I woke up the next morning feeling fully healed, sleep really is the best medicine.
I headed towards the exit of the inn almost immediately, I had somewhere to be, somewhere important.
While leaving I didn't forget to tip the receptionist an extra bronze coin, it was a nice inn.
I slept in a warm and cozy bed and was served hot delicious food, I had no complaints.
I walked towards the center of Liberta, that's where the magical academies reside, but it's a pretty far walk to Castor as it's on the opposite side of me.
I ended up running there, and even then it took me the better part of an hour.
I passed by districts of houses and some academies on the way but they didn't look nearly as intimidating as the building or maybe castle? infront of me right now.
It was especially hard to miss, with the swarm of people heading in and out of the building.
But the people heading out looked a lot more distraught then the people walking in.
Nudging my way through the crowd I glanced up at the giant stone entrance I was passing under, engraved into the stone wall stated.
"CASTOR ACADEMY".
I'm finally here, I quickly realized I was standing infront of the entrance smiling like a retard.
So I walked foward, once again swallowed by the crowd.
Walking in, I couldn't help but marvel at the sights of the buildings and people.
Everything was so modern and colourful, I saw a place to buy adventure gear, a market for souvenirs and many more, the most eye catching was a giant fountain in the middle of the road where people were tossing coins in for good luck.
The amazing part about all of this, is that this isn't even the main campus, the campus is kilometers behind the entrance buildings.
But the three tests they run are here, I quickly paid the fee of 55 silver coins at the booth near the fountain, I quietly thanked the old man for the money in my head.
I continued to walk and sight see the campus, there was an Interessting mix of people as you walk around, there was nobles, you could tell by the rich over the top clothing that seemed utterly ridiculous.
And then the commoners like me, they had simple clothes like I was wearing, and some commoners and nobles parents were with them, to oversee them take the test or just wish them good luck.
There was also attendants of the nobles, And finally you had the students, they on the other hand had unique uniforms.
I saw one guy walking by me and I analyzed his outfit, he had a red blazer with a white collared shirt on the inside, on the blazer by the chest there was a simple emblem of a phoenix that was engraved chasing its own tail, he had black pants and black shoes.
Overall he looked nice, but it's nothing I'd ever expect myself to wear. It looked too nice, Like noble clothes, but less flamboyant.
But I knew I'd have to wear that outfit, or somthing like it if I wanted to attend Castor, so I'd better prepare myself mentally to look like a noble jackass.
I continued to walk around for a bit sightseeing before making my way towards testing sight, upon arrival I saw a long line with a stand at the front, there was two instructors with notepads beside the stand.
I waited in line patiently for twenty minutes before finally making it to the front.
The instructor looked me up and down, he was a tall man with dark brown hair and hazel eyes, he had strict eyebrows and a tall nose, he looked me up and down and spoke.
"I am professor Mckannan, I teach magical combat for first year students, the test you will be taking is very simple, you'll place your hand on the stand and push mana into it, that's all you have to do."
I looked at him and nodded, but I couldn't help but ask a question before starting.
"What does it measure?"
The teacher replied right away, I guess he's gotten this question quite a few times.
"It measures your age and what rank your in, aswell as how far into that rank you are."
I nodded,but internally I was shocked. They can get that information just from your mana?
That's so fascinating! I need to learn more about these magical devices when I enter the academy.
I put my hand on the stand and pushed my mana as hard as I could into it, shaking the platform a little bit.
Oh no, did I mess it up?
The professor cocked his eyebrows at me and said.
"Well lookey here, you've got quite the mana relationship, mhm very good. You must be dusk rank, sadly being a dusk rank mage doesn't mean much when your over the age limit, I'm sorry that we don't have a spot for you at Castor academy, we only take sixteen year olds for first years."
I looked at him for a second speechless.
How old do I look to these people?
"You should check the device professor."
He looked like he was about to argue with me before he checked the stand, and then his eyes opened to a terrifying degree.
"S-S-SSixteen?! And a twilight mage nonetheless …"
He looked me up and down.
"You certainly fooled me boy, you don't look your age at all, you must've lived a poor life untill now.
The good news is your potential is immeasurable, the relationship you hold with mana is second to none and unique to itself, the reason I mistook you for a dusk mage was because of the presence of mana you have.
While still being in the twilight stage, it's very impressive.You don't even have to take the second or third test since I'm giving you 5/5 stars, but you should for ranking rewards."
Why does everybody think I'm above eighteen? I don't really look that mature do I? I still have room to grow after all.
I gave him a smile.
"Thank you very much sir, I won't let you down."
He waved his hand at me.
"Now go away genius boy, I got other people to test."
I have to say I like genius boy more then rabid wolf, it sounds a little more peaceful.
I walked passed the stunned faces of the crowd and further behind the platform towards the second test, this one is simple but a lot of people still manage to fail it.
This time instead of a stand there was five targets set in a horizontal line, you just had to hit them and ideally destroy them in the best case scenario with magic, the instructor will grade you based on your preformance and give you a rating out of five.
I waited my turn patiently, this one didn't take as long as the previous line.
The five foot four female instructor with green hair and green eyes looked at me for a second and then pointed at the targets.
"Hit them, doesn't matter how many tries. Just hit all the targets with any kind of ranged magic."
I know I shouldn't show off, but I learned a new trick while practicing and I wanted to try it out.
I split my mind in two and focused on each of my hands, I compressed the mana and willed fire to envelop one of my hands while the other mana I guided freely and willed wind blades to be summoned.
I point my right hand at the farthest target to the right and my left hand to the farthest to the left, I shot two fire balls at the targets on the right side and two wind blades at the left most targets, the one in the middle I willed a pointed spike to rise from the ground and stab into the middle of the target.
Simultaneously the wind, fire and earth element attacks all hit their marks, with each target exploding into bits.
Finally done I looked at the professor.
She wasn't looking at me, just at the targets which are now decimated.
"How old are you?"
I replied in a polite tone.
"I'm sixteen years old mam."
I saw the surprise flash across her eyes but it quickly vanished.
"I very rarely give five stars in this test, their are three students who have received it this year, the princesses of the human and elven kingdom respectively, and the youngest prince of the elven kingdom. You are now the fourth to receive five out of five stars, congratulations, what's your name?"
"Sylas, no last name mam."
She nodded and wrote somthing down in her booklet.
"Goodluck on your final test Sylas."
"Thank you professor."
I briskly walked away, I now had 10/10 stars, I wonder if I can get an even fifteen, no it should be impossible, I don't think I've ever heard of a perfect score.
The final test was located at the Academy's colosseum. Yes I know, they have a fucking colosseum, rich bastards.
I made my way into the entrance and was greeted by the loud cheers of hundreds of students, I gusss they like spectating the third event? I still don't know what it is exactly.
I walked through before I met a man at the front desk of the entrance.
"You are here to take the third test correct?"
I nodded.
"Name and age?"
"Sylas, I am sixteen years old."
The man smirked a bit.
"Goodluck out there, and don't worry about it. You'll forget about this embarrassment sooner rather then later champ."
Embarrasment? What's he talking about.
"Well, wait till they announce your name on the voice amplifier, they'll announce your name and age, aswell as your previous scores, fight like your life depends on it kid, and don't hold back."
Fight? Who exactly am I fighting.
"Who am I fighting sir?"
"Your fighting senior students, I know it sounds bad, but it gets worse trust me. They decide who fights the first years, while the professors rank the student based on how long they last, or very rarely how they win. But considering your fighting a rank up, that almost never happens. After all it's a requirement to reach the dusk stage if you want to be a second year."
Shit, I'm fighting a senior student?
I freaked out for a second before realizing I don't have to win, just hold on long enough or impress the teachers. I can definetly do that.
I thanked the man at the counter before walking into the giant stadium, I took a seat and watched the senior students pummel the newbies for a full hour.
Eventually my name was announced, and with it some questioning voices appeared.
"Sylas, sixteen years old. He scored 5/5 on the first and second test, Sylas please make your way to the arena."
The arena buzzed a bit with voices.
"Did I hear that right? He got five stars on both tests, what kind of freak is he?"
More voices.
"Maybe he's a bastard of the Royal family?"
"Shut up you dolt, the princess is right infront of you."
Despite these voices I took my calm strides towards the arena, preparing myself mentally to fight my best.
POV ALICE RIVIDEN
"Sylas, sixteen years old. He scored 5/5 on the first and second test, Sylas please make your way to the arena."
I heard the voice amplifier roar, it was a little too loud for my taste.
Sylas, it was an odd name.
I don't think I've never heard of a Sylas among the nobles in Rividen, perhaps he's a bastard, or even a commoner?
No that seems even more outrageous, what kind of commoner scores 10/10 stars, I revieved 10/10 aswell but I'm royalty.
I watched as the man appearing to be five ten, maybe five eleven at most, walked towards the arena.
He had striking black hair with a single peice of red running through it, and dark eyes to match, he had straight eyebrows that seemed like swords, and eerily white skin.
Matched with his muscles visible through his clothes and his scars littering his body he had quite a striking figure.
He seemed to be in very good shape, perhaps he was a guard?
But he's too young.
The most intriguing part was the scars, his body seemed to be covered in scars, atleast the spots of open skin were. His hands and forearms were littered in scars, aswell as a big one that ran up the side of his neck.
Perhaps a mercenary.
He stood in the middle of the arena and unsheathed his sword, it was chipped to pieces, even the handle seemed to be falling apart.
He's certainly not a noble, no noble would have those scars, let alone carry a broken blade.
The instructor spoke once again before a older student volenteered to fight him, he was an experienced second year student, medium of the pack in ranking.
The man who decided to fight him was an elf. He was of similar height, maybe a tad taller, with blonde hair and green eyes.
He stood tall and said in a loud voice.
"I don't care what rating you got on previous tests, you better brace yourself for the beating your about to receive."
Sylas just nodded, seemingly uninterested.
This only served to piss the elf of more, the crowd instantly got loud taunting both the elf and Sylas, trying to get a reaction out of somebody, but before they could really say anything the instructor waved his hand and said.
"You may commence."
The elf instantly used a chant to shoot a strong gust of wind right away at Sylas, Sylas seemed interested in that process and watched it unfold.
The elf seemed inclined to beleive the wind would throw him off since he instantly followed it with his sword in hand.
Sylas waved his hand to the side and the gust rushed past him.
A series of "Ooo" and "Aaah" resounded in the crowd.
Nobody here missed what he just did, after all we are all magus, it was the ease of which he did it that suprised everyone.
And the lack of chant.
he created his own stream of wind that cut through the middle of the elf's spell in that split second.
It pushed the elf's mana to each side of him, and dispersed it calmly, that was very impressive to say the least.
Especially with the difference of twilight to dusk strength, the elf's spell was atleast three times stronger then his,maybe more and yet he countered perfectly.
Snapping out of my daze I focused on the fight.
The elf was already upon Sylas, striking at him with his sword.
Sylas seemed prepared, he side stepped the strike and swung his own sword directly as the elf's side, it seemed like an easily blockable strike as it was telegraphed very noticeably, but as the elf attempted to adjust his footing he suddenly lost his balance.
Sylas had manipulated the earth below his feet and made him lose his balance.
I wouldn't of done that, I would've just beat the elf with sword technique alone to show my superiority, it looks like he could've too.
Sylas stopped his sword just as it was about to strike and then lunged with his left fist directly at the elf's chin, he hit it cleanly and the elf got knocked out instantly.
Cheers erupted from the crowd as everyone chanted his name.
"Sylas! Sylas! Sylas!"
The announcer spoke right away.
"Sylas, congratulations you have received 15/15 stars, you are ranked first among the first years as of this moment."
First ranked, he seems like a tough nut to crack.
I thought this academy would be boring for the first couple years, but atleast somebody here will make this fun.
And then it was my turn.
Let's see if I can take first ranked.
"Miss Alice Rividen, age 16, she also received 5/5 on each test, please make your way towards the arena."
End of chapter 10