Louis pressed himself into the shadows at the back of the Grand Hall, his heart pounding like a war drum.
The Elemental Evaluation Test at the Earth Defenders Academy had begun.
It was the moment every student had been preparing for, the day they would discover their elemental power. Fire, water, ice, earth, lightning, or one of the rarer abilities like sound or shadow.
This test would determine their futures and their worth.
Louis' heart sank as he watched the glowing crystal on the raised platform at the front of the hall. One after another, students stepped forward, pressing their palms against it, and the crystal would blaze with color, revealing their elemental affinity.
Cheers are always erupted after each reveal.
Louis swallowed hard."What if I don't have any powers?"
The thought alone made his legs weak.
"Yo! Louis!"The sharp voice jolted him from his thoughts. He turned to see Kelvin, his roommate, striding toward him through the crowd.
"What are you doing all the way back here, bro?" Kelvin asked, crossing his arms. "They're about to call your name."
"I know," Louis muttered, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets.
"Man, try to look confident for once," Kelvin said, nudging him. "This is your big moment!"
Louis didn't respond. Kelvin wouldn't understand.
Kelvin was already a prodigy. A fire manipulator, he was constantly praised by the instructors. He had a future. He had a purpose.
Louis, on the other hand, had failed at everything so far. He felt like a disappointment, not only to himself but to the memory of his parents.
His mother and father had been Earth Defenders, heroes who had given their lives in the last Veltrix invasion. They'd died protecting humanity from the deadly aliens.
Louis had been just a toddler when it happened.
"Louis Grey!"The wizard's voice boomed through the hall.
Louis froze.
"Go!" Kelvin hissed, giving him a shove.
His feet felt heavier than metal as he stumbled forward.
The crowd parted for him.
Whispers buzzed around him.
"Isn't that Louis Grey?"
"His parents were Earth Defenders, right?"
"Bet he's got something strong!"
Louis wished he could disappear. His palms were slick with sweat as he climbed the platform steps.
The wizard stood beside the crystal.
"Place your hand on the crystal," the wizard instructed.
Louis nodded, swallowing hard.
He wiped his damp palms on his pants and reached out. The crystal's surface was smooth and cool beneath his fingers.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, a faint flicker of light sparked within the crystal. It shifted through colors: red, blue, green, and white.
Louis held his breath, waiting for it to settle on one.But it didn't.The flickering stopped.
The crystal went dark.
The hall fell silent.
The wizard cleared his throat.
"Louis Grey." He said sharply. "No elemental affinity detected."
A murmur spread through the crowd.
"Powerless?"
"He doesn't have any powers?"
"That's pathetic."
Laughter rippled through the students, stabbing into Louis's heart like daggers.
The shame was greater than he thought. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think.
"Get your hand off it immediately," the wizard snapped.
Louis yanked his hand back and stumbled off the platform. He didn't wait for the laughter to grow louder.
He ran out of the Grand Hall, through the heavy doors, and into the courtyard.
The cool air hit his face like a slap. He clutched his chest, his breaths coming in shallow gasps.
"Powerless." The word echoed in his mind.
He'd failed. A disappointment to himself and his late parents.
"Louis."
The soft voice made him turn.
Kate jogged toward him, her golden hair glinting in the sunlight.
For once, Louis's heart lifted to see someone so beautiful.
Kate was everything he wasn't, even though she was younger than he was. She was confident and talented. She was on the verge of becoming a full-fledged Earth Defender, while he hadn't even made it past level 1.
She was his girlfriend, his motivator, his world, and the only person who pushed him further and saw great things in him.
"Hey," Louis managed to force a smile, his voice weak.
Kate stopped in front of him, looking at him with sadness.
"I heard what happened," she said gently.
"Yeah," Louis muttered, looking away. "I'm powerless."
"No, you aren't," she whispered."But I'm sorry the evaluation test went horribly."
Louis stepped closer and kissed her forehead. "Thanks, babe; I guess I'll be getting special classes or something."
"Louis..." Something in her tone made his stomach twist.
"We need to talk," she said seriously.
Louis was shocked. "What do you mean?"
Kate hesitated, glancing over her shoulder. That's when Louis noticed Jason leaning against a nearby pillar, watching them with a smug grin.
"What's going on?" Louis asked.
Kate sighed, her eyes meeting his. "I... I can't continue our relationship.
"The words hit him like a bottle broken on his head; his jaw dropped. "What?"
"You know I'm graduating soon," she said, her voice shaky.
"Yeah. So?"
"And when I graduate, we're required to couple with a partner at the Earth Defenders Headquarters. It's part of the program."
"Is that the reason you're breaking up with me?"
She didn't answer. The silence was all the confirmation he needed.
Jason pushed off the pillar and sauntered over, a smirk still remaining on his face.
"It's nothing personal, Louis," he said mockingly.
He clapped a hand on Louis' shoulder. "You're not what she needs anymore, Louis. Don't make this harder than it has to be."
Louis shrugged off his hand, his glare sharp. "Don't fucking touch me."
Jason chuckled darkly. "Careful, Louis. You don't want to start something you can't finish."
Louis turned to Kate, who stood there, silent. She didn't defend him. She didn't say anything.His heart shattered.Without another word, he turned and walked away, his fists clenched so tightly his nails bit into his palms.
The humiliation didn't end there.
By the time Louis reached the lecture hall doorway, the class, which was already roaring with laughter and playful banter, suddenly became silent.
All eyes stared at him.
Louis froze.
He realized why when Kael and Kade, the academy's famous twin bullies, stepped forward, their smirks promising trouble.
"Attention, everyone!" Kade's voice rang out, loud and sharp.
He then magically made a swirling orb of water that hovered just above his open palm. He grinned as he gestured toward Louis.
"Looks like Louis Grey wants to volunteer," Kael added, his hands already crackling with frost. "He wants to show us what happens when you mix ice and water."
Kade's grin widened. "Let's see if he's as useless as they said."