Adrian and Kael stood shoulder to shoulder, their backs straight as they lined up with the other students beneath the towering arch of the academy’s training hall. The space was vast, its polished stone floor glinting faintly under the glow of mana orbs suspended near the vaulted ceiling. Yet, it was the large crystal orb hovering at the room’s center that captured Adrian’s focus.

Suspended a few feet above the ground, the crystal shimmered with an otherworldly brilliance. Threads of raw magic danced across its surface like liquid starlight, constantly shifting and twisting. Adrian’s gaze lingered, his eyes narrowing slightly. That’s not just for show.

A light nudge at his elbow pulled him from his thoughts. “Feeling confident?” Kael asked.

Adrian smirked, his eyes snapping back to the instructor standing stoically beside the orb. “Always. You?”

“Depends. Think they’ll give me points for just standing here looking awesome?”

“Eh, I don't know about that. Think they're looking for something more."

"Come on man, you know I was just joking."

The hum of students filled the hall. Adrian picked up fragments of conversations, comments about the written exam, speculations on the practical test, and a few overly confident remarks about who might come out on top. He glanced around briefly, taking in the sounds of anxious fidgeting and smug posturing. All that talking won’t mean a thing if they don’t back it up. Most of these kids don't even seem like they're taking things seriously.

At the front of the room, the instructor cleared his throat sharply, the sound cutting through the noise like a blade. The hall fell silent almost immediately. His piercing gaze swept over the rows of students, demanding attention.

“This,” he announced, his voice carrying easily across the hall, “is where we separate the capable from the mediocre. You have all made it through the written portion of the exam, but that alone is not sufficient to become a student of Mistral Royal Academy."

“The practical exam consists of three stages. Each stage will test your mastery of the fundamental principles of magic: channeling, sensing, and emitting. These are the building blocks of all magical practice. Without them, you are nothing.”

Several giggles broke through the hall. Adrian tilted his head slightly, catching the source of the disturbance. A tall boy near the back leaned toward his friends, whispering something that earned stifled laughter. Their hands covered their mouths, poorly concealing their amusement as they darted quick glances toward the instructor.

Adrian narrowed his eyes, his annoyance flickering. Do they think this is some kind of joke?

The instructor’s sharp gaze snapped to the group like a hawk spotting its prey. “Silence!”

In an instant, the room froze as every giggle, whisper, and shuffle vanished under the weight of that single word. The instructor strode forward and stopped in front of the offenders, towering over them. His glare bore down on the tall boy, whose earlier smirk faded into a pale mask. “You will listen, let me remind you that you are not yet students of this academy. You have earned nothing.”

He swept his gaze over the group, his presence radiating quiet menace. “Until you prove otherwise, you are merely applicants. And as applicants, you will show respect to this institution, its staff, and your peers, or you will leave.”

The tall boy’s face turned ashen, his bravado shattered. He muttered a hasty apology, his voice barely audible. His friends shrank back, their earlier amusement now replaced by nervous silence.

Adrian’s lips twitched in grim satisfaction as he watched. Good. If they can’t take this seriously, they don’t belong here.

The instructor lingered a moment longer, his sharp eyes boring into the boy as though daring him to test his patience further. Satisfied with the lack of response, he straightened and turned back to the rows of students. His steps were as measured and deliberate as before, his posture rigid and unyielding.

When he returned to the front, he faced the group once more, his expression carved from stone. “As I said before, the first stage of the exam tests your ability to channel mana. This is the foundation of all magical practice. Without the ability to harness and control your energy, nothing else matters.”

Adrian kept his gaze fixed on the instructor. Channeling. Straightforward, but there’s always a catch in places like this. No way they’re making it as simple as it sounds.

The instructor gestured toward the large crystal orb hovering at the center of the room. “You will channel your mana into the orb. This test evaluates your precision, control, and stamina. Fail here, and you will not move on.”

“And to clarify: failure in any one of the practical tests means you do not pass. You will have to reapply and retake the exam next month.”

A low murmur rippled through the rows of students, some glancing nervously at one another. Adrian caught Kael’s faint smirk beside him, but his own expression stayed neutral. That’s one way to weed out the overconfident.

“You.” The instructor’s voice rang out as he pointed toward a girl standing in one of the front rows.

She stepped forward with a confident stride, her long dark hair swaying as she moved. Her noble bearing was unmistakable, from her posture to the subtle embroidery on her robes.

The girl offered a polite bow, lips curving into a faint smile. “This will be simple enough, channeling is hardly a challenge.”

Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

“Step up to the orb.” The instructor said.

The girl moved to the crystal with poise. She rested her hands lightly on its surface, glancing briefly at the instructor. “I’m ready.”

“Good. Channel your mana into the orb,” the instructor instructed.

Adrian noticed her falter ever so slightly. Her hands tightened on the orb, but she quickly masked her unease with a resolute nod. “Understood.”

The hall grew still, the only sound the faint hum of the crystal. The girl closed her eyes and concentrated. A soft glow surrounded her hands as she directed her mana into the orb. For a moment, the light intensified, the ripples on the crystal’s surface deepening.

Then, without warning, the glow faltered. The mana dissipated in uneven pulses, fizzling out entirely. A few gasps and stifled snickers broke out from the rows of students.

The girl opened her eyes, her expression frozen in disbelief. “What—?”

“You failed,” the instructor said bluntly. “Your mana lacked both the consistency and control required to sustain the channeling. Leave the hall.”

The girl’s face reddened. “But… but you don’t understand. My family—”

“I do not care,” the instructor interrupted. “Lineage has no bearing here. This is a test of ability, not pedigree. If you have complaints, feel free to take them directly to the principal.”

Murmurs of approval rippled through the students, though a few looked on nervously. The girl’s eyes burned with indignation as she stepped back from the orb. She hesitated for a moment, glaring at the instructor, then turned sharply on her heel and stormed toward the exit. The heavy doors closed behind her with a resounding thud.

Then, the instructor turned back to the rows of students. “Does anyone have a problem understanding what just happened?”

A hand tentatively rose from the second row, and a boy with neatly combed black hair spoke up. “Excuse me, sir. Why did it look like she had such a hard time channeling? I mean…” He hesitated, glancing around as a few students muttered among themselves.

“She’s just from a minor noble family,” another student interjected with a shrug. “Not exactly known for magical talent.”

“Quiet,” the instructor barked. He stepped toward the group with a stern expression. “Do not presume that family standing dictates success here. The difficulty lies not in her bloodline but in the orb itself.”

He gestured to the crystal again. “This is no ordinary mana focus, it has been modified to contain a higher density of magical energy than standard training tools. Channeling into them requires either substantial mana reserves or exceptional precision and control. Those who cannot manage either will fail. It is that simple.”

The tension in the hall grew as student after student stepped forward to attempt the channeling test. Each time, the instructor’s sharp gaze tracked their every move, his expression betraying no emotion.

A boy with bright red hair eventually approached the orb. He placed both hands on its shimmering surface, his face contorting as he channeled his mana. The crystal glowed faintly for a moment, its surface rippling with energy, but the light flickered and vanished as quickly as it appeared.

“Failed,” the instructor announced flatly. The boy’s shoulders slumped, and he shuffled toward the exit, his face pale.

Adrian’s jaw tightened as he watched. This test seems more challenging than expected.

The next student, a girl with long braids and a proud expression, took her place at the orb. Her mana surged strongly at first, the crystal’s glow intensifying. Whispers rippled through the hall as the light stabilized for a few seconds. Then, with a sharp crackle, the energy collapsed inward, leaving the orb dark.

“Control insufficient,” the instructor stated. “You are dismissed.”

The girl’s lips tightened, but she held her head high as she exited the hall. Another failure.

Finally, a slender girl with silver hair stepped forward. Her demeanor was calm, her movements deliberate. She placed her hands gently on the orb, her eyes narrowing in focus. The crystal glowed steadily, its surface rippling with controlled energy that deepened into a vibrant hue.

“Passed,” the instructor declared with a curt nod. “Adequate control and consistent output.”

A ripple of relief crossed the girl’s face as she stepped back, her shoulders visibly relaxing as she rejoined the remaining students. Not bad, finally, a success.

Adrian’s eyes flicked to Kael. “Not many making it through.”

Kael grinned, his voice low. “Thinning the herd. Works for me.”

When the instructor called the next name, Adrian’s attention snapped back as Alisha stepped forward. Her long pink hair swayed gently as she moved, and her emerald eyes locked onto the orb with quiet focus.

Unlike the other students who placed both hands firmly on the orb, Alisha extended only a single finger. Adrian’s brow furrowed as he watched her fingertip hover for a moment before resting lightly against a specific point on the crystal’s surface. That’s deliberate, she’s targeting something.

The crystal’s glow flared instantly, its surface shimmering with smooth, controlled ripples of energy. It wasn’t overwhelming, but it was undeniably precise. The hum of mana radiating from the orb grew steady and strong, as if perfectly aligned with her energy.

The students around Adrian whispered in awe. Even Kael tilted his head, his grin widening. “Now that’s style.”

Adrian’s lips twitched upward, though his focus stayed on Alisha. She didn’t brute force it. She knew exactly where to focus her energy.

The glow held for several long seconds before Alisha withdrew her hand, the light fading gracefully as the orb returned to its dormant state. She stepped back as she turned toward the instructor.

“Well done,” the instructor said. “You understood the task. Instead of overwhelming the orb with raw energy, you applied precision and control to achieve the result efficiently. That is what we look for in a student.”

Alisha inclined her head in acknowledgment, her voice smooth. “Thank you, sir.”

She turned and walked back toward the few successful students. Adrian caught her gaze briefly as she rejoined them, her faint smile unspoken acknowledgment of her success.

The instructor’s sharp voice called the next student forward, a lanky boy with tousled black hair and an air of nervous determination. He stepped hesitantly toward the orb, his eyes darting to the spot where Alisha had placed her finger earlier.

Adrian’s lips twitched into a faint smirk. Trying to copy her? Not exactly the smartest strategy.

The instructor’s piercing gaze caught the boy’s subtle movements. The instructor approached the orb and placed his own hand on its surface, nowhere near the spot Alisha had used. A steady pulse of mana flowed through the crystal, illuminating its surface with precise ripples.

“Is this the spot you were so focused on finding?” the instructor asked/

The boy hesitated, his eyes flicking between the orb and the instructor. “But… that’s not where she—”

“Correct,” the instructor interrupted, withdrawing his hand. “Because this orb is not static. It has its own mana channels, and they shift constantly. What worked for one student will not work for another. Success depends on your ability to sense the active flow of energy and adapt to it, not on mimicking someone else.”