The first exam was now over. As the academy staff collected the written scrolls, the instructor in charge of the admission test—Professor Aldros—clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.
"Now," he announced, "we move to the Second Exam—Practical Aptitude. This test evaluates your ability to think, react, and use basic magic or physical strength in real-time. It is not about winning, but about how cleverly and efficiently you can handle situations."
The field shifted.
From beneath the stone panels, glowing runes shimmered and rose upward. Platforms floated, puzzles formed, elemental obstacles twisted into place. It looked like a magical playground made to test reflexes, control, and adaptability. The students were to complete the trial in pairs.
Zen and Lyra were paired together.
Their task: navigate through a shifting platform arena while retrieving a floating orb at the center without falling or being disqualified by traps.
The instructor gave the signal. "Begin!"
---
Zen and Lyra's Trial:
Zen and Lyra stepped onto their segment of the field. As they moved forward, platforms began to tilt, gusts of wind tried to push them off balance, and invisible walls blocked certain paths unless the right switches were activated.
Lyra nimbly leapt across two spinning platforms. "Come on, jungle boy!" she called back.
Zen followed, calm but misstepping once as the platform twisted beneath his foot. He nearly fell, grabbing a pole just in time. He clenched his jaw and pulled himself up, annoyed.
His instincts were sharp—but this wasn't his kind of fight. He was used to nature, wilderness, direct battles. These moving, glowing puzzles felt… strange.
A group of nobles, already finished with ease using spells to bypass obstacles, snickered from afar. One of them, a sharp-faced boy in crimson robes named Elvren Halcrest, sneered.
"That's the wild commoner?" Elvren mocked. "Tripped over a platform. Maybe he should go back to chasing deer in the woods."
Zen heard it. His eyes shifted toward Elvren coldly, but he said nothing.
Beside him, Lyra looked irritated. "Ignore them," she said. "We'll finish this. Don't lose focus, Zen."
Zen nodded and concentrated.
Together, they reached the orb. Lyra used a wind gust spell to push it slightly closer, and Zen leapt toward it, grabbing it mid-air. The ground beneath him cracked from the impact, but he landed safely.
They had completed the trial… though not gracefully.
---
Results and Reaction:
Professor Aldros floated down, noting scores with a hovering quill and scroll. "Hmm… good teamwork. A bit slow. Poor balance early on. Clever recovery, though."
Their scores reflected the effort:
Zen: 6.5 / 10
Lyra: 8 / 10
"I expected worse," Lyra whispered as they stepped aside. "You were wobbling like a drunk duck."
Zen exhaled. "You try doing this without using magic to cheat."
"You're just jealous I'm more elegant," she teased.
Zen smirked. "In your dreams."
They bumped shoulders slightly, laughing.
---
Other Encounters:
Elvren Halcrest, the noble who mocked Zen, scored nearly perfectly. He used levitation magic to glide between platforms effortlessly.
Veyra Kelmire, a noble girl with snow magic, manipulated frost to freeze platforms mid-spin and create bridges. She eyed Zen curiously but said nothing.
Dornas Vayne, a bulky fire mage, crushed obstacles with brute force and barked insults toward anyone who got in his way. "Outta the way, twig boys!"
Kyrien Duskmoor, a quiet boy with shadow manipulation, finished the test in silence and appeared beside Zen after. "Your balance sucks," he said calmly, almost like stating the weather.
Zen blinked at him. "…Thanks?"
"Anytime."
Lyra laughed. "Looks like you're making friends."
---
With the second exam completed, the crowd buzzed with excitement and nerves. The talent showcase was next—and tension loomed, especially for Zen, who still had nothing flashy to offer.
But even with the difficulties, he remained composed. The calm before the storm lingered in his eyes.