I slid my finger across the shallow depressions in the book’s surface. Now that I thought about it it was the first book I could remember seeing since coming here. It seemed that this world was stuck in a medieval era not just in looks but in technology as well. People excitedly showed each other their books. They flipped through the pages greedily inspecting its contents in the same way a child would when recieving gifts on christmas morning. I think the printing press had been integral to the explosion leading to our modern treasure trove of books. Books must have been made by hand before that time and are much rarer. I imagine with magic that rate would be a bit higher but still nowhere near industrial times.
“Before that!” said Gilgamesh pausing before his next words while everyone directed their attention to him. “We will perform a series of tests to measure your current abilities.” Several groans escaped the crowd. It seems no one was fond of tests no matter what world one found themselves in.
It is a crucial part of your education to get you all as strong as possible,” he went on. “When we know how strong you are we are able to push you accordingly and help you in areas were you might be lacking in,” he said.
Tables were quickly set up for the tests to begin. A pot of dirt was placed in front of each and every one of us.
“Your first test will be to grow this plant.” he said.
A hand raised in the crowd.
“Are we supposed to do that now, It would take days if not weeks for any signs of growth to be visible?” asked the voice.
“You will do it using magic,” said GIlgamesh resoundingly. Murmurs went through the crowd.
I looked at the pot of dirt. I pinched some of the earth and rubbed it between my fingers. It fell in clumps and was moist and dark. They were the ideal conditions for growing a plant. This would require the minimum amount of mana to grow since everything was practically already there.
I placed my hands around the clay pot and closed my eyes. I let warm mana flow out from where my hands came in contact with the sides. It flowed into the pot coalesing in the center. I felt the tiny mana emanating from the seed buried snugly within the dirt. The mana pooled inside of it making it balloon and expand outwards. I openeed my eyes.
A flower now as long as the pot had been blossomed out of it. Round yellow pedals hung around its swirling center.
Gasps went around the room.
“Professor, someone has already done it!” exclaimed a voice.
I looked around. Everyone’s gaze was facing the far corner of the room. In Garn’s pot a small stalk had sprouted.
“Good job Garn!” said Gilgamesh. “Everyone give him an applause for being the first one to succeed!” applause shook the room.
To my surprise Garn wasn’t his usual boastful self. In fact his face was downcast and his eyes distant.
“That’s our next leader alright!” said a voice.
“No wonder he could do it so fast, he was the one that ended the disaster of Ariadne!” exclaimed another.
“It is often said,” began GIlgamesh, “That fighting on the battlefield for one’s life where one is forced to fight as hard as one can it enables one to grow stronger,” said Gilgamesh to the eager students.
It doesn’t matter, I didn’t want their attention either way. It’s not like it would benefit me for everyone to find out how strong I have become, it would only cause problems. Even while having those thoughts I knew deep down that a smidgeon of my being yearned for that validation.
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We performed many tests afterwards to test our ability to manipulate and sense mana. We were lined up in rows. A giant metal plate was at the front of each row.
“For the next test we will be measuring your offensive capabilities. It is integral for everybody to be proficient in hand-to hand combat, it is for that reason that no long range offensive attacks may be used.”
The first student was called forward. He was well built with a bulky frame. Thick muscles pressed against the sleeves of his shirt. He stepped forward within arms reach of the plate. He pulled back his fist. His fist struck the surface solidly reverberating throughout the air. He stumbled back clutching his reddening hand.
“A score of twenty-seven,” announced Gilgamesh. “It goes without saying that physical might alone won’t be enough to produce credible results. It may have been enough in the academy but on the battlefield you will come across monsters more durable than anything you’ve faced before. I once fought an armoured monster that survived unscathed after falling from the top of mount Olympus!”
Round after round of students went forward and struck the plate. Most got slightly higher scores ranging anywhere from thirty all the way to seventy. A familiar ginger figure stepped forward followed by obnoxious cheering.
Garn didn’t rush to strike the plate as many students had done. He crouched slightly, coiling up his body. I heard a distinct low crackling sound, like the fizzy gas of a carbonated drink.. He darted forward striking the plate. I looked over his shoulder to inspect the plate.
A thin layer of ice covered the metallic surface; sheens of water vapour flowing from the ice were drawn away by the air currents. Most notably of all a clearly seen crack was in the otherwise smooth metal plate.
“A score of one-hundred!” exclaimed Gilgamessh. “A perfect score!” the crowd around me erupted in cheers.
“But he used a spell, how is that fair?” said an angry student.
Garn turned to the student. “You’re only not allowed to use long range offensive spells. Ice Thrust is a close range spell as well as more importantly being primarily a demobilisation spell.
“That’s exactly right!” shouted Gilgamesh.
“Ok, I think that wraps things up for this test,” said Gilgamesh. “Wait a minute!” he exclaimed. “It seems I forgot a person, Sebastian!”
The students groaned turning back to face the plate.
I stepped forward. I was aiming for a score of fifty or so. I sighed ignoring the glares shooting daggers into my back. I would be better of not using any mana for this strike. I pulled my arm back and gave a quick jab at the plate. The plate resonated slightly. See I thought reassuringly to myself. Gently, easy as pie.
As if on cue, the crack grew vertically splitting the plate into two equal pieces that
fell side by side onto the ground.
“A score of one-hundred” exclaimed Gilgamesh. “That’s the highest score tied with Garn, congratulations Sebastian!”
“Teacher, I think there's been some sort of mistake,” said a student. The crowd agreed. “He went after Garn who already damaged the plate, The score must be false,”
“Besides,” I heard a voice whisper. “The otherworlder is a weakling, there’s no way he could have that score,”
“For our last test you will be performing telekinesis,” said Gilgamesh. “This is something you should all be familiar with and so we are expecting this test to have the highest scores.” Everyone nodded eagerly.
We were each given a small metal marble. Gilgamesh instructed us to raise the marble using our mana. I did as he told. The marble floated out of my hand and stopped around my eye-level.
“How long are we supposed to hold these, I think everyone is able to do this easily?” I heard someone ask.
Gilgamesh answered it simply. “This is a test of endurance, I heard that at the academy you mainly focused on the amount of weight one could manipulate. On the battlefield as you may have discovered the battle can be drawn-out and be more a battle of endurance and stamina than one of superior might.”
Little by little the clattering sound of marbles hitting the floor increased. The principles of telekinesis was simple. By concentrating their mana outside of their body around an object and manipulitng their mana one is able to manipulate and move around the object. With a mass as little as this I could lift it up by just unleashing my normal aura without engaging in any magical techniques.
Another volley of marbles clattered to the ground. This is good enough. My marble clattered to the ground. There were now only a few that still had their marbles within the air. Eventually they too hit the ground.
“Good effort everyone!” boomed Gilgamesh’s voice. “That concludes the tests we will be doing, before you are dismissed their is one final thing that must be attended too.”
The ceiling of the tent glowed once more. This time instead of books twinkling medals floated down. They were star-shaped and golden. Connected to it was a piece of fabric with the same gold and black theme the books had.
“Wear this medals with pride, for most of you this was your first battle, while many of you may feel ashamed of yourself, the fact that you are alive is an accomplishment in and of itself. Surviving means that you can change from the person you were and be the person who you want to be.” Gilgamesh swept his eyes across the room nodding to himself.
“It will be a tough journey ahead of us, but I believe you all can do it!” he said. With those final words he walked to the side of off the stage. His final words were cheered long after he was gone. I made my way to the exit. What point was there in me being here if their was nothing left to do?
On my way out I heard muttering.
“Lucky him, he gets an award just for showing up.”
I clutched at my medal. What was the point of this? Is this what my future is going to be, always scorned by everyone here? What point was their in me being here if their was nothing left to do? I had played this farce of game long enough. What good did this medal do me? The answer was nothing. Why would I be here, were I was scorned and hated for things that were beyond my control? I’d had enough, I made up my mind there and then. I need to leave.