The air burned. Kai's lungs seized as the blazing titan charged toward him, its molten fists raised like twin suns. Heat warped the air in shimmering waves, and the creature's eyes—two pits of liquid fire—locked onto him. Time seemed to crawl. His heart thundered in his chest. His hands trembled. The Prime Stone embedded in the gauntlet on his wrist pulsed faintly, but he had no idea how to wield it, no idea how to defend himself. In that moment, one terrible truth gripped him: he was going to die.
And then, an invisible force crashed down with the weight of a mountain. The ground split open with a deafening crack as the titan was flattened against the floor, pinned beneath a crushing, unseen pressure. Sparks burst outward, hissing into nothing.
"Enough, Talon," came a calm, commanding voice.
Lira Voss stood between Kai and the fallen creature, her hand raised in effortless control. Her dark hair drifted as if caught in a breeze only she could feel, and the space around her shimmered with a heavy, unyielding energy—as if gravity itself bowed to her will. The molten titan writhed for a moment, its glow fading, before it scattered into a burst of dying embers.
Talon leaned against the far wall, clicking his tongue in irritation. His sharp, amber eyes glinted as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his black jacket. "Tch. Whatever," he muttered, though the faint smirk on his lips couldn't hide the frustration in his posture.
Lira lowered her hand, and the heavy atmosphere in the room vanished. The air turned light again, almost too light, as though the world had just exhaled. She turned to Kai, who stood frozen, his breath still caught in his throat. Her gray eyes softened, carrying a warmth that clashed with the authority she had just displayed.
"You're not ready for fights like that," she said, voice gentle but firm. "Not yet. Come on—let's get you settled."
Kai could only nod, his mind racing. The Prime Stone pulsed again against his skin, a warmth that felt alien, like a stranger's heartbeat. He followed Lira out of the training hall, stealing a glance at Talon, whose gaze stayed locked on him, cold and unreadable.
The corridors of the Academy shimmered like a living dream. Walls of translucent crystal hummed with veins of stardust, casting shifting patterns of light along the floor. Strange glowing symbols floated lazily in the air, twisting and shifting like living runes. Pale orbs of light drifted overhead, their glow pulsing in time with some unseen, distant rhythm. Kai's boots echoed softly as he walked, the sound swallowed by the immense quiet of the space.
"What is this place?" he whispered, mostly to himself.
Lira glanced at him, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "The Academy of the Cosmos. A place where those chosen by the Cosmic Stones come to learn their power… to master it. You'll understand more soon."
They stopped in front of a tall, silver door engraved with the inscription Dorm 1-A. Lira pressed her hand against a glowing panel, and the door slid open with a gentle hum.
"This is your room," she said. "You'll stay here while you train. Tomorrow morning, report to Class 1-A. That's where your real journey begins."
Kai stepped inside, his eyes widening. The room was warm and welcoming, a stark contrast to the chaos of the training hall. A soft bed sat against one wall, its frame carved with intricate glowing patterns. A crystal desk gleamed nearby, its surface smooth and reflective. A wide window dominated the far wall, revealing a sky filled with floating islands, their edges glittering with starlight, and constellations that seemed so close he could almost touch them.
Lira paused at the doorway. "Rest, Kai. You've been through enough for one day."
He nodded. And when the door slid shut behind her, the weight of everything hit him all at once. He dropped onto the bed, the mattress sinking beneath him, and stared up at the ceiling. The Prime Stone gleamed faintly in the dim light, its surface swirling with colors he couldn't name.
"I don't belong here," he whispered.
The words felt so heavy, so final. He was just a kid from a backwater colony, a nobody with a power he didn't understand. And yet, somewhere deep inside, a voice stirred. Quiet. Faint. But stubborn.
You do.
Morning came too soon. A soft chime woke him, the room filled with the warm glow of artificial dawn. He pulled on the Academy's uniform—a sleek, dark tunic with silver trim—and made his way to Class 1-A, joining streams of students through the crystalline halls. Excited voices filled the air, nervous laughter, talk of stones, of power, of futures that suddenly felt within reach.
The classroom was vast, its walls made of shimmering stone, gently pulsing as if alive. Constellation-shaped lanterns drifted overhead, throwing intricate, shifting shadows across the floor. Dozens of students filled the space, some showing off sparks of flame, ripples of water, flickers of energy. Talon was there too, leaning against a wall, arms crossed, his gaze sharp and unforgiving.
At the front of the room stood a tall woman with silver hair tied in a severe bun. Her piercing eyes swept across the students, silencing them without a word. She wore a long, flowing coat adorned with glowing sigils, and in her hand she held a slender, polished staff.
"Welcome to Class 1-A," she said, her voice clear and commanding. "I am Professor Elenora Vale. Here, you will not only learn to use your Cosmic Stones, but to connect with them. Power without connection is chaos. Control without understanding is nothing."
She tapped her staff against the floor, and a glowing diagram appeared in the air, shifting like a living constellation.
"Your power depends on the bond between your soul and your stone. This is called your Synchronization Percentage—it measures how much of your soul's energy flows in harmony with your stone's power. It ranges from 1% to 100%. The higher your synchronization, the stronger your abilities… and the greater your responsibility."
The room filled with quiet murmurs.
Professor Vale's gaze sharpened. "Today, we will measure yours."
At the center of the room stood a glowing pedestal, its surface etched with runes that shimmered like liquid starlight. One by one, students stepped forward, placing their hands on it. Above them, numbers flickered into being.
"Thirty percent," the pedestal announced for a girl with braided hair.
She frowned, disappointed.
"Thirty-seven percent," it declared for a boy who grinned.
Another stepped up. "Forty-two percent."
A wave of quiet admiration spread through the room. That was the highest so far.
Talon stepped forward, his movements calm, his confidence unshaken. He placed his hand on the pedestal, and the numbers climbed swiftly: forty-two percent—matching the highest so far. Talon cracked a crooked grin, shooting a sideways glance at Kai.
"Let's see what the so-called 'chosen one' can do," he said with quiet venom.
The words cut, but Kai forced his feet to move. The pedestal glowed softly as he stepped forward. He placed his hand against the warm, humming surface. For a long moment, nothing happened. His heart pounded in his ears.
Then, a faint vibration spread through his arm, crawling into his chest.
A number appeared in the air.
Twelve percent.
The room grew still. Talon let out a sharp, mocking laugh, his amber eyes glinting with triumph. "Twelve percent? Seriously? That's pathetic." Mira, a girl with glowing blue tattoos curling up her arms, scoffed loudly, leaning toward a friend to whisper something that sparked a smirk. But Soren, a lanky boy with short-cropped hair and a faint scar across his cheek, hesitated, his gaze flickering to Kai with a mix of pity and quiet curiosity before he looked away, as if afraid to be caught staring.
Kai's face burned. He pulled his hand away. The Prime Stone on his wrist pulsed softly, almost apologetically. He wanted to disappear. To vanish into thin air. Twelve percent was lower than anyone else's.
But Professor Vale didn't scowl or look disappointed. Her sharp gaze lingered on him, not with pity—but with something else. Curiosity. Understanding.
"Twelve percent," she said, her voice calm. "With the Prime Stone. Rare… but not impossible."
Her expression was unreadable, but there was no mockery in it. Only certainty.
"The Prime Stone is different from the others," she went on. "Its bond is difficult to forge. Its power vast, but it demands more than strength. It requires time, trust… and understanding. Synchronization can be improved with training, Kai. All of you," she added, sweeping her gaze across the room, "can strengthen your bond with your stones. Today's numbers are not your limits—they are your starting point."
A quiet stir passed through the class.
Kai felt the sting of his low score, but her words planted something inside him—a flicker of stubborn, fragile hope. He wasn't a failure. Not yet. Not if there was still a path forward.
The other students' whispers blurred into nothing. He glanced down at the Prime Stone on his wrist. Its surface shimmered, silent, mysterious.
Twelve percent.
It wasn't much.
But it was a beginning.
And for now—that was enough.