Kai woke to shock—a gasp ripped from his throat as freezing water splashed across his face, seeping into his clothes, chilling him to the bone.
Laughter erupted around him, high and cruel, echoing within the massive carriage like the jeering of specters. He blinked rapidly, disoriented, his breath hitching as his sluggish mind caught up with reality.
The nobles.
Of course, it was them.
He had fallen asleep despite his better judgment, exhaustion dragging him into restless slumber amidst the rumbling of the carriage wheels. But rest was a luxury he wasn't entitled to—not here, not among these people.
"Oh look, the rat finally woke up!" sneered one of the teenagers, a boy draped in fine silk, his golden cufflinks glinting under the dim lantern glow. "Enjoy your little bath, filth?"
Kai exhaled sharply, his fingers gripping the soaked fabric of his shirt. He could feel the water running down his skin, dripping onto the wooden floor beneath him. He swallowed his anger. He had been through worse.
"Guess it's only fair we clean up the trash before we get to the castle," another girl mused, her lips curved in amusement. She leaned forward, examining him as one might inspect an insect. "Wouldn't want them thinking we dragged some gutter rat in with us."
A chorus of laughter followed.
Kai kept his gaze down. He had learned long ago that eye contact was an invitation for more cruelty. Still, he could feel their scrutiny—their disdain radiating off them like heat.
Their clothes spoke of status, of privilege—tailored coats lined with exquisite embroidery, jewelry that shimmered when they moved. The entire carriage reeked of wealth, of everything Kai had never had.
And in contrast, he must have looked pitiful. His clothes caked in dried mud, his hair unruly from days of travel. He had never cared much for appearances, but here, it made him a target.
"You must be desperate," another boy scoffed, adjusting the emerald pin on his collar. "Applying for the Awakening Test? Hoping to miraculously become someone important?"
"Maybe he thinks he'll awaken and suddenly be worth something," the girl beside him added, giggling into her hand.
Kai clenched his jaw but said nothing.
They wanted a reaction. That was the game. If he lashed out, it would only amuse them further. He had grown up knowing how people like this behaved—how they fed on belittling those beneath them.
The boy with the golden cufflinks leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "You do realize what happens to rejects, don't you?" His voice was low, almost playful, yet laced with something cruel.
Kai did.
Those who failed the test—those who remained ordinary—were dismissed, forgotten. And worse, if they were poor, if they had nothing to their name, their chances of being cast aside completely were high.
Nobles who failed had families to fall back on, fortunes to cushion their fall. But people like Kai?
Failure was a sentence.
"I bet he gets kicked out before the test even starts," the girl murmured.
Kai inhaled deeply, forcing calm into his body. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction. He wouldn't break—not here, not now.
The carriage lurched slightly as it moved over a rough patch of road, and the nobles shifted, some gripping the leather handles along the walls to steady themselves.
For a brief moment, Kai thought about their lives—the ones they lived without struggle, without fear of being left behind. They had never felt hunger clawing at their insides, never worn the same clothes until they tore, never fought just to survive another day.
And yet they mocked him.
Perhaps they would awaken. Perhaps they would become something powerful.
But if Kai awakened, he swore—he would never become like them.
The laughter died down as their amusement faded, and eventually, they turned their attention back to their own conversations, letting him sit in silence, drenched and cold.
He shifted slightly, exhaling through his nose.
Soon, they would arrive at the castle. Soon, the test would begin.
Kai was ready.
No matter what they said, no matter how much they mocked him—he wouldn't let them win.
The carriage rumbled on, its heavy wheels rolling over the uneven cobbled roads leading to the castle. Inside, the atmosphere was thick with idle conversation—the nobles had grown bored of tormenting Kai and had shifted their attention elsewhere, gossiping about the upcoming test, whispering about the possibilities of awakening.
Kai remained silent, staring out the small window, watching the landscape shift from dense forests to the towering walls of the castle that loomed in the distance. It was grand—larger than anything he had ever seen, its spires clawing at the sky, its presence commanding.
He swallowed. This was it.
"Look at him," a voice sneered, dragging him back to reality. "I bet he won't even make it past the first phase."
Kai didn't react.
The nobles laughed again, but their voices were edged with their own uncertainty. No matter how cruel they were to him, deep down, they all felt it—that lingering fear. What if they didn't awaken? What if they weren't special?
For all their wealth, all their bloodlines, the test did not discriminate.
Kai tightened his fists. That was why he was here.
The carriage finally jerked to a halt, and the door was thrown open. A guard stood outside, his armor polished and gleaming in the lantern light.
"Step down," he commanded, voice firm.
The nobles exited first, stepping onto the stone-paved courtyard, their boots clicking against the ground. Kai followed, his movements slower, his clothes still damp from the earlier cruelty.
The castle gates loomed ahead, open wide, inviting them into the unknown.
Kai took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Whatever awaited him beyond those doors, he would face it.
And he would not fail.