Combat skill strength can be acquired and honed but magic affinity is innate. That’s why most of them fails in this part of exam, crushing their dreams into fleeting dust. Sorcerers were already scarce and knight mages are rarer. Most knight mages in the empire came from noble families because of their bloodlines. But there were also gifted talents coming from the common people. You might think it’s a little bit unfair but it’s just the way the world works. Everything cannot be on equal grounds. If it’s so, then society would have collapsed a long time ago.

Making his way to the magic assessment area, Claud fluidly swam through the crowd then lining up for the test. Seeing the line ahead, it’s not that much crowded compared to the last area because half of the populace has been eliminated.

He, having a soul ring, can directly jump to become a junior if he’s able to utilize even just a bit of its power. But a nobody possessing a ring can be fatal! Absolute authority over a soul ring can be changed once the master dies or killed off but a soul ring can only be controlled by those with the same element affinity. Claud haven’t tested it yet but from time to time, this ring makes a weird reaction when he uses mana to cast magic. That’s magic resonance where one can confirm his or her compatibility with the soul ring.

Losing in the combat aspect doesn’t mean elimination. Everyone is still given a chance for the magic assessment exam. More so, it also has a long line up as well. I thought it will be faster here in this area. Why is this longer than the previous one? Patience, need more patience! Observing, Claud can see different kinds of emotion: anticipation, resignation, happiness, resolution, boredom and others. After a while, he noticed that even the line in this test is longer, it’s much faster than first one. One only takes three minutes in the longest.

It’s my turn! Standing in the front of the stone, Claud was given signal to place his right hand on top of the affinity stone. It has the size of a volley ball.

“Okay, you can now transmit your mana to assess which magic you’re inclined with.”

A nod for a reply, he gently placed his hand on the stone, poured his mana and then a cracking sound was heard. After glowing like a rainbow, the stone cracked then turned dull. Knitting her brows, the examiner took Claud to another table and had him retake the test. It was the same. Ai! What’s happening?

Brows still knitted, the examiner took him to another area, this time with a stone looking tablet. It’s the magic tablet. He was instructed to do the same. He placed his hand right inside the circular rune of the 6-feet high and 4-feet wide standing stone tablet. The beads on top of the tablet started to lit up. Ten beads were lighted up with blinding radiance briefly then with a bang, exploded!

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“First, the affinity stone, and then this magic tablet! What could be wrong?” Muttering, the examiner whispered something to an attendant who then quickly left. Puzzled, Claud just stood there on the side, unflustered. After a while, he was called to the headmaster’s office. Being led by the same attendant who left before, he was brought along, passing different corridors lined up with classrooms filled with carefree students, chatting, bragging about their adventures and so on. Then a tower came to view. It is cylindrical in shape, much more like a witch’s tower made from granite-colored bricks with old, arched entrance. Inside, aside from a large circular magical matrix in the middle, there’s nothing, only emptiness.

The attendant led him to stand on the circle and then the runes started to lit. Blinking then becoming steady lighted up, Claud was blinded for a second forcing him to close his eyes and then the moment he came to be, he’s in a different room. Is this the top of the tower? He can barely recognize it by the current view from the window. Then he noticed someone standing at the side, half-facing the window, looking outside. Unable to make out a clear appearance, all he can tell is that this person is a girl, base from the protruding portion of the armor from the side view.

“So it’s you! Never thought that the one who made a commotion down there is so young. Tell me, what’s your name?”

“Ermmm, my name’s Claud….. Claud Ashwell.” How did she know that I’m young? She never even spared me single glance!

“Oh, you said Ashwell?” There’s a slight surprise in her tone. Then she gradually turned around.

Seeing her real appearance, one might be entrance because aside from her not-so-tall stature, she’s gorgeous! Her scarlet hair, matching her eyes, gives off a fierce yet elegant vibe. She’s wearing a full-plated red armor with a red cape or should I say that she’s currently on armatized form. She’s not wearing any helmet because it can be controlled at will when someone’s at a certain level. You can’t make out her figure but can tell that it’s good.

Armatization is the form where you use the soul ring to form armaments, including armors and weapons. Maintaining it needs constant supply of mana and lots of concentration, unless your used to it. It is already amazing that she’s already used to it and could just casually take it on or off at will.

As she turns towards me, she deactivated her armatization and after a flashing brilliance revealed an elegant yet heroic spirited girl in her twenty’s, now wearing a red tunic matching her prominent color features. She intently looked at me as if she wanted to deep pry into my inner secrets but seems to can’t make out any of it.

“It’s been a while, since an Ashwell made an appearance here. I thought they’re….. gone.”

Her softly trailing voice cannot hide her helplessness and depression that gave me that stifling feeling. But why? Why did she sounded that way upon learning I’m an Ashwell? She seems hesitant but still continued to look at me like that for a while then relaxed.

“My name’s Armira Fernis. Do you remember me?” Who is she? I can’t remember? Did we already meet? But when? Confused, all I can do is shake my head and admit that I don’t

“I guess so. You’re only two years old the last time we made a visit.”

Visit? Two years old? I can’t remember? What happened to me back then?