The roar of the crowd hit Elijah like a physical force the moment they stepped into the competitor prep wing. The walls vibrated with cheers, engines, and the rhythmic pulse of the rotating rings above the Twin Champion Towers.

  But Elijah barely heard any of it.

  Because the moment he thought of the man in the hallway —

  The amber eyes, the cold voice, the unsettled feeling he got when the man spoke.

  His chest ignited.

  A sharp spark snapped across his seal.

  Violet light flickered beneath his shirt, jagged and out of rhythm, like a heartbeat stumbling over itself. His curse energy surged in the opposite direction — violent, discordant, wrong.

  For a couple seconds the two forces fought each other:

  - the seal pulsing in one rhythm

  - the curse pulsing in another

  Out of sync.

  Out of control.

  Then—

  They aligned.

  Just for a moment.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  A single, perfect beat.

  And then both collapsed into a low, uneven hum…

  …before falling completely silent.

  Elijah staggered, gripping a railing.

  Hokori noticed instantly.

  “Elijah.”

  Elijah forced a breath. “I’m fine. Just… nerves.”

  Hokori didn’t believe him.

  But he didn’t push — not here, not now, with the crowd screaming and the announcer’s voice booming through the arena.

  “Stay close,” Hokori said quietly. “And breathe.”

  Elijah nodded, though his heart was still racing.

  ------------------------------------------------------------

  The rest of Stargaze was already setting up.

  Stella checked the stabilizers on Hokori’s board, tightening bolts with quick, precise movements. Casey stretched her arms, bouncing on her heels with restless energy. Aidan paced like a caged animal, muttering strategies under his breath. Jacob reviewed the event layout on a small tablet.

  No one was relaxed.

  Hokori stood near the entrance tunnel, eyes half?closed, breathing slow and steady — not nervous, but focused. Centered. Like someone returning to a battlefield they knew intimately.

  Elijah watched him, trying to understand the calm.

  “How do you do that?” Elijah asked quietly.

  Hokori opened his eyes. “Do what?”

  “Look like you’re not about to throw up.”

  A faint smile tugged at Hokori’s mouth. “I’ve done this a long time.”

  “Does it ever get easier?”

  “No,” Hokori said. “But you get stronger.”

  Elijah wasn’t sure if that was comforting or terrifying.

  A booming voice echoed throughout the area.

  WELCOME WELCOME TO THE 67TH ANNUAL LIGHTWAVERS COMPETITION – CELEBRATING THE 875th ANNIVERSARY OF OUR NATION FALLENTOP.

  He then list off the names of teams competing

  In the competition one by one- when he gets to the Sky Anvil and Stargaze the crowd erupts

  Cheers and screams rush from one end of the arena to the other.

  “Riders, prepare for Round One — the Trick Showcase!

  Casey clapped Hokori on the back. “Go show them. why they never forgot us.

  Aidan grinned. “Break a leg. Preferably someone else’s.”

  Stella handed Hokori his board. “You’re up first.”

  Hokori nodded once.

  Then he looked at Elijah.

  Not with pressure.

  Not with expectation.

  With something steadier.

  Grounding.

  “You’ll be fine,” Hokori said. “Just watch. Learn. Breathe.”

  Elijah swallowed. “Right.”

  The tunnel lights shifted from blue to white.

  The gate began to rise.

  The roar of the arena surged like a tidal wave.

  Hokori stepped forward, silhouette framed by blinding light.

  And for the first time since arriving in Fallentop, Elijah understood:

  This wasn’t just a competition.

  This was Hokori’s world.

  And it was waking up.