Later that evening, in the Academy's grand dining hall, students mingled, their systems now awakened, giving them newfound strength.
Arin sat at the head of the table, surrounded by friends and admirers. The room buzzed with excitement, but her thoughts were elsewhere.
"Arin, you're incredible," one of her closest friends, Lena, said. Lena had awakened the Flame of Justice, a fiery system that granted her control over fire. Her fiery orange hair matched the bright flames that danced around her hands.
"You've always been the shining star," Lena added, her eyes filled with admiration.
"Thank you, Lena," Arin smiled, but her thoughts were clouded. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing, something important that she couldn't grasp.
Across the room, Kai sat alone. The other students avoided him, whispering behind his back. But a few students had noticed his power — and some, like Soren, a member of the Tempest's Resolve system, were intrigued.
"You're not like the others, Kai," Soren said, sitting across from him. "I've never seen shadow manipulation like that before. It's… unpredictable."
Kai nodded, his mind still reeling from the awakening. He had never asked for the power, but now it was his, and it was consuming him. He could feel the darkness pulling at him, trying to swallow him whole.
"It's not a gift," Kai muttered, his voice low. "It's a curse."
Soren smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Maybe. But we all have our own burdens to carry."