The Hundredth Ascendant Exam
Four days later.
Axiom woke up early.
The morning was quiet.
The sun had barely risen.
The world still felt half asleep.
As he stepped outside to check the mailbox before heading to school, he immediately noticed something unusual.
A black envelope.
Simple.
Elegant.
Heavy.
The moment he saw the symbol stamped into the wax seal, his expression changed.
The Dama Authority.
For several seconds he simply stared at it.
Then he picked it up.
Opened it.
And read.
To Candidate Axiom Black,
You have been identified as a potential participant in the upcoming Hundredth Ascendant Examination.
Attendance is voluntary.
Registration is not mandatory.
However, should you choose not to participate this year, future invitations will continue to be sent annually until participation has occurred.
The Hundredth Ascendant Examination will begin in two months.
We strongly encourage attendance.
Sincerely,
The Dama Authority
Axiom lowered the letter.
Silent.
Thinking.
Professor Leo had been right.
They had been watching.
Not just him.
Watching all of them.
Evaluating.
Observing.
Waiting.
Axiom wasn't angry.
If anything—
He felt relieved.
The letter confirmed something important.
He wasn't imagining things.
His path was real.
The world Leo had shown him was real.
And now—
It was calling him forward.
He folded the letter.
Placed it carefully inside his school bag.
And headed toward campus.
His phone buzzed halfway there.
The group chat.
The one Callie had created.
The name was still ridiculous.
The Forever Four
Nobody had been allowed to change it.
Especially not Axiom.
The newest messages appeared.
Callie:
Guys.
What the hell is the Dama Authority?
Cammy:
I got a weird letter too 😊
Beth:
Please tell me I'm not the only one who received this.
Axiom blinked.
Then smiled.
Of course.
A second later another message appeared.
Callie:
WAIT.
YOU GOT ONE TOO?!
Cammy:
😳
Beth:
Okay that's officially concerning.
Axiom laughed quietly.
Then began typing.
Axiom:
I'm not surprised.
The chat immediately exploded.
Callie:
WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT SURPRISED?
Beth:
You know what this is?
Cammy:
Captain knows something 👀
Axiom smiled.
Then typed again.
Axiom:
Yes.
Three dots appeared instantly.
Then disappeared.
Then reappeared.
Then:
Callie:
EXPLAIN.
NOW.
Beth:
Please explain.
Cammy:
Pretty please 😊
Axiom could practically hear their voices through the screen.
Callie demanding answers.
Beth trying to remain logical.
Cammy simply curious.
He sent another message.
Axiom:
After school.
Meet me under the roof garden.
All three of you.
I'll explain everything.
Silence.
For exactly three seconds.
Then:
Callie:
You know...
I hate mysterious anime protagonist behavior.
Axiom:
You'll survive.
Callie:
I WILL NOT.
Cammy:
😂
Beth:
He's enjoying this.
Callie:
HE IS.
Axiom:
Maybe.
Callie:
I'M GOING TO THROW A BASKETBALL AT YOU.
Cammy:
Can I watch? 😊
Beth:
Can I take notes?
The group chat descended into chaos.
Axiom put his phone away.
Still smiling.
For the first time since receiving the letter, the pressure in his chest eased.
Because now he knew.
He wouldn't be entering this new world alone.
At the same time—
Across the city—
Three other young women were reacting very differently.
Callie sat in class.
Staring at the envelope.
"What do you think it is?"
She whispered.
Her leg bounced under the desk.
Excitement.
Curiosity.
Challenge.
Callie wasn't scared.
If anything—
The unknown excited her.
Meanwhile Cammy sat quietly in another classroom.
Reading the invitation again.
And again.
And again.
Unlike Callie—
Cammy wasn't excited.
She was curious.
Deeply curious.
Because for some reason—
The words in the letter felt familiar.
Like they were connected to something she'd felt her entire life but never understood.
And Beth?
Beth was currently researching.
Of course she was.
Three browser tabs.
Then ten.
Then twenty.
Nothing.
Almost no information existed online.
Which somehow made it even scarier.
And more interesting.
By lunchtime—
Beth had written two pages of theories.
Most of them completely wrong.
But Axiom would never know that.
And far away—
Inside a dark office building belonging to the Dama Authority—
Four names were highlighted on a screen.
Axiom Black.
Callie Hart.
Cammy Reyes.
Beth Summers.
One examiner looked at the list.
Raised an eyebrow.
Then smiled.
"The Hundredth Exam is going to be interesting."
Neither Axiom nor the girls knew it yet.
But after school—
Under the rooftop garden—
Their ordinary lives were about to begin changing forever.
The rest of the school day felt unusually long.
For Axiom, every class seemed to drag.
Not because he wasn't paying attention.
Not because he wasn't interested.
But because he knew what was waiting after school.
The conversation.
The truth.
The moment where everything changed.
Halfway through his animation class, while Professor Harris was explaining a new Blender assignment, Axiom quietly pulled out his phone and sent Professor Leo a message beneath the desk.
Axiom:
I got the invitation.
A few moments later the response came.
Professor Leo:
I expected as much.
Axiom hesitated before typing again.
Axiom:
Callie, Cammy, and Beth got one too.
There was a longer pause this time.
Long enough that Axiom wondered if Leo had become busy.
Then finally another message appeared.
Professor Leo:
Beth as well?
That surprised him.
Axiom could practically imagine the professor rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Callie and Cammy made sense.
They were obvious candidates.
Natural talents.
Natural Dama users.
Even if they didn't know it.
Beth was different.
Professor Leo had mentioned before that Dama manifested differently in different people.
Maybe the Authority had seen something neither he nor Axiom had noticed yet.
Eventually another message appeared.
Professor Leo:
Can you teach them?
Axiom stared.
Then quickly replied.
Axiom:
That's what I wanted to ask you.
The answer came immediately.
Professor Leo:
Honestly?
Of all the students I've ever trained, you're one of the best.
Axiom blinked.
That wasn't what he'd expected.
Professor Leo:
You understand Dama more naturally than most Ascendants.
You've mastered concepts people spend years struggling with.
If anyone can explain it to them, it's you.
If you need help, call me.
But yes.
I trust you.
For some reason those words hit harder than Axiom expected.
Trust.
Coming from Professor Leo.
That meant something.
After another moment he typed again.
Axiom:
Can you come to the rooftop meeting?
At least at the beginning?
Just so they know this is serious.
And maybe answer questions.
The response came almost instantly.
Professor Leo:
I'll be there.
When the final bell rang, Axiom headed straight toward the rooftop.
The late afternoon sun painted the campus gold.
The rooftop garden was quiet.
Peaceful.
Wind drifted lazily through the flowers planted around the perimeter.
Axiom sat cross-legged near the center of the rooftop.
Eyes closed.
Breathing steady.
Meditating.
Not because he needed to.
But because he wanted his thoughts clear.
Today mattered.
A lot.
For nearly twenty minutes he sat there.
Until eventually he heard the rooftop door open.
Three sets of footsteps.
Callie.
Cammy.
Beth.
He recognized them immediately.
Their footsteps had become familiar.
The girls stepped onto the roof together.
Then stopped.
Professor Leo stood near the edge of the rooftop with his hands behind his back.
Quietly looking over the campus below.
The sight immediately caught Callie's attention.
"Wait."
She pointed.
"That's him."
Cammy recognized him too.
"The professor."
"The one who took Axiom away that day."
Beth looked between them curiously.
Professor Leo gave them a small nod but remained silent.
Allowing Axiom to lead.
The girls turned.
Axiom slowly opened his eyes.
The meditation ended.
The moment had arrived.
He stood up and walked toward a nearby bench.
Then dragged another bench across from it.
"Sit."
The girls exchanged glances.
Then obeyed.
Callie sat first.
Cammy beside her.
Beth beside Cammy.
All three looked curious.
And slightly nervous.
Axiom took a deep breath.
For the first time since awakening Dama, he found himself unsure where to begin.
There was so much to explain.
Years worth of hidden truths.
A secret world.
A secret power.
A secret future.
Eventually he decided to start at the beginning.
"The day I got into the fight with Ian."
The girls immediately focused.
Axiom looked toward the horizon.
Remembering.
"The day in the cafeteria."
He told them everything.
The bullying.
The punches.
The fear.
The moment something inside him broke open.
The pressure in his chest.
The heat.
The sensation of a locked door opening somewhere deep inside his body.
As he described it, Callie and Cammy slowly began looking at each other.
Recognition appearing in their eyes.
Axiom noticed immediately.
"You've felt that before."
It wasn't a question.
Callie slowly nodded.
"A little."
Cammy looked surprised.
"I thought it was normal."
Axiom smiled faintly.
"That's exactly what I thought."
Then he finally said the word.
"Dama."
The rooftop became silent.
"Dama is the energy of the soul."
The girls listened carefully.
"It exists inside everyone."
"But only some people ever awaken it."
He explained what Professor Leo had taught him.
The different stages.
The different paths.
The concept of Naturals.
People born unusually close to awakening.
People whose instincts naturally touched Dama even before they knew it existed.
Then he looked directly at Callie.
"You."
Callie pointed at herself.
"Me?"
"You crush basketballs when you're emotional."
Callie immediately looked embarrassed.
Cammy burst out laughing.
Beth covered her mouth.
"I forgot about that."
"It exploded!"
"It was one basketball!"
"It exploded!"
Axiom smiled.
Then looked toward Cammy.
"And you."
Cammy tilted her head.
"What about me?"
"You predict things."
"The ball bounces."
"The movement of players."
"Openings on the court."
Cammy slowly blinked.
"I thought everyone did that."
Professor Leo finally spoke.
"No."
His voice made all three girls jump slightly.
"No, Miss Reyes."
He turned toward them.
"Most people absolutely do not."
The realization slowly settled in.
Callie leaned back against the bench.
Cammy stared at her hands.
Neither knew what to say.
Axiom then looked toward Beth.
The hardest one.
The one he understood the least.
Beth noticed.
"You don't know what mine is."
Axiom shook his head.
"No."
Beth sighed.
"That's reassuring."
"It doesn't mean you don't have Dama."
Professor Leo stepped forward.
For the first time leaving his position overlooking the campus.
He stopped beside Axiom.
Looking at the three girls.
"The Dama Authority doesn't make mistakes when it comes to invitations."
His voice carried absolute certainty.
"If you received that letter."
"Then they saw something."
Something in Beth's eyes changed.
Curiosity.
Excitement.
A little fear.
And maybe—
For the first time—
Wonder.
The kind that appears when a person realizes the world is much bigger than they thought.
Axiom could see it happening in all three of them.
The same realization he'd experienced months ago.
The same feeling.
The same impossible truth.
Their lives weren't ordinary.
And they never had been.
The invitation hadn't opened a door.
It had simply revealed one that had been there all along.
The rooftop garden grew quiet after Axiom finished explaining the basics of Dama.
The afternoon breeze moved through the flowers planted around the edge of the rooftop. Students could be heard far below on the campus grounds, completely unaware that four young people sitting on a rooftop were discussing a hidden world that existed right beside their own.
Axiom leaned forward slightly.
"The invitation says the exam is in two months."
The girls nodded.
All three had their letters with them.
For the first time since receiving them, the reality of it all was beginning to settle in.
Two months.
That wasn't very long.
Especially if what Axiom had described was true.
Axiom continued.
"Which is why I think it's best that all three of you awaken your Dama before the exam."
Beth adjusted her glasses.
"Awaken."
The word sounded strange coming out of her mouth.
Axiom nodded.
"Professor Leo explained to me that people who go into the exam already understanding Dama have a much easier time."
He looked toward the professor.
Professor Leo nodded in agreement.
"Very much so."
Axiom looked back toward the girls.
"I don't know exactly what the exam involves."
"Professor Leo hasn't told me everything."
Professor Leo smirked.
"You aren't supposed to know everything."
Callie immediately pointed at him.
"That sounds suspicious."
"It is."
Callie frowned.
"I don't like that answer."
Professor Leo looked entirely too amused by her reaction.
Axiom laughed before continuing.
"Regardless."
"Whether you're Naturals or not."
"Whether you've awakened already or not."
"I think entering the exam without understanding Dama would be a mistake."
His tone became more serious.
"So for the next two months..."
He looked at all three of them.
"We train."
Cammy's eyes widened slightly.
Beth looked thoughtful.
Callie immediately grinned.
Of course she did.
The moment training was mentioned she looked excited.
Axiom shook his head.
"I knew you'd react like that."
Callie pointed proudly at herself.
"I like winning."
Beth sighed.
"Somehow that doesn't surprise me."
Cammy giggled.
Axiom smiled before speaking again.
"And honestly?"
"I think all three of you can do it."
The girls looked toward him.
"I've seen what you're capable of."
"I've watched all of you."
His gaze moved toward Beth.
"You too."
Beth looked surprised.
"Me?"
"Yes."
He nodded.
"You received the invitation."
"The Authority saw something."
"So there is definitely something there."
Beth looked down at her hands.
For the first time, excitement mixed with uncertainty.
She had always been the most ordinary among the four.
Or at least that's what she thought.
Now she wasn't so sure.
Axiom noticed her expression.
"Don't worry."
"We'll figure it out."
The confidence in his voice caused her shoulders to relax slightly.
Then Axiom shifted the conversation.
"Actually."
"I've been thinking about what all of your paths might be."
Immediately Callie sat up straighter.
"Now this sounds fun."
Professor Leo chuckled quietly.
Axiom pointed toward her.
"Let's start with you."
Callie looked pleased.
"Obviously."
Beth rolled her eyes.
Cammy laughed.
Axiom continued.
"Everything about you points toward physical enhancement."
"Strength."
"Agility."
"Athletic control."
"The way you move on the court."
"The way you jump."
"The way you land."
"The way your body always seems to know exactly where it's supposed to be."
Callie slowly nodded.
That actually made sense.
Axiom continued.
"You have ridiculous body awareness."
"When you dribble, your balance is perfect."
"When you attack, your footwork is perfect."
"When you jump, you always know exactly how much force to use."
He smiled.
"I think Dama is already naturally amplifying those traits."
Callie tried to act cool about it.
The giant grin on her face ruined the attempt.
Axiom looked toward Cammy.
"And you."
Cammy immediately sat up.
"What about me?"
Axiom didn't hesitate.
"Intellect."
Cammy blinked.
"Really?"
"Definitely."
He nodded.
"You see things before they happen."
"You predict movement."
"You recognize patterns."
"You notice openings nobody else notices."
Professor Leo spoke up.
"he's right."
Everyone looked at him.
The professor folded his arms.
"Miss Reyes has one of the strongest natural analytical instincts I've ever seen."
Cammy looked genuinely shocked.
Axiom continued.
"Most people think you're reacting."
"But you're not."
"You're predicting."
Cammy slowly thought about it.
Then she realized.
He was right.
She wasn't reacting.
She was usually moving before things happened.
Almost like she already knew.
Axiom smiled.
"Dama probably enhances that naturally."
"And once you awaken it consciously?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if your analysis becomes ridiculous."
Cammy looked embarrassed.
Then pleased.
Then embarrassed again.
The combination was adorable.
Finally Axiom looked toward Beth.
Beth immediately straightened.
"Alright."
"What terrifying revelation do you have about me?"
Axiom laughed.
"Honestly?"
"I have no idea."
Beth looked offended.
"Wonderful."
Callie immediately burst out laughing.
Cammy nearly fell off the bench.
Axiom raised his hands.
"I'm serious."
"I can see your aura."
"I can feel your Dama."
"But unlike these two..."
He pointed toward Callie and Cammy.
"...your path isn't obvious."
Professor Leo nodded.
"I agree."
Beth looked between them.
"So neither of you know?"
"Not yet."
Axiom smiled.
"But that's actually exciting."
"Why?"
Beth asked.
"Because it means your specialty could be something completely unique."
For a moment nobody spoke.
The possibility settled into the air.
Then Professor Leo stepped forward.
"I believe that's enough theory for one day."
The girls looked toward him.
He smiled.
A rare thing.
"Now."
"The important part."
"The next two months."
He looked toward Axiom.
Then toward the girls.
"I am officially leaving your training in his hands."
The girls blinked.
Even Axiom looked surprised.
Professor Leo pointed directly at him.
"Whether any of you realize it or not..."
"He is already more than qualified."
Axiom immediately opened his mouth.
Professor Leo ignored him.
"He understands Dama exceptionally well."
"He understands each of you."
"And most importantly..."
The professor smiled.
"You trust him."
The girls looked toward Axiom.
Callie nodded first.
"Obviously."
Cammy smiled.
"I do."
Beth adjusted her glasses.
Then nodded as well.
"I trust him."
For a brief moment, Axiom didn't know what to say.
Professor Leo noticed.
Then laughed.
"Good."
He turned and began walking toward the rooftop exit.
Before leaving, he stopped.
Looking back one final time.
"The next time I see the four of you..."
His eyes gleamed.
"I expect all of you to have awakened."
Then he left.
The rooftop door closed behind him.
Silence followed.
Axiom looked at the three girls.
The three girls looked back at him.
For several seconds nobody spoke.
Then Callie slammed both hands onto the bench.
"Alright!"
She jumped to her feet.
"When do we start?"
Cammy immediately stood up too.
Beth sighed.
Then stood as well.
Axiom couldn't help smiling.
The next chapter of their lives had officially begun.