"Get off the platform, now," commanded Head Mage Sigurd, his voice booming through the chamber. We were initially taken aback by his sudden order, but it became clear from his expression that he was dead serious. As we made our way down from the platform, it felt as though we were being herded like a group of grazing sheep.
As exemplary candidates, we had expected to be treated with a certain degree of respect and admiration. However, all of that quickly dissipated as we were forced to obey Sigurd's every command.
We started getting down from the platform and watched the grandmasters who were still arguing with each other.
It was disheartening to see how quickly the grandmasters had descended into bickering amongst themselves. What should have been a solemn and revered occasion was quickly turning into a farce. The grandmasters were supposed to be impartial judges of our abilities, yet they were acting like children on a playground.
As I watched the grandmasters argue and fight amongst themselves, I couldn't help but feel that the entire ascension ceremony was a hoax. I had been so excited when I heard that they were coming to judge us, but now all of my excitement had evaporated into thin air. It was clear that they were not going to take this ceremony seriously.
Once all the candidates had stepped down from the platform, Sigurd approached it and knelt down, placing his hands on the edge. The floating doll fortress began to glow once again, and Sigurd's hands started to sink into the platform tiles as if they had turned into quicksand. We watched in awe as his arms sank deeper and deeper until only his biceps were visible.
In an instant, a strange buzzing sound filled the air and the large platform tiles began to glow. The grandmasters, who had been bickering moments ago, fell silent and turned to look at Sigurd with intense interest.
The tiles of the platform began to move in a strange zigzagging pattern, with the large circular tiles shifting inwards, gradually decreasing the size of the platform. They piled on top of one another to create a complex structure that none of us could have imagined.
It was like watching a deck of cards being shuffled before our eyes but in a big way. The tiles broke into even smaller pieces and then re-stacked themselves, forming new shapes and structures in the blink of an eye.
All of us candidates watched with awe and amazement as the platform transformed into an entirely new structure.
As the final arrangement took shape, we saw that the platform had been transformed into an arena-like structure with bleachers and uncovered stands made of stone planks providing seating for spectators. There were nine such bleacher stands arranged in a circular pattern, surrounding a large open space in the middle that resembled an arena.
In each of the nine stands, there was a big marble throne with the insignia of the respective royal academies, adding an air of grandeur to the entire setting.
Sigurd, the head mage, had managed to transform the platform into a new arena within a few minutes. The grandmasters were amazed by the new structure and were eager to see it up close. Grandmaster Pierre was the first to approach the new arena.
"Your architectural skills never cease to amaze me, Head Mage Sigurd," praised Grandmaster Pierre as he examined the arena with a look of awe.
Sigurd smiled in response to the compliment. "Grandmaster, Pierre praised me too highly."
"Well if you ever want to look for a new job, I am certainly looking for an architect of your caliber," said Pierre with a wide smile.
"You certainly jest Grandmaster Pierre. This old bone that he needs will be a good rest once I retire from duties in the few years to come. But if I ever wanted to look for a new job, I would certainly contact you."
"Please do," responded Pierre with a satisfactory smile.
The arena was a magnificent sight to behold. The intricate details on the seats and stands were so elaborate that they gave the arena a more luxurious look, suitable for nobility. The grandmasters were impressed by the attention to detail and craftsmanship that had gone into creating the new arena.
The Grandmasters made their way to their respective stands, taking their places on the specially crafted stone thrones. Each of them sat with a regal air, embodying the title of Grandmaster.
However, despite the impressive new arena, it lacked the lively atmosphere one would expect. The empty bleacher stands were a sight for sore eyes, and it was clear that more people were needed to fill the gaps.
Sigurd stood in the middle of the arena and spoke, "It's time to begin the ascension ceremony. Now would be the best time to recall your retainers."
Grandmaster Ajax chuckled heartily, "It's about time! Let the ascension ceremony begin!" He sat on his oversized throne, a testament to his size and stature. His boisterous laughter and rough mannerisms seemed out of place amongst the other refined Grandmasters.
The other Grandmasters nodded in agreement with Sigurd and reached for their wrist, where each wore a bracelet similar to the purple ones we were wearing. With a flick of their fingers, the bracelets lit up.
Suddenly, the dimension gate started buzzing and groups of people emerged from these 9 gates. These men and women were dressed in various styles, each with their own unique charm and appeal. They were the retainers of their respective Grandmasters and made their way to the bleachers, greeting their leaders before taking their seats.
The arena was now filled with people, and the atmosphere had changed completely. The air was electric with excitement and anticipation for the upcoming ascension ceremony.
The sudden shift in atmosphere in the chamber had stunned us, candidates. We were dumbfounded, but our disappointment quickly turned into excitement. Finally, the ascension ceremony was happening for real, and we were going to witness it firsthand.
However, Marcia's sobbing interrupted the excitement. "Wait, we have to perform in front of this whole crowd? I really want to go home," she said.
Jason empathized with her, "To be honest, this is overwhelming. I liked it a lot better when the grandmasters were bickering like kids."
Suddenly, Hendrickson smacked himself loudly.
We turned around to see what had happened. Hendrickson had a wide grin on his face.
"Alright, it's going to be showtime," he announced. "I hope you all are ready to give your best. I don't want any of you chickening out because of nervousness and affecting your performance. It would be underwhelming and would disappoint the head mage for choosing you guys. Let that be clear."
Trisha scoffed, "You're saying not to be nervous, but your legs are shaking."
Hendrickson looked at his legs, "This~ This is because I'm excited, alright!" he replied defensively.
We candidates shared nervous laughter. We knew that the stakes were high, and the pressure was on. We had to put our best foot forward and give our all in this performance.
The ascension ceremony serves as an evaluation of a candidate's proficiency in handling mana. It is an opportunity for candidates to showcase their aptitude towards mana and determine the category of their mage as well as the attribute nature of their mana. It also reveals the capacity of the candidate's mana core and the purity of their mana which gives the adult mages an insight into the potential of us young mages.
Typically, such ceremonies are conducted in the inner regions where mana users are prevalent. Unlike us, who have to wait for a year to participate, they can simply send their child to a mage doctor to be evaluated quickly.
It was evident that in the outskirts of the kingdom, where individuals lacked a mana core, the ascension ceremony was not as common. As a result, the only way for us to participate in this momentous event was through the ceremony train trials.
If we aced the trials as well as got good gains from the blessing rituals only then, we would be eligible to receive an invitation to join their royal prestigious academy and enhance our magical abilities. Even the citizens residing in the inner districts could only dream of going to the royal academy, that's how rare it was.
As I glanced around the grand arena, I couldn't help but observe the grandmasters and their retainers. It was noticeable that the retainers shared similarities in personality with their respective grandmasters. This observation gave me a glimpse into the functioning and values of the royal academy.
The first academy that caught my attention was the Ivory Tower. Its members were dressed in battle gear, which was torn and stained with blood. It appeared that they had come directly from a battle to attend the ceremony. They brought snacks and drinks, and their hearty laughter made it seem like they were here to watch a show rather than participate in the ceremony.
The members of the Ivory Tower were loud, just like their grandmaster, Ajax. They had the same wavelength as their grandmaster, who joined them, making the chamber echo with their boisterous noise.
As I observed the Ivory Tower academy, it was clear that they were a group of battle-hardened mages who placed a high value on their battle prowess over proper mannerisms. Their torn and bloodstained battle gear was a testament to their battle readiness, and it seemed that they had come to the ceremony directly from a battle. Despite their rough exterior, they had brought snacks and drinks with them, making hearty laughs as if they were here to watch a casual event.