Kai stepped into the Glow Academy courtyard, their small footsteps echoing against the luminous stone. A flash of red-orange light burst past—another student streaked through the archway, aura crackling like lightning trapped in a jar.
Kai's own aura rippled outward—pink, blue, and green blending in soft waves. The wild sparks of the other student suddenly calmed, settling into a steady hum. Kai pulled their hands back, surprised, as the courtyard fell silent.
Later that week, a third student crashed into the courtyard, stomping hard. Their yellow-green aura surged outward in jagged bursts, knocking books flying off a nearby stone bench.
Kai reached out before thinking, and their pink-blue-green aura flowed forward like warm water. It smoothed the sharp edges of the yellow-green storm until the student stopped, staring down at their own hands in wonder.
Then came a terrible crack. A fourth student charged through the main hall, violet aura exploding outward. A stained-glass window shattered behind them, colored shards raining down like frozen rain.
Kai froze for one heartbeat. Then they stepped forward anyway, arms wide, pushing their aura out in a huge circle. The pink-blue-green light washed over the violet storm, and the furious pacing slowed to gentle steps.
The broken glass sparkled on the floor. 'Thank you,' the violet student whispered, and walked away quietly, their aura now a steady, gentle glow.
The day of the Big Lumina arrived. The entire courtyard filled with students whose auras flared uncontrollably—reds and yellows and violets all crackling and colliding. Kai stepped onto the central platform and threw both arms wide.
A wave of pink-blue-green light erupted from Kai, wider and brighter than anything the academy had ever seen. It spread across the courtyard like a blanket, and every wild color softened, merging into one gentle unified shimmer.
After that, Kai stood near the courtyard archway each afternoon. When a student's aura began to spike, they simply walked over and let their light ripple outward. The other children lined up, waiting for Kai's calm glow—and Kai's own aura shone steady and bright.