The doors shut behind him with a resounding thud. Tyrus strained his eyes ahead, sweeping his gaze around the new surroundings.

A small room, the walls bare and devoid of any decorations, save for a few banners depicting that of the Grand Tower on the other end of the room. Underneath those banners lay a raised, fenced platform with a long table in the middle. Five chairs were seated behind the desk. Five sorcerers, three men and two women, were occupying the seats. In the middle of the room was a wide, three ringed circle inscribed with runic symbols.

"Hoh? What do we have here?" said a familiar voice.

Sitting at the end was none other than Sir Geroth wearing his usual uniform. The giant man had a wide smile on his face as a laugh as hearty as he escaped his lips.

"Sir Geroth, please remember your position as an instructor," said a man with slick, gray hair and a leathery face.

Sir Geroth coughed and straightened up. "My apologies, Headmaster Freschlain. That boy there is a friend of my son, and I just so happened to recognize him."

"I hope your fondness of the boy does not sully your judgment of his worthiness. You understand how important this exam is, don't you, Sir Geroth?"

"There is no need to worry. Rest assured, I am fully committed to making unbiased decisions and will not let any form of favoritism influence my judgment."

The headmaster nodded, his gaze fixed on Tyrus. "Applicant fifty-four, where are your manners? Please step forward and position yourself in the center of the runic circle. Introduce yourself."

Tyrus rushed forward and positioned himself at the center of the runic circle and said, "U-Um, my name is Tyrus. I would... like to be accepted into the academy, please."

"That's all?" a woman with a bun of light hair scoffed. "What a lackluster introduction. You do realize that you are standing in front of the most renowned sorcerers within Lethos, correct?"

Of course I do, Tyrus thought to himself. All he needed was one look to know each and every one of them were extraordinarily strong thanks to mana sense. Their mana reserves were massive and overflowing, and they carried themselves in a dignified manner.

Headmaster Freschlain carried on. "We have a limited amount of time, so I will cut to the chase. You seem anxious, Tyrus, and I understand why. Rest assured, we will judge and test you fairly, despite your lineage. You are an applicant that wish to attend the academy, nothing more, nothing less. If His Majesty has cleared you of any suspicions, then who are we to defy him? Do you understand?"

Tyrus nodded. He was a bit surprised by the headmasters words, given that a lot of people were hostile against him. Not only him, but the other instructors as well. Most of them held no hatred or disgust in their eyes, as if the boy in front of them was any regular person. Well, except for one instructor at the far end.

A man with color still in his hair and a face resembling that of a chimp sat rigid and had his arms crossed. He stared straight at Tyrus without blinking, sometimes sneaking glances at his hands. His obvious contempt was hard to ignore, but Tyrus willed himself to look directly at the headmaster instead.

"Now, let's talk about this runic circle," the headmaster began. "It's designed to detect and measure your aptitude. The symbols you see below you are runes that illuminate based on your affinity as a sorcerer. Before we proceed further, may I assume that you have received the blessings of Sthito?"

"Yes, sir," Tyrus said quickly. "I awakened near the end of autumn."

"Good. Notice how there are three rings? Each one represents a sorcerer's specialization: conjuration, augmentation, and elemental. The inner ring lights up if you are a Conjuration Sorcerer while the middle, Augmentation Sorcerer, and the outer, Elemental Sorcerer. If two rings were to light up, that means you are a Multi-specialist for those two."

"Each rune in the third ring is aligned with the core elements—fire, water, earth, and air—as well as sub-elements. The brightness and specific runes that light up will indicate your strongest affinities. For instance, if you have a strong affinity for fire, you can expect fiery symbols or colors to dominate the display. To begin, simply enter the Sorcerer Plane."

A long explanation, but it sounds simple enough. If I had to say all of this to every applicant, I might've gone crazy at the first twenty...

Tyrus obeyed and shut his eyes. The moment he entered the Sorcerer Plane, a sharp pain erupted in his mind, while a pinch eclipsed his mana heart. He felt his mana slowly leak from within, slithering from his torso and toward his feet. Not long after, a bright light engulfed his vision, prompting him to open his eyes.

As soon as he did, he was stunned into silence.

Before him, the floor was decorated with a plethora of bright, colorful, and dazzling runes, all interweaving and spiraling across the air like shooting stars. Flying right in front of him was a rune that he could identify, without a doubt: a lightning bolt. And below him, two rings glowed, one after the other—the second and third.

In another dazzling display of light, the image of a tree emerged from the circle, branches all. And from the myriad of branches, four below were lit up, the last one just shy of reaching the half-way mark.

"What a magnificent display!" a young woman with ash-brown hair exclaimed. "Not only is he a Multi-specialist with a lightning affinity, but the capacity of his mana heart is immense!"

Another instructor nodded, this time an old woman with odd frames in the shape of hearts. "If my eyes do not deceive me, but four of his thirty branches are lit up! Ever so rarely does an applicant have even two branches filled up!"

As the instructor's words trailed off, a rune soared upwards, halting in close proximity to the crackling lightning bolt. It twirled in the air, its inky blackness creating a mesmerizing spiral.

Following underneath was a fiery rune. A gentle breeze brought forth the next rune. The subsequent symbol was accompanied by water. And last, the last rune materialized, illuminating the room with its soft and comforting light. A sharp gasp escaped the instructor with ash-brown hair.

The man who had been glaring at Tyrus throughout finally broke his silence. "Headmaster Freschlain, it seems that the black tiger possesses a strong connection to the dark element. Given his background and the inherent violence of his kind, this pairing could spell trouble for the students if he were to be accepted."

Sir Grant's expression soured. "Mind your tongue, Instructor Malvil. Such preconceptions are unbecoming of an instructor. I assure you that Tyrus holds no evil within his heart! This matter has already been settled by His Majesty."

Instructor Malvil snorted. "I am well aware of His Majesty's decision. As a peer, I am merely warning you of the potential danger he could bring. As long as you are aware of the possible consequences, that is all."

Headmaster Freschlain raised a hand, and both men went quiet. "I apologise you had to witness that, Tyrus. I assure you our instructors are professionals who treat their duties seriously. Let us move on with the exam..."

Sir Geroth's glare lingered before he reluctantly faced forward. The headmaster took the royal knight's resignation as a sign to continue.

"It appears that Tyrus is an elemental and augmentation sorcerer, a Multi-specialist. He possesses a primary affinity for lightning, and an unusually high ceiling for his secondary element: dark. Already is the applicant on his fourth branch, and his mana heart’s capacity is quite large. Lightning and dark and fire are your best elements, while earth is subpar; water and light should be your weakest.”

Water, earth, and light are my weakest elements? That doesn’t sound too good. What does that mean exactly? I want to ask, but I feel like I shouldn’t be asking questions at this time.

“To wrap up this exam, I would like you to showcase your strength to I and the instructors. Do whatever you like, young man.”

For a second, Tyrus was confused at what the headmaster was implying until he remembered the true goal of a physical exam: to catch the interest of the instructors. That meant that a half-baked attempt at wowing the spectators would surely spell his doom at being accepted.

Since these people were powerful in their own right, it was only natural to assume they’ve seen a lot of spells over time, whether it came from the applicants themselves or other sorcerers around their strengths. Because of that, these instructors weren’t expecting all that much from a bunch of kids who have just recently awaken.

To solidify himself as a lock to become a student of the academy, Tyrus would have to impress them. A strength that no other applicant has displayed for as long as they’ve been instructors. To make them regret that even the thought of rejecting such an applicant would warrant disdain from others. That there were no room for doubt similar to how a child knew the functions of night and day.

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“Whatever I like?” Tyrus repeated.

Before the headmaster even uttered a word, Tyrus slowly raised his arm, stretching it towards the lofty ceiling. As he closed his eyes, vivid images flooded his mind, envisioning a brilliant Lightning Bolt taking form right above his upturned palms. Suddenly, with a sudden surge of power, the element crackled to life, emitting a mesmerizing, high-pitched sound akin to a swarm of bees, its luminous tendrils dancing with energy. In a matter of moments, the orb expanded in size, growing to twice the size of a ripe melon. The sheer intensity of the mana heart's energy rushed towards this focal point, creating a powerful aura that permeated the room.

Popping noises and flashing blue lights crowded the pristine chamber as Tyrus finished cooking up the spell in five heartbeats. His arm strained from the burden of so much mana converging as one, yet he held on. A second later, he released the Lightning Bolt, and everyone in the room watched it streak upward. It exploded into a shower of brilliant light, as if a giant had crushed and tossed fragments of sapphires into the air.

Sweat trickled down his cheeks while his heart raced a little faster. Wasn't that a sufficient display of his power, he wondered?

Tyrus turned his gaze towards the instructors, investigating to determine their reactions, only to be met with a disquieting sight. Each of their faces—save for Sir Geroth—bore a worrisome expression, as if he had committed some grave mistake. The headmaster, however, remained stoic, his fingers interlaced before him.

“Thank you for that display, Tyrus. You may now leave this chamber. At the conclusion of the exams, you will be informed about your admission status at Valis Academy of Sorcery."

Tyrus blood ran cold. “…Okay. Thank you for having me.”

Feeling glum, he turned on his heels and shuffled away from the runic circle. The man safeguarding the doors opened them and ushered Tyrus out, pointing toward the seats for the written exam.

Continuing on, the next candidate was summoned, the same girl who had aided him before. He briefly glanced at her as she confidently entered the room, and the doors shut with a loud bang. Tyrus averted his gaze and proceeded to the next section, not bothering to lift his eyes as he settled down at the far end.

Did I... mess up?

***

Tyrus found it difficult to focus throughout the written exam portion. His mind wandered back to the incident with the headmaster and the instructors. Had his display of strength not been enough to impress them? He wasn't sure, and his heart couldn't stop thumping ever since.

Even so, he willed himself to concentrate on the exam, which had some straightforward questions, such as common methods of replenishing a sorcerer's mana heart or to name the four primary elements. There were questions that were kicked up a notch, like naming the factors that influence the efficiency of a sorcerer's spell or what year was the third emperor of Lethos assassinated. A rather gruesome question to include on an exam taken by children, but Tyrus knew the answer.

Then came the more tough questions, and a lot of them were ones Tyrus did not know how to answer. History was the one thing he lacked the most and, most of the difficult questions were about historical battles throughout Dharmere.

The Battle of Frozen Peaks, the Siege of Halsias, the Purge of the Jaliaketh, the Descent of the Flying Fortress, and many others. Most of these battles Tyrus had never heard of, and he was drawing a blank for the questions concerning them. With no other option, he wrote locations that popped to mind and went on to the next one. No use worrying about answers that'd probably never come back to haunt him.

Tyrus looked around at his peers. Some were frantically scribbling and writing as if the answers would slip out of their minds, while others sat in a relaxed position, as if they were already confident with their performance. There were a few things Tyrus figured out throughout his time during the written exam.

Not only were there applicants that were nobles, but commoners were free to take the entrance exams. The academy wasn't exclusive to a certain social class, though he had expected the number of nobles attending would be larger, and the reason for that was obvious.

The advantage nobles had was night and day compared to those not born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Because their family was well off most of the time, the students would have access to more books and study materials, and they'd be able to get more training than most commoners could afford. Not only that, but some of their families employed personal tutors to hone their talents in sorcery.

Commoners were usually left to fend for themselves, as most could not afford such luxuries. That led to them being self-taught in sorcery, or not at all. Because of how stark the circumstances are, their chances of being accepted plummets. It was no wonder it was considered a dream to those who weren't born fortunate. That only made his recent performance more disappointing, and it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Like a weasel, time slipped through Tyrus' fingers and he was done in the blink of an eye. He handed his exam over to an instructor and made his way toward the Grand Tower's front entrance.

Apparently, everyone who finished both exams were instructed to wait outside until the results were ready. As the time passed, Tyrus's worries gnawed away at him. What if he wasn't accepted into the academy? Then what? Applicants were given one shot to prove themselves, and no second chances. If that was the case, he'd have to settle on becoming a full-time explorer.

That wasn't all too bad, but his heart still ached, knowing that a part of him craved the knowledge and prestige the academy would grant him. Fiona has said many times that those who graduate from the academy would be set for life, and that's what he wanted. To make a great living and live the rest of his life as he chooses. Those were the main motivations that fueled his resolve so far. Without them, he'd be nothing more than a boy who was lost in life.

"Tyrus!"

Tyrus's ears perked up. He looked over his shoulder to see Ivy rushing towards him, waving her arms. Her face was bright and cheerful, and she looked like she had something important to say.

She slowed her pace and smiled down at him. "It's good to see you again! How did your exams go? You seem really tense."

Some of the tension riddling his body vanished. Tyrus scratched his cheek and chuckled. "I'm not really sure, to be honest. There were a lot of history questions on the written exam I had no clue about. But I think I did well enough to get a decent score. The physical exam, on the other hand..."

His face fell and his ears drooped. "I did what I could in there. All I can do is hope that I at least impressed a few of them. Sir Geroth was there, and he seems to like me, so maybe that's a good thing."

A brief silence ensued. Suddenly, Ivy adjusted her cloak and sat beside him, her gaze locked onto the sky. Tyrus flinched, but he quickly shook the shock off and did the same. Not a hint of a cloud was visible, and the sky was a bright azure, with the sun beaming down on them.

Ivy's voice broke the silence. "Mother says this to me all the one when I'm feeling down: Moping around won't do you any good, Ivy. Best to keep your chin up and move forward. Things could always be worse."

"That is true. Things could always be worse."

"Exactly," Ivy said. She clapped her hands together. "Which is why you should think happy thoughts. What's your favorite thing to eat?"

"Stew," said Tyrus quickly. "With carrots, potatoes, and boar meat."

"What do you like to do?"

He paused. "Exploring places and fighting beasts."

"My favorite is steamed mewfish, and I like studying sorcery. Oh, and exploring new places is fun. You rarely know what you'll find, whether it's a beautiful flower or an undiscovered species. Or the more common one: a lady captured by a rock spider, who is then rescued by a mysterious and very strong explorer."

A faint smile curled on Tyrus' lips. "Hey, how'd you do on the exams?"

"Heh, I don't want to sound overconfident, but I'm sure I passed with flying colors. Well, on the written exam, that is. I made a few mistakes in front of the instructors, but nothing too major. It's not the exam I spent the most time worrying about, anyway."

"If it's you, Ivy, then I'm sure you got the highest score. If I'm wrong, may Sthito send bad luck my way."

Ivy giggled and playfully shoved Tyrus, who couldn't help but smile back.

To pass the time, Ivy and Tyrus talked, mostly about the contents of each exam. Their conversation then steered toward the academy and the expectations they had if they were accepted. As time passed, the unease that plagued him earlier slowly dissipated, replaced by a pleasant and warm feeling. They talked and talked, and an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

Soon, every applicant was outside the Grand Tower, awaiting their results. Not long after, everyone's eyes turned to the entrance when Warden Nathero stood at the top of the steps. In one swift hand motion, a golden light escaped from his hand, hovering high above his head. Then, the light exploded, revealing two large images similar to whenever a communications orb was used. The left was a list—in order of who scored the highest—of applicants that have passed the written exam, and the right detailing the physical exam.

"Those must be the results," Ivy said giddily. She grabbed Tyrus by the arm and dragged him closer to the front, where a large crowd was gathering. The crowd parted, allowing Tyrus and Ivy a view of the results, and his eyes scanned through the list.

A squeal from Ivy drew his attention away, and he spotted her hopping around, a grin from ear to ear. She pointed at the board and said, "Look, Tyrus! I'm in second!"

Sure enough, her name was number two on the list. The thought of congratulating her crossed his mind, but his eyes were glued to the name above hers: Igneal. Tyrus knew the noble was smart, but he was still surprised to see his name that high.

As for Tyrus, his name didn't crack the top ten, let alone twenty. In fact, it was further down in the high fifties—a solid fifty-nine. Disappointment was the first emotion that swept over him, but he quickly dismissed it, knowing that the written exam wouldn't be his strong suit. So, he shifted his attention to the other board.

"N-No way..."

His knees wobbled as he stared, wide-eyed, at the top three names: Tyrus, Igneal, and Kylis. His name was first on the list! Just to be sure, Tyrus rubbed his eyes and focused on the words again, and it was still there. A mixture of relief, shock, and happiness surged within him. He was the highest ranking applicant on the physical exam.

Ivy's voice cut in. "See? What did I tell you, Tyrus? Who else would be first other than you?"

Tyrus was too thunderstruck to say anything, so he nodded his head. After all of that worrying, he managed to place first, despite being a commoner and having little experience. He had to pinch himself to confirm that this wasn't a dream. Tyrus couldn't wait to tell the others the great news!

"May I have everyone's attention!" Warden Nathero's voice boomed, startling everyone. When the voices died down, the warden continued. "The passing threshold to be accepted into the academy is that one must perform well. If an applicant were to score too low on the written exam, their physical exam must make up for it to cover the deficit."

"Certainly, there exists a contrasting scenario. It is equally important not to place your hopes on the physical examination if you score low on the other. This is precisely why I emphasized the significance of giving your utmost effort in both exams. The names listed here are those who have successfully passed and been granted admission to the academy."

Cheers and applause erupted, while many hung their head low, looking dejected. It was the typical scenario, and the warden patiently waited until everyone calmed down before continuing.

"Those who have been accepted should make their way to the Grand Tower in two days' time. Once there, you will use the teleportation gate and be transported directly onto the academy grounds. It is crucial that you arrive on time, as tardiness will result in being denied entry. Take this moment to celebrate and get ready to embark on your new journey at Valis Academy of Sorcery, where the doors of experience will eagerly welcome you."