Chapter 8: The Flicker Meets the Flame

Rian's heart pounded in his chest as he stepped into his first class at Aurora Academy. The room was vast, circular, with towering windows that let in streams of golden light, casting the space in an ethereal glow. Around him, students were settling into their seats, murmurs filling the air with nervous excitement. This wasn't just any class—it was an advanced Essentium training session. His very first.

"Here we go," Rian muttered under his breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts.

He found a seat near the middle, not too close to the front to avoid standing out, but not hidden in the back where he'd risk looking like a coward. As he sat, he glanced around, trying to gauge the room's energy. These students were some of the most skilled Essentium users from across the kingdom, each one radiating power. Flames flickered in hands, shadows swirled under feet, and sparks of electricity crackled in the air. And here he was, feeling like an imposter among them.

A tall figure entered the room, and the murmurs instantly quieted. It was Master Velian, a legendary instructor known for his mastery over multiple Essentium. His presence was commanding, with an aura that hummed with contained energy.

"Welcome to your first advanced session at Aurora Academy," Velian's voice boomed across the room. "Here, you will not only hone your abilities but learn to control your Essentium in ways you never imagined. But be warned," he added, his gaze sweeping over the students. "Only those willing to push beyond their limits will survive."

Rian gulped, his fingers tapping nervously against the desk. Was he ready for this? The battle at the Citadel had been one thing—a desperate fight for survival. But this was different. Here, he would be measured, tested, and compared to students far more skilled than he was.

Suddenly, the door creaked open again, and a figure strolled in, catching everyone's attention. The entire class fell silent, their eyes fixed on the newcomer.

Rian felt the shift in the room's energy immediately. Whoever this guy was, he radiated an overwhelming presence. He was tall, muscular, with sharp, angular features and hair as black as night. His eyes glowed faintly with an inner fire, and as he walked, it was as if the very air around him bowed in deference.

"Ah, Dante Valen, so kind of you to join us," Master Velian said, his voice tinged with something that almost resembled respect.

Dante didn't respond with words. He simply nodded, his expression calm and indifferent. He moved with a quiet confidence that told Rian everything he needed to know: Dante wasn't just powerful—he was the most powerful.

As Dante took a seat near the front, Rian couldn't help but feel a surge of both awe and apprehension. He had heard of Dante Valen before. Everyone had. He was a prodigy, a once-in-a-generation Essentium wielder with a power so immense that most of the academy's instructors were said to be afraid to challenge him directly. His Essentium, the Titan's Rage, he grows stronger and faster the angrier he gets, additionally he had the power to control flame, according to his will. 

Rian's Flicker, which felt so limited and fleeting, seemed like a joke compared to what Dante wielded.

Master Velian began the lesson, explaining the intricacies of combining elemental forces to create more potent techniques. As he spoke, Rian tried to focus, but his attention kept drifting back to Dante. What was it like to have that much power? To command the respect of an entire room with just your presence?

Halfway through the class, Velian called for demonstrations. He wanted to see how the students could merge their Essentium abilities. Rian's stomach twisted into knots as the first few students stepped forward, showing off their impressive skills. A girl with wind-based powers created a vortex of air, while another boy with water Essentium summoned a wave that danced around the room.

Then, Velian turned to Dante. "Why don't you show us what true mastery looks like?"

Dante stood up without a word. The room fell deathly quiet as he stepped into the center of the class. With a flick of his wrist, flames erupted around him, not wild or chaotic, but controlled—beautiful, even. The flames swirled around his body like an extension of his will, their heat intense but never out of control.

And then, in an instant, Dante transformed the flames into molten orbs that hovered in the air, their heat warping the space around them. With another flick of his fingers, the orbs shot out, striking multiple targets set up along the walls, each one melting into a puddle of slag. The precision, the control—it was flawless.

The class erupted in murmurs of amazement. Even Master Velian seemed impressed.

Rian's chest tightened. He would never be able to do something like that. How could he, with a power as fleeting as Flicker?

After Dante's demonstration, it was Rian's turn. He stood up, his legs feeling like lead, and made his way to the front. The weight of every gaze pressed down on him, judging, measuring.

He took a deep breath and tried to focus. He activated his Flicker, vanishing in a burst of speed and reappearing a few feet away. The movement was smooth, quicker than it had ever been before. But as he reappeared, he could feel the limitations of his power. It wasn't enough—not here, not among students like Dante.

The class watched in silence, unimpressed. Rian's face burned with embarrassment.

As he walked back to his seat, he caught Dante's eye. The prodigy looked at him, not with scorn or pity, but with something else—curiosity, perhaps? It was hard to tell.

Rian slumped into his chair, feeling small again.

But as the class continued, one thought stayed with him: he wasn't like Dante, not yet. But if he was here, at Aurora Academy, then maybe—just maybe—he had the potential to one day stand on equal ground. He wasn't just a flicker.

Not yet, but soon.

And he would prove it.