Inside the courtyard.....
While Velex let his thoughts run wild with questions. The old man in the white red flame robs spoke
"Welcome little one's to the Waste land recruitment station, on behalf of all the academy's let me be the first to congratulate you all on passing the first test. To become a mage isn't only about one's talent, But also based on one's own luck and destiny. Does that perished own their way here were not destine for the life of a mage. Those that are here now, your road has only just began. But, before we get ahead of ourselves let me tell you about your second test. It's very simple, you will each come forward and we will test your Talent and spiritual roots. This will determine the academy's that you will be able to pick from. But don't get too excited yet, each academy will also have their own unique test before accepting you. With that said you can of course try out for different academy's even if you are rejected by your first choice. Now everyone come up one by one and I will take you to the talent testing area."
Slowly 1 by 1 the acolytes were being taken to the testing area, Velex waited patiently trying to recover his magic energy. He had no idea what test these academy's would put in front of him. Lybert, Tyler and Fae chatted together although they would most likely not go to the same academy the 2 Su family members were more then happy to be on good terms with Velex and Lybert, specifically the latter. After almost 10 mins it was Velex and the trio's group turn, Velex went on ahead of Lybert. He followed the old man into a small black tent, as he entered he saw a small square table made of brown wood. It looked simple in itself but on top was a square shaped crystal. It shine with rays on colors, on the other side of the table sat a robed man. He couldn't make out any of his facial features. soon that person spoke in a old voice void of emotions.
"Come little one, place your hand on the crystal and inject your magic energy into it."
Velex went forward and did as the robed man said. As soon as his energy was injected into the crystal, it lost all color for a few seconds before shining brightly in a Blue light. But just after the blue light came a coat of gold covered the now blue crystal square. The robed man was visibly startle as he lean in slightly.
"your nature is lightning, but this gold....mmm some sort of mutation huh. mmm... and your appearance is that of a beast. how intriguing"
Velex was a bit worried if his altered body and magic would get him in troubled. But to his surprise the robed man soon sat straight again like nothing happen and began to speak.
"very well, your element is lightning with a small mutation a rare sight indeed. Now lets check your spiritual root, here take this and place it near your heart as you circulate your magic". said the robed man while he handed a small black crystal to Velex.
Velex didn't worry about anything anymore and proceeded to put the black crystal near his heart as he circulated his magic. The black crystal began to shine in blue light with a coat of gold.
"ok handed back to me" Velex handed the now shining black crystal to the robed man.
"mmm.... impossible.... this you.... who are you?"
said the robed man as he stutter, this time he was shaken not just physically but mentally.
"I'm an acolyte from the Sha family" Velex replied as calm as he could
"Sha family?" The robed man had clearly never heard of the Sha family, not surprising being a small family.
the Robed man stop talking and just sat in front of Velex, which made him more nervous. After a few minutes the robed man finally began to speak again after collecting his thoughts.
"You have a A rank talent and spiritual root that's for sure, but it's vary different from the few I have seen. Yet this isn't what is surprising, young man you have a second spiritual root inside your body. Sadly from the test it seems dark and void of life I don't understand exactly why. Before anything else let me tell you, your lightning affinity is 65% of your spiritual root and you have 30% affinity with fire and then the rest is mix of water, wind and earth. which is also disturbing as the best elemental affinity of a single element i have ever heard of was 55%, this unless you where conceive in a lighting storm I don't know what to say."
Velex was trying to process everything the robed man said, as he hoped that their wouldn't be any problems. but what had him most curious was that second spiritual root inside his body and if it was as the man said that it was dead. While Velex was lost in thought the robed man took this time to collect his thought yet again. This time his emotions began to stir for the first time in a long time, he could see treasure in front of him. Yet it was against the rules for someone in his position to do anything other then examine the incoming acolytes. It took him a few minutes, But he decided to bite the bullet.
"Since your element is lightning and you have an A grade talent you can pick between 8 top academy's as they all have the resources you will need, yet with your secondary fire affinity their are 3 that can be of full use to you. Here take this" he said while passing Velex a small sheet with a list of names on it. before Velex could say anything the man continued.
"Before you go and look at the 8 academy's let me tell you I'm from th..." before he could finished the old man from before stepped into the tent.
"J.... You know the rules" with a sharp gaze the old man stared at the robed man.
"tch... so be it, your free to go look young man"
Velex was able to leave the small tent, he was relieved to be away from the 2 man. Although he couldn't feel their magic power, the pressure their body's were emitting had made his survival instincts go while. 'Is that the power of a mage, just their presences is enough to suffocate me to death. That's the power that I need'. Velex's anger had never vanished, he had only suppressed it as their was nothing he could do about his revenge, but he was finally able to see some light.
He walked over to Lybert and told his more or less what he needed to know. Lybert was excited to hear velex second element was Fire, and that he would pick between the 3 academy's that could meet his needs. which ever of the 3 that Velex picked, Lybert was more then happy to follow him. Although he had a B rank talent, they only gave him a list for the mid rank forces since he was low amongst b rank talents.
Velex didn't waste any more time he went to his first choice, a violet tent covered in fire symbols the name was "Violet sun academy". He went through the front, inside he saw a few tables and selfs they looked pretty ordinary, in the middle was a big mat and on it sat a middle age man he had short black hair and green eyes he wore a Violet rob with a fire snake emblem on it. He waited for Velex to approach.
"hello, I'm Velex an A high rank lighting talent acolyte. I would like to know more about your academy"
the middle age man smiled as he said "ahh a lightning acolyte what a rare sight, and a A rank talent at that. If only you were a fire acolyte, but I'm guessing your secondary element is fire since you came here." The man was very happy to find such treasure stroll into his academy's tent and wasn't gonna let him leave.
"Well young man let me introduce myself, I'm Frasarr and as I'm sure you know a Fire mage hehe. Let me tell you now, the other 2 academy's that can teach you fire magic would only be secondary to us, and although I don't dare to lie and say we are number 1 in the field of lightning magic we would not be 3rd young man. But please don't let this disappoint you, as we have recently picked up a small advantage over the other 7 academy's inside the Raylen region. I'm happy to disclose this information to you if your willing to join my Violet sun academy, you will not lose out I can assure you young man."
Frasarr stopped talking and let Velex take in all the information. If the what the fire mage in front of him said is true then even of the other academy's lightning resources were only a bit better, Then would the benefit out weigh the loss of his fire affinity potential. He took a while to decide in the end he went ahead and asked about the test for their academy first.
"This hehe young man, the test is for those with low A rank talent and below I assure you no one will try to turn away a high level A talent." with that said Velex asked him about Lybert
"A low b rank talent, usually we would never take someone of his caliber unless he was someone connected to the academy, that is fine we are more then happy to take him as long as you join. With your cousins main fire affinity I can without a doubt say there is no better place for him then with us"
After a few more minutes of thinking Velex decided to join the Violet sun academy. they had what he needed and the less people knew about him now was still better. The middle age man never lost his patience with Velex, he was very happy with this new student. Although his cousin Lybert was a low rank B talent he still had a high fire affinity and should fit in okay. all in all today his Violet sun academy had found a nice treasure. Then frasarr signal Velex to come forward and he whispered.
"we had a professor join the academy 2 years ago, and he is a lightning mage hehe."
Velex was surprised and as if clearing his doubts he added.
"Lightning mage's aren't just powerful young man, They are rare to come by most get stuck at the acolyte stage. Even if your element is rare it doesn't mean your talent will be good, do you understand now."
Finally a few things clicked inside Velex mind, yeah Lightning was a powerful a rare element. But who is to say your talent would be just as rare. he could see why all the academy's had been able to gather lightning mage resources, as their were not enough mages to horde the knowledge or make an academy for themselves they had to spread out their knowledge for resources they needed for their own training. No wonder this lightning mage had join a fire academy, he had no choice if he wanted resources. But would the same happen to him in the end.
'No I'm different I don't use lightning, I am Lightning'