'Ah it's finally time, huh?'
I thought as I woke up. It's August 14th, the day the entrance ceremony for Bloodspire Institute was drawing near, I needed to get going to Ravenhold. I gracefully sat up from my luxurious, massive bed suitable for a nobleman of my status. As I sat up, I felt the soreness in my chest from the workout I did yesterday. I walked to the bathroom, completely naked. Looking at myself through the mirror, I smiled.
'Look good as always, huh.'
Standing tall at over 180 cm, with extremely well-defined muscles yet no excess bulk, I had the perfect physique for a fighter of my style. My alabaster skin was smooth as silk and felt smoother every time I caressed myself. I then moved onto my dark indigo hair with hints of violet, it had parts that draped over my forehead in gentle, uneven lines that softly framed my face. The hair almost reached my light amethyst and indigo eye. They carried an enchanting glow under the sunlight that flowed through the huge windows in my unnecessarily large bathroom.
'Damn, if I keep looking at myself, I'm gonna get hard.'
Actually maybe it's time, hasn't it been a while since I last measured it? After staring at myself some more, I grabbed the ruler that I prepared for hard times like this.
'Hmm, about a 0.006 inch growth since last week. In half a year or so, I may be able to use it as a ruler.' I mused.
After that experiment, I showered and applied the usual lotions, ointments, creams, moisturizers, and whatever else I had brought. I then chose what clothes to wear. In the end, I picked a simple black suit with accents of purple to match my hair and eyes. I prefer simple clothing to shift the focus from pretty clothes anyone could wear to my heavenly handsome face.
I headed into the kitchen. Despite being a very genuine noble, I preferred to cook for myself. It just brings me a sense of joy I can't explain. Making myself a simple breakfast consisting of a coffee, avocado toast with a fried egg on top, and a whole chicken for protein, I began heading off. I saw my 'parents' by the main entrance of the Nocturne viscounty estate.
"Are you certain you're ready for this, dear?" My mother asked with a hint of worry.
"I am. I've trained for this my entire life." I replied coolly, like a model child.
"The academy is no gentle place. Remember your lessons Kyryll, and hold fast to your honor." My father told me in a stern tone.
"I will. Nothing will sway me from who I am… or what I'm meant to become."
"You've always carried yourself with such poise. Don't lose that, even among strangers."
"I won't. And I'll return when I've proven myself."
"Then go, with caution and courage. Make your mark, and let your actions speak louder than your name."
"I will. Don't worry."
"Farewell. May fortune favor your steps."
"And may you emerge wiser, stronger, and unbroken."
"Farewell." I said to my very genuine mother and father. But seriously, did they actually not know where I am going or were they just playing with me? That conversation also could not be more cliche if I tried.
Bloodspire Institute, the most brutal academy for Arcanists in the Ravenheart Empire and across all five great Empires. Around 1,500 Class 4 Arcanists under 22 are accepted every year, yet less than half make it through the first year and only a tenth make it to graduation in four years. Why so little, were they expelled? You may think. How naive, they all died.
Following the first term, cadets begin getting sent on missions with a present risk of death. Bloodspire Institute firmly believes in the mindset of cadets only growing stronger at death's edge. And the results show, a majority of its graduates become Class 5 Arcanists when in other top tier institutes, they would be lucky to even have one a year.
Of course, that is not exactly the entire truth. All the greatest talents end up attending Bloodspire so it can't be credited entirely to the method of Bloodspire Institute. But, it is a fact that it has the highest funding across all the institutes of the empire and countless famous, powerful warriors teaching there.
I got onto a carriage led by a servant and powered by two Thunderhoofs, a ludicrously fast Class 5 monster that turned a week-long trip by the world's most advanced technology to just four days. It was better for the environment as well. I enjoyed the breeze as I flew through the road leading to Ravenhold, the heartland of the Ravenheart Empire.
***
"I'll get off here." I said to the carriage driver. He nodded and I headed off. It was still a fair distance away from the city where Bloodspire Institute was located, Brutein, but I was getting irritated. After sitting in a carriage for four days, I wanted to fight and kill something. I was also resting for an entire four days, my schedule was in shambles. I was also here for something else, or rather someone else.
I was in a forest, leaning on a tree, I closed my mind and focused. Soon I saw the runes inside my mind.
===
Name: Kyryll Nocturne
Class: 4, Initial Stage
Arcanum: [Essenceweave Threads]
Fused Arcana [3/4]: [Physiomancy], [Pyrokinesis], [Senseless Fog]
Stats: [Determined by comparing to the limits of the Arcanist's class and stage from F- to S+]
Constitution: [A]
Essence Capacity: [S]
Mind Strength: [S+]
Strength: [B]
Speed: [A]
Mastery: [Ranges from Novice, Apprentice, Practitioner, Expert, Master, Grandmaster, to Sage]
Fire: Expert, Upper Stage
Matter: Expert, Upper Stage
Swordsmanship: Apprentice, Middle Stage
===
'Still upper stage expert realm for fire huh. I'll use this last day in the forest to attempt to raise it to the peak stage of the expert realm for the entrance exam tomorrow.'
I began stretching and extend my essence threads out from [Essenceweave Threads], my arcanum, or my unique soul ability, and I immediately sensed someone very familiar.
"Master."