On the outside of the door, thirteen-year-old Taniguchi Yukito sits on the floor against the wall. Hearing the agony and pain is too much for his young heart to bear. Even in his youth, he is well-schooled, leagues ahead of his classmates. Putting two and two together, he correctly assumes that they will be doing whatever is happening in there to him next.

As Alexander approaches the young boy, a vibrant purple light protrudes from underneath the doors. “Are you alright?” Alexander asks.

With tears in his eyes, Taniguchi looks up at him, shakes his head, and remains silent. As Alexander sits beside him, the young boy’s trembling voice breaks the short silence. “I-I am-m sca-ared,” he admits, his words barely audible over the sounds of anguish emanating from beyond the doors.

Placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, Alexander’s expression is filled with empathy for him, reminding him of the countless soldiers at Fort Benning, many experiencing the same feelings at least once. “I understand,” he says softly, “but you can be stronger than you think. Bravery isn’t just about not feeling fear; it’s about facing that fear head-on, even when every fiber of your being tells you to run. You have the courage within you to endure this fear, I promise.”

Sniffling and wiping away his tears, he looks up at Alexander with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, “Do you really think so?” he asks, his voice still wavering.

“Absolutely,” Alexander replies with unwavering confidence, “And I’ll be right there with you every step of the way. Together, we’ll get you through this.” Alexander isn’t admitting it to him, but he has put it together as well; the last two that had entered screamed in pain, and he could hear them from half the castle away. Whatever they were brought here for, this is part of it, and like everything else in his life, he just needed to get through it.

Inside the chamber, the purple light finishes emitting from the Auricrystal. Yet, the pain continues coursing through Cameron’s body, as the magical energy continues to surge between his wrist and head. He begins shaking violently as the Auricrystal finishes poking into him. 

When it is over, he takes a seat next to the stand and holds his mouth, attempting to stop himself from vomiting. Queen Frederica looks upon him pleased, not just because he had to suffer more than the other three conscious other-worlders but because of the gift bestowed upon him. Looking up at Oleras, who is curiously looking back down at his eyes, which have turned into an intense shade of glowing neon purple. That isn’t the only physical change he experienced; the curly, inky black hair that once sat upon his head has been replaced with a ghostly white shade. A testament to an Essence Reader’s nature.

Spook appears as a ball of light near Ilina’s head, “So, what kind of Essence Reader do you think he is?” He asks. Eyeing him with a disgruntled look, suggesting to the ghost that he knows when others are present, she will ignore him. “What? Am I just to remain silent because people are around?” Nodding slightly to not raise suspicion. “You can’t stop me. Here, I’ll go take a closer look.”

Passing through the others, he wanders closer toward the center of the room and examines the wrist alongside Oleras, who just feels a bundle of thoughts and a cold patch of air next to him. Returning to Ilina’s side, Spook quickly and excitedly informs her, “Just another boring Seer, nothing too exciting.”

As Spook finishes making his remarks, Oleras announces the same to the crowd, half of whom have already accepted their lost wager, and a few remaining holdouts becoming frustrated that they, too, lost the bet.

“Perhaps he can learn some manners by studying the rest of our minds.” Queen Frederica jests as the noblemen begin laughing at the young man’s expense. Feeling rather embarrassed, Cameron notices Katō and Arai with a few vacant seats near them and wanders to them to sit as the laughter dies down at the bequest of the Queen.

Outside the banquet hall, Alexander and Taniguchi talk about themselves and where they are from. Taniguchi still wears the expression of someone sitting in the waiting room of the dentist officer for the first time while listening to the other patients expressing their pain. “Don’t worry,” he whispers to the young boy, trying to reassure him. I’m certain it, whatever it is, will only hurt a little.”

A butler approaches them and informs them they are ready for the next one. Alexander rises to his feet, helping the boy to his, “So, do you want to go first, or do you want me to–”

The butler cuts Alexander off, “Apologies, Sir, but Lord Otwin has requested for the boy first.” Alexander looks back down at Taniguchi, trying to reassure him. “It’ll be over before you know it.” The door opens, and Taniguchi is ushered into the banquet hall with the others, leaving Alexander alone in the corridor.

As Taniguchi approaches, Queen Frederica doesn’t immediately ask for his name. Perhaps she is still put off by the poor presentations that both Arai and Cameron displayed, or maybe she is just growing bored of the current events, wanting to move on to something else, anything else. Nevertheless, Taniguchi stiffly bows, presenting himself rather well for his age. He only shakes slightly from the fear of what he can imagine they have planned to do to him. 

Gently, Oleras bends down to him, softly requesting, “Why don’t you go ahead and tell Her Majesty your name, Master Yukito.”

Timidly, he looks up at the Queen before darting his eyes back down to not show any kind of disrespect toward her. “I am Taniguchi Yukito, of Kaidei Junior High, mam–Your Majesty.”

Smiling down at the boy, Queen Frederica places a fan in front of her face before speaking, “Good. Very good. Oleras, if you would please?”

Ilina approaches the boy and offers him her hand to hold onto during the channeling, knowing how painful it can potentially be. Eagerly taking the hand, Taniguchi holds onto it like his very life depends on it. Adjusting the device to fit his small wrist, Oleras delays starting the process long enough, handing the boy the leather strip and instructing him to bite it. Pressing the button on the top, the mechanism again whirls to life. Taniguchi begins nervously fidgeting as he grips Ilina’s hand; the fear he is experiencing is almost palpable enough to slice with a knife.

The Auricrystal’s core lights up with a swirl of dancing orange, gray, blue, and green lights. Clenching his teeth, Taniguchi feels the pain beginning to run its course as the orange, blue, and green lights dissipate, only leaving the gray lights dancing around his body in an electrifying pattern.

Static begins to build between those closest to the young boy as the energy swirls from the air around them into the Auricrystal’s core and into the boy’s small frame, causing his legs to shake violently. Ilina attempts to reassure him, “It is almost done, just a little longer now.”

She knows all too well that Tempestcallers go through one of the most painful channelings, unlike any other gifted except for Luminators. Unluckily for him, however, she is correct. After some time, the device stops, leaving a rune with an angular swirl in the center, similar to the one that Itō has. Still, instead of a fireball, it is a rune shaped like storm clouds with lightning firing from the bottom of them.

Taking a breath of relief as he examines the rune, Oleras exclaims, “We have ourselves a Tempestcaller, Your Majesty.” The room politely applauds, every nobleman present having lost this wager, seeing that this may be a rarer type of magic, not common in these parts.

Relieved that it is over and remembering Alexander’s words, Taniguchi, grateful he braved his fears, slumps down as Oleras loosens the Auricrystal’s straps. Ilina shows him more affection than she is willing to show her fiance, who jealously looks on. Opening his eyes and looking around, his irises have changed, like all those before him, except his have turned to a vibrantly electric gray.

Queen Frederica stares down at Oleras, asking, “How many more are there, you old cod?”

“Just one more, Your Majesty. I believe he is waiting out in the hall. I’ll have him brought in.” He responds, having the butler in the hall notify Alexander that it is his time to enter.

A moment later, the door swings open, and Alexander walks in. All eyes are on him as he slowly scans the room, examining every detail.