The Shmidts gathered in their manor's sitting room, maps and documents scattered across the oak table. Leo traced his finger along the academy's layout while Elly paced behind the leather armchairs.
"Stop wearing holes in the carpet." Felix dropped into a chair. "You'll both pass the entrance exams."
"Easy for you to say." Elly twisted a strand of blonde hair. "You're not the one getting tested next week."
"A water mage and an earth mage." Greg smiled from his seat by the window. "The academy would be foolish to turn either of you away."
Elly paused her pacing. "But what if-"
"Enough." Leo's calm voice cut through her spiral of worry. "We know the requirements. Second circle knight minimum for regular students, any confirmed magic affinity for mages."
"And you're both well past those benchmarks." Felix grabbed a cup of tea. "They're desperate for combat mages anyway."
"That doesn't mean we should rely on desperation." Leo rolled up the academy maps.
Elly dropped into a chair beside him. "At least we don't have to wait long. Next week..."
"Will come soon enough." Greg stood and stretched. "For now, you both need rest. Wearing yourselves out with worry won't help."
"Your brother's right." Elen gathered the scattered papers. "You've prepared as much as possible."
The family dispersed, leaving Leo and Elly at the table. She turned to her younger family member, respect clear in her expression.
"Thank you. For all the training."
Leo nodded, his blue eyes thoughtful. "We'll face the exam together. That's what family does."
Dawn broke over the Shmidt manor as servants loaded the last bags into the carriages. Leo adjusted the leather straps of his flexible training gear - reinforced but light enough for complex movements. The earth-toned outfit matched his practical approach to the upcoming trials.
Elly emerged from the house in similar attire, though hers bore the blue-green colors favoured by water mages. Her hair was tied back in a tight braid, face free of the usual ornaments she preferred.
"The academy's testing grounds are through here." Greg pointed to a map spread across the carriage seat. "Combat trials take place in the eastern courtyard."
Elen climbed into the lead carriage, his formal attire a stark contrast to his children's practical gear. "The whole family will be watching from the observation gallery."
"Just what we need - an audience." Elly smoothed non-existent wrinkles from her outfit.
"Focus on the tests, not the spectators." Leo stretched his shoulders, the material of his training clothes moving seamlessly with each motion. "The gear should give us full range of movement."
The carriage procession wound through Merham's streets toward the towering spires of the military academy. Other noble families converged on the grounds, their own candidates dressed in everything from ornate formal wear to practical combat gear like the Shmidt siblings had chosen.
Felix leaned out the carriage window as they approached the academy gates. "Look at some of these outfits. At least our two had sense to dress for actual fighting."
"The academy values function over fashion." Greg nodded approval at Leo and Elly's choices. "Those in fancy silks will regret it once the physical trials begin."
The carriages pulled to a stop in the academy's main courtyard. Servants opened doors and gathered bags while other noble families milled about, trading greetings and sizing up the competition. The Shmidts moved as a unit toward the registration area, Leo and Elly's practical attire drawing both dismissive looks and thoughtful nods from the academy's staff.
Leo observed the crowd gathering in the academy's courtyard. Most wore simple clothes - wool tunics and leather boots that had seen better days. Children of minor nobles mixed with merchant's sons and craftsmen's daughters, all hoping for a chance at advancement.
"Look at their stances." Leo nodded toward a group of teenagers practicing basic sword forms. "Most haven't had proper training."
"Baron's children at best." Elly kept her voice low. "See how they hold their blades? Self-taught or village instructors."
A commotion near the registration tables drew their attention. A boy with auburn hair produced a small flame in his palm, drawing gasps from the crowd. His clothes marked him as minor nobility - decent quality but last season's cut.
"Fire affinity." Leo studied the boy's technique. "Raw talent, but unrefined. Can't tell if he's reached first circle yet."
The flame flickered and died as the boy's concentration wavered. His family crest - a fox and wheat sheaf - marked them as provincial landowners, far from the capital's power centers.
Near the practice dummies, a dark-haired girl caused a slight breeze to ruffle the targets. Her attempts at wind manipulation came in spurts, lacking the smooth control of trained mages.
"Another potential mage." Elly watched the girl struggle to maintain the air current. "But she's barely using her element right. It should be wind affinity."
"Two untrained mages among hundreds of applicants." Leo counted the gathering crowd. "Most here are hoping to qualify as knights, if they show any affinity at all."
The courtyard filled with nervous energy as more families arrived. Children as young as twelve stood alongside teenagers pushing eighteen, all watching the existing students drill with longing expressions. Their worn boots and calloused hands told stories of lives spent dreaming of something greater than their inherited stations.
A sharp blast from a horn cut through the courtyard chatter. The commander strode onto the raised platform, his decorated uniform gleaming in the morning sun. Behind him, the battlemage's robes rippled with barely contained magical energy.
"Parents and family members." The commander's voice carried across the grounds without effort. "Please proceed to the observation gallery. Testing will commence shortly."
The battlemage raised his staff, creating a shimmering path of light leading to the seating area. "Follow the illuminated route. You'll have clear views of all testing areas from there."
Elen clasped Leo's shoulder. "Show them what the Shmidts are capable of."
"You trained for this." Greg squeezed Elly's hand before following the crowd of adults.
Felix winked at his siblings. "Try not to embarrass the rest of us too badly."
The families filtered out, leaving the candidates shifting nervously in the courtyard. Some children clung to their parents until the last possible moment, while others stood tall with false bravado.
"Candidates, form ranks." The commander's voice cracked like a whip. "Those seeking knight evaluation to the left, mage applicants to the right. Generally, everyone will be checked for the ability to use magic, but because it is so rare most of the people that will go for the mage path knows they have the affinity for it."
Leo and Elly exchanged a final look before separating into their respective groups. The crowd of knight hopefuls dwarfed the handful of potential mages - barely twenty among hundreds.
The battlemage's eyes swept over the mage candidates, his expression unreadable. "Your abilities will determine your worth here. Nothing else matters within these walls - not your family name, not your connections, not your wealth."
"The same applies to knights." The commander paced before the larger group. "Power speaks louder than privilege. Talent cuts sharper than titles."
From the observation gallery, parents and siblings pressed against the railings. Some wrung their hands while others maintained carefully neutral expressions. The Shmidts stood together, watching their youngest members with a quiet confidence.
The morning sun climbed higher as the candidates waited for their trials to begin.