Sovereign of Hearts

Chapter 2

The armored sedan glided to a halt at the base of the massive marble steps leading up to the Spirit Martial Academy. The campus was a fortress of learning, a blend of brutalist concrete bunkers and elegant, floating pagodas held aloft by anti-gravity formations.

As the chauffeur opened the door, the ambient noise of the campus rushed in—the chatter of hundreds of teenagers, the distant boom of sparring matches from the arena, and the hum of Spirit Energy.

Leo stepped out, adjusting his bag. Immediately, the atmosphere shifted.

Heads turned. Whispers started.

"It's Shaw." "Look at that car. Must be nice to buy your way into the elite class." "I heard he's still unawakened. A year of 'training' and he still has zero Spirit pressure. Money really can't buy talent."

Leo ignored them, his face a mask of practiced indifference. In his old life, he had navigated high-society galas where the insults were wrapped in compliments. Here, they were just cruder. He knew the narrative: he was the "False Prince," the boy with the golden spoon but no teeth to chew with.

But he also knew something they didn't. Knowledge was power. And for the last year, while they were busy flexing their rudimentary muscles, he had been dissecting the mechanics of this world.

He walked past the main courtyard, bypassing the popular gathering spots, and headed straight for a secluded alcove near the library gardens. This was their spot.

Sitting on a stone bench beneath the cascading purple leaves of a weeping Spirit Willow was Yuna Lynch.

Even from a distance, she seemed to exist in her own spotlight. The morning sun caught the stray hairs escaping her ponytail, creating a halo around her silhouette. She was reading a thick, leather-bound tome, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Yuna wasn't just beautiful; she was a anomaly. She came from a common family, yet her Spirit compatibility scores were off the charts. She was the "People’s Princess," the girl everyone wanted to protect.

"You're going to burn a hole in that page if you stare at it any harder," Leo said softly as he approached.

Yuna jumped slightly, then looked up. The tension in her shoulders evaporated the moment she saw him, replaced by a smile that was genuine and blindingly bright.

"Leo! You're early," she said, closing the book. It was Advanced Theory of Elemental Resonance. "I was... I was just reviewing the core principles for the exam. I keep getting stuck on the frequency modulation for Fire-type Spirit beasts."

Leo sat down next to her, close enough that their shoulders brushed. It was a comfortable, habitual intimacy. Over the last year, this bench had been their sanctuary. When the other students mocked Leo for his lack of talent, Yuna had been the only one to sit with him. Initially, she had done it out of kindness. Then, she had stayed because she realized that behind Leo’s lack of power was a mind that understood the theory better than the professors.

"It's not about the frequency," Leo corrected gently, taking the book from her hands. "Most people think Fire is just chaos. But look at the diagram. It's a rhythm. Think of it like a heartbeat. If you try to force your Spirit Air to match the beast's fire, you'll get burned. You have to sync with the gaps between the pulses."

Yuna blinked, her eyes widening as the realization hit her. "The gaps... like a counter-beat? I never thought of it that way."

"That's because the textbooks are written by old men who like to punch things," Leo grinned. "You have to feel the flow, not fight it."

Yuna looked at him, her expression softening into something profound. "You always do that," she whispered.

"Do what?"

"Make the impossible sound simple," she said. "You know, everyone says I'm the genius of Class 2-Spirit. But I think... I think you're the one who really understands this world, Leo. It’s unfair that the Spirit Air hasn't chosen you yet."

"The world isn't fair, Yuna. That's why we have to be smarter than it," Leo replied, handing the book back.

He watched her tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. He knew why her affection was high. He wasn't just a boy she liked; he was her anchor. In a world that put immense pressure on her to be the "Perfect Fairy," Leo was the only one who treated her like a normal human being. He made her laugh, he solved her problems, and he never asked her for anything in return.

"Are you nervous?" Leo asked, his voice dropping. "About the Awakening?"

Yuna looked down at her hands. "Terrified. My parents... the whole neighborhood... they're all expecting me to be a savior. What if I fail? What if I'm just average?"

Leo reached out, covering her trembling hand with his own. His hand was warm, steady, and calloused from his physical training.

"You won't fail," Leo said, his tone absolute. "I've seen you practice. You have a fire inside you, Yuna. And even if the sky falls down, I'll be there to hold it up so you can catch your breath."

Yuna looked up, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink. She squeezed his hand back. "You promise?"

"I never break a promise to a pretty girl," Leo winked, reverting to his playful persona to break the tension.

Yuna giggled, swatting his arm lightly. "Idiot."

"Come on," Leo stood up, offering her a hand. "We're going to be late for May Lewis’s class. And you know she eats latecomers for breakfast."

As Yuna took his hand and stood up, Leo felt it again.

Bzzzzzt.

The static in his head spiked. It wasn't just a noise anymore; it was a physical weight, pressing down on his eyelids. A wave of exhaustion washed over him, so sudden and intense that he stumbled.

"Leo?" Yuna grabbed his arm, steadying him. "Are you okay? You look pale."

Leo shook his head, trying to clear the fog. It felt like he had been awake for three days straight. "I'm... I'm fine. Just didn't sleep well last night. Pre-birthday insomnia."

"You sure?" Yuna looked at him with concern, her "protective instinct" flaring up—the very instinct the System would later identify.

"Yeah. Just need some coffee. Let's go."

They walked toward the main building, Yuna sticking close to his side. As they entered the corridor leading to Class 2-Spirit, Leo saw a familiar face leaning against the lockers.

Jack Lewis.

The boy who used to be Leo's tormentor looked different now. His nose, which Leo had broken months ago, was slightly crooked—a permanent reminder of the day the "rich kid" fought back. Jack didn't jeer or block the path anymore. He just watched, his eyes narrowed in a mix of fear and simmering hatred.

"Morning, Jack," Leo said as they passed, his voice sounding tired even to his own ears. "Try not to break any pens today."

Jack flinched, his hand instinctively going to his face, but he said nothing. He just glared at Leo’s back, then shifted his gaze to Yuna with a look of hungry envy.

Leo didn't have the energy to deal with Jack. The hallway was starting to spin. The lights seemed too bright. The walk to the classroom felt like a march through deep mud.

What is happening to me? Leo thought, grit his teeth. Did someone poison my breakfast?

They entered the lecture hall. The air was cool, smelling of chalk and old wood.

"Save me a seat," Leo mumbled to Yuna, veering toward his usual desk near the back. "I just need to... rest my eyes for a second before the Professor gets here."

"Okay," Yuna whispered, looking worried. "I'll wake you up if she comes in."

Leo collapsed into his chair. He didn't even bother to open his bag. He crossed his arms on the cool wooden desk and buried his face in them.

The darkness was instantaneous and inviting.

System Synchronization: 99.9%... 100%. Initiating Neural Link. Status: Forced Sleep Mode Activated.

Leo’s consciousness faded into the black void, just as the sharp click-clack of high heels echoed in the corridor outside.

May Lewis was coming.