The night before the final exam, Eryndor couldn't sleep. The Barracks were quieter than usual, The weight of the Intent Projection Challenge pressed down on him, a heavy shroud of doubt. He had passed the first two trials through sheer intellect and meticulous observation, but this one felt different, almost impossible for someone without magic.
Finn, sensing his roommate's unease, stayed up with him, whispering theories about mental pathways and focus, recalling dark legends of monks who could affect the world with pure thought. "It's not about having mana, Eryndor," Finn insisted, "it's about directing it. They say a strong enough will can bend the very fabric of reality, even without a spell." He made it sound hopeful, but Eryndor still felt hopeless, How could he direct something he couldn't even feel?
The final summons came at mid-morning, a single, deep, prolonged chime that vibrated through the entire Academy grounds. The air, already charged, now felt almost crackling with potential.
They were led to the Arena of Manifestation, a vast, circular chamber located beneath the highest spires of the Academy. Its walls were smooth, dark stone, etched with shimmering wards that pulsed with faint, internal light. The ceiling was a massive, domed skylight, allowing the full intensity of the morning sun to stream in, illuminating the center of the arena.
In the very heart of the circular space, resting on a pedestal of polished obsidian, was the test itself: a single, shimmering sphere of pure, undulating light, about the size of Eryndor head. It pulsed softly, a miniature sun of raw, untamed magic, a visible manifestation of pure mana.
The three white-bearded Proctors from the first exam sat on an elevated platform, their gazes sweeping over the assembly of nervous candidates. Kaiden, the senior student, was also present, standing beside them, his expression as gloomy as ever.
"Candidates, welcome to your final trial exam, The Intent Projection Challenge," the lead Proctor announced, his voice reverberating through the vast arena. "This trial assesses your mental fortitude, your focus, and your ability to impose your will upon pure magical energy."
He gestured towards the luminous orb. "You will approach the construct one by one. You are not to use any spells or incantations. You are simply to project your will, your intent, towards the orb. Make it respond to your command. You have five minutes."
One by one, the candidates approached. Some closed their eyes, gritting their teeth in concentration, their hands trembling as they tried to push their will towards the orb. Some managed to make it pulse brighter, a few made it dim slightly, and one or two even caused it to float a few inches off its pedestal. Most, however, failed to produce any discernible effect, their faces flushing with frustration as the orb remained stubbornly inert.
Eryndor watched Darius stride confidently to the center. Darius closed his eyes, his whole body tensing. A visible ripple of magical energy radiated from him, flowing towards the orb. The sphere pulsed violently, blazing with dazzling intensity, and then, with a sharp crackle, it shot upwards, hovering a foot above the pedestal before gently settling back down. A murmur of impressed gasps went through the crowd. Darius smirked, glancing pointedly at Eryndor section. "I see, maybe I am stronger than everyone here, " he thought with a prideful smirk.
A guy named was called, "Van Leon Bryce, " he walked up to the center staring at the orb with resplendent light and sturdy aura emanating from the orb, he tilted his head like a Psycho and whispers filled the crowd, the black haired boy with black marks crossing his eyes, black marks were rare, it was seen on people who had immense magic, he hesitated trying to take his magic so it wouldn't break the orb, and with a blink of an eye the orb started glowing it's enormous light, and settled on the air, series of gasps came out of the lips of crowd, the light instead the emanated from the orb instead of reducing it's brightness it's light became more drastic, the glittering orb started getting bigger and cracked lines stared becoming visible in the orb, he tamed his power harder and the orb got back to its original state descending down to its pedestal and he left, the enormous power left the proctors in shock and also the Acranums students whose eyes were wide, since they got to the high rank level they haven't seen such puissant magic for a enrolling students, the boy was
The crowd was left agape by the enormous magic the student with black marks exhibited, their head and eyes tailing with his body, as he walked to his section for people that are done, his aura was cold and gloomy, his face gloomy and his black hollow eyes observed where he was walking to.
Darius who just saw his performance got shock, one of his brow slightly raised as his smirk falter, his brows furrowed in disappointment, squinting his eyes on the guy walking towards them.
The proctor then cleared his throat to get everyone attention called out a name, "Julianne Wilder. "
A girl with blonde hair that was styled in ponytail, cascading down her back as it swings behind with her every footstep, her blue eyes hovering around the orb that was in the pedestal, she strides toward it and she stepped a few inches away from it not to make her energy shatter the gleaming orb, she stared at it, and in a second the orb started emitting it's bright light casting shadows of the people, with a gush of wind beneath it, it rose up descending it's light upon the people on the ground, they were stunned because of the magic and it was coming from a girl, her blue knee length jacket was unblemished with golden embroidery designs, her concealed blue jacket with golden buttons, her red tie vivid her blue skirt was almost covered by her jacket, her dress code just like the other female students.
Everyone where shock, her powers was extraordinary, where was she from, by the look of her designed uniform she was from a wealthy and powerful family, as the orb desended she departed and their eyes tailed behind her back, still stunned by the imperial magic that was just exhibited.
"She is powerful, how can a female hold so much powers, shit! What if this girl were to get to the Acranums class first, she is so beautiful to hold so much powers, I thought the feisty ones were more powerful than the delicate ones, " his eyes narrowed through the crowd settling in the girl whose hand was entwined backwards, her hair slightly disheveled by the gush of wind. When she turned to glance at him, he swiftly turned away and the girl whose brows were raised after observing the crowd and realized no one looked at her.
"I definitely felt someone watching me, " a bit disappointed that she was unable to find the person that was watching her.
"That was close, she is so beautiful, " a gentle smile replaced his twisted lips and took a brief glance of the petite figure standing poised with a calm face.