"Today we will be the last class you spend here in the Elite Academy!" The teacher speaking in front looked proud, looking upon his third year students. This would be the last time they would be considered classmates. Each of them had earned their right to be a part of the Nobility of Autra. He even had the pleasure of teaching the Prince! Truly, he would never have a more talented group of students to teach after this year.
It was, in fact, the last year he planned on teaching. He opened his bag, and pulled out the list of students he had spent the last three years shaping. "I will call you up one by one, where you will enter into the next step of the process. Although you may not be chosen to be our next ruler, you all have gained the right and respect as the newest of the Nobles of the Autra Kingdom."
The five students were nervous. Everyone leaving the Academy was tested by the Spirits to determine the next ruler. It was an old tradition that could not be overturned. The King was in attendance with his eyes on his own son. The headmaster of the Academies of the Capital, Grend, was looking at the back row, where two interesting students sat.
The two who held his attention ever since they arrived one by one to the Capital from a village that hadn't seen a chosen mage in decades. A small village he didn't even know about until he had welcomed two students in a row from there.
Each of them had rare talent, and their own style, that they had worked to shape on their own. The only ones, in his eyes, to receive the honors that were to be given today. They had even chosen the Rose Faction that he secretly supported as well. Yes, he did see that the potential of these two outweighed all of the other candidates together.
Particularly, what interested him most was a female mage had been allowed to get this far. Did the King's arrogance make him believe the Spirits wouldn't pick her? Grend had long suspected that the Spirits were tired of this arrogant King who didn't even bother to commune with them.
Evidence could be found in the Spiritual Border of the Kingdom waning, and the multitude of natural disasters around the Kingdom. The fact that Rielen was the only Nature Mage to come through the Academy in the last 10 years also showed warning signs. 'Nature mages share a special relationship with the Spirits, after all.'
If he had to pick anyone to become his next ruler, the pair in the back row were who he would bet on. Grend handed out the special tokens to each of the candidates called by name. They would all enter a separate room where their final test would begin. The Academy didn't control this test, however. The Spirits would commune with each candidate separately to judge them.
Eon squeezed Rie's hand one last time before entering the room assigned to him. Remembering the special night they had spent together, he resolved himself to fight as hard as possible to earn the right to pave the way for their future. He didn't know what this test would be like.
Descriptions from his seniors who had gone through the test all were different. Some didn't even get to take the test, as they were immediately thrown out. It was all in the hands of the Spirits. He was thankful that it wasn't in the hands of the King, though.
Rie felt Eon's fingers slip from her grip with one last squeeze. She took a deep breath. Now would be the time she got to speak with the Spirit from before. It was like the mana in the air around her was charged with a strange energy, and the feeling that it was waiting for her filled her mind.
She took the step through the door, and heard the door slam shut behind her. She was transported to a lush forest, filled with many rare plants and herbs. She reached down to smell a golden flower she had not encountered before. Her innate nature mana told her that it would be safe.
There was a well worn path in front of her, and she walked down it, amazed at the greenery around her. The forest was well maintained, and she sensed it had been there for many centuries as she spread her mana out around her.
'I could stay here forever.' She felt warm and familiar. A gaze from afar made her aware that she wasn't alone anymore. A golden glowing figure rose from a small table, seemingly out of place in the dense forest. The figure motioned for her to sit, but seemed to be staring off in another direction.
Eon was out of breath as the enemies kept appearing in front of him. "Do you think being strong is going to help you protect what is important?" A voice had been taunting him endlessly ever since the test began. The voice spoke directly into his mind, further adding to Eon's fatigue.
"What makes you the best person to protect the jewel?" Many questions like this had been pelted in his direction, as he fought through enemy after enemy. "I will protect her no matter what!" he yelled, having enough of this ridiculous test. The enemies around him faded out, and two options came in front of him.
"Choose!" He heard again. To the left was his family, scared, looking around them. To the right was Rie, sitting with a calm look on her face. 'What do you mean to choose?' There was no context, and other than the different expressions of both parties, no other information was given.
"What happens to the one I don't choose?" No one answered him. He waited several moments. The problem he faced was that he loved both parties. Although he hadn't seen his family in many years, it did not mean he wanted to see anything bad happen to him. Rie was what had driven him thus far.
Eon thought of the reason he had gotten this far, and realized that he had already made this choice all those years ago. Rie was his future, and nothing was going to change that fact now. He pointed to the girl sitting calmly in the chair to the right. His family was then brutally murdered in front of his eyes.
Eon's heart was aching at the sight. He struggled to take a few breaths, and walked over to Rie. She stood up and hugged him before disappearing in his arms. More enemies rose up from the ground, and Eon found himself in battle once more.