The classroom felt different the moment Yamamoto Kazuna spoke those words, and Enark found himself listening more intently than he had all day.
"I'm sure most of you witnessed your upperclassmen earlier," Kazuna said, her voice steady. "The power they demonstrated. The power of Prime Energy."
She turned and placed one gloved hand against the chalkboard.
"But before we discuss what Prime Energy is," she continued, "we begin with where it comes from."
Chalk scraped softly as she drew a single symbol.
A question mark.
Kazuna stepped aside and faced the class, her expression unreadable.
"Nobody knows," she said.
A pause followed. The students stared back at her with expressions of utter disbelief.
"At least—not completely."
A low murmur rippled through the room.
"What is known," she continued, "is that Prime Energy predates even the Sun and the Moons themselves. Most historical records were lost during the Apocalypse three thousand years ago—entire civilizations were erased, reduced to ashes." Her gaze sharpened. "What remained, survived largely due to the efforts of a single scribe: Dr. Erudito."
She tapped the chalk once against the board.
"Through his preserved accounts, we know this much: those who wield Prime Energy, we call them... Conjurers."
The word carried weight as it settled into the room.
"All recorded instances of humanity's first use of Prime Energy point to one single name," Kazuna said. "Kynthia Fotiadis—the Primal Conjurer."
Several students straightened instinctively.
"She is remembered as the first human ever documented to wield Prime Energy. Myths once claimed she was a god walking among mortals." Kazuna's eyes narrowed slightly. "The truth, however, is that she was human."
"Kynthia's awakening occurred during a battle against a monstrous beast beneath a blackened sky. Witnesses described a blue radiance so vast it pierced the darkness above. When the light faded, the creature lay cleaved in two."
"From that moment," Kazuna said, "humanity ceased to be prey."
She turned fully to the class.
"The art that emerged from her awakening became known as Kynjutsu—the Art of Kynthia. In the centuries that followed, Prime Energy spread, and the world bore witness to what history now calls the Emergence of Conjurers."
Her gaze swept across the room, lingering for a fraction of a second on Enark before moving on. Enark felt his shoulders tense, a reflex he couldn't quite explain.
"No one knows why it answered humanity. Divine intervention. Evolution. Countless scholars argue their theories." Her tone hardened. "Regardless of the cause, what is clear to us now is this: Prime Energy exists everywhere. Within us. Around us. Even across planes unseen."
She set the chalk down.
"And today," Kazuna said, "you will attempt your first step toward awakening that spark."
The class stirred as the words sank in. A dozen hands shot up, some hesitant, some eager. Whispers rippled through the rows, questions bouncing between students like lightning.
"Miss Yamamoto," a boy with messy brown hair asked, leaning forward eagerly, "if Prime Energy is everywhere… why can't we all just… use it?"
Kazuna's gaze glimmered faintly. "Because energy does not yield to simple desires it needs a reason, a need to ignite. Similarly, fire cannot be born from fuel alone—it needs a spark."
A girl near the window, fingers fidgeting with her sleeve, raised her hand tentatively. "Could anyone today ever reach her level? Could someone become like her?"
Kazuna's lips curved just slightly, a shadow of a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "We do not know the full extent of Kynthia's power," she said, her voice calm but firm. "Her awakening merely marked the start of humanity's progression. By today's standards… she could even be considered among the lowest tier of Conjurers." She paused, letting the weight of her words settle across the room.
"Today, Conjurers progress through three stages: Body, Mind, and Soul. The Body and Mind stages each have three 'circuits,' or levels of power, while the Soul Stage has only one, marking a Conjurer's mastery."
She scanned across the room, sharp and assessing. "Some of you may already know the names of powerful Conjurers of today. 'Captain Swift,' the Radiant Prince of Eryndal, or 'The Red Cloak' of the Okoro Clan, to name a few."
The room buzzed with whispers, hands rising nervously and eagerly.
A boy at the front, glasses slipping down his nose, asked cautiously, "If Prime Energy is inside us… what happens if we fail?"
Kazuna replied, her tone calm but piercing, "Some fail. Some succeed. And some… may never even try. It's not an easy road learning to wield it."
A girl near the window raised her hand in solemn, "Can Prime Energy… hurt us? If we try and can't control it?"
A ripple of nervousness ran through the students. Kazuna's gaze sharpened, glinting like steel. "It can. Prime Energy obeys only those who understand the contours of their own being. Misaligned intent can destroy the Conjurers themselves, let alone those around them."
A murmur of awe ran through the class. Some swallowed nervously; others leaned forward, determination sparking in their eyes. But Enark felt a prickling at the base of his skull.
Kazuna peered over the class one last time before she spoke. "Enough for now. Words will only take you so far." She moved toward the door, her silky black hair trailing behind. "Follow me. The true lesson begins outside these walls."
The students murmured in excitement, gathering their things and following after her. Enark fell in line, his heart thumping in anticipation.
They stepped into the academy's training hall—a high-ceilinged space with polished stone floors and sunlight streaming through tall windows. The room seemed alive, humming faintly with residual energy.
"Today," Kazuna said, turning to face them, "you will attempt your first step toward awakening your spark. All of you, form a circle." Her eyes, sharp and red, flicked from student to student, lingering ever so slightly on Enark. A faint shadow passed across her expression.
Hands trembled as students formed small circles, some closing their eyes, others staring intently at the space before them. Kazuna's voice cut through the silence.
"Prime Energy will not be given; it responds only to those who know themselves. Close your eyes. Seek the spark—not with force, but with awareness."
Excitement and fear mixed in the air like static. One by one, the students focused inward. Energy prickled along their skin, and faint lights danced in their palms. Joy, wonder, and determination shone on their faces.
Enark clenched his fists, closing his eyes, concentrating with everything he had. He tried to feel the energy, tried to call even a whisper of it into existence.
Nothing.
He opened his eyes. Around him, sparks flickered, threads of energy weaving between students' hands. Pulses quickening, he tried again. Still. Nothing.
Kazuna stepped closer, her boots clicking on the stone. Her crimson eyes locked onto him. "Interesting," she murmured, voice calm but unreadable. "Having trouble?"
Enark swallowed. "I… I feel… nothing," he admitted, though the words sounded hollow even to him.
"You feel more than you think," she said softly, almost like a whisper, and yet the words carried weight. "But intention alone is not enough—it demands 'understanding'." Kazuna stepped away, leaving him in the midst of the sparks and murmurs.
Other students began laughing quietly, surprised by the first sparks they summoned. Enark forced a smile as a girl nearby let out a small cheer.
The room pulsed with potential, with fear, with the thrill of discovery. Everyone felt something. All, except him.
The bell rang, shattering the quiet hum of energy. Students scrambled to gather their things, chattering excitedly about what had just happened. Sparks still danced faintly in the corners of the room, fading slowly as the hall emptied.
Enark slung his bag over his shoulder, shoulders heavy—not from exertion, but from the weight of failure. Archie bounced beside him, grinning despite the dust of frustration clinging to his spirit.
"Man, did you see that? For a second there, I felt something—" Archie broke off, noticing Enark's blank expression.
"Yeah...," Enark muttered, voice low. "I… didn't feel anything."
Kirsty smirked, trying to lighten the mood. "Don't sweat it. You're just dramatic, that's all. Everyone struggles at first."
Suzune frowned, tilting her head. "Still… it was weird. You were the only one…" Her voice trailed off, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, the chatter of the city filling the spaces between their words. The clatter of Caldonia washed over Enark in layers, grounding him even as his thoughts swirled.
Archie and the others murmured beside him, but Enark paid little attention to their words, instead tracing the rhythm of their footsteps, the subtle shift of air as they passed, the warmth of the setting sun against his neck.
When the others stopped at a corner to grab snacks, Enark hung back. He dropped his bag and sat on a nearby bench. Closing his eyes, he let the sounds and scents of the city fade into a blur, turning his focus inward. He reached for the spark again, feeling desperate.
A heavy sigh escaped him. "It's… quiet."