The underground tunnels of Stellaris had always hummed with life. The faint glow of meteor crystals lit every corner, their shimmering veins running along the cavern walls like molten stars trapped beneath the earth. For centuries, Stellaris had stood proud as the land of cosmic warriors, blessed with powers drawn from the heavens. But for Kael Astra, that place was nothing more than a memory — a fractured dream of home turned nightmare.
Kael gripped his wooden practice sword, the edges worn smooth from hours of training. The warm breeze of Zephyris ruffled his dark hair as he stood on the hill overlooking their crop fields. Below, his parents were tending to the golden stalks of Astra grain, a rare crop that had once thrived in Stellaris's underground farms. Now, here in Zephyris, it was their lifeline.
The wind whispered secrets through the fields. Kael loved that sound — so different from the oppressive silence of Stellaris's tunnels. But even the comforting breeze couldn't chase away the memories of the past.
---
The Traitor's Stigma
Three years ago, Kael's family had been forced to leave Stellaris. His older brother, Daren Astra, once a decorated Knight-Disciple, had been executed after the Fourth Great Knight War. No explanation. No trial. Just a public execution where the once-proud Astra name was branded as traitorous. Their home had been vandalized. Neighbors who once praised Daren's strength turned their backs.
Only the Velos family, their neighbors, had stood by them. Old man Garon Velos and his son Reza often slipped food to Kael's family when no one else would sell to them.
Kael clenched his fist. His brother had never been a traitor. Daren had loved Stellaris, had fought to protect it. But in the aftermath of that brutal war, truth was buried under politics and fear.
Now, in Zephyris, they'd found peace. The Astra name meant nothing here. The people cared more about harvests than history, more about soil than soldiers. Kael's parents embraced the quiet life of farmers. But Kael couldn't forget. He wouldn't forget.
---
Now, to present day, Kael and his family on the Monday morning.
"Kael! You're gonna be late for the academy!" His mother's voice carried through the wind.
"Coming!" Kael slung his wooden sword over his back and raced down the hill. His boots kicked up dirt as he ran past rows of crops toward their small stone house. His mother, Lyra Astra, stood by the doorway with a basket of vegetables. Her face was sun-kissed from working the fields, and her eyes, though kind, always carried a hint of sadness.
"Don't cause too much trouble today, okay?" she said, ruffling his hair.
"Me? Trouble? Never!" Kael grinned.
His father, Roran Astra, stepped around the corner, wiping his hands on a rag. "Try not to break anything this time, son. You've got the selection exam today."
"I won't!" Kael promised, though he wasn't entirely sure. Things tended to…break around him when he got excited.
The academy was at the heart of Zephyris, a modest stone building surrounded by training fields. Zephyris was a peaceful country, but like all the nations, it recognized the importance of training its youth in their elemental gifts. Here, the wind was more than a breeze — it was a force of life. The power to control air currents, to bend the wind to one's will, was a gift granted to those born in Zephyris or who lived long enough to attune to its environment.
Kael was an anomaly. Born in Stellaris, he carried the meteor-born gift: Gravitas — the ability to manipulate gravitational forces. Yet, after three years in Zephyris, he'd also developed minor wind-attunement, a rare dual affinity that confused his instructors.
Kael enters the academy with his bag which contained some books which were never opened.
The academy's courtyard buzzed with energy. Students practiced slicing through straw dummies with wind-forged blades or raced through obstacle courses by harnessing air currents. Kael adjusted his wooden sword and headed toward his classroom.
"Hey, look! It's the rock boy!"
Kael froze mid-step. Across the yard stood Braylen Seris, the son of a wealthy landowner. His friends laughed.
"Still playing with gravity, Astra?" Braylen sneered. "Or are you hoping a meteor hits you so you can finally get stronger?"
Kael's cheeks burned. He could handle insults. But when they mocked his brother...
"Say that again," Kael growled.
Braylen smirked. "Why? Gonna pull me to the ground? Oh wait — you can barely float a pebble."
Kael lunged. Before his fist connected, an invisible force slammed him into the dirt.
"Wind Bind," Braylen said, hand outstretched, manipulating the air to pin Kael down. The crowd laughed.
Kael gritted his teeth. The weight of gravity was his to command. He took a deep breath, focused on the pebbles beneath him, and whispered, "Collapse."
The ground beneath Braylen's feet dipped suddenly. The bully yelped as gravity pulled him knee-deep into the dirt. Kael shot to his feet, grinning.
The laughter shifted. Now they were laughing at Braylen.
"Enough!"
Instructor Selris strode into the yard, the air trembling with each step. The elderly instructor's hair floated slightly, always touched by the wind. His gaze pinned both boys in place.
"Braylen Seris, using Wind Bind on a fellow student is forbidden. Two laps around the training grounds."
"But he—"
"Now."
Braylen stormed off. Selris turned to Kael. "And you, Kael Astra... impressive control of your gravity field. But next time, control your temper instead."
Kael bowed his head. "Yes, sir."
Selris's gaze softened. "I know it's hard being different, Kael. But your strength will shine when the time is right.
The exam took place in the wind arena, a circular pit with stone platforms levitating through controlled air currents. The task: reach the top platform within five minutes.
"Alright, students," Selris announced. "Climb using your powers, strategy, or skill. The top five finishers will represent Zephyris in the Hydronis Grand Tournament."
Kael's heart raced. Hydronis — the strongest country, known for its water manipulation and battle prowess. Competing there would mean recognition. Maybe even a chance to uncover the truth about his brother's execution.
As the signal bell rang, students launched themselves into action. Braylen shot upward on a gust of wind, smirking at Kael as he passed.
Kael steadied himself. Gravity wasn't flashy like wind. He focused on the nearest platform and whispered, "Anchor."
The platform's gravitational pull intensified, drawing him toward it. He jumped, landed, and repeated the process. His movements were slower than the wind-users who rode currents upward, but he was steady.
"Come on, Kael," he muttered. "Think."
Then he remembered Selris's lesson: Gravity isn't just downward — it's directionless.
He focused on the platform above and reversed the pull. His body lurched upward as if an invisible hand had grabbed him. Platform after platform, he soared past others.
Braylen was one level from the top. Kael narrowed his eyes, adjusted the gravitational field between them, and — collapsed it.
Braylen yelped as his upward draft vanished. Kael shot past him, landed on the top platform, and raised his fist in triumph.
That evening, Selris stood before the academy with a scroll in hand.
"The students representing Zephyris at the Hydronis Grand Tournament are..."
Kael held his breath.
"...Braylen Seris, Lira Mavon, Reza Velos, Juna Crest, and Kael Astra."
Kael's knees nearly gave out. He did it. He actually did it.
His classmates clapped politely. Some whispered, surprised that the "rock boy" made it. Reza, his childhood friend, gave him a thumbs-up.
As Kael turned to leave, he saw Braylen's glare.
The Seris family didn't forgive easily.
---
That Night
Kael sat outside their farmhouse, the night sky glittering above. His father joined him, handing him a steaming mug of herbal tea.
"You did well today, Kael."
"Thanks, Dad." He hesitated. "Do you think… Daren would be proud?"
Roran's hand squeezed his shoulder. "He'd be more than proud."
Kael stared at the stars. "I'll prove the Astra name isn't traitorous. I swear it."
The wind carried his words into the darkness — toward the hidden secrets of the past and the challenges yet to come.
The tournament in Hydronis awaited. And Kael Astra was ready to face it.