Miraclist (Tales of Orsidia)

Daniel is an orphan with a prestigious and ghastly past-a past he knows nothing about. He is the last surviving member of the royal family, the rest of whom were murdered by the monk-turned-politician, Specula Greavus. With the Empire on the brink of civil war, the search for the world's greatest warrior has begun. When Daniel discovers he is a Miraclist, able to bend water to his will, he is plucked from his dilapidated orphanage and thrust into a school of heroes in-training. After years of honing his abilities, he is finally accepted into the Imperial University to continue his education. But first, he and his friends must battle in the Grand Investiture: a fierce competition to select a new champion for the Empire. Now, Daniel is fired by a single passion: to rise above his blemished past and prove he is the hero the Empire needs.