No one wanted to go first. With the possibility of not being able to use their abilities, the recruits were nervous. None of them wanted to be the first one to put themselves out there and find out that they weren’t a natural. They would rather leave that embarrassment for someone else.

Anastasia had been expecting this though, it had been the same when she had gone through the testing process two years before. At this point in time, standing and pride were the most important things to the recruits, it was how they would survive at the academy, so no one wanted to put it in jeopardy. But someone had to go first, she only hoped it was someone who could actually use their abilities. She had to pick someone.

She scanned the clipboard in her hand, studying each of the names. She stopped briefly over Wren’s name in recognition. Perhaps she should get him to go first, get it out of the way. She caught his eyes and almost burst out laughing. They were on the same page. He knew that she was looking for a candidate to go first and he was begging her with his eyes for it not to be him. She returned her eyes to the clipboard, searching for another name and allowing Wren to slump his shoulders in relief.

Suddenly Anastasia came across another name that she recognised. Not because she’d met the recruit as she had with Wren, but because she recognised the family name.

“Liam Cacas.” She called out. “Please step forward.”

The crowd parted for him and he made himself known. He had a striking resemblance to his father, mainly his size and the trademark glasses that were always in need of pushing up from the bridge of his nose. Guy Cacas had taught Anastasia for two years so of course she would recognise the name. She only hoped that the skills that the father held were hereditary and that Liam would perform well. It was a safe bet to pick a legacy, but it was a bet nonetheless; there was no guarantee that Liam would be able to use his abilities. She could only hope.

“You know what you’re doing?” She asked him.

“Just hit the target right?” He replied.

“Pretty much.”

He stepped up to the spot in which Anastasia had been a few minutes prior and angled his body towards the target. He raised an arm and pointed it at the target, copying the instructors technique with the palm open.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and focused. A shimmering line came shooting out of his palm and hit the target before them.

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The class erupted. Once again, Liam had shown the recruits what it meant to be an elemental. First with his record breaking strength test, and then with the effortless display of unleashing his wind powers.

The class waited as the target calculated the strength of the wind slice. Starting at zero, the numbers slowly creeped up. Much slower than they had for Anastasia, but that was to be expected, Liam didn’t have the experience or training that the instructor had. He was fortunate to be able to use his powers from the beginning anyway.

The numbers finally stopped. Displaying his wind slice power level as three.

Both Anastasia and Lops clapped at the revelation.

“Very good, as expected of Instructor Cacas’ son.” Lops said from behind the recruits.

“He’s right.” Anastasia agreed. “It may not look like it but three is a very good score for your first time.”

Liam nodded in gratitude and then looked down at his palm as if searching for the exact point the wind slice had emerged from. He returned to the crowd with a satisfied smile to wait for the other recruits to take their turns.

“Me next.” Someone shouted.

“No, me.” Someone else called out.

A small group of recruits had gathered around the front of the class, raring to go after watching Liam’s display. Anastasia watched on with a proud smirk, things couldn’t have gone more perfectly. She’d picked a recruit who would lift the rest of the class’s spirits and make them want to take part in the test despite the possibility of failure.

“You.” Anastasia pointed at the recruit at the front of the class, one of the ones begging to go next. “What’s your name?” She asked.

“Brendan Carrey.” He replied.

Anastasia looked down to the sheet on the clipboard, searching for his name. When she found it, she looked up and gave the boy a nod.

“You’re up.” She said.

Wren recognised the boy as one of the ones that had followed Chadwick about on the Ark. He had hung out at the back while Wren was being beaten.

He walked up to the spot with smooth assured steps. As if he didn’t have a care in the world. He raised his hand and turned his head to look back at the class with an arrogant smile across his face.

Nothing happened.

The class waited for the shimmer of air to come flying from his palm, to hear the clang as the wind slice collided with the target, but there was nothing. A look of confusion dawned over Brendan’s face and he turned back towards the target. He studied his palm wondering what was going on, before returning it to the same position.

Still nothing happened.

He opened and closed his hand, wiggling his fingers, doing anything to make the wind slice appear. He even started making loud groaning noises, as if he was desperately trying to push it out.

Wren laughed to himself, thinking how he might not be able to push out the wind slice, but if the boy carried on like that then something would certainly be pushed out.

Nothing the boy did was of any use. Not the hand movements, not the groaning. Nothing was happening. He finally dropped his arm down to his side and slumped his shoulders forward in defeat.

“Don’t let it get to you. Many of the recruits here won’t be able to use their powers. That’s what the training is for.” Anastasia consoled him. “We just need to find out what level of training is the right training for you.”

The boy nodded and went to join the back of the crowd, shooting jealous glances at Liam the whole time.