An hour had passed, and all the students gathered in the grand main hall of Roswaltz Academy. The tall stained-glass windows cast soft light across the marble floor, and in the center stood a large crystal pulsing faintly with magic.
"Everyone, form a line," Ms. Tina called out, her heels clicking sharply against the floor as she stepped forward.
Vanessa looked at the massive crystal with wide eyes. It glowed gently, as if waiting.
"Does anyone know what this big crystal is used for?" Ms. Tina asked, turning to face the students.
There was a long silence until a familiar voice spoke.
"Yes, Elliot?" Ms. Tina said.
Vanessa groaned under her breath. "Ugh, it's that golden-haired jerk again…"
"It's a crystal that evaluates our magic and reveals our attribute," Elliot answered confidently.
"Correct!" said Ms. Tina with a proud smile.
She faced the class and gestured toward the crystal. "Each of you will approach the crystal, pour a small amount of your magic into it, and your attribute will be revealed in glowing letters. Now, let's begin. You there, what's your name?"
"A-Angela," the girl replied nervously.
"Come forward and channel your mana into the crystal."
Angela stepped up, placing her hand gently on the surface of the crystal. It began to glow brightly, and shimmering letters formed in the center.
"Wind," they read.
"Perfect. A wind attribute," Ms. Tina said, handing Angela a slip of paper. "Take this and return to your dorm."
One by one, students stepped forward and had their attributes revealed. Fire. Earth. Water. Lightning. One even had light.
Then, it was Vanessa's turn.
She swallowed hard and approached the crystal. Her heart pounded as she placed her hand on the cool surface. Taking a breath, she let her magic flow.
The crystal began to pulse.
Letters slowly began to form, glowing faintly. Vanessa leaned in to read them.
"Thread."
Her face dropped.
"What? Seriously? Thread? That sounds so... useless," she thought, her chest tightening with disappointment.
"Next," Ms. Tina called out without sparing Vanessa a glance.
Vanessa lowered her head and walked quietly back to her room.
Fifteen minutes later, Amber returned. She spotted Vanessa sitting on her bed, looking down at the floor.
"You alright?" Amber asked gently, setting her papers down.
Vanessa gave a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just... got the Thread attribute. It feels kind of lame compared to everyone else."
Amber sat beside her, her white hair catching the light. "Don't say that. I think Thread might be powerful. Maybe people just don't understand it yet."
Vanessa glanced at her. "You really think so?"
Amber nodded. "Of course. Besides, it's not the attribute that makes someone strong. It's the way they use it. Magic is only as strong as the person behind it."
Vanessa felt something shift inside her. The weight of doubt lessened just a little.
"Thanks, Amber. That actually makes me feel better."
Amber smiled. "Anytime."
Vanessa tilted her head. "So, what's your attribute?"
"Ice," Amber said simply. "I think it suits me."
Vanessa's eyes lit up. "Wow. Ice sounds really strong."
Amber laughed. "Maybe, maybe not. But just like I said, what really matters is how we use what we're given."
Vanessa smiled for real this time. "Yeah. You're right."