The murmur of the great hall grew louder as more youths completed the trial. The line moved slowly, each boy and girl placing their hand on the magical crystal resting on a pedestal of polished stone. The lights, sparks, or shadows that emerged from it revealed each one's talents, drawing applause, sighs, or disappointment.
Clara, her heart beating fast, waited for her turn. She watched in fascination at the colors, the shapes, and the reactions of the examiners: some nodded with satisfaction, others barely showed interest, for common talents were abundant.
Finally, she heard her name. Her light, nervous steps carried her to the center of the hall. The crystal glowed faintly, as if impatiently awaiting the touch of her hand.
With a timid breath, Clara placed her palm on the cool surface. The instant she did, a surge of energy swept through the hall.
The crystal first blazed with a golden radiance, warm and pure, illuminating every face present. The senior examiner's eyes widened in surprise.—"Affinity with light…" he muttered, while some of the young spectators clapped.
Before Clara could withdraw her hand, the glow shifted. A silvery halo appeared in the air, taking the form of an ethereal hourglass, whose grains fell slowly… but in reverse. Time itself inverted before their eyes. A reverent silence fell upon the hall.—"Time…" whispered one of the mages, his voice unsteady.
The silvery glow faded, and then a dense shadow seeped out from within the crystal, spreading like liquid darkness that devoured all light. Many instinctively stepped back.—"Darkness…" another examiner declared, this time with disbelief.
Clara, instead of being afraid, let out a small nervous laugh. To her, it all seemed as marvelous as it was strange, and she didn't understand why everyone else grew so tense.
Suddenly, the stone base began to pulse with an intense green. Sprouts and small flowers bloomed around the pedestal, fresh and fragrant, as if spring itself had burst into the heart of the hall.—"Life as well…?" someone in the crowd asked, unable to contain themselves.
And then, as if a final stroke remained, a surge of blue sparks ran across the crystal's surface. The air crackled with electricity, a sharp sound rang out like a thunderclap contained. Clara let out a little gasp of surprise and then smiled, delighted by the tingling sensation in her fingers.—"Electricity…" the chief examiner announced, though his voice no longer sounded firm but awed.
The hall erupted into murmurs.—"Five…? Five talents? That's not possible…"—"When was the last time anyone…?"—"Not even in the oldest records…"
Clara, still with her hand on the crystal, looked around with wide, sparkling eyes, not fully grasping the magnitude of what had just happened. To her, it was like watching a show of beautiful lights, unreal and enchanting. To the examiners and seasoned mages, however, it was an event that could change the fate of the academy.
The girl pulled her hand back, blushing slightly under so many stares, and smiled shyly.—"Did I do well?" she asked innocently, unaware that the examiners were exchanging serious looks, as though they had just witnessed a miracle.
The murmurs had not yet faded in the great hall when one of the examiners raised his hand, demanding silence.
—"There is still the second test," he declared solemnly. "The evaluation of the magical circuits."
Clara, her cheeks still flushed from excitement, tilted her head with curiosity.—"Another test? How interesting!" she exclaimed with innocent enthusiasm.
A few of the youths in line chuckled under their breath, but the magicians did not smile. The evaluation of the circuits was a far more delicate matter, for it was not about what talents one possessed, but the true capacity of body and soul to sustain magic.
One of the masters approached her, offering a small crystal vessel filled with a translucent liquid that shimmered like molten silver.—"Take a sip. This fluid is pure mana. It won't harm you, but… it will reveal how your body accepts it."
Clara obeyed without hesitation. The liquid slid down her throat with a cool tingling sensation, and at once, everyone in the hall saw it: a network of luminous lines bloomed across her skin, spreading like a map of stars. They were her magical circuits, glowing with a radiance almost painful to behold.
The examiners froze in shock. One of them, with decades of experience, dropped the quill he had been using to take notes.—"Impossible… they're all igniting at once!"
Normally, a student revealed fragmented circuits: some faint, some dim, some barely functional. That determined how quickly they could invoke, how much mana they could hold, or which spells they could master. But Clara's circuits showed no cracks, no darkness. Each line gleamed brightly, accepting mana as naturally as blood flows through veins.
The director of the test, an archmage with a long white beard, stepped forward with eyes wide in astonishment.—"These circuits… they are identical to those of Prince Leon."
The silence that followed was absolute. For someone to share such a trait with the imperial heir was something no one had ever imagined.
Clara, unaware of the magnitude of what was unfolding, raised her hands and gazed at the lights still dancing across her skin.—"How beautiful! It looks like a starry sky…" she said with a bright, innocent smile, while several of the magicians felt a shiver down their spines.
The session ended immediately. Two examiners rushed to draft urgent reports, others exchanged nervous whispers, and someone mentioned that the headmaster of the academy must be informed without delay.
Clara, however, was treated with unusual courtesy. A young master bowed slightly before her.—"Please, return to your inn and prepare your belongings. From today, you are officially a student of the Imperial Academy. We shall assign you a dormitory."
Before she could even process what he had said, a signal was given, and from among the crowd appeared two second-year apprentices. They wore robes with golden trims and bore the confident air of those who had already walked the academy's vast corridors.
—"Your task will be to escort Lady Clara to her new lodging," ordered one of the examiners.
The two students nodded seriously and approached the girl. One of them, a young man with light brown hair, offered her a kind smile.—"Don't worry, we'll guide you. The academy is enormous, and it can be confusing at first."
They handed her a small package: a booklet with the class schedule, which would begin in a week; a map of the campus, marking the library, dining hall, training rooms, and lecture halls; and a bronze key engraved with a number.
Clara held everything in both hands as if it were a treasure, nodding eagerly.—"Thank you! I promise I won't get lost… well, I'll try not to."
The apprentices chuckled softly and began guiding her toward the exit.
As she left the great hall, the examiners continued to watch her, caught between disbelief and awe. One thought was shared among them all: that day, they had witnessed something that might change the fate of the academy… and perhaps of the entire kingdom.
he two apprentices sent to fetch her stopped in front of Clara with a slight bow.
The first to speak was a tall, strong boy, broad-shouldered, with light brown hair that fell messily over his forehead. His smile was gentle and warm, like the sun dispersing any nervousness.—"Nice to meet you, my name is Allan. I'm in my second year at the Academy," he said, offering his hand with a natural confidence that inspired trust.
Beside him, a young woman with black hair tied in a braid stepped forward. Her face was dotted with tiny freckles, softening the seriousness of her firm gaze; delicate lips completed the expression of someone who, even without speaking much, commanded respect.—"I'm Nina," she introduced herself in a clear, calm voice.
—"Don't be afraid," Allan added, still wearing that reassuring smile. "At first, the Academy can seem like a maze, but you'll get used to it soon."
Nina nodded, looking at Clara with a mix of seriousness and warmth.—"With a talent like yours, you won't be in an ordinary class. You'll most likely be assigned to the Special Class."
Clara hugged the booklet and the key to her dormitory against her chest and tilted her head in astonishment.—"Special Class?" she asked with innocent excitement.
—"Yes," Allan explained. "It's a group reserved for the most promising students. There they receive direct instruction from the best teachers and access to unique knowledge. Only a few ever get in."
—"And now, you will probably be one of them," added Nina, her firmness softened by a small smile.
Clara's eyes shone with excitement.—"Really? That sounds amazing! I'll do everything I can to live up to it."
Allan and Nina began guiding Clara through the wide corridors of polished stone. The echo of their footsteps mixed with the murmur of other apprentices coming and going, carrying books or trunks. Clara couldn't help but turn her head in every direction, marveling at the majesty of the place: high ceilings supported by marble columns, stained glass windows that bathed the floor in vibrant light, and spiral staircases that rose into towers seemingly lost in the sky.
—"This is the heart of the library," Nina explained, pointing to an imposing building with a bluish dome and walls covered in climbing vines. Large windows revealed endless shelves. "Here are kept ancient grimoires and texts on every branch of magic. The deepest section is restricted, but if you truly enter the Special Class, you will have access to manuscripts few have ever seen."
Clara's eyes went wide.—"Really? I would love to read everything in there!"
Allan chuckled softly.—"Be careful what you wish for. Some books aren't meant for inexperienced eyes. But with your potential… you'll reach them sooner than you think."
They continued walking until they arrived at a large building of light-colored stone with doors carved in interlaced arches. The air smelled of freshly baked bread and spices.—"This is the main dining hall," Allan said. "It's divided into two areas: one section exclusive for nobles and families of lineage… and another where commoners generally eat."
Clara watched as a group of young people in elegant robes passed through the main doors, while, to the side, apprentices in simpler clothing entered another entrance.
—"And where do you eat?" she asked, genuinely curious.
Nina answered naturally:—"It depends. Some nobles prefer to mingle with everyone, others keep their distance. There are no strict rules, but… well, customs carry weight."
—"I like to go through both sections," Allan added with a knowing smile. "The food is the same; what changes is the company."
The comment drew a shy giggle from Clara, who was beginning to feel more at ease with her new companions.
After a few more turns in the corridors, they finally arrived at a large wooden door with copper inlays. Above it, a plaque read: Apprentice Dormitories – Female Section.
—"This will be your home for now," Nina announced, handing her the key, which Clara held with excitement between her fingers.
Allan leaned slightly toward her.—"Rest and make yourself comfortable. You have a week before classes begin, but don't let your guard down. In the Special Class, they'll demand not only magic, but character as well."
Clara nodded firmly, her innocent smile shining with determination.—"I'll give it my all, I promise."
Nina looked at her with a serious expression, softened by the shadow of a smile.—"We'll see soon enough."
The two bade her farewell, leaving Clara in front of the door, her heart racing with excitement and nerves. A new chapter in her life was about to begin.
--
The palace was in a state of euphoria. In the grand hall, servants carried golden trays while the king, pride almost visible in every line of his face, tried to contain his excitement. He was on the verge of a jaw cramp from so much smiling; his third prince, Leon, had passed the Academy exam with flying colors, and the royal pride consumed him completely.
The nobles applauded, and conversations intertwined with praise and whispers. Leon, wearing a composed expression, accepted congratulations from his family and advisors, fully aware that the entire ceremony revolved around him.
But amid the murmurs of celebration, one of the archmages cleared his throat and spoke words that made everyone lean forward, attentive:
—"Your Majesty, Your Highness… while the prince's exam has been impeccable, I must point out that today we have witnessed a very special event. A plebeian has demonstrated five magical affinities and a body of supreme circuits, something that has deeply shaken our entire circle of mages."
The murmur turned into astonishment. Leon felt a slight shiver run down his spine. His own talents had been the source of praise and royal pride, but this news seemed to occupy a level entirely different.
As the nobles exchanged surprised glances and some looked at Leon with curiosity, he could not help but feel a thought strike him with force: could it be… the same woman whose presence had stirred a faint echo in his soul yesterday?
A sudden and forbidden desire began to bloom in his mind: to approach her, to behold her eyes, her face, to touch her hair. It was a moment that left him startled, almost shocked at the intensity of the feeling.
Immediately, Leon repressed these thoughts, burying them deep within himself as something absurd and unacceptable. Yet, the news had ignited a restlessness in him that he could not ignore.