I woke up early, my back still a little sore from the previous day's training. Tesline was already up and outside, stretching as if he hadn't spent hours punching a tree to splinters. Sometimes I wondered if his blood ran more adrenaline than red blood cells.
I dressed in my classic overalls, and went out to meet him. The morning breeze from the forest enveloped us with its coolness, and although the sky still had a pale hue, the air was already charged with tension. Today was the day.
The restitution of classes.
We walked together towards the academy. Aegis rested on my shoulder, still dozing. She woke up with a loud yawn and let out a squeak of encouragement as we walked through the doors of the building.
The central courtyard was already packed. Hundreds of students, all freshmen, were whispering to each other, some nervous, some excited. Tesline and I stood at one end. I folded my arms and looked around. Some already looked ready for war, with light armor and shining weapons. I, on the other hand, carried my staff and a half-strained smile.
"Are you ready for this?" asked Tesline, adjusting the metal-clawed gloves Rynras had given him.
"Depends," I replied. "Are we talking physically, emotionally or spiritually?"
Tesline laughed softly. "You just try not to pass out before I start."
"I promise to faint only afterwards."
A magical sound enveloped the square. All conversations instantly died down. From the highest terrace of the main building, Principal Isilwen appeared. Her figure, elegant and stern, commanded attention effortlessly. Her golden robe billowed in the breeze, and her blonde hair shone as if the light itself was focused on her.
"Welcome, freshmen!" her voice was clear and strong, as if the wind carried it to every corner of the courtyard. "Today begins the restitution of classes. A tradition that tests not only your strength or magic, but also your cunning, determination and ability to perform under pressure."
Beside him, several teachers and examiners watched intently, some taking notes, others crossing their arms with stern faces.
"The competition will consist of three stages. And only those who demonstrate true ability will be allowed to advance."
I felt a knot form in my stomach. Aegis made a low sound on my shoulder, as if he felt the pressure as well.
"The first stage is simple in concept, but no less demanding, you will all be transported to a specially prepared artificial terrain. Your sole objective will be to reach the center. Only the first fifty to reach the core area will be accepted to continue to the next stage."
The reactions were immediate. Some students tensed. Others looked at each other, mentally sizing up the competition. I felt a cold sweat slide down the back of my neck.
"When will the first stage begin!" shouted one of the students at the front.
Isilwen smiled, but it wasn't a friendly smile. It was the smile of someone who enjoyed watching the ground crumble beneath your feet.
"Immediately."
I didn't have time to react. A magic circle lit up under my feet, just like under all the others. I barely managed a gasp of surprise before the ground disappeared and I fell into the void.
The sensation was worse than any roller coaster ride of my past life. The wind hit my face, my stomach rose in my throat and Aegis shrieked like a weasel with disgust at heights.
Which is ironic since he can fly. I closed my eyes, and a second later, the muffled impact of a fall left me lying on a bed of wet leaves.
I opened my eyes and I was in the middle of a forest. The trees were tall, dense, with tangled branches and roots rising from the ground like living traps. Sunlight barely filtered through the canopy.
I heard the echoes of other students falling in the distance, some screaming, others already running. We had not been given time to prepare or to think. It was chaos orchestrated to perfection.
"Tesline?" I shouted as I awkwardly sat up.
A voice answered me from my left.
"Over here!" I saw her emerge through some bushes, leaves in her hair and a broken branch in her hand. "Are you okay?"
"Sort of. My pride hurt more than my back."
She held out her hand and helped me up.
"Do you know which way is the center?" she asked, as she adjusted her posture. Her gaze was alert, analyzing every sound among the trees.
"Not exactly... But I figure if we follow the sounds of fighting and shouting, we might be able to guess."
"Perfect." Tesline smiled as if she loved the idea. "Time to run."
We looked at each other for a second, nodded, and started running. As we ran through the trees, leaping roots and dodging branches as if our lives depended on it (which, technically, wasn't so untrue), an idea crossed my mind.
"Tesline, wait!", I yelled to her between gasps.
She slammed on the brakes, one eyebrow raised. "What's wrong?"
"Aegis can fly-we can use his vision to find the center!"
She blinked. "That... is brilliant."
I called to Aegis, who hovered beside us, still somewhat confused by the chaos. "Aegis, up! As high as you can, and tell me what you see!"
With an obedient shriek, she launched herself into the sky between the trees. I concentrated and activated the shared vision we were taught a few days ago. Instantly, my head was filled with information from two worlds: the ground view and the aerial view. I almost threw up.
I closed my eyes and left only the Aegis view. From above, the forest looked like a giant game board. I saw dozens of students running around, some already fighting each other. And there, in the exact center, a large stone platform surrounded by pillars of blue light. The goal.
"I've got it! Head northeast!" I shouted.
Tesline nodded without asking. I love that about her.
We ran at full speed, trusting Aegis to guide us. But no sooner had we gone a couple hundred yards than I heard heavy footsteps behind us... and voices.
"There they are! Get them!"
I turned and saw three students, two with short swords and another channeling some kind of spell.
"They want to attack us!", I exclaimed in surprise.
"Of course they do," Tesline muttered, frowning. "If they take us out, they have a better chance of getting to the center."
"But that's not fair!", I protested, still running.
"Since when is a competition fair?"
He was right. I sighed and raised my cane. "Frost trap!"
A magic circle glowed under my feet and, a second later, the ground behind us was covered in a rapidly expanding layer of ice. We heard screaming, falling, and one of them cursing very loudly as he hit a tree.
"That should buy us time," I gasped.
"Good job, wizard!" said Tesline, giving me a pat on the back that nearly threw me face first into the mud.
We kept moving forward until finally the platform appeared before us, just as Aegis had shown it. We were only a few meters away when a magical sound echoed in the air, as if an ethereal horn was resounding from the heavens.
Headmistress Isilwen's voice appeared out of nowhere, amplified by some spell.
"They've come too fast... but I don't want them to get bored. Let's make it more interesting."
The platform glowed and began to slowly rise. Rocks rose up with magic and formed what looked like an artificial mountain, with cracks, overhangs and unstable structures. Some fragments fell, and the center rose higher and higher, as if the goal itself was taunting us.
Tesline looked up and snorted. "Well... at least it's not a real mountain."
"That's clearly designed to kill me."
"Come on, Rurik!" and he started climbing without hesitation, using arms and legs as if he were a mountain goat.
I, on the other hand, clung to the first ledge with the gracefulness of a sack of potatoes. Climbing was not my thing. My hand was slippery with sweat, and my feet weren't helping.
Slowly I made my way up, trying not to look down, but just as I started to approach a more stable point, a hand grabbed my ankle.
"Huh!"
A larger student, with a determined expression, was pulling me down.
"Out of the way! This place is for the fast ones."
"I'm fast!", I protested, even though I was panting like I'd run a marathon with a backpack of rocks.
It threw me off balance, and I fell. On pure instinct, I activated my spell, "Change!"
A flash and wham, I knew I was no longer falling. Now he was.
He landed with a scream and a very satisfying groan.
I smiled and kept climbing. But I still had quite a way to go and there were more students up there, so I did what any desperate wizard with little regard for physical rules would do.
"Switch!" I pointed to one who was about to reach the top.
We exchanged places instantly. He yelped in surprise as he saw himself lower, and I landed in his spot.
"Oh, it worked twice!", I said, quite proud. I felt slightly guilty... but only slightly.
Finally, I reached the highest point. Tesline was already there, sitting there as if she had just walked calmly up a ladder.
"What took you so long?" she asked with an impish grin.
"I decided... to take the long way. And throw two people into the void."
"How kind of you."
All around, other students were starting to arrive, but we were already part of the first to touch the summit.
The summit got quiet when all fifty of us had arrived. Some were panting, others were lying on the ground as if they had just survived a war, and a few .... well, they were only too happy to have escaped elimination. I included myself in that last category.
I was standing next to Tesline, hands on my knees, breathing as if I had just run a marathon, when the platform glowed again. Headmistress Isilwen's voice echoed over us again, this time with a more neutral tone...though I don't know if it was neutral or just intimidating.
"Congratulations, students. You have passed the first stage."
Some applauded, others just sighed. I raised a hand in victory, as if that would make the pain in my legs go away.
"But it doesn't end here. As I said at the beginning, this competition will have three stages. Now that we have selected the fifty fittest, it's time to move on to the second."
Suddenly, without giving us time to ask any questions, a magic circle opened up under our feet. I felt the ground disappear and reflexively clung to Tesline's arm as we fell, once again, without warning.
"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS DROP US LIKE THAT!" I screamed as we fell into the void.
The sensation lasted mere seconds before we hit ground again, this time that of the academy's main courtyard. I looked around, half dizzy, as the others landed as well, some on their knees, others directly face first against the ground.
Isilwen was there, waiting for us. Her cloak fluttered slightly in the breeze, and her eyes shone with that hue that you didn't know if it was wisdom... or pure amusement at seeing us suffer.
"The second stage will be more... intense," he announced, walking slowly in front of us as if he were in a theater. "Each of you will be placed in an artificial cave filled with monsters. You will not be in the same place at the same time. You will be alone."
That made more than one of us tense up.
"Your objective is to collect as many points as possible by eliminating the creatures inside. The stronger the monster, the more points you will receive."
He raised his hand, and floating panels appeared above our heads. Magic boards, with numbers flashing in descending order.
"Above you will see your current position in the ranking. Only the first thirty-two will qualify to the last stage."
I looked up. My number was at 17. Good...but that could change at any time. Pressure squeezed my chest again.
"To ensure everyone is in fair condition, I will apply a full recovery spell," he added, raising his hand.
A soft white glow descended like a warm snowfall. I felt the fatigue dissipate from my muscles, my breathing stabilize, and even the bruise on my side disappeared. blessed magic!
"Now that you are recovered..."
He looked up, and with a gentle gesture, a new portal opened, this time above us.
"...The second stage begins now."
I looked at Tesline, who returned my gaze with that energetic smile. "Good luck, Rurik."
"You too, don't let anything with more than two rows of teeth bite you!"
"Is that helpful advice or a personal warning?"
"A little of both."
We laughed, just before the portal swallowed us into our next challenge.
This time we didn't fall together. The spell separated us, and I felt myself being flung through space, as if I were inside a magical bubble, floating through a tunnel of blue light.
When I finally landed, I did so standing (miraculously) in the middle of a huge cavern, with stalactites glowing with magical light on the ceiling and a dense mist covering the floor.
My first instinct was to look for a way out. The place was huge, damp and dark, though some stones floated gently, emitting a faint bluish light.
It reminded me of those magical caverns one sees in fantasy books... only this one had no friendly dwarves or singing elves. Just me, my grimoire and a bunch of things that wanted to bite me.
I opened the grimoire carefully, holding it with both hands. I still felt a slight tingling in my fingers, probably remnants of the healing spell the headmistress cast on us before we got here. I began to turn the pages quickly, muttering to myself.
"Let's see, let's see... Frost trap? I know it already. Light reflection? Too subtle - ah, here it is!"
My eyes lit up when I saw the page: "Fireball."
And just below it, "Fireball: Explosive Variant."
My smile was instantaneous. "Yes, this is just what I need."
I carefully advanced down a rocky corridor until I found a more open space. It looked like a natural chamber, and in it? bingo. Several monsters wandered aimlessly, sniffing the air and making disturbing noises.
There were at least half a dozen kobolds with small spears, a few green goblins armed with bone blades, three slimy slimes, and in the background a giant spider with eyes like burning coals.
I crouched behind a rock, pulled a stone out of the ground, kissed it out of superstition (even though I knew it was useless) and threw it as far as I could, causing it to hit a rusty metal wall on the other side of the room.
Immediately, the creatures were startled and began to move toward the source of the sound. I, meanwhile, muttered the spell under my breath and stretched my hand out in front of me.
"Frost trap."
Several plates of frost began to form on the ground between the monsters and the noise. The goblins were the first to step on it, slipping and getting caught. Then the kobolds, who shrieked angrily as they froze to their knees. Even the slimes stood still, shivering from the sudden cold.
Now was my chance.
I held up the grimoire with both hands, took a deep breath, and recited the words of the explosive variant.
"Explosive fireball!"
An igneous sphere grew in the air, pulsing as if it had a heart. I threw it straight at the center of the group.
The roar was deafening. A blast of heat hit me in the face, and the explosion threw parts of ice, earth and.... well, monster parts. The smoke slowly dissipated, and the plank above me flickered.
Points: +110. Position: 12.
"Yes!" I celebrated, raising my arms as if I had just won a race.
But this was no time to be confident. I knew there were more creatures prowling around, and probably stronger. So I got to work. I placed more frost traps along the length of the room, creating an icy path ready for what was to come.
And then... I did something stupid. But effective.
I climbed up on a rock, inhaled deeply, and shouted.
"HEY, YOU SOUR SNOT BALLS!!! I'M HERE, GET OVER HERE AND LET'S GET THIS OVER WITH!!!"
My voice boomed throughout the cavern.
Seconds later, I heard roars, shrieks and growls coming from multiple tunnels. Rapid sounds of paws hitting the ground. At least a dozen creatures appeared from various directions, including a pair of horned beasts, another giant spider, and what sounded like a mutated bat.
"Perfect. Come to me..."
The first ones to arrive stepped into the first trap. One after another were frozen.
Some slipped and bumped into each other, others got stuck completely. It was like watching a chaotic parade of monsters falling into my net.
I took advantage of the confusion and launched a normal fireball, which set the closest ones ablaze, then ran in a circle around the edge of the field, setting off another trap with a snap of my fingers.
The creatures screamed, kicked and despaired.
The marker above my head updated again.
Points: +240. position: 6.
"We're coming up!"
I stopped to catch my breath and crouched behind a rock. I couldn't trust myself, but the plan had gone better than expected.
Aegis, my familiar, materialized floating next to me. He was in the form of an ethereal mass, with that little smile as if he was enjoying the show.
"Having fun, eh?"
The creature nodded silently.
As the time limit came to an end, a faint magical bell echoed throughout the cavern. It was a soft, yet commanding sound.
As if telling you, very politely, to stop fighting... or you would be forcibly removed. I stopped mid-step, with a new fireball forming in my hand, and looked at the marker above me position 7.
"Ha! Not bad!" I said as I let the spell dissipate with a snap. My legs were shaking a bit from exhaustion, my arms were burning, and my clothes were somewhat scorched from my own fire, but I couldn't have been more satisfied. Although I felt that, if I sat down right now, I was going to fall asleep on the floor. Forever.
A portal opened above us without warning, and before I could say anything, it had already swallowed me up.
I suddenly reappeared in the academy courtyard, where the rest of the qualifiers were arriving one after the other, collapsing on the ground or standing, depending on luck or how many legs were still working.
Tesline appeared shortly thereafter, with a few scratches on her cheek and her hair a little messy, but smiling as if she had just come from a walk in the woods.
"Seven?" she asked upon seeing me.
"Amazingly, yes," I replied with a half smile. "And you?"
"Fifth," she said proudly, puffing out her chest a little.
"Well, at least you weren't third, because that would be too intimidating for me."
Tesline let out a soft laugh, and just then, the stones in the courtyard began to light up and the figure of Headmistress Isilwen appeared at the top of the stairs. She was impeccable, as always, with her white robes and her golden hair falling like a waterfall. Her eyes scanned the group calmly. Beside her, Professor Meller was taking notes on a floating tablet.
Isilwen took a couple of steps forward and, in a firm voice, announced:
"Congratulations to the 32 students who have demonstrated skill, cunning and determination during this second stage."
She took a second of silence to observe us. Some were still panting, others were simply amazed that they had made it this far. I tried to stand up straighter, although my legs were internally complaining to me for not giving them a rest.
"The last stage will begin very soon. And it will be simple, round-robin combat."
A few murmurs ran through the group. I gulped. Direct combat. No traps, no hidden fire. Well, maybe yes fire... but less hidden.
"The first round will pit the 32 qualifiers against each other. From there, 16 will advance to the second round. Then 8, then 4, then 2... and finally, the winner of the tournament. In total, six rounds."
I took a deep breath. Six bouts. Six times I would have to stay on my feet, think fast, and cast spells without setting myself on fire.
"Those who make it through the first round will automatically be accepted into the S class."
A sort of electric shock ran down my back - S-Class? Just like that?
"Those who lose in the first round will be left in the A class," the director added serenely. "Also an elite class, but not the highest."
So... this first match would decide everything. He didn't have to win the tournament. I only had to win one.
Just one.
"Perfect, one fight. How hard can it be?" I murmured without much thought, just before a boy with a grim face looked at me from a few meters away.
My familiar hovered nearby, with that expression of his of indifference that only someone made of pure energy could have. Even if he didn't say anything, I was sure he was having fun with all this, too.
Professor Meller held up his clipboard and began reading the names for the pairings.
"The order of the matches will be drawn by lot. You will be announced fifteen minutes in advance. You may prepare in the side rooms of the Magic Coliseum."
"Magic Coliseum?" I asked quietly.
"You know, that huge place that looks like it's straight out of a gladiator story. It's got bleachers, magic shields, trap doors... the basics," Tesline explained as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"Great."
The headmistress took one last look at the group and then said.
"Rest for now. The third stage will begin in a few hours. Until then, meet with your instructors and prepare your strategies."
And with that, the group began to disperse. Some headed toward the academy's dining hall, like Tesline and me.