The air was crisp and cool in the early morning as Talia and Riala walked across the Academy grounds.

Riala marched forward, leaving Talia scrambling to keep up.

“Elder Kahua's School is the top-notch place in the Academy,” Riala stated bluntly. “They're way more picky than Elder Krakatoa's School.”

Talia raised an eyebrow.

“Really? I thought Krakatoa's was the top School.”

Riala shook her head, a hint of pride creeping into her voice.

“Krakatoa may have more students, but Kahua's School is far more exclusive. We only take the absolute best.”

“And yet you're inviting me to the test,” Talia couldn't resist needling her sister. “I'm touched.”

“You are our mother's daughter as much as I am,” Riala said.

The older sister didn't want to admit that she hadn't been as supportive or kind to Talia as she could have been, especially considering how Talia had been treated on the island by the villagers. Knowing that Talia had probably had it pretty harsh until now, it felt appropriate for Riala to remind her little sister that she was Yalena's daughter as much as she was.

“Um,” Talia stuttered.

“What?” Riala asked, already bothered by her sister's antics.

“Have you, by any chance, met...” Talia's words trailed off.

“Met whom?” Riala was growing impatient.

“Dad,” Talia blurted out. “Have you, by any chance, met Dad?”

At that mention, Riala stopped dead in her tracks, swirling around and grabbing Talia by her sleeve.

“You've met Dad?” Riala said in a low growl.

“'Met' is a strong word,” Talia said, putting a hand over Riala's and trying to pry her sister's fingers from her blouse. “I've been visited by him. He briefly came to Solara.”

“The monster accident,” Riala realized, releasing Talia's sleeve. “What did he do?”

But Talia wasn't about to discuss their father's behavior.

What she wanted to know was how Riala knew about him.

“What do you know?” Talia asked. “And why have you never told me anything?”

“Because there's nothing to tell,” Riala said, her eyes cold. “We don't have a father, and our mother died to protect everyone in the Great Archipelago, Talia.”

Talia stared at her sister, taken aback by the harsh tone of her voice.

“But he's real, Riala. I saw him. He helped me unlock Mom's glaive.”

Riala's eyes narrowed.

“You shouldn't trust him, Talia. Whatever he told you, whatever he did – it's not out of love or care for you.”

“But why?” Talia pressed. “What happened?

Riala sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly.

“Look, it's complicated. And we don't have time for this right now. Elder Kahua is waiting, and we can't be late. Just… never trust him.”

They approached a grand building with sweeping arches and intricate stonework. Atop its entrance, a silver star gleamed – the symbol of Elder Kahua's School.

“Remember,” Riala said as they reached the doors, “Elder Kahua values precision and control above all else. Raw power means nothing if you can't wield it properly. And don't mention anything about... Dad. Understood?”

Talia nodded, squaring her shoulders.

“Got it. I'm ready.”

Riala led Talia through the hall and several flights of stairs.

As they entered the classroom, Talia couldn't help but stifle a yawn.

It was way too early for this nonsense, in her opinion.

The room was filled with nervous-looking students, all standing at attention like they were about to face some kind of execution squad.

There must have been at least two dozen of them – a mix of backgrounds, from what Talia could tell, but mostly noble kids.

Some wore the distinctive robes of Elder Kahua's School, while others, like her, were clearly here for the test.

Talia glanced around, thinking to herself.

It's barely past sunrise. Couldn't Elder Kahua have picked a more reasonable hour for this? What's he trying to prove by dragging us out of bed at the crack of dawn?

She glanced at the other students, noting the dark circles under their eyes.

Clearly, she wasn't the only one feeling the early start.

The whole setup screamed, “I'm important, and you're not,” to Talia.

She was starting to get the impression that Elder Kahua was one very uptight man.

As Riala moved to take her place at the front of the room, Talia hung back slightly.

She leaned against one of the intricately carved pillars near the wall, crossing her arms.

No way was she going to stand there like a statue just because some Elder decided that crack of dawn was the best time for tests.

Elder Krakatoa was nothing but nice to me, Talia reflected. Do I really have to choose this School? And do I really want to be with Riala if she doesn’t even want to tell me what the deal is with Dad? Should I ask Elder Krakatoa about it?

She knew that Maui, her father, was clearly some kind of an outlaw figure, though, which meant that asking Elder Krakatoa could land her in trouble.

Anyway, Talia kept glancing around, growing more and more restless by the minute.

Her initial impression of Elder Kahua was quickly forming into that of a huge pain in the rear.

Still, she reminded herself that appearances could be deceiving.

After all, hadn't Professor Iakopo turned out to be more than just the drunk he pretended to be?

Maybe there was more to Elder Kahua than what this rather obnoxious display suggested.

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Talia's gaze drifted to the front of the room where Riala stood. Her sister's posture was perfect, and her expression serene. If the early hour bothered her, she didn't show it. For a moment, Talia felt a pang of... something. Envy? Admiration? It was hard to tell.

She absently fingered the golden bracelets covering her wrists.

The room was so tense you could cut it with a knife.

Then, the doors flew open, and Elder Kahua walked in with the crimson robes that distinguished the Elders.

He scanned the room, his eyes lingering on Talia for a second before moving on.

“Good morning,” he said, his voice carrying effortlessly across the room. “I trust you're all sufficiently awake.”

There was a murmur of assent from the students, though Talia noticed more than a few stifled yawns.

Elder Kahua's lips twitched in what might have been amusement – or irritation.

It was hard to tell.

“As you know, this is not merely a test of raw power or basic skills,” Elder Kahua continued, pacing slowly in front of the group. “My School demands excellence in all aspects of Mana manipulation. This year, I've decided to set a very high bar for the entrance exam.”

He paused, letting the anticipation build.

Talia found herself leaning forward despite her earlier nonchalance, curiosity getting the better of her.

“For this year's test, I expect all aspiring students to demonstrate proficiency in Mana Crystallization – the second stage of Mana Coating.”

A collective gasp rippled through the room.

Even Riala's composure slipped for a moment, her eyes widening in surprise.

Talia glanced around, noting the apprehension on the faces of her fellow test-takers.

Elder Kahua's eyes glinted as he continued.

“For those unfamiliar with the term, Mana Crystallization involves transforming your Mana into a crystal-like substance over your weapon or body. It's a technique that requires precise control and deep understanding of the Mana flow.”

He gestured, and a shimmering, translucent crystal layer formed over his hand.

It caught the morning light, refracting it in dazzling patterns across the room.

“This is not just for show,” he explained. “Crystallized Mana is far more durable and potent than a simple Mana coating. It can enhance your defenses, amplify your attacks, and even serve as a conduit for more complex spells.”

The crystal dissipated, and Elder Kahua's gaze hardened.

“Those who succeed in showing their mastery over it — or, at least, basic control — will have proven themselves worthy of joining our ranks.”

Talia had only just mastered Mana Crystallization in Elder Krakatoa's class.

Showing it off would finally earn her some respect from Riala.

Elder Kahua clapped his hands sharply, jolting everyone to attention.

“You will have one attempt to demonstrate Mana Crystallization. You may use any weapon or focus you prefer or attempt it on your own body if you're feeling particularly confident.”

He gestured to a table at the side of the room, laden with an assortment of weapons.

“Choose your tool wisely. You have five minutes to prepare, then, we begin.”

The room erupted into motion as students rushed to select their weapons.

Talia hung back, her hand instinctively going to the glaive at her side.

She caught Riala's eye across the room – she seemed concerned?

Her sister gave her a small nod before turning away to oversee the preparations.

As Talia watched the other students fussing over their weapons, she smirked.

She had mastered Mana Crystallization with no effort.

Elder Kahua's gaze swept over the room, his eyes narrowing as he noticed Talia's nonchalant demeanor.

The contrast between her relaxed posture and the tense, anxious energy of the other students was stark.

He had seen many promising recruits over the years, but something about this girl's attitude set his teeth on edge.

She’s exactly like him, Elder Kahua thought to himself. We need to nip this in the bud.

“It’s time,” Elder Kahua's voice cut through the murmur of activity. “Remember, precision and control are paramount. Kahua's School maintains its elite status through rigorous standards.

“Now, one at a time, step forward and show me your Mana Crystallization attempt.”

One young man stepped forward first, with his face screwed up in concentration, and he managed to produce a wavering coat of Mana over his sword.

For a moment, it seemed he might succeed in crystallizing it, but then the energy dispersed, leaving him looking dejected.

“Failure,” Elder Kahua announced. “Next.”

A girl with intricate braids fared slightly better, her staff glowing with a steady light.

But as she attempted to push the Mana into a crystalline form, the energy pulsed erratically, nearly slipping from her control.

For all her efforts, she couldn’t manage to create the crystal edge.

Talia looked on, not mocking the girl, but simply so relaxed that many started noticing her attitude.

Elder Kahua's frown deepened as he sneaked glances at her.

Whispers rippled through the group, some curious, others resentful of her apparent lack of concern for the test.

Finally, Elder Kahua could no longer ignore her attitude.

“You there,” he called out, pointing directly at Talia. “Since you seem so at ease, perhaps you'd like to demonstrate for the class?”

A hush fell over the room.

All eyes turned to Talia, a mix of anticipation and schadenfreude on their faces.

Surely, they thought, this arrogant girl was about to be put in her place.

Talia stepped forward, her smirk widening into a full grin.

“Certainly, Elder Kahua,” she replied, her tone just shy of mocking.

She could feel Riala's gaze boring into her – a mixture of warning and resignation.

She held her glaive out before her.

Talia activated [Eyes of the Abyss] and [Crimson Wisdom], pulling on her Blood Water and expanding its Mana outward from her navel to the weapon.

Without any of the visible effort of the other students, she channeled the energy, and a crystalline structure began to form along the weapon's length.

The crystal grew rapidly, encasing the glaive’s blade in a shimmering, scarlet layer that caught and reflected the light.

The room held its breath, all eyes fixed on the display.

Even Riala couldn't hide her surprise at her sister's effortless demonstration.

Talia glanced around at the stunned faces, then back at Elder Kahua.

“See?” she said, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction. “It's easy.”

Elder Kahua's face flushed with anger, the veins in his neck standing out prominently.

The casual dismissal of a technique that most students struggled to master throughout the first year, if not also the second, was clearly more than he could tolerate.

“Easy?” he repeated, his voice dangerously low. “You think this is a game, girl? This technique has taken even some of our most talented students months to master, and you dare to trivialize it?”

Talia's smile faltered slightly, realizing too late that she may have pushed too far.

The other students began to back away, sensing the storm brewing between Talia and the Elder.

But before she could respond, Elder Kahua continued, his voice rising with each word.

“You may have your mother's talent, but you lack her wisdom and respect. Talent without discipline is worse than useless – it's dangerous. Perhaps you need a more... challenging demonstration to truly test your abilities.”

The atmosphere in the room had shifted dramatically.

What had started as a test now felt like a confrontation, with Talia at its center.

She met Elder Kahua's gaze, her earlier bravado giving way to a mix of apprehension and determination.

Some of the other students exchanged nervous glances.

They had heard rumors of Elder Kahua's temper, but few had witnessed it firsthand.

Now, they watched with a mixture of fear and fascination to see how he would respond to this brash newcomer.

Riala watched from the sidelines.

As the tension was building, Elder Kahua's eyes narrowed – a dangerous glint appearing in them.

“Very well,” he said, his voice eerily calm now. “If Mana Crystallization is so simple for you, then we must give you a different challenge, Talia Solara.”

Elder Kahua's gaze swept across the room, his eyes lingering on each student before returning to Talia.

“Listen well, all of you,” Elder Kahua's voice carried a weight of experience and barely-contained anger. “Arrogance is a poison that has destroyed more promising Water Riders than any monster of the Deep. It blinds you to your weaknesses, makes you overestimate your abilities, and leads you down paths from which there is no return.”

His words seemed to carry a personal weight, as if he were recalling some long-ago tragedy.

For a moment, his eyes unfocused, lost in a memory.

When he spoke again, his voice was quieter but no less intense.

“I have seen great talents fall because they believed themselves invincible. I have watched as overconfidence turned potential heroes into cautionary tales.” His gaze fixed on Talia once more, with a mixture of anger and something that might have been regret in his eyes. “Talent without humility, without discipline, is a dangerous thing.”

The other students shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact with both Elder Kahua and Talia.

The atmosphere had shifted from one of competition to something far more serious.

Elder Kahua seemed to come to a decision.

He gestured sharply, and a young man stepped forward from the group of second-year students observing the test.

“Kano,” Elder Kahua addressed the student, “you will face Talia in a demonstration match.”

Kano looked surprised but nodded all the same.

He was tall and lean, with the confident bearing of someone who had already proven himself in combat.

Elder Kahua turned back to Talia, his voice cold.

“Since you find our standard tests so trivial, perhaps this will prove more... enlightening. You will demonstrate your mastery of Mana Crystallization in a practical scenario.”

His next words fell like hammer blows.

“And understand this, Talia Solara. If you fail to meet my expectations in this test, I will use my authority as an Elder to have you expelled from the Water Riders Academy entirely.”

A collective gasp sounded through the room.

Even Riala looked shocked at the severity of the punishment.

“That doesn’t sound fair!” Talia growled.

Elder Kahua smiled.

“Life isn't fair. The Deep isn't fair. If you cannot handle this challenge, you have no place among the Water Riders.”

He gestured to a large open area at the center of the room.

“You can take your positions and begin. And Kano, if you don’t win, you cannot consider yourself a member of my School anymore.”