The Solar Heir

Chapter 2: The Solar Fire

The vast blue sky stretched endlessly, a gentle breeze carrying the refreshing scent of grass and trees within the Western Pillar grounds. In front of Duong stood a towering, radiant golden gate, adorned with a symbol depicting two wings emerging from a blazing heart. Below that emblem were two other carvings, carefully engraved: a brilliant, flaming fire on the left and a full, shining sun on the right.

Duong stared at these symbols, not understanding what they meant. Just then, a girl with long black hair walked past him. Without much thought, Duong turned and asked:

“Hey, what do those symbols mean?”

The girl paused, looked at him for a moment, then smiled gently.“That’s the symbol of the Guardian Angels’ Faction,” she explained, her tone natural but with a hint of pride.

“The Western Pillar teaches only two elements: Fire and Mind. They focus on mental control and the power of fire. The flame represents the pure strength of fire, while the sun symbolizes enlightenment.”

She stopped briefly, her eyes glancing over the vast campus, then continued, “No school teaches all six primal elements: Fire, Water, Earth, Flora, and Mind. Teaching too many elements in one place could create an overly powerful energy mix, which could easily attract dark forces...”

Duong nodded as if he understood, but in truth, he was still quite confused by what she had just said. The girl gave a faint smile, then walked off into the crowd. Duong watched her leave, feeling slightly uneasy but too shy to ask more.

Students were gathering in the Auditorium, where the initiation ceremony and elemental sorting would take place. On the stage, the Elemental Stone was placed solemnly on a dark mahogany pedestal, right in the center of the stage.

Professor Linh stood on the podium, her gaze stern yet warm. She waved her hand, signaling the students to focus. Beside her was a tall man in a long black cloak, his face cold and serious. This was Dan, an official from the Ministry of Magical Security, sent to oversee the initiation ceremony, a tradition in all magical schools.

“Nguyen Hoang Long!” Professor Linh called out, her voice commanding the hall into silence.Hoang Long, a quick-witted boy with short black hair, stepped forward.

He placed his hand on the Elemental Stone, and within seconds, the stone emitted a soft, shimmering yellow light. The entire hall erupted in applause, the Stone had confirmed his affinity with the Mind element. Hoang Long smiled confidently, walking off the stage amidst the continuous clapping.

“Le Minh Kate!” Professor Linh continued.

Duong immediately recognized the girl he had spoken to earlier. Kate walked forward, her expression calm yet determined.

When she touched the Elemental Stone, a brilliant red light flared up, signifying the element of Fire. Once again, the hall filled with applause as Khanh descended the stage, a slight smile on her face, without saying a word.

It was Duong’s turn. His heart pounded in his chest as he stepped onto the stage. He looked at the Elemental Stone before him, unsure of what to expect. He carefully placed his hand on the Stone, and for the first few seconds, nothing happened.

The hall began to buzz with whispers, and curious eyes turned toward him.Then suddenly, a blinding golden light burst forth from the Stone, neither the red of fire nor the yellow shimmer of the mind, but a powerful, dazzling light as brilliant as the midday sun. The applause halted as everyone shielded their eyes, trying to make sense of the overwhelming light.

Professor Linh stood frozen for a few moments, astonished by what she was witnessing. Finally, she muttered softly, “Solar Fire…” Her voice was filled with surprise, though she kept it brief, giving him a small nod of acknowledgment.

Duong had no idea what was happening. He didn’t realize that he had just displayed a rare and extraordinary power, nor did he understand what "Solar Fire" even meant.

He quietly returned to his seat, his mind swirling with confusion. All eyes were still on him, but Duong felt like nothing had changed. He didn’t realize that he had just caught the attention of many people, including Dan, who continued to watch him from the shadows.