Side-note:
The date format of this novel is changed for simpler understanding. The number of months and days is the same as reality. The months are named after the first twelve monarchs of Verserius.
January - Juel
February - Kencieus
March - Greden
April - Mervi
May - Zenies
June - Ruil
July - Zuil
August - Ludieus
September - Temiun
October - Ledia
November - Seudi
December - Deuki
Unknown location, Unknown Date
I stared up at the night sky expecting to see shimmering stars but only saw plumes of smoke. Annoyed at my view being disrupted, I turned my head to find the source of the smoke. The source was a familiar city that is being ravaged by soldiers of unknown origins.
The silhouettes of the burning houses, temples, mansions, and castle are so familiar to my eyes. Small little humanoid figures ran around the blazing city frantically with frequent screams that reach my ears.
I couldn't feel anything even though I know I should be feeling a sense of despair or anger. I stared at the burning city blankly before my vision faded into darkness…
***
School of Amicideus, Nation of Peacius, 15th Ledia 1325
"WOI! TEIGA URA! WAKE UP!" screamed a voice.
"Tch. Give me a few seconds more…" I replied, trying to squeeze out more time to sleep.
"School is dismissed!" announced the voice.
Hearing that, I perked up immediately without wiping the saliva off my cheeks.
"Really!?" I asked anxiously.
"In your dreams."
"Then you shouldn't have woken me up," I complained while trying to adjust my vision back to normal by rubbing my eyes.
Finally, my eyes could see clearly again. But the first thing that I see was the "punchable" face of my geography teacher, Mr. Gardon Ior. His small eyes always look down upon me, paired with a grin. How annoying.
"What a problematic -GRADUATING-middle schoolboy. Never mind that. Teiga, answer this simple question." asked Gardon while placing his hands on the rough blackboard. "Located and name all the empires and kingdoms on this map."
"That grin again… He must be expecting me to not be able to answer. How unfortunate for him." I confidently thought to myself.
I stood up from my seat reluctantly, wiped off the saliva and opened my saliva-drained mouth.
"In the middle is our small nation of Peacius. To our north-west, the Empire of Noct. To our north-east, the Empire of Verserius. To our south-west, the Kingdom of Alantieus. To our south-east, the Empire of Persidius."
Satisfied with my answer to Gardon's question, I sat back down so I could savor the sight of the now disappointed teacher knowing that he failed to humiliate me.
"C-co-correct answer, T-t-teiga. Exemplary. Class, learn from Teiga. But not his attitude in class," said Gardon trying to hide his disappointment while trying hard to point out my bad points. "Carrying on, tomorrow will be your Mana Control Assessment. Which is also your graduation examination. Do save up your Ma-"
Before Gardon could finish his sentence, the school bell interrupted him.
"YES. FINALLY, I CAN ESCAPE THIS HELL HOLE." I excitedly thought to myself while rushing to pack my stuff. "I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, BELL."
"Let me say this before you all leave."
"Tch."
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
"The examination tomorrow will determine your future. Control your mana properly. That's all. The class is dismissed."
I ignored Gardon's warning and simply thought "Hmph, as someone of the Ura Clan. Magic is nothing but peanuts. I will pass it with flying colours!"
"Oie, Teiga!" shouted Liroi Fid, a young genius who is also my best friend. "Got anything that you want to talk about? To continue our discussions about worldly matters?"
"Hmmm... The desertification of our southern borders maybe? But let's talk about it while walking home. This school sucks."
Liroi simply adjusted his circular glasses and shook his head before he started to walk to my side. His action told me that he disapproved of my statement stating that the school was sub-par.
"C'mon. You know that there are better schools out there." I said while walking out of the school together with him.
"Yes, I know. But a school is still a school. So long as I am taught something new, the school isn't bad." Liroi argued.
As we stepped out of the stuffy school and out onto the cobblestone streets busy with merchant carriages being pulled along by robust horses. I embraced the sunlight as if I was locked in a dull and dark prison for eons.
"Whatever~ We are taking our graduation examinations tomorrow. Then I can finally be released from the shackles of Amicideus." I said trying to end the debate as soon as possible. "So, let's discuss about the desertification, shall we?"
His face lit up and he turned towards me swiftly as his glasses reflected the afternoon sun. With this action from him, I knew that Liroi's undying curiosity has been aroused. Slowly, a smile stretched across his face. "At last, a change in the dull expression of his." I thought.
"Hmm. About that. It is suspicious for a huge and random geographical change to just be labeled as an accident and nothing else. Maybe your father knows something."
"Even though he is the Head of Intelligence Unit in Peacius, he only told me: Listen here Teiga, desertification is something caused by pollution made by mankind. Nothing else," I said in a deep voice, trying to mimic my father.
"Looks like the adults also don't want to tell us anything, huh. I guess we need to find out the truth ourselves. Which makes the examination tomorrow of utmost importance! We need to get into a prestigious school so that we can learn more and have more opportunities!" suggested Liroi with fervour in his high-pitched voice.
"Yes. Let us both work towards the truth."
Before I knew it, we are at the junction whereby we will part our ways. I was sad that we will be saying goodbye to each other, even for a short while. But, I was also motivated now that I have someone who has the same goal as me.
"Alright, goodbye for now. We need to have our last-minute practice for the assessment. Can't be failing at the first step of our journey." said Liroi as he waved me goodbye while walking down the other street.
After saying our farewells, I continued my way home under the late afternoon sun. I am feeling extremely confident about the exam thinking that my mother being an excellent magic user meant that I also have excellent control without practice.
"Pffft, last-minute practices have no meaning to me."
***
School of Amicideus, Nation of Peacius, 16th Ledia 1325
"Parents, please remain at your seats by the sides of the field while your children are being assessed." announced the principal of the school who is standing on top of a podium. His remaining hair flapped around in the gentle breeze that swept across the school field occasionally. I found that sight very distracting.
"So, let me introduce our judging panel for today's assessment. Sitting closest to me is Professor Diien. Next to him is Professor Filia. Next to her is Professor Nilun. They are from the Department of Education and will be judging our students according to their mana control and assigning them their middle schools."
"Whoaaaaa, they sure look strict as hell eh? Especially that Nilun guy. Liroi?"
"Indeed. But we should have nothing to fear. For our goal is more important than this assessment."
I stood behind Liroi as the students queued up in our index number format, waiting to be called up. "Dammit, I am number 135. One of the last few…" I mumbled to myself. I was so excited to present my excellent control the night before that I couldn't sleep well. "Never mind, as the saying goes. Save the best for the last." I thought to myself in order to distract myself from the fact that I am one of the last few students to be assessed.
"With the introduction done. Student number 1, Irisus Verid. Please step onto the field and begin your mana release."
"Yes!" shouted a girl with long black silky hair as she stepped onto the barren fields.
"Ahahahahah. She is so short." I laughed.
"Shush, Teiga. You don't want to be heard by the adults."
"Right…"
As she stood in the middle of the field. I see her slender arms slowly rose up towards the azure sky. In a flash, blue flames burst out from the tips of her hands. But she quickly controlled the flames and shaped them into blue irregularly shaped ribbons and began dancing elegantly.
My eyes were glued to her as she glided across the fields with the "ribbons" trailed behind her. She spun and leaped. All while maintaining her composure.
"Wow…" I whispered in amazement.
"Precisely why you shouldn't judge people by their looks," said Liroi with a smirk on his face.
Suddenly, Irisus threw her hands up in the sky and directed the "ribbons" up into the sky. I lifted my head up to see what is going to happen to the mana flames. Greeting my face, was a beautiful blue firework that was visible even under sunlight.
Once the firework went off, the girl proceeded to bow to the judges and waited for her results.
"Irisus Verid. You are hereby assigned to the Magic School of Ledia," announced Nilun with a poker face.
The crowd cheered while I started to feel slightly nervous as I began to realise there are students here who are just as brilliant as me. Even with the nervousness, I turned my head back to Irisus to see her reaction. She was so happy that she skipped and hopped out of the field.
"Well, this is going to be a bit tough," I said to Liroi who seems even more motivated now.
"Yes… This is becoming fun," he whispered with a smirk on his face.
The assessment continued throughout the morning into the afternoon with only a few students standing out while the rest were posted to the normal schools. Slowly, my fatigue from last night started to set in. My eyes were getting slightly heavier by the minute and yawns were becoming more frequent.
"How long moreeeeee…" I complained as I started to slouch.
"I am next," said Liroi in an enthusiastic tone. It was obvious that he can't wait for his name to be called out. His hands shook with excitement.
"Damn, finally. All the best!"
With that, the principal called for Liroi and he went up to the middle of the field with pride.
In my heart, I cheered for my partner. "Come on, you can and will do it. Enter the Magic School of Ledia and our goal will be much closer than before!"
He took in a deep breath and raised his hands. Subtly, blue sparks appeared around his body before growing big enough to cover his body.
Once his body was fully covered with the blue flames, he quickly condensed it and separated his body from it. Leaving behind a blue humanoid figure.
"That is… so… cool…" I mumbled while trying my best to get a good view of his presentation.
Slowly, the figure began to move around like a normal human. From stumbling to walking and to running. Next, both Liroi and the figure got into a fighting stance.
"Is this what he has been planning the whole time? A choreographed fight?" I thought to myself while getting excited for him.
My eyes were fixated on the fight that was going to unfold in front of me. Step by step, the two got closer to each other before getting in kicking range. They burst out in a series of missed punches and kicks. The figure moved around as though it was sentient.
It ducked and jumped like any normal human would as Liroi threw kicks and punches at it. It didn't just dodge, it also went on the offensive by trying to grapple his creator.
Liroi wriggled out of the grapple and decided to put an end to the fight by roundhouse kicking the blue figure in the head. With the impactful kick, the figure burst into smaller flames before dissipating. The boy then proceeded to bow to the judges and awaited his results.
"Liroi Fid. You are hereby assigned to the Magic School of Ledia for your exceptional presentation!" announce Filia with an impressed smile on her face.
"That was extremely impressive… As expected of my partner." I whispered as my eyes followed him out of the field.
"Student number 135. Teiga Ura. Please step up onto the field and begin."
"Yes!" I shouted with assurance.
I slowly walked towards the middle of the field while scanning the audience for my parents. Sadly, I couldn't see where they were due to the huge standing crowd after my partner's magnificent performance but I know they are there. "Hmph, it would seem that the crowd seems to have a high expectation of me. Very well, I shall not disappoint them."
I swiftly raised my hands 90 degrees up, closed my eyes and took in a deep breath.
*FWOOM*
Hearing that deafening ominous sound, I quickly opened my eyes. Only to see the whole field is covered by huge mana flames and the invisible magic barrier protecting the audience starting to reveal itself to signify danger.
The flames grew in size by the passing seconds.
The tongues of the fire started to lick the now cracking barrier.
The temperature around me started to increase.
It was as though I summoned a devil onto the field…