The trio came back to the the rest of the students. Alex looked around, but didn't see the club captains. 'Must've already left to start the tryouts.'
'I basically have some free time until the potions club begins. I don't think I would be able to fit in another club into my schedule.'
Meanwhile Michael was walking over to Daniel, he had a lot of concerns he wanted to clear or just discuss.
Daniel knew what was coming, he had expected it but he still had a smile on his face. 'I thought that maybe by telling him to get close to Alex he would be able to see it. Unfortunately it's seems Michael is still too dense.
'Still I don't think I should mess around with him, he might do something stupid again.'
"What's up Micky, you seem to have something on your mind?" Daniel questioned.
Michael checking to see if anyone was listening in, turned off his watch and motioned Daniel to do the same.
After he did so he spoke up. "It's Alex, so many things don't add up. The first and main thing is that his body is incredibly strong. He said it's a secret technique, So I thought you might know something about it."
"Secondly, he doesn't act like a dark mage. And thirdly, wait what was the third thing, I don't know but I will ask when I remember." Michael spouted out.
"Calm down Michael. I sent you with him for a reason, and you of all people should have noticed. Such an easy answer for both of your questions, and maybe even answering the one you forgot."
"Well what is it tell me?" Michael asked the tension getting to him, he was fearing the worst.
"He is a light mage as well." Daniel said matter of factly.
"Eh? What do you mean? How would you know that? Do you have any proof?"
"Not anything solid, but in the meditation room, when I sent my energy to inspect his progress I was repelled, and my energy was being corroded. You know there is only one element strong enough to keep my darkness from entering, and the best part is that it hadn't even taken form yet."
"If he isn't a light mage yet then he isn't far from awakening the affinity, I'm telling you all he needs is some good happy memories, and he will be a pillar of support for our kingdom in the future."
Michael nodded. "I know what you mean, but do you know what this implicates?"
"Yes, the next mage of balance has been born we need to keep this away from bad ears while also telling him of the consequences of being found out." Daniel replied his voice turning serious at the end.
"Not only is he the mage of balance, but he is also part Tragnantian. Do you know how many supremacists fill our lands, they would want him dead just for the fact of who his ancestors are. Even if he becomes a pillar of support half of the nation would just hurl insults his way." Michael said expressing his worries.
"I understand this very well. Don't worry I will train him, when his darkness affinity reaches the expert or masters level, such things like public opinion wouldn't faze him." Daniel said ready to step in for the boy.
"Uh uh, do you think I'll let you take all the credit when he becomes famous. The answer is No, I can already see you trying to say yes. Besides he needs balance to be a true mage of balance, and I don't think you alone would be good enough of a deterrent when they come out from the woodworks."
Daniel smiled hearing what Michael said, he had already suspected things would be this way. Michael was very much a patriotic man, and when they had at first met Michael was a bit cold to him, but over time they had gotten to know the truth about each other.
Michaels parents much like other families had told him stories of how bad dark mages are. He had even seen them being posted on news papers as bringers of disaster, bad omens, and just generally evil. Yet not once had he seen Daniel like that, instead he learned, he learned of how broken he was, he learned how he would probably spent the rest of his life attaining for a sin he had committed at an early age.
When he had first heard the story, all he could think to do was hug him and tell him he was sorry; he was sorry for not thinking; he was sorry for believing all the information he was told, and eventually he grew wary of what was said. After all if Daniel was like this, then how many more were.
"Did you know he was the one who avenged Steph?"
"No he was?"
"Yup and he…."
Daniel began filling in Michael with everything that he had gathered about Alex.
Then the two continued on planning Alex's future without him knowing.
——————
Alex was going to ask the two instructors, that he trusted most right now, what to do since he was already in a few clubs, but he saw that they were already in a serious conversation so he didn't try to get in the way.
He simply followed the crowd. Taylor noticing him at the back, broke off from the rest of the crowd and walked next to him. "Hey weren't thinking of going off on your own were you. What clubs you thinking of trying out for."
"I was just going to hang around because I've already joined a few."
"You've already joined a few?" Taylor paused a moment pondering. 'Michael said he was accepted into the hunting club. What other clubs could he have joined.
"When you left the meditation room, you went to sign up? I thought you had only left for a little while, like just to use the restroom."
"No I finished meditation in around twenty minutes."
"Twenty? The session was three hours long and my butt was sore after sitting for so long. How did you get to get out so quickly. Anyways what clubs did you manage to get into?"
"Um, the rune writing club, potion making, and the hunting club. Might even do a bit of racing."
Taylor was stunned Alex had managed to get into the three largest clubs before they even had tryouts. "Which instructor is your mistress? Is it Stacey ooh or Millay? No don't tell me could it be a male instructor?"
Alex was flustered at what Taylor had said, but he could tell he was joking, so he just told him the truth after calming himself down. "I met James and Tom in a training room, and me and Tom may have exchanged blows, leading to the two of them insisting that I join their club, even going as far as giving me access to the other clubs."
"Haha, that sounds like it was a fun time. You need to invite me next time." Taylor said with a cheerful voice.
"You know, they are the captains now, but you and I are gonna be captains one day too, and for only one reason. What may that be you ask, none other than the fancy garbs that all clubs come together to create."
"All of the clubs create them together?" Alex questioned.
"Yup, the captains go out and get the materials to make it, and then the clubs all work together in designing and creating them."
"It's a hell of a good way to get us to try our best. My older brother and his club managed to get silk from a master class arachnid beast, and let's just say everyone had a hard time trying to breakthrough his defenses."
"I heard that as long as you get all the expensive ingredients too, that the potions instructor will, soak them in special potions to increase resistances to certain elements." Taylor said fanboying the amazing perks.
"Potions can increase resistances to elements?" Alex responded.
"Of coarse they can. I haven't even mentioned all the runes. Regeneration, durability, and most importantly frost and warmth. It has built in AC this town gets way too hot in the summer, once you wear one you will want to wear it until someone pries it off of you. Ahem. I may have snuck into my brothers room to wear it a few times."
Alex laughed at the last part. 'Man Taylor could be a salesman and at first I didn't know much about the uniforms, but wow I didn't think that they would be that useful.'
The two finally arrived where the clubs tryouts were being held. It was a big courtyard multiple stands were around, every single one was meant to be a way to train yourself to be a stronger mage. From meditation to dueling to hunting, every aspect was covered.
'There really is no way to get left behind, all of these clubs are meant to help us get a head start in life.'
He thought back to regular classes. 'The clubs there mostly have nothing to do with being successful.'
Math might help, but Alex couldn't see how learning to play a board game would help him get into a college in the future, or even get a job. He remembered being invited into a club. The premise was that only those with good grades were allowed in, however he knew they would let anyone in as long as they payed the annual fee. Besides he joined for one month and they literally taught them nothing, they didn't even learn to play a board game.
Taylor stopped. "You said you made it into the hunting club."
"Yeah I did, what's wrong."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's an adept level beast hologram that they are having everyone fight right?"
"A hologram?"
"Yeah, as in an AI controlled summon. Those things are require energy to operate, so it's probably got a beast core powering it. It may not be a real beast, but it could easily tango with them."
"Did it change just change form?" Alex asked seeing change from a panther, to a giant lizard when another student walked up.
Taylor chuckled. "Well it looks like its form varies depending on the challengers strength."
The line was long so Taylor just looked for other clubs to sign up for in the meantime while dragging along Alex.
He went to many that he was interested in signing a few sheets after being asked a few questions.
They walked up to the potions club area. "Hey Alex, Taylor you interested in signing up to this club?" Asked a bored James who had just removed an absent expression from his face.
"I am, do you think I'm a good fit for the club?" Taylor asked. He knew a little about how potion making worked.
"There no such thing as a good fit, different elements have their different perks. You would be good at creating healing and enhancement potions. You would still be able to brew any other type of potion with enough practice."
"Our elements affect the outcomes of our potions?" Alex asked.
"Yes, they do. Think of the potion as a bunch of materials that have one thing in common, now think of your mana as the glue that will connect that similarity between all the materials. Light has healing elements mix that with some blood from a beast with fast regeneration, and a few other ingredients. Boom you have a potion of healing, the potency varying on quality of materials and the creation process."
Alex had many more questions but he would save them for later.
"Alright, thanks. Is the test now?" Taylor asked.
"No, once we are done here the club starts. I will be heading there if you don't know the way then you can just follow me."
"Thank you I will do just that." Taylor thanked him again.
"Alright I think that just about does it only one left to sign up for." He said while looking back over towards the slightly less crowded booth. The line was nearly done but many were lingering around, as if it were a miniature version of a coliseum fight.
"You signed up for so many clubs. Are you sure your not gonna be overburdened?" Alex questioned.
"Nah, I'll be fine. To be honest my dad gave me a list to sign up for, said he it would make me get more prestige, but just in my opinion, I think he just wants something to Brag about."
Seeing that Alex wasn't completely convinced he continued. "Beside, most of them only require you to walk in show your progress and your good."
"Well that's good."
The two stopped as they watched the last person jump into the ring. It was Derek, Derek Stouten that is.
Alex saw a burly instructor he was the only instructor present.
The burly man, who Alex guessed was the hunting clubs instructor, stepped up and began repeating the instructions to Derek. "Remember you don't have to defeat it, just survive for half a minute."
Derek nodded. Although from the look on his face one could tell he was planning on duking it out with the beast.
The burly man smile seeing his 'enthusiasm', and smacked the bell next to him. Alex watched as the adept level monkey grew turning into an ape, as its power matched the opponent in front of it.
Dereks calm expression changed, this silver Ape had a natural resistance to lightning.
Before he was charging towards the Ape, now he had stopped and was charging up an attack.
'He plans to take it out in one blow.' Alex thought.
Unfortunately for Derek the Ape wouldn't just sit there and let him charge up an attack. It ran at him, forcing him to attack before he could charge up completely.
For a split second a bright spark could be seen. The Ape shook for a second before it continued on, its right arm and leg moving more slowly, it was greatly weakened.
Derek had given up on trying to take it out, it wouldn't give him enough time to defeat it. He spent the rest of the time kiting the monster around which he found easy due to its reduced speed.
He was out of breath at the end, but tried to pretend it didn't bother him.
The burly man walked up to him. "Congratulations you passed, next." He said while tossing Derek out of the ring.
Taylor walked up. "I should be the last one."
The burly one looked around the crowd, his eyes lingering on Alex's badge, before speaking "that you are. Now get in there." Taylor jumped in, not wanting to be tossed like the last guy. "Alright, you only have to survive for half a minute you don't have to defeat it.
Taylor nodded, he was expecting his beast to resist the light element. The bell rung and the beast began to take form. The beast shifted and transformed into an expert class centipede, it's eyes grey as if indicating that it was blind.
'This will be interesting.' Alex thought
A gentle murmur was audible within the crowd. This was the strongest they had seen was only at the peak of the adept class.
Taylor knowing that it was blind slowly stepped away from it hoping that he wouldn't have to spend too much time running. He knew that with out a sword he wouldn't be able to pierce its thick carapace.
Unfortunately for him the centipede had felt his movements, or smelt him he didn't know he just knew that it knew where he was.
The giant bug charged him, moving swiftly. Taylor's body began to glow as he started to run from it. The giant centipede locked onto the rapid movements and leapt towards Taylor.
Taylor turned around to see a rapidly closing in bug. Knowing he couldn't escape, he quickly turned around. He focused as much energy into his leg as he gave a swift kick. He winced as his leg came into contact with what felt like a log.
Luckily his leg was stronger. The airborne bug could do nothing as it was forced to do summersaults in the opposite direction.
It landed and took a few seconds to get its bearings, this time Taylor didn't move at all as he waited out the time.
The bug charged around attacking randomly hoping to get him by chance. When it had finally headed in the right direction, Taylor quickly ran in the opposite direction. Turning around when he reached the edge of the ring, he readied himself this time he charged his hand with light and prepared to punch.
The centipede was ready to pounce him again, but it suddenly stopped and returned to the center of the ring.
"Congratulations you passed, this marks the end of tryouts those who failed can try again each month. work hard. Now give me a few minutes while we announce all of those who were accepted." He said tossing Taylor out of the ring.
The latter only gave a weak smile while picking himself up and patting himself clean.