The class descended into a shroud of whispers. Each and every one of the recruits had the same question on their mind.

How did the instructor know his name?

It could have been as simple as the process of elimination. There weren’t many recruits left to take the test so Anastasia must not have many names left on her clipboard. But still, the fact that Wren was the only one who’s name she knew, it was suspicious.

“There’s no point in doing this test, we all know he can use his abilities. He cheated on the last one.” Brendan said to a recruit standing by his side.

“It looks like they know each other, maybe she’s gonna rig it for him.” The other recruit replied.

“How does a nobody like him know an instructor? He’s not a legacy is he?” Brendan asked.

“I don’t think so. I’ve never heard the Spectre name before.” He replied.

“I’ll have to ask my father, maybe he’s from an adventuring family like that Cacas guy.”

Liam, who had overheard the conversation, left the group of successful recruits and made his way over to the gossiping pair. His tall frame loomed over them, casting a shadow in the twin suns, making the pair turn around to see what it was.

“Just so you know, he’s not a legacy at all. And if he’s able to use more than one of his abilities this early on, I’d watch out if I were you. He’d have to be a genius.” Liam said.

The boy standing next to Brendon balked and cast a wary look towards Wren who was making his way over to the starting spot. Brendon on the other hand only looked back at Liam with a peeved stare.

“You know it’s rude to eavesdrop Cacas.” He said.

“Not when you’re using my name. Carrey.” He spat the boys last name like an insult.

Without another word, Liam returned to his previous group and settled in to watch Wren take the test. He was eager to see what the boy had in store for them.

~

Wren had no idea what he was doing. Sure he’d seen the others produce the wind slice, but he had no clue how to actually do it.

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He turned to Anastasia and gave her a pleading look.

“Any hints?” He asked.

Her bright blue eyes lit up in surprise and she laughed.

“You’re the first one to ask me that.” She said once she stopped laughing. “Feel the wind.”

Wren thought about her words, letting them sink in, before tilting his head in complete and utter confusion.

“What do you mean ‘feel the wind’? What sort of advice is that? Do they make you take a course on vagueness to be an instructor?” He exclaimed.

She laughed even harder than before. He just kept on surprising her.

“Come on Spectre, we don’t have all day. Begin.” She prompted him.

He turned back to face the target, focusing on black circle that served as its centre. He raised his hand and pointed it at the target, palm open like all the other recruits had done before him.

“Okay, feel the wind. Feel the wind. Feel the wind.” He whispered to himself, trying to focus.

He was trying to imagine the wind slice and then push it out of his palm but it was no use. He couldn’t feel anything other than the slight strain on his arm from the previous tests and for holding it up for so long. He was missing something he knew it.

Trying a different approach. He closed his eyes until all he could see was black. It took a bit of time but he tuned out the whispers and chatter of his fellow recruits. He had found his focus.

“Feel the wind.” He breathed.

He focused on the sound of the wind, blowing across the meadow. Swishing through the grass, blowing flowers to the side, almost like an ocean in the sky. He felt the breeze on his skin, stirring up the hairs on his arm, flapping his robes about.

It was then that he felt something from within him. It was located deep in his chest, where he imagined the soul would be. If it existed. It seemed to call out to the world around him, reacting to the sounds he heard and the things he felt. It was a kind of energy, that swirled and swayed in the same way that the wind had across the meadow. It was green in colour, the same green that was wrapped in a band around his forearm, he felt the connection between the two, one feeding the other.

He mentally touched the energy and it reacted, moulding to his touch. Instinctively he knew what to do. He channelled the energy, guiding it through his body, up past his lung and heart and down through his arm until it reached his palm. It felt good channelling the energy, like a soft gentle current that cooled him as it moved.

When the energy reached his palm he knew exactly what he had been doing wrong. The energy was wind, pure primal unadulterated wind. You couldn’t push wind, you couldn’t force it. It could only be guided. All of the other recruits had also seemed to make that mistake as well. Trying to shoot off the wind slice like a gun. Wren simply released and guided the energy, letting it do all the work.

He opened his eyes at the last minute and watched as the wind slice left his palm. It cut through the air, shimmering as it moved. It collided with the target and let out a loud clang.

He had hit his mark. The black spot right at the centre of the target.

He dropped his arm and stood, letting calm wash over him. He’d expected to feel excited the first time he’d use an ability, to jump up and down in joy at the new power. But he only felt a soft comforting feeling. Like he was more himself than he had been before.

He turned back to Anastasia who was giving him an approving look. She pointed to the display screen on top of the target.

It was time to find out his score.