The coin spun on its edge, the depiction of the Imperium’s exalted eye alternating with the iconic representation of the three-fold path as it rotated, wobbled, and slowed until it came to a stop, leaving the eye looking up from the examination table.

Kai looked down at the thick coin and gulped. He briefly eyed the thickness of the coin. Are they making these coins thicker? He seemed to shrink further into the chair.

A man, thin with a thick mustache sat across the light table from him, watching him. Behind him, and to the side stood a young woman. Kai, fixated on the examiner’s coin, hadn’t noticed her enter the examination room. She gently laid her fair hand on the man’s shoulder.

The man turned to regard the woman, then nodded, stood, and left the room, leaving Kai alone with the lady.

“I’m Bethul,” she paused then moved gracefully to sit. She smoothed the creases of her examiner's uniform before continuing. “I will be your examiner today.”

Kai looked through his mess of brown curls at the woman’s pristine white uniform. She looked back at him, not unkindly.

“I understand that this is your final examination before placement. It’s common for examinees to exhibit some anxiety, but this oftentimes is counter-productive as it will generally inhibit performance. Please be at ease. Most placement exams are formalities. Placements are decided much more on the sum total of your performance since your awakening.” She smiled and slid her chair closer to the table.

Placing her hands on the surface of the light table, she worked the interface and brought up his information. From his position across from her, Kai could only make out some pictures, and a few words.

“Kai Uladius, child of Achea,” as she flipped through his information Kai’s eyes settled back on the coin. “Your records indicate you are a mover, though only just. Tell me Kai, child of Achea, what is a mover?” She asked as she looked up.

“Someone who can move things without touching them,” Kai replied, his eyes falling down to his hands.

----------------------------------------

In another room, the man with the mustache took his place beside the two other examiners. They stared at a light pane displaying the scene between Kai and Bethul.

“A crude, but somewhat accurate description.” The youngest of the examiners remarked.

The elder man’s lips turned down, “It’s an oversimplification of one of strongest branches of the mental path. Is it any wonder we see fewer and fewer talents each year, with this kind of reductive cognates on the rise?”

“Uladius, now there was a real mover. I saw him once on the frontlines. He was strong and skilled, a perfect balance of power and control,” The mustached man, growled as he shook his head. “And this his mewling whelp is his son. We are weaker for Uladius’ loss, but at least he was spared the disgrace of watching his pathetic offspring mature.”

“See the circle, here.” Bethul’s voice sounded thinner through the pane’s audible machinery. The three examiners moved closer to watch. Betul’s hand traced the black circle on the light table. “I’m going to spin the Enarus in the center, here. Should it move away from the center I would like you to prevent it from leaving the circle. Do you understand?”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Kai’s hand gripped the arms of his chair as he sat straighter. He nodded.

With her own nod, Bethul picked up the heavy gold coin and in a smooth motion and snap of her fingers started it spinning in the middle of the circle.

The youngest of the three examiners watching remotely, paused to focus on Kai’s face, reading his expressions. The coin spun smoothly on the surface of the light table, barely leaving the center. The one time it did leave the center, it quickly returned, and didn’t leave until the coin slowed and settled again, eye up.

“Excellent Kai. Truly Excellent.” She reached down and removed the coin, before pulling the large black circle into two smaller circles.

“Just a few more tests. This time we will start in one circle. Keep the coin spinning in the circle I hold my hand over, when I move my hand to hover over the other circle I want you to move the coin to that circle. Are you ready?”

Kai breathed out and nodded again. The test continued as the remote examiners looked on. After a few tests of gradually increasing difficulty. The youngest of the three offered his analysis.

“I sense no duplicity in his attempts. Let’s move on to the variations.”

The elder nodded, “Start the variations Bethul.” He formed a mental connection to her.

“I’ve already started,” Bethul replied, grasping the mental connection, sending her thoughts along it. She continued the test. Presently she was having Kai roll the coin between four small circles in various patterns. “The previous two tests had gravitational shifts at the midpoints, this one has no gravity whatsoever.”

The elder watched the screen as the coin rolled, wobbling slightly, but continuing in the pattern based on where Bethul’s hand hovered. “That’s enough.”

The elder examiner turned to the others. “The last two tests had gravity shifts in the middle, this one has no gravity.” The other examiners turned at that revelation before focusing back on the light panel. The coin found its way to the final circle, slowed, and span down just as it had before. The clear ring of the coin settling echoed around the room before the room was went silent.

“Thanks Kai,” Bethul stood, “we’ll review your results and approve your placement this week. Send the next examinee in please.”

The three examiners watched as Kai darted out of the room with much more enthusiasm than he entered it.

“He is suppressed then,” the mustached examiner growled. The younger nodded. The last, the eldest, turned from the screen and took a few steps away.

“Is it surprising? His father and mother were both lost in the last offensive. Perhaps it’s a primal response to the thought of facing the same end?” He shook his head and raised his voice, “What’s more concerning is how many truly talented citizens we may have missed in the past without these protocols.”

“If it’s a primal response then what difference does it make, even the most talented mystic can’t dive that deeply.” the younger concluded.

“He’s a coward then, and I didn’t think he could get any more disappointing.”

“He’s still young, impressionable. Even if he is primal locked, with the right amount of pressure we can unlock him, Make him fit for service.”

The mustached man, the younger looked at the elder, evidence of doubt etched into the lines of their mouth and eyes.

“And I know just the right tool for the job.”