Chapter 10: The Academy Awaits
Morning sunlight filtered through the tall, ornate windows of Daniel’s new room. He stretched, still marvelling at how the Academy quarters felt both luxurious and intimidating. The fine embroidery on the curtains, the polished wooden floor, and the incredible craftsmanship of the furniture; it all served as a reminder that he wasn’t in a simple training camp anymore.
The faint sound of bustling activity outside snapped him out of his thoughts. Kana’s voice called through the thin door. “Daniel, get moving! We’ve got shit to do.”
He quickly dressed, fastening his bracelet – the same one he'd received from that sketchy merchant after the Thread Trials. It still felt foreign on his wrist, like it held secrets he hadn’t yet unravelled. When he opened the door, Kana was leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
“Took you long enough,” she teased, flashing a grin. “Ready to hit the library?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Daniel muttered, running a hand through his hair. “I say it’s time we find out what these things can do.”
As they made their way through the winding halls of the Academy, the energy around them was palpable. Other hopeful candidates moved with purpose, some already deep in discussions about strategies, while others appeared overwhelmed by the sheer scale of their surroundings.
The library was just as awe-inspiring as it had been the day before. Rows upon rows of ancient tomes stretched endlessly, and the faint scent of parchment hung in the air. A soft, magical glow illuminated the shelves, casting a serene light that made the space feel almost sacred.
“Alright, what’s the plan of action?”
Daniel Replied “I say we need to find out what they’re made of first. Then if nothing seems interesting – we should look for magical residue. Although it might be hard to get access to the right equipment, I'm sure we’ll figure something out.”
“Sounds good” Kana said, setting her sights on a nearby section labelled ‘The Natural World.’ “You take a look at the metals; I'll go for alloys. Let’s figure out what these bracelets are made of.”
Daniel nodded, heading to his assigned aisle. He scanned the spines of the books, his fingers trailing over the intricate lettering. “Rare Metals & Their uses” “The History of Gems Across Time” “Testing for Metals” he muttered, pulling the last one off the shelf.
He flipped through the pages, looking for any kind of silver metals which looked similar to the bracelet. He marked the pages as he went – there were a lot of contenders, Daniel was only a quarter of the way through the book, and he’d already found 12.
“Find anything?” Kana’s voice broke his focus. She was carrying two books, her excitement evident.
“Yeah, sort of,” Daniel replied, showing her the page. “I found about 30 different metals they could be made from, unless you haven’t found anything I say we just split and test them.”
Kana’s eyes lit up. “Wow, I’m surprised there are so many contenders! I found quite a few alloys. Once you’re done let’s switch. You never know, they might not be made of the same things.”
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“Yea, I mean I didn’t think about that. I’ll see you in a few hours then, good luck!”
***
They each spent the next 3 hours, immersed in their tests. Only occasionally popping over to check on one another. Finally, Daniel flipped the last page of the book which had been marked before heading back to Kana to switch books.
“Find anything?” Daniel asked.
“Yea, I think mine is made from Tannenite.” Kana replied excitedly.
“How did you figure that one, wasn’t your book only alloys?”
“Yea it was, but there was one alloy which is just the same as is used in batteries. You first check for the mana conductivity being at or above 6, then see how well it keeps it. Although it was a good conductor the mana dissipated pretty quickly.”
“I’m guessing the conductor part was the Tannenite then?”
“Exactly! Now try testing yours, if it is a battery, you could get at least 100 Aurs for it.”
“Yea they’re bloody expensive. You’d have to be a noble to afford one of them.”
Daniel started projecting his mana into the wristband, clearly strained.
“When do I stop?”
“The book says to keep going until you feel your mana push back – that’ll mean it’s full.”
After 3 minutes of the constant effort, Daniel started to feel faint. The bracelet vibrated harshly, causing red burn marks to appear around Daniel’s wrist.
“Daniel be careful, it’s not meant to take this long, you might hurt yourself!”
“Y-yeah… sure.” Daniel replied, strained in his voice as with his movements.
Panting, Daniel sat on a nearby chair. He took off the bracelet and grasped his wrist. The burns had torn through three layers of skin, the smell of charred flesh lingered in the air, brought upon by the blackened lumps which still sat, welded to the area around the wound.
“You need to see a doctor… NOW!” Kana cried, her teary eyes staring directly at the injury, wanting to look away, but unable to.
“Look it’s fine… is it a battery or not, what does it say?”
“Well… yea. None of the mana you projected into it has left. Even most batteries have at least an 80% efficiency but this… this is something else. It has an incredible capacity and an even better efficiency. I mean we’re looking at 100%, this is amazing. This is a one of a kind, I bet you could even get 100,000 Aurs for it at auction.”
“I could… but I should keep it. Who knows what people would do to get their hands on it. Anyway, this could be it… the thing which sets me apart.”
“Not everyone needs one of those, but if you insist… just be careful. Okay?”
“Sure. Anyway, let’s get going, it’s about time for lunch.”
“Uh-uh, you are NOT getting out of going to see the doctors, you’re coming with me.”
***
By the time they left the doctors, having bandaged up the gash on his wrist, the sun was high in the sky. The courtyard buzzed with activity as candidates practiced their spells and sparred under the watchful eyes of Academy staff. The sight was both inspiring and nerve-wracking.
“Think we should join them?” Kana asked, nodding toward a group engaged in a heated duel.
Daniel hesitated. “Maybe later. I still need to grab something to eat. And anyway, let’s stick to our plan. We need to be as prepared as possible.”
Kana smirked. “Alright, but don’t think you’re getting out of sparring. You still owe me a rematch after that embarrassing loss during the Trials.”
Daniel groaned. “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“Nope,” Kana replied, her grin widening.
***
The next two days passed in a blur of preparation. They divided their time between studying theory in the library, training in the practice grounds, practicing his use of the bracelet – now worn on the other wrist, and strategizing for the upcoming exam. Daniel couldn’t help but notice the tension building among the candidates. The stakes were high, and everyone knew it.
On the evening before the exam, the dining hall was unusually quiet. The usual chatter and laughter were replaced by hushed conversations and contemplative silence. Daniel sat with Kana, their plates barely touching.
“Hard to believe it’s finally here,” he said, staring at the Academy crest on the far wall.
“Yeah,” Kana agreed, her voice uncharacteristically soft. “But we’ve got this. We’ve come too far to fail now.”
Daniel nodded, though the weight of the moment pressed heavily on him. The Thread Trials had been challenging, but this was different. The Royal Magic Academy wasn’t just any goal – it was a dream. One they’d had ever since unlocking their affinities. And tomorrow would decide if they were truly worthy.