“Would the first recruit please come up on stage for testing?” Colonel Lambert said, picking up a tablet and reading a name of a list. “Belinda Wright.”

Wren watched as a girl stood from her seat in the first row and confidently ascend the stairs to stand in front of the crystal. She was short in height with long blonde hair bordering a steely expression on her face, obviously preparing herself for the revelation of her affinity. She looked to the Colonel for confirmation and received a firm nod. She placed a single hand on the crystal and it soon turned a deep blue, glowing from the inside out.

“Congratulations, a water affinity.” Said the Colonel. He directed her towards the stage exit opposite from the stairs on which she ascended and she was escorted out of the large hall through a door fringed by two more guards.

“Poor girl.”

The voice from Wren’s right startled him out of his concentration. He turned to its owner, a light-haired boy with olive complexion and large rimmed glasses, and gave him a look of confusion.

“What do you mean ‘poor girl’?” he asked.

“The water planet, Aquilon, its crawling with religious zealots. No doubt as soon as she gets there they’ll try and brain wash her into their ‘water is supreme’ rhetoric.” The boy said.

“Oh.” Wren replied, not sure what to say to the boy.

“I’m Liam, by the way.” He said. “Ah look another one.”

Wren turned back to the stage as the crystal once again lit up in the deep blue that indicated a water affinity user. Looking at the bright glow of the crystal, Wren once again wondered what affinity he would get.

“How do you know that about the water planet?” Wren asked the boy. “I thought everything about other planets were kept under wraps?”

“My dad is an adventurer, he took me with him on a trip a few years ago, he had some business on Aquilon. The entire place is just weird, gave me real cult vibes you know?” Liam replied.

Both boys turned back to look at the stage as another recruit walked up to a crystal and placed his hands on it, it glowed brown showing him as an earth elemental. Wren wondered why the boy looked so crestfallen as he was ushered off the stage and through the doors leading to the portals. Surely any ability was a good one? After all they were so rare.

“What do you think you’ll get?” Liam asked Wren.

“I dunno really, I guess fire would be cool.”

“Basic bitch answer.” Liam scoffed. “Personally I’m hoping for lightning, can you imagine how cool it’ll be shooting lightning bolts out of my hands.”

“Hardly anyone gets lightning though. Is your dad a lightning elemental?” Wren said.

“Nope, I guess I’ve just got to hope I’m lucky.”

Wren sat watching the rest of the recruits be tested one after another. It was an even mix of, earth, wind, fire and water elementals. He wondered if it was random what ability they got or was there some sort of precursing factor that gave them a specific ability? Little was known about the true origins of abilities, only that they had shown up around the time that the Enoi did, and even then researchers were less focused on the origins of such abilities and more on how to make them stronger.

By this time about three quarters of the recruits had left the awakening chamber, having received their affinities and departed for their corresponding planets.

“Liam Cacas, please come forward.” Colonel Lambert said.

“Wish me luck.” Liam said offering a hand to Wren, who returned it, shaking firmly.

Liam got up from his seat and made his way to the stage, Wren able to hear two words on repeat from him as he walked away.

“Please lightning, please lightning, please lightning.”

Wren chuckled.