Training started early—earlier than I would've liked. Sora had Xavier and me up at dawn every morning, pushing us harder than I thought possible. It wasn't like the casual runs or stretches I'd done before. This was something else entirely.
"You need to understand something," Sora said one morning, pacing in front of us in the enormous training hall behind his house. The walls were reinforced with some kind of alloy, and high-tech equipment was everywhere, from weighted dummies to holographic simulation stations. "The Elite Exams aren't just about strength or flashy powers. They're about discipline, adaptability, and teamwork. If you can't handle that, you won't make it past the first stage."
I stood next to Xavier, my legs already sore from the morning warm-up. He looked eager, practically bouncing on his toes, while I was doing my best to look like I wasn't dying.
"Ready?" Sora asked, crossing his arms.
"Always!" Xavier said, grinning.
I nodded, keeping my mouth shut.
The first few weeks were grueling. We spent hours running drills that tested not only our stamina but also our precision and focus. Xavier thrived, his boundless energy making him a natural at agility-based tasks. Meanwhile, I struggled, especially when it came to controlling my powers.
I'd only recently discovered what I was capable of. My blue fire, the same shade as my mother's eyes, was volatile and difficult to control. If I wasn't careful, it flared wildly, scorching everything in its path. On top of that, I'd learned I could manipulate the velocity of objects—throwing them faster or slowing them mid-air. It sounded cool in theory, but in practice, it was a nightmare.
One day, during a training session, Sora set up a series of moving targets.
"You're up, Akari," he said, stepping back.
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and stepped forward, focusing on the spinning discs that floated a few feet away.
"Use your fire," Sora instructed. "Control it. Don't let it control you."
I raised my hand, summoning the flames. They flickered to life, a mesmerizing shade of blue, but as soon as I launched them toward the targets, they veered off course, smashing into the wall.
"Damn it," I muttered.
"Again," Sora said, his tone calm but firm.
I tried over and over, but the flames refused to cooperate. After the tenth attempt, I let out a frustrated growl.
"This is pointless!" I shouted, turning to Sora. "I can't do it!"
He didn't flinch. "You can. You're just letting your emotions take over. The fire is a reflection of you. If you're unfocused, it will be too."
I clenched my fists, biting back a retort. Sora wasn't wrong, but it didn't make it any easier to hear.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Xavier watching. "You've got this, Akari!" he called out, his voice annoyingly chipper. "Just pretend the targets are Nathan's face!"
Despite myself, I laughed. Xavier always had a way of lightening the mood, even when I didn't want him to.
Taking a deep breath, I tried again. This time, I focused not on the fire itself, but on my breathing. The flames shot forward, and to my surprise, they hit one of the targets dead center.
"Yes!" Xavier cheered, throwing his fists in the air.
"Not bad," Sora said, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Now do it again."
---
The days blurred together after that. Every morning was a new challenge, whether it was dodging Xavier's lightning-fast attacks or lifting weighted objects with my velocity manipulation. I hated every second of it, but I couldn't deny the results. I was getting stronger, faster, more in control.
One evening, after a particularly grueling session, Xavier flopped onto the grass outside the training hall.
"I think he's trying to kill us," he groaned dramatically.
I sat beside him, too tired to argue. "If he is, it's working."
Xavier turned to me, his yellow eyes sparkling even in the fading light. "You're getting better, you know. I mean, you're still a little scary when your fire goes wild, but it's kinda cool."
"Thanks, I guess," I said, rolling my eyes.
He grinned. "Seriously. We're going to crush the Elite Exams. You, me, and—well, mostly you and me."
His confidence was contagious, and for the first time in a long time, I started to believe it.
I glanced at the bracelet on my wrist, the one Heesung had given me. I tightened my grip on it, silently renewing my promise.
We were going to make it. No matter what.
---After that exhausting day of training, Xavier and I sat outside, staring up at the stars. It was quiet, save for the faint hum of the night breeze. I glanced at him, curious about something I'd never had the chance to ask.
"Hey, Xavier," I started hesitantly, breaking the silence.
He turned his head to look at me, one eyebrow raised. "What's up?"
"I've never seen you use your powers," I said. "I mean, I know you're strong, but… what exactly can you do?"
Xavier hesitated, his easygoing smile faltering for just a second. Then he leaned back, hands behind his head, and gazed up at the stars. "You really want to know?"
I nodded. "Yeah. You've seen what I can do—what little I can control, anyway. But I've got no idea what you're capable of."
"Well," he began, his voice unusually serious, "I can control the weather in nearby areas. I can make it rain, summon a storm, change the wind direction—all that kind of stuff. But what I really specialize in is manipulating lightning."
"Lightning?" I repeated, impressed but also a little wary. "That sounds… intense."
"It is," he admitted, sitting up and resting his arms on his knees. "It's powerful, sure, but it's also dangerous. My powers are hard to control, even more than yours, I'd guess." He glanced at me with a faint smirk, but there was something somber in his eyes.
"What makes it so hard?" I asked, my curiosity growing.
Xavier let out a deep sigh. "It's all tied to my emotions. The smallest slip—a moment of anger, fear, or even too much excitement—can trigger something I didn't mean to do. One time, I lost my temper when I was a kid, and I accidentally struck a tree with lightning. The whole thing caught fire in seconds. After that, I learned that if I let my emotions get the better of me, it could lead to… well, a catastrophe."
I blinked, trying to process what he'd said. "That's… a lot to deal with."
"Yeah," he said softly. "That's why I always try to stay happy or, at the very least, keep a level head. It's not just for me—it's for everyone around me. If I let myself lose control…" He trailed off, shaking his head.
I stared at him, suddenly seeing Xavier in a completely different light. He wasn't just the carefree, joking guy I'd gotten used to. Beneath all of that, he carried a weight—a constant battle to keep his power in check.
"Wow," I finally said. "I had no idea."
"Not many people do," he said with a shrug, though his expression softened. "But now you do."
I nodded, feeling an odd sense of camaraderie. "You know, you're not the only one who's scared of losing control. My fire isn't exactly easy to handle either. Sometimes, it feels like it's more in charge than I am."
Xavier smiled, the tension easing from his face. "Guess we're not so different after all, huh?"
"Guess not," I said, a small smile creeping onto my own lips.
We sat there for a while longer, exchanging stories about our struggles with our powers. For the first time, I felt like I wasn't alone in this. Xavier understood what it was like to carry a power so great it scared you. And for that, I was grateful.