"Good morning, students," Chosen Lysandra greeted them in the inner courtyard, her Imperial regalia catching the morning light. "Today we begin your preparation for the Circle Ritual. Follow me." She turned and led them through an archway into a circular chamber. The room's stone walls curved upward to a domed ceiling, whilst plain wooden benches formed concentric rings around a central platform.
As they settled onto the benches, Lysandra strode to the centre. Her heel struck the floor with deliberate force—a sharp crack that echoed through the chamber. Leon's mana sight activated instinctively, and he immediately regretted it. The sheer volume of mana Lysandra was channelling made him wince, like staring directly into the sun. He squinted, forcing his sight to adjust.
A wave of her power rippled outward from where her foot touched the floor. Under her evocation, the stone floor beneath them transformed, becoming perfectly clear glass. Leon's breath caught in his throat. Below stretched a vast cavern, its walls glittering with countless tiny blue Tears embedded in the rock. But what drew his attention was the massive ritual circle etched into the stone floor beneath the glass. The markings were entirely foreign to him, yet they seemed to intertwine in ways that suggested deeper meanings, forming larger patterns within the circle that his mind struggled to comprehend.
"The circle construct you must forge," Lysandra's voice carried through the chamber, "is far more intricate than what lies beneath us. This ritual circle merely helps channel the nexus's power." She traced her finger through the air, mana following her movement to form glowing lines. "What you must create is this."
Leon's eyes widened as an impossibly complex geometric pattern materialised before them. It twisted and folded in on itself, each layer revealing new depths of intricacy.
"You will spend the next several weeks learning each component," Lysandra explained. "While the ritual itself only requires accurate reproduction of the construct, understanding each element's purpose will help most of you with memorisation. The outer ring governs..." Lysandra's voice faded into the background as Leon called upon his power.
He read the fresh memory of the construct before him, taking in every minute detail with perfect clarity. His mind automatically began categorising each section, mapping how the components connected to each other. He could recall every line, every curve, every intersection point as if he were still looking at it—but what any of it actually meant or did remained a mystery.
His heart began to race as the implications hit him. Where his fellow students would need weeks to memorise this construct, he could already reproduce it perfectly just by reading the fresh memory. He could probably draw it right now, down to the smallest detail.
"...which is why we'll begin with the fundamental elements before progressing to the more complex interactions," Lysandra continued.
Leon glanced at his classmates. Cyrus was squinting at the construct, brow furrowed in concentration. Sena had produced a notebook and was already sketching rough approximations. None of them realised that he'd just bypassed weeks of memorisation work—though understanding what it all meant would be another matter entirely.
Leon's hand shot into the air, interrupting Lysandra mid-sentence about the outer ring's significance. "Chosen Lysandra, I believe I can proceed with the ritual now."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as Lysandra fixed him with an icy stare. "You've had precisely three minutes to examine this construct, Evoker Leon. Are you suggesting you've mastered something that takes weeks for most students?" Her tone carried the weight of authority, and the subtle promise of consequences should his claim prove false.
"Rather presumptuous," Cyrus muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Leon to hear.
Leon's cheeks burned, but he forced himself to meet her gaze. "No, I—my power allows me to remember things perfectly if I focus it on memories. I can recall every detail of the construct you just showed us."
Lysandra's expression didn't change, but she waved her hand, dissolving the glowing construct. "Prove it." The words fell like stones in the suddenly silent chamber. "There's parchment and ink on the side table."
Leon collected the materials and settled at a bench, acutely aware of Lysandra's unwavering attention. His hands moved with careful precision as he sketched, letting his perfect recall guide each stroke. The construct appeared on the page piece by piece—first the outer ring with its interlocking geometric patterns, then the inner layers with their increasingly complex formations.
The other students gathered around to watch in tense silence as the hour passed. Even Cyrus's earlier disapproval had given way to intent observation. Sena stood nearby, quietly comparing his work to her rough sketches.
Leon barely heard the occasional shuffle of feet behind him, lost in the act of reproduction. His power kept the image crystal clear in his mind as he worked, every line and curve as vivid as when Lysandra had first shown them. He didn't understand what any of it meant, but he could see it all.
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Leon set down his quill, flexing his cramped fingers. The construct sprawled across the parchment in precise detail, every line and curve exactly as Lysandra had shown them. He'd even managed to maintain consistent spacing between the complex geometric patterns.
Lysandra lifted the parchment, her eyes tracking across his work with methodical precision. The silence stretched thin as she compared his reproduction against something only she could see. Leon's shoulders grew tighter with each passing moment. Had he made a mistake? The construct had been perfect in his mind, but perhaps his hand hadn't been steady enough—
A sharp bark of laughter shattered the tension. Leon jerked back in his seat as Lysandra's laughter grew, echoing off the chamber walls. His classmates exchanged uncertain glances. Even Sena, usually composed, shifted uncomfortably.
"Perfect," Lysandra wiped at her eyes, her formal demeanour cracking further. "Every single line, every intersection point—absolutely perfect." Her laughter subsided into occasional chuckles. "Do you have any idea how valuable this makes you, boy?"
She fixed Leon with an intense stare that made him want to shrink into his seat. There was something almost feverish in her expression as she studied him, like a merchant appraising an unexpectedly rare gem.
"We've been stretched thin lately, having to wait weeks or months for new Evokers to complete their Circle Ritual." Her fingers drummed against the parchment. "But you—you could be ready within days. Perhaps even today, if you're willing to put in the work."
The gleam in her eyes grew sharper. "Yes, this opens up all sorts of possibilities. The sooner we get another combat-capable Evoker in the field..." She trailed off, lost in calculation.
Leon's throat went dry. The way she looked at him now reminded him of a chef planning out the perfect use for a prime cut of meat.
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Leon stood in the ritual chamber, his heart hammering against his ribs as the weight of the moment pressed down upon him. Torchlight cast dancing shadows across the carved stone floor, illuminating the intricate patterns that would help shape his Circle—ancient geometries that had guided countless Evokers before him through this pivotal moment. Masters and Instructors lined the walls in their formal robes, their whispered conversations falling silent as Lysandra took her position, her gold-detailed uniform catching the flickering light. The air itself seemed to grow heavier with anticipation, thick with the promise of power and transformation.
"Remember, the construct must form around your heart," Lysandra's voice echoed in the chamber. "The Ritual Circle will provide the mana—you need only direct it."
Leon closed his eyes, centering himself. The weight of expectation pressed down on him. One mistake could leave him waiting weeks to try again, or worse. He drew a steadying breath and nodded to Lysandra.
The Ritual Circle blazed to life, ancient runes flaring with brilliant azure light. Raw mana surged through him like a river breaking its banks, filling every nerve and vessel until his skin tingled with barely contained energy. Leon gasped at the intensity, his knees threatening to buckle as the torrent of power crashed against his consciousness, struggling to maintain his focus as the raw force threatened to overwhelm him. He activated his ability, calling forth the perfect image of the construct from his memory, each intricate line and curve crystallising in his mind with impossible clarity.
Layer by layer, he guided the torrential flow of mana with trembling focus, each breath a conscious effort to maintain control. The geometric patterns took shape around his heart like liquid light crystallising into being, burning themselves into his very essence with an intensity that made his teeth ache. The construct grew more complex with each passing moment, delicate fractals blooming outward in perfect symmetry as every line and intersection point fell into place exactly as he remembered them. His mind's eye traced each luminous strand as it wove itself into the greater whole, the ability-enhanced precision of his memory serving him well as the intricate lattice of power continued to build.
The final piece locked into position with an almost audible click in his mind. Power exploded through Leon's body like a detonating star, raw mana coursing through pathways he hadn't known existed mere moments before. His awareness expanded exponentially, consciousness flooding every cell, every fibre of his being with crystalline clarity. He could feel the blood rushing through his veins like liquid lightning, the electrical impulses dancing along his nerves in precise mathematical patterns, the subtle shift of muscle and bone as he breathed. Each microscopic movement became a symphony of sensation, every aspect of his physical form laid bare to his heightened perception as the Circle settled into place.
A warm glow bloomed in his chest, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. Mana pooled there, a reservoir of pure potential that thrummed with energy. Leon opened his eyes to a world transformed—every colour more vivid, every sensation heightened. He had reached the First Circle.
Leon's knees buckled as the last remnants of power coursed through him. The room tilted and swayed, his enhanced senses overwhelming his mind with input. Every footstep on stone echoed like thunder, each breath of air against his skin felt like silk and sandpaper at once. The torchlight fractured into prismatic cascades that threatened to blind him.
Strong hands caught him before he could fall. Through the kaleidoscope of sensation, he made out Lysandra's face, her usual stern expression replaced with an approving grin.
"Well done, Leon. Perfect execution." Her voice resonated through him like a struck bell. "That's what I call making good use of your gift."
He tried to respond, but his tongue felt thick and clumsy. The world spun faster, colours bleeding together as his newfound awareness refused to settle. Somewhere beyond the chaos of input, he heard Lysandra calling out.
"Cyrus, Sena—help your classmate to his quarters. Leon, once you've rested and your senses calibrate, come find me."
Familiar hands gripped his shoulders, steadying him. Through the haze, he caught fragments of his friends' voices as they guided him from the chamber. Their touch sent sparks of sensation shooting through his overwrought nervous system. Each step felt like floating and falling at once.
The final image that drifted through Leon's fading awareness was Lysandra's approving gesture and the soft thrum of his newly created Circle.