—❖ —❖ —❖
At the entrance of the main hall, Rector Yunen stood, greeting each student who passed through the door with a soft smile as their paths crossed.
Her black hair was tied in a small bun, with loose strands falling gently along the sides of her face. Though she appeared youthful, her expression suggested someone in their early forties, enveloped in an aura of calm authority.
There was a contained warmth in her features, but the firmness in her gaze betrayed someone accustomed to giving orders and holding power.
— Welcome, Lenia.
— Welcome, Zyn.
— Welcome, Merilda.
— Welcome, Sena.
— Welcome, Cate.
As the students entered and took their seats, Yunen continued calling them out by name, her tone constant, with a silent ceremony that repeated itself.
The hall designated for magical classes rose in a vast area, with marble floors and lamps around. The polished obsidian walls reflected the morning light, while veins of prismatic metal — likely titanium enchanted with arcane circuits — snaked through the structures, pulsing with a transparent glow.
In the central area stood the Rector's platform.
The floor in that area was white marble interwoven with golden runes, and the walls were made of living stone — a rare enchanted material found in the academy only in places of great tradition.
— Welcome, Tamires.
— Welcome, Rick.
— Welcome, Rinn.
The Rector fixed her eyes on the two boys before her, examining them from head to toe with a meticulous gaze. First, her eyes rested on Rinn, noticing the fine particles of mana that shimmered discreetly on his academic shirt — tiny dots, invisible to the naked eye, perceptible only to those with magical affinity.
Without saying a word, she stepped away from the entrance. With a subtle gesture of her hands, the doors closed by themselves, moved by a silent magic.
Then, she walked firmly to the center of the large room, where everyone who had been talking turned to look at her in silence.
— What's going on? You said we were late.
Rinn murmured as he walked to one of the chairs, settling in a seat next to Rick.
— I don't know either. In theory, we're late, but the Rector waited for us.
— This is strange… She even waited for Tamires to come in. She always arrives after us.
— Hey, are you talking about me? — Tamires commented, with a crooked smile and an irritated tone, sitting in the last row, close to Rick and Rinn.
— Come on, Tamires. Don't act innocent now. You keep failing a bunch of subjects and always arrive after everyone else. How are you still alive? — said Rinn.
— Are you kidding me? If you want, we can duel. Then you'll understand why I'm always first in duels.
— I'd love that, you arrogant little brat.
Rinn just laughed, thinking that it wasn't so bad waking up late just to mess with that girl.
— What did you just call me?
— Enough! — Rick interrupted, his voice firm. — The Rector is about to start. If you don't want to turn into magical fuel, it's better to shut up now.
The moment Rick ended the argument, the blackboard in the center of the room shattered with a dry snap, like glass cracking from within. Fragments floated in the air for a brief moment before rearranging themselves into symbols and words that wrote themselves in the void. A reverent silence fell over the class.
Rector Yunen moved forward, her hands clasped in front of her dark fabric dress, which subtly shimmered in the magical light.
Her eyes scanned the students' faces, firm and penetrating.
— You're right to be anxious, I can see you're afraid as well. And you should be. Magic is all around you, and each one of you has the ability to channel it.
Her voice was calm and explanatory.
As she spoke, she walked slowly between the rows of chairs, the sound of her steps almost inaudible, as if with each step, the students nearby held their breath.
— Lenia, with her ability, toppled a mountain.
— Zyn, burned down the entire academic library.
— Sena, completely froze the courtyard.
— Cate, made a tree bloom in the winter.
As she walked, she continued mentioning each student's accomplishment.
However, she halted her steps in front of Rinn.
She stood silent for a few moments, her eyes staring into his, and her voice rang out, firm and dry.
— Rinn, you killed three inquisitors.
It wasn't so much an accusation or a question, nor even a judgment — it was a statement, cold and direct.
— By accident.
He replied immediately, his fists clenched tightly on his knees, maintaining eye contact.
— Don't be arrogant.
The Rector said, continuing her walk as she spoke.
— Just because you are mana conduits doesn't mean you can fully control it. You've spent your entire lives here at the academy, so you can certainly maintain balance and control, but not entirely.
Her voice echoed throughout the room, each word carefully measured.
— However, you must understand that it is through the tests that the foundation of your knowledge is revealed. Theory shapes the mind, but it is practice that shapes the connection.
— Why doesn't she just give the test already? — Zyn whispered, impatient.
— I don't know, she always speaks in riddles — Sena responded, equally confused.
At that moment, the Rector's steps stopped.
She had approached unnoticed, like a shadow cutting through the silence of the room.
Her hand landed firmly on the table in front of Zyn, making the wood vibrate slightly.
She looked down at Zyn and Sena, as though observing fragile individuals about to break.
— Listen carefully — she said in a calm, cutting tone. — Your life depends on this.
Then, she moved away, returning to the shattered blackboard in the center of the room, now pulsing with faint dark beams of light.
— Each of you will have a task. The Caliman Academy takes no responsibility for any consequences that befall the participants — she said, with the coldness of someone who had seen many students never return.
After finishing, she extended her hand toward the blackboard, which now resembled a shattered mirror between realities. From its interior, she drew a pitch-black card, surrounded by a faint crimson glow at the edges.
— This is the simplest of the tests, to see if you are worthy of ascension.
She then opened the card delicately, and a faint smile appeared on her face — not out of satisfaction, but a subtle surprise, as if the name burned into the card wasn't what she had expected to find.
— Zyn, step forward, please.
— Yes, Rector!
—❖ —❖ —❖