Dawn arrived slowly over the academy.
But this morning felt very different from every other morning before it.
The large courtyards, training grounds, and stone walkways were filled with hundreds of aspirants, yet the usual lively noise of conversation was missing.
Instead, the air was heavy.
Some students stood silently, staring at the ground.
Others whispered quietly to each other.
A few were openly crying.
Because today was the day.
The day they would enter their first Realm Trial.
For months, many of them had talked about this moment with excitement and pride.
They dreamed of becoming Initiates, warriors recognized by their clans.
But when the moment finally arrived, excitement had been replaced by fear.
Everyone knew the truth.
Not every aspirant who entered the trial would return alive.
Even the same people who had laughed and mocked others before now looked pale and uneasy.
One boy who had once loudly mocked Feyi was now sitting on the edge of a fountain with his hands shaking.
Another girl stood beside her friends with tears in her eyes.
"I don't want to die," she whispered quietly.
Her friend hugged her.
"You won't."
But her voice lacked confidence.
Among all the nervous groups, however, one group looked much calmer.
They wore dark uniforms embroidered with a thin silver insignia shaped like a blade surrounded by shadows.
Members of the Shadow Clan.
Unlike the others, they stood confidently.
Some even looked relaxed.
One of them laughed lightly.
"Why is everyone acting like this is their funeral?"
A nearby aspirant replied nervously,
"Because some of us might actually die."
The Shadow Clan boy shrugged.
"That won't happen to us."
Another shadow clan girl added calmly,
"Our elders already told us something important."
Several nearby aspirants looked at her curiously.
"What?"
She smiled confidently.
"The sacred technique Sacred Kael Varynshade will guide us."
Murmurs spread among the surrounding students.
The Shadow Clan was already known as a powerful clan.
But the technique Sacred Kael Varynshade was legendary even among elite warriors.
If the Shadow Clan aspirants truly had its guidance…
Then their chances of survival were far greater.
Meanwhile, Feyi walked quietly through the courtyard.
He heard their conversation but did not react.
Confidence or fear…
Neither of those things would matter once the trial began.
Instead, he headed toward the academy cafeteria.
The moment he stepped inside, the familiar smell of warm food filled his nose.
But even here the atmosphere felt strange.
Usually the cafeteria was filled with loud chatter.
Today, most students ate in silence.
Everyone was thinking about the same thing.
Feyi picked up a tray and moved toward the serving counter.
Soon, his meal was placed in front of him.
A bowl of porridge.
A portion of meat.
And a bottle of soda.
The same meal he had eaten almost every morning since arriving at the academy.
He stared at it for a moment.
A strange thought crossed his mind.
This might be the last normal meal I eat for a long time.
So he sat down and ate slowly.
The porridge was warm.
The meat was soft.
The soda fizzed lightly.
For the first time in weeks, he appreciated the meal carefully instead of eating quickly.
After finishing, he picked up his tray and walked toward the kitchen.
Inside, Mara stood beside the preparation table.
But today she was not cooking.
Her eyes were red.
She had clearly been crying.
When she saw Feyi enter, she forced a small smile.
"So… today's the day."
Feyi nodded.
"Yes."
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then Feyi bowed slightly.
"I came to say goodbye."
Mara's eyes watered again.
"You stubborn boy…"
She wiped her face quickly.
"You only arrived a month ago, and now you're already going into a Realm Trial."
Feyi stood quietly.
Mara walked toward a small drawer near the wall and opened it.
She reached inside and took something out.
When she turned around, she held a small necklace in her hand.
It was simple.
A thin chain with a small dark crystal attached to it.
She held it out to him.
"Take this."
Feyi blinked in surprise.
"A necklace?"
"Yes."
He shook his head.
"You know I can't bring personal items into the trial."
The academy always inspected equipment before sending aspirants into the Realm.
But Mara shook her head.
"You can bring this one."
Feyi frowned.
"Why?"
Mara's voice became softer.
"Because this…"
She placed the necklace gently into his hand.
"…is something I gained in my first Realm Trial."
Feyi looked down at it.
The dark crystal felt cold against his palm.
"You kept it all this time?"
Mara nodded.
"It helped me survive."
She smiled faintly.
"So now it should help you."
Feyi hesitated for a moment.
Then he placed the necklace around his neck.
The crystal rested against his chest.
"Thank you."
Mara nodded.
"Just promise me something."
"What?"
"Come back alive."
Feyi gave a small smile.
"I'll try."
Then he left the kitchen.
As he walked across the courtyard, he soon noticed two familiar figures near the main gate.
Kaela and Rhyden.
Kaela was crying heavily.
Her shoulders trembled as she wiped her eyes again and again.
Rhyden stood beside her, trying to comfort her.
"It'll be okay," he said gently.
Kaela shook her head.
"You don't know that."
Rhyden sighed.
"I know."
"But crying won't help either."
Feyi watched them quietly for a moment.
He understood their fear.
Their group of aspirants had been labeled the weakest batch in the academy.
Most aspirants had trained for years before awakening their powers.
But people like Feyi, Kaela, and Rhyden were different.
They had been identified as anomalies by the Realm Sorcery.
Their awakening had happened unexpectedly.
Because of that, they had received far less training.
Yet they were still required to enter the trial.
Which meant their survival chances were lower.
Feyi didn't interrupt them.
He simply walked past and continued toward the central academy building.
Soon all the aspirants gathered before a massive stone structure.
Standing at the entrance was a tall man wearing a long dark coat.
His posture was perfectly straight.
His presence felt powerful and authoritative.
This was Master Altheron Veyric, one of the academy's Exalted instructors.
His sharp eyes scanned the crowd.
When everyone had gathered, he began to speak.
"Aspirants."
His voice echoed across the courtyard.
"Today you will enter your first Realm Sorcery Trial."
The crowd became silent.
Master Altheron continued.
"The Realm Sorcery will transport each of you to the unprotected region of your clan's territory."
Some aspirants swallowed nervously.
These regions were known for being extremely dangerous.
Altheron folded his hands behind his back.
"Inside the trial, you will face creatures, harsh environments, and deadly challenges."
"Remember everything you have been taught."
"Your training."
"Your instincts."
"Your discipline."
Then his voice softened slightly.
"Fight until the very end."
"And please…"
"…do not die."
A few nervous laughs spread through the crowd.
But Altheron's face remained serious.
"You are the future warriors of your clans."
"With that responsibility comes risk."
He stepped aside and gestured toward the building entrance.
"Enter."
The aspirants began walking inside.
The interior of the building was enormous.
Multiple hallways stretched in different directions.
Each hallway led to a chamber marked with a symbol representing a specific element.
Fire.
Water.
Wind.
Earth.
Shadow.
Lightning.
Light.
And several others.
Master Altheron spoke again.
"Each of you will enter the chamber corresponding to your elemental affinity."
Students began separating into groups.
Fire users walked toward the fire chamber.
Water users toward the water chamber.
Members of the Shadow Clan confidently entered the shadow chamber.
Soon the hallway became quieter as the groups disappeared.
Feyi continued walking down the corridor.
At the very end was a single door.
Above it was a symbol he recognized immediately.
A dark circle surrounded by swirling emptiness.
Void.
He pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The room was empty.
Completely silent.
There was no one else.
Feyi stood alone in the center of the chamber.
From the hallway outside, he could see faint shimmering orbs appearing in the other rooms.
One by one, aspirants stepped into them and vanished.
Each orb transported them to their trial.
Soon the building became quiet.
Feyi crossed his arms.
"So…"
He looked around the empty chamber.
"I'm the only one."
That didn't surprise him.
Void users were extremely rare.
He took a slow breath.
Then he spoke quietly.
"Hope to become an initiate soon."
The moment he said those words—
the air in front of him twisted.
A dark orb slowly appeared.
Unlike the bright portals in other rooms…
this one looked deeper.
Darker.
Like a fragment of endless night.
Feyi stepped closer.
The moment he touched the orb—
a voice whispered inside his mind.
Ancient.
Cold.
Endless.
"So… a void bearer."
Feyi's eyes narrowed slightly.
The voice echoed again.
"Let us see what you will become."
The orb pulsed slowly.
Then the whisper continued.
"Welcome… child of emptiness."
A brief silence followed.
Then the voice spoke one final sentence.
"Welcome to the Voidless Clan."
Without hesitation—
Feyi stepped forward.
And the darkness swallowed him completely.