In the palace, a celebratory atmosphere hung in the air.
"Congratulations, your majesty!" Lord Seth, Lord of Shallow River and the Father of House Talerind, said with a beaming smile. "Your son is the top one this year."
"Thank you, Lord Seth," the king replied, his face radiating pride.
The other lords and nobles were gathered, their voices a murmur of congratulations and pleasantries.
"Lord Norah, isn't your son taking the entrance exam too?" Sir Langly asked, his gaze sharp.
"Yes, in fact, he trained this whole year and used the best equipment gold could buy just to join the army," Sir Norah Elarion of Ravenwood replied.
"Your son is quite hardworking, Sir Norah," Sir Langly said, his voice laced with a hint of admiration.
"Yes, he is."
"I've heard your two boys are taking the test right now."
"Yes, and you've been blessed with a light user," the Lords said.
"Praise must be all to our gods," Sir Langly said, a touch of arrogance in his voice.
Xavier joined their party, his gaze sweeping across the nobles. Xavier thought about the young people taking the entrance exam, their faces flushed with excitement and determination. He thought,
"Their kids might have talents and privileges, but those kids I trained were obsessed. They didn't have a choice. There's a difference between need and wants. Those who needs it the most will thrive to get it."
He couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for those who had been given nothing, who had to claw their way to the top.
"Wow, most of them are ready," Rylan said, his voice a mixture of excitement and apprehension as the students lined up, preparing for the race.
The person in charge, standing at the starting line, addressed the crowd, "The rules are simple. Whoever gets to finish five laps of this race will win. If you're last, it means you fail this test. And remember, if you fail every test, you'll be put on the kitchen department."
Rylan realized how severe the situation was. He remembered Aethra's warning about choosing a weak opponent, and a surge of determination coursed through him.
"Nah, me and Collei trained ourselves for a year. We promised to each other to change our destiny here. I'm gonna pass," he thought.
As he looked at his opponents, his eyes scanning the crowd, he noticed something peculiar. Most of the kids with suits or armor and artifacts had a sigil of wood on their arm.
"Most of them has a sigil. They're nobles," he thought. But then he spotted Rethrus, with a staff clutched in his hand, Leo with a big, fierce gauntlet, and Aethra with a sword. His apprehension eased slightly. "Thank goodness we're not all nobles here."
"Ready? Get set. Go!" The starter's voice boomed across the courtyard.
The race began, a surge of energy rippling through the crowd.
Julian Langly, a confident glint in his eyes, cast a spell.
"From the heart of the mountain, the strength of the stone,
I call upon Earth's power, to make my will known.
Roots deep and steady, a foundation so strong,
Let Earth's magic flow through me, where I belong."
The ground beneath him surged, giving him a temporary boost, lifting him slightly into the air. He felt a rush of adrenaline, but he wasn't alone.
"Light, I call, answer my plea,
Bring forth your power, set me free.
Shine your brilliance, banish the dark,
Let your strength leave its mark."
A flash of light erupted from Jasper's wand as he cast Ethereal Ray. He was propelled skyward, soaring above the crowd, taking the lead. The spectators gasped.
"It's a light user," Aethra said, his voice tinged with surprise.
Rylan ran alongside the other students, his heart pounding. The other students were surprisingly strong and fast. He looked back, expecting to see the others running, but they weren't.
Back in the palace, a scene of privilege and pride unfolded.
"Hahah, our kids will be stronger than us," a group of Lords said, their voices overflowing with confidence.
"You there, Xavier!" The king's voice boomed, his eyes fixed on the mage.
"The kids you trained will not be a disappointment, right?" the king asked.
"Oh, not my king," Xavier replied, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"I think my son will be staying on the top," the king said proudly.
"He trained with a general."
"Yes, your majesty, your son will stay on that top," the Lords agreed, their voices echoing the king's sentiments.
They knew in their hearts that their offspring were better, born with privilege and power.
Xavier, standing silently amongst the nobles, thought, 'You're quite wrong, my king.
Back at the race, a wave of shock swept through the crowd.
"Did you see that?" Leo asked, his voice filled with astonishment.
'Why aren't they running?' The Langly brothers thought. 'Maybe they were overwhelmed by us,' they thought, their faces flushed with a mixture of smugness and confusion.
"What are they doing?" Aethra said, his gaze fixed on the three figures.
"Yeah, they're slow and excessive," Rethrus agreed, his brow furrowed.
The three students, Rethrus, Aethra, and Leo, had silently encased their feet in a thin layer of mana.
They were no longer running, they were skipping, moving with a graceful fluidity that belied their speed. Their opponents gasped in disbelief as the trio quickly caught up to the leading pack.
"What?!" Julian and Jasper thought, their faces contorted in shock as they watched Rethrus, Aethra, and Leo pass them with seemingly effortless speed.
Rylan, panting and gasping for breath, caught a glimpse of a brown-haired boy with a gauntlet. He was leaping through the air, his movements like a wild animal, landing with a soft thump, his feet barely touching the ground.
The race continued, a blur of motion and determination. The three—Rethrus, Aethra, and Leo—had finally caught up to Jasper, who was struggling to regain his lead. Jasper, flustered by the sudden surge of competition, had forgotten to cast a spell and was now falling behind.
As the race neared its end, the three were almost neck and neck, their faces set in grim determination. Then, with a burst of speed that sent a shockwave through the crowd, Aethra accelerated. He had ignited his feet with fire, his body a blur of blazing speed.
Rylan, who had been lagging behind, watched in stunned disbelief. He remembered Aethra's words:
"You might choose a weak opponent if you wanna pass." He realized he'd been wrong. Aethra was anything but weak.
"Did he just light his feet on fire without casting a spell?" The person in charge thought, his eyes wide in astonishment.
Leo, observing Aethra's audacious move, turned his back to the finish line. He channeled mana into his gauntlet, his fists clenched tight. With a powerful punch, he propelled himself forward, surpassing Rethrus, who was unable to keep up with his sudden burst of speed.
"Did he just punch the air?" The Langly brothers thought, their faces etched with disbelief.
Rethrus, despite being overtaken by Leo, maintained his focus. He pushed himself harder, his determination fueled by the thrill of the race and the desire to prove himself. He knew he was close.
The finish line loomed closer. Aethra, a streak of fire, crossed the line first. Leo, his gauntlet glowing, followed closely behind. The crowd erupted in cheers, their voices echoing through the courtyard.
Rethrus, his face flushed with exertion, threw himself forward, his staff helping propel him forward. He crossed the finish line, his breath ragged but his eyes filled with determination. He came in third, a triumphant smile spreading across his face.
Jasper, his breathing ragged but his face resolute, finished fourth. Julian, his earth magic still surging around him, came in fifth. And Rylan, exhausted but undeterred, crossed the finish line twentieth.
Rylan was silent, a knot of disappointment settling in his stomach. He had failed the speed test. The others, energized by the challenge, headed off to their next tests.