1 Awakening

"You possess the Elemental Power of Water"

"Next..."

Like all the other kids in the hospital, Magnus Xiaobao was nervous for the upcoming examination.

Magnus watched as a girl was greeted by a scienctist and taken into a room.

*******

This took place every year at the same time all over the world. Every twelve year old in the world were being tested for Elemental Magic. Those who were gifted, or lucky, were seen as the strongest, possessing two Elemental Powers...

This was all in preparation for the Great War against the Generois, which took place over hundreds of years ago. This war had nearly driven humanity to extinction. Ever since, the Government had made sure to get every child who possessed magic into Elemental Training Camp, known to the public as ETC, for a year.

There were two types of Elemental Users. The Altered and the Natural. There wasn't a significant difference between the two, but test results have shown that Natural Elementalists learn to control their powers quicker than the altered.

A scientist, decades ago, from the Divine Nation had a theory that it was possible to manipulate the genes of unborn babies to produce children who almost always possessed powers. This was a theory at the time, and so it wasn't too popular among the citizens...

But a few decades in, and that vision had finally become a reality. And thus, Altered Elementalists were born...

Furthermore, the discovery of the first Duo-Elementalist took place not too long ago. Nowadays, Duo-Elementalists aren't too uncommon, but a rarity for many... Upon finding this life-changing discovery, scientists all over the world had been trying to find a way to breed children that could possess three powers, but to no avail...

*******

"Confirmed!"

The shout echoed throughout the silent waiting room. "The girl is a Duo-Elementalist!" a scientist came into the room, shouting with glee. Cross saw the girl who he had seen walk into the room minutes earlier standing at the doorway, being stared at by everyone in the hospital in disbelief.

The scientists face showed pure joy. Not only because he had found a powerful elemental user, but because he would get a pay raise...

Contrary to what most of the population think, Scientists who find Elementalists didn't earn merely as much as they should. Finding powerful Elementalists were the only way he/she would be recognized by the Government...

"Congratulations!" said another scientist, who walked over and shook her hand.

Not long after, a small crowd formed around her, congratulating her. Magnus Xiaobao on the other hand, didn't see why the girl was being showered in praise. Elementalists that were Altered had no reason to be proud of themselves.

Magnus watched with jealously as the girl exited the waiting room, a trail of people still behind her.

As the queue was formed in alphabetical order, his name would be one of the last to be called out. He witnessed the sad looks on the faces of many kids. He assumed that they were confirmed 'Negative' by the scientists.

Magnus heard shouting in another part of the hospital, where more tests were being conducted to find Elementalists. Although it was barely audible, it sounded something like this:

"What do you mean he has no powers?" a woman screamed. Cross heard distant crying. "You're telling me we breed this thing for absolutely no reason?" Magnus heard the rage in her voice. Soon, the shouting and the crying stopped, followed by the sounds of footsteps.

"We have an abandoned kid here named... Jason Solace" said a scientist, dragging a boy across the floor. His hair was a mess and he had red, puffy eyes.

"Elemental Status?" came the question from the microphone.

The man looked at the child trying to free lose with sorrow and sighed. "... None"

"Health Status?"

"Good condition"

"What did his parents want us to do with him?" came the voice of a young female.

"She left before we could ask further questions" the scientist replied.

"Put him as available for testing. It's the only way for kids like him to be useful to humanity..." she said bitterly. The device turned off.

"But-"

*Sigh*

Soon after, three men in protective gear came to collect the boy who had been lying on the floor, crying. His eyes widened when he saw the men. He screamed and kicked as he was being dragged across to a room where soundproof glass surrounded the premise to block out the noise...

Nurses came rushing in with a syringe filled with a pale green liquid. Magnus closed his eyes and wondered why the hospital made people watch this. Many say that it teaches parents to undergo the Altering process. It would secure a spot for their children in the future...

"Poor kid..." said a stranger sarcastically standing in front of Magnus in the queue. Magnus watched as the boy's expression changed into a sneer. "Sucks to be him!" he said, laughing uncontrollably soon after.

*******

"Magnus Xiaobao"

"Please make your way to Room 26 on the second floor"

Magnus took a deep breathe as he followed his signs to Room 26. He didn't know what to expect. Unlike most of the other kids who undergo the test, Magnus was an orphan. He lived with his aunt in a small apartment.

Most children gets taught what to do and say during the examination. The process changes slightly each year as the technology improves, but the idea was the same.

Magnus was starting to get nervous as he passed each room.

"Room 21..."

"Room 22..."

"Room 23..."

"Room 24..."

"Room 25..."

"..."

The boy stood in front of Room 26. Images of himself being dragged out of the room came into his mind. He saw people laughing at him as the syringe was inserted into his skin. He shivered at the thought.

"It's time. I am an Elementalist. I MUST BE"

The sound echoed through the silent hallway. Moments later, the door to Room 26 opened, revealing a tall, pale woman.

"Are you Magnus Xiaobao?" she asked.

"Yes..."

"Is everything ok?" she asked, frowning. She studied the boy in front of him and saw that he was nervous. But it was much more than that...

Magnus Xiaobao was undergoing the transformation. Physically, nothing seemed different. But Magnus felt something change inside of him.

"It's fine to be nervous" the nurse said awkwardly, trying to comfort him. She was a relatively new nurse who started working here a few days prior and so she it was her first time dealing with someone who was nervous.

"Please follow me..." the woman said, trying to stay calm.