “Your guardian sounds like he gives good

The room fell completely silent when Rylan finally spoke. Kelvin sat quietly on the edge of his bed, his eyes fixed on his friend, watching every subtle shift in his expression. Rylan stood near the stone window frame, his arms wrapped tightly across his chest. The teasing, careless smile that usually lit up his face was entirely gone, replaced by a quiet, heavy shadow. “My family was happy,” Rylan began, his voice surprisingly soft. Kelvin stayed still, not wanting to break the moment. Rylan stared out at the twilight sky. “I mean really, truly happy. We weren't wealthy or anything, but we never felt like we were missing much. My parents loved each other. My younger sister was always getting into mischief, and my mother somehow found a way to blame me for almost everything she broke.” A faint, sympathetic smile touched Kelvin's lips. “I can relate to that,I also have younger ones.” Rylan let out a soft, breathy chuckle. “She broke a plate once and swore up and down to my mothe

The announcement at the end of Biology class did not take long to spread. By the time Kelvin, Rylan, Mara, Raze, Grace, and the other students reached the assessment hall, almost everyone was already talking about it with eager anticipation. Some students looked excited, while others were nervously trying to guess what kind of evaluation Professor Hale had planned for them. The large training room looked completely different from the usual classroom. Most of the heavy tables and chairs had been pushed aside, leaving a wide open space in the middle. Several circular marks had been painted across the floor to show where the students would stand during their assessments, and sturdy wooden pillars stood around the edges of the room, supporting the high stone ceiling. Professor Hale stood at the center with his hands held firmly behind his back, watching the students file in and settle down. When the noise finally reduced, he raised his clear, commanding voice. “Listen carefull

The storm grew stronger. The wind surrounding Kelvin became so violent that the students nearest to him had to cover their faces with their arms. Dust and small pieces of broken wood spun through the air, hitting the walls and floor as the pressure continued to rise. Kelvin could no longer hear the students clearly. Their voices had become distant sounds buried beneath the violent wind. Even Rylan's voice, which had always been easy for Kelvin to recognize, sounded far away. The wooden floor shook beneath his feet. Kelvin remained standing in the center of the storm, his body completely still while everything around him moved. His white eyes stared ahead without blinking. Raze stood several meters away, staring at him. “Kelvin!” Kelvin didn't answer. Raze took a cautious step forward, but another strong wave of air pushed against his chest and forced him to stop. “Kelvin!” Raze shouted again. There was still no response. Something inside Kelvin's power had changed. It w