The bell rang, echoing through the corridors of Grand Arc High School. The chatter of students filled the air as Class 3B sat in hushed tension.
Their thoughts were fixated on the next day—the Awakening Test. It was the day every student had anticipated since entering high school, the moment they would discover if they had a magical class or if they were destined to live as ordinary humans.
Except for one corner of the room, where a group of four boys sat, giggling like toddlers at a sleepover.
"Guys, what if I awaken as a Summoner and my first summon is a beautiful girl? Wouldn't that just be the greatest?" whispered Jake, a skinny boy with wild, unkempt hair.
"Yeah, right," scoffed Victor, the self-proclaimed leader of the group.
He leaned back in his chair with his trademark grin plastered across his face. "Knowing your luck, you'd summon a mosquito with a vendetta against humans."
The boys erupted into loud laughter, unintentionally drawing the attention of everyone in the surroundings.
"Victor Revenant!" The teacher's voice boomed from the front of the room, silencing their laughter in an instant.
Miss Adler, a stern-looking woman in her late thirties, glared at them through her glasses. "Do you have something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?"
Victor stood up with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Actually, Miss Adler, I was just discussing the probability of Jake summoning an insect for his magical partner. I thought it might add to the class's understanding of summoning theory."
The class snickered, and even Miss Adler's lips twitched before she quickly regained her composure. "Sit down, Victor. And if I hear another word from you or your… 'crew,' it'll be detention for all of you."
Victor saluted dramatically. "Yes, ma'am. Silence mode activated."
The tension in the room eased slightly but Victor noticed several students casting nervous glances toward the clock.
Tomorrow was everything to them. The Awakening Test would determine their futures: their magical class, their worth, and, for some, whether they could even dream of attending the prestigious Awakened Academy.
However, Victor didn't seem to care, or perhaps he was hiding his nervousness behind silly jokes. "Guys," he whispered as soon as Miss Adler turned her back. "What if none of us awaken? We could start a club for the unawakened. 'The Loser's Legion.' What do you think?"
Max, a chubby boy with a quick wit and a slower metabolism snorted. "Only if we can wear matching jackets. Cool ones, with flames on the back."
"Deal," Victor's grin widened. "I call dibs on being president."
The day dragged on, filled with anxious chatter, quickened heartbeats, and whispered hopes.
For most students, the Awakening Test drew closer like one on death row with a guillotine. For Victor and his friends, it was just another excuse to joke around.
By the time the final bell rang, the tension in Class Three had reached its peak. Students bolted from their seats, either eager to escape their nerves or desperate to cram in last-minute research about magical classes.
Victor stretched as he stood. "Another day, another escape from Miss Adler's wrath. We're on a roll, boys."
As his friends laughed and packed their bags, Victor strolled toward his locker.
His walk was leisurely, unbothered by the heavy atmosphere hanging over the school.
However, when he opened his locker, his carefree expression froze.
A neatly folded note fell out, landing at his feet. He bent down to pick it up as his curiosity piqued.
Unfolding it, he read the message scrawled in neat handwriting:
"Victor, I've liked you for a long time. You're funny, kind, and honestly way more handsome than you realize. I know tomorrow is important, but I'd really like to meet you behind Block C after school today. Please come."
For a moment, Victor blinked at the note as the corners of his mouth twitched. Then he burst into laughter. "Block C? Oh, come on. You've gotta try harder than that if you're pranking me."
He crumpled the note, tossing it in the trash can beside his locker. "Nice try, but I'm not falling for it."
This wasn't the first time Victor was getting a love letter. Unfortunately, he took them all as a joke every time, unable to accept that he was in any way attractive.
As he turned, a vision of beauty caught his eye.
Amara Blake, the school's undisputed queen of hearts, was walking down the hallway.
The sound of her heels clicking against the floor was like drum beats of love playing in his ears.
Amara was the dream girl of every boy in Grand Arc High. Her long chestnut hair cascaded down her back in perfect waves, framing her flawless face.
Her deep brown eyes sparkled with confidence, and her lips painted a soft pink, curved into a smile that could melt glaciers. She carried herself like royalty, and her bouncy chest was accentuated by the fitted blouse of her uniform. The sway of her hips was mesmerizing, and the air seemed to shimmer in her wake.
Victor's heart skipped a beat as she passed.
Her scent lingered in the air and he caught onto every whiff of it— a blend of vanilla and jasmine.
"Today's the day I say hi," Victor muttered to himself. "I mean, what's the worst that could—"
Before he could finish, a towering figure stepped into view. Derek Slate, the school's infamous bad boy and self-proclaimed king of the underworld, swaggered over to Amara and wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Hey, babe," Derek voiced in a low growl.
Amara giggled, tilting her head up as Derek leaned in and kissed her.
Victor's stomach sank.
Derek smirked at Victor as if he'd just won a silent contest. Then, with Amara giggling at his side, the couple strolled down the hallway, leaving Victor standing there like a statue.
He turned back to his locker after a few moments and his eyes fell on the crumpled love note in the trash. With a humorless laugh, he fished it out and smoothed it flat.
"So, I can't have my crush," he voiced to himself. "Fine. No one gets me either. Let us all suffer unrequited love together."
With a dramatic flourish, he tore the note into tiny pieces and scattered them into the trash.
Shouldering his bag, he walked toward the school gates with a look of bitterness.
Tomorrow, the Awakening Test would change everything. But for now, Victor Revenant was just a joker with a broken heart.
Victor Revenant strolled through the streets of Arctis City with hands stuffed deep into his pockets.
Tall buildings and skyscrapers sauntered around him like large Lego blocks.
His face shone a bit of seriousness for once as his mind drifted to history momentarily.
Three decades ago, everything had changed. The day the portal appeared in the Pacific Ocean, humanity's sense of normalcy shattered.
It had split the sky with an explosion of light and energy, flooding the atmosphere with mana—a mystical force that rewrote the rules of existence. At first, it seemed like a gift. Crops thrived, diseases withered, and some humans began to evolve into awakened individuals, wielding powers straight out of myths.
But the portal hadn't come alone. The beasts arrived first—monstrous creatures that rampaged across the globe, leaving destruction in their wake.
Then came the humanoid invaders. Three distinct species stepped through the portal, declaring Earth their new home after the destruction of their own world. They didn't ask for permission. They carved out territories, transforming parts of the planet into grotesque versions of their lost lands.
The Drakenar claimed the volcanic regions. Their reptilian forms happened to thrive more in molten terrains. The Sylrith took the forests, enchanting the land with their magic and weaving illusions that lured countless humans to their doom. The Umbryx turned vast swaths of Earth into shadowy wastelands, where nightmares roamed freely. Each species was more dangerous than the last and their power dwarfed anything humanity could muster at the time.
Victor walked past one of the many barriers that surrounded Arctis City. The shimmering dome of translucent energy towered over the skyline, separating the human territories from the wild lands beyond.
The barriers were humanity's lifeline, powered by massive mana cores and guarded with every ounce of technology and magic available. Beyond the barrier, the rocky peaks of Drakenar territory loomed in the distance.
Even with the barriers, the threat of breaches hung over everyone. Stories of beasts or invaders slipping through were whispered like ghost tales, fueling an undercurrent of fear. For Victor, the sight of the barrier was just another reminder of how fragile everything truly was.
He passed a holographic news display hovering above a street corner. The anchor, a suave-looking man in a sharp green suit, spoke calmly as headlines scrolled beneath him.
"Today, the Mana Defense Forces successfully repelled a Sylrith incursion near New Avalon City. Casualties were minimal on our side, but experts warn that these attacks are growing more frequent and coordinated. Citizens are advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity near the barriers."
Victor scoffed quietly to himself. The government loved to pretend things were under control, but everyone knew the truth. Humanity was holding on by a thread, and the awakened were the only reason that thread hadn't snapped yet.