It was the day of the entrance exams for the new students; over 240 new possible students from around the Empire arrived at Xymaris Magic Academy, along with the returning students from the previous years, to watch the exams.
Especially the second-year students who were choosing who they would be mentoring today.
Rumors of there being two beautiful girls nicknamed the Ice and Lightning Empresses spread among the new possible students. The male candidates were especially excited, wanting to show off their abilities to get chosen by them; even some female candidates were acting that way.
The entire stadium was packed with returning students, families, and other public attendees.
*In the second-year student section*
"Are you choosing anyone, Raven?" Freya asked her best friend, who was sitting in her seat bored.
"I don't plan to; what about you?" Raven asked Freya.
"Same, unless someone really impresses me, you know." Freya responded.
It was always an option for the second years to take someone in as an apprentice, and the first-ranked second year rarely ever took one throughout the years.
"Well, we should settle in and wait; I wonder what this class will bring." Freya said.
Meanwhile, Raven was trying to keep an eye on the new candidates; after all, Alex was now old enough to apply, so she hoped he would show up, and she wasn't the only one.
*Elsewhere in the stadium*
"Do you see any of the new students?" Eve asked.
"No, I can't spot any of the new candidates." Kaede said.
"Neither can I." Anna responded.
"Is he here?" Amelie asked.
"Maybe, we'll just have to wait and see." Lyanna answered her daughter.
Anna and the others sat in the audience with the same hopes that Raven had, to see if Alex showed up. After all, he wouldn't have asked her to go to this academy if he didn't plan on coming, right? He is now 17 years old, so he is now the perfect age to apply.
"I hope he comes..." Anna said.
"We all do, sis, especially Raven." Lyanna said while pointing to Raven, who held her hands together and seemed anxious.
It was then that the announcer walked to the center of the stadium and started speaking into the microphone.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, to our annual entrance exam. If this is your first time here, let me explain what you will be seeing today. 244 people of the empire, all aged 17 years old, will be fighting in exhibition matches to display their talents and be selected by our various second-year students in attendance today. They know the tribulations first-year students face and will be vital to helping them succeed.
Now the rules of every match are that they will be ten-minute fights; once an opponent is knocked out or surrenders, the match is over; if the ten minutes pass, then the match is a draw. Also, losing doesn't mean automatic failure, as you can still be chosen; just make sure you lay it all out on the line to impress the second-year students. Good luck to all the candidates who will attend our academy. Let the matches begin!"
Cheers and fireworks went off to officially kick off the start of the event. As the first two students were announced. New to the event this year, instead of a day-long slog of matches, the event is now spread over three days with a specific number of matches.
Matches went along without Raven or Freya making a selection of any of the candidates.
Both were looking bored, as none of the candidates had impressed them enough and things were getting dull for them.
Then the announcer came back and spoke once more.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the last match of the day and is between two members of the nobility. First ladies and gentlemen, please welcome out first, Malcolm Reed!"
A man who was well built with dark black hair and brown eyes walked out of the red corner while showing off by using his ice magic to create a path of ice below him as he walked.
The announcer began speaking again.
"Now everybody, please welcome his opponent, a noble whose name has stayed out of the public eye for awhile, Alex Blackwood!"
Raven, Freya, Anna, and the others all jumped out of their seats after hearing this name. For Raven and Anna, the maids, Lyanna, and Amelie, this name is what they had been waiting for to hear. The name of someone who had left them over a year ago.
Outside of the tunnel, purple lightning came down from the sky and hit the ground, creating smoke. From behind the smoke, Alex walked out. He looked similar to how he left, but there was an emotion on his face that nobody who knew him expected...and that was little to no emotion at all.
Alex didn't smile or look angry; it was just cold.
Anna took notice of this too, and she was worried.
"What happened to him?" Anna thought to herself.
The announcer spoke once again.
"LET THE MATCH BEGIN!"
In an instant of the announcer saying that the entire center of the arena was covered in purple flames, you could only see two spots not covered: the one where Malcolm was standing and where Alex was, as purple fire was unleased from his hands.
"F..Fire?" Raven asked herself.
"What's happening? How did he?" Anna asked herself.
Malcolm's magic was rendered useless; the flames were too hot for any of his ice magic to be of any use, and he couldn't get close to Alex without being burned. He was trapped.
Alex raised his right hand up as the left hand continued to create the purple flames covering the arena. It was then that a thunder crackle was heard from the sky, and a lightning bolt shot down and hit Malcolm directly, and his body was flung into the fire.
"AAAAAAHHHHH"
Screams were heard from the center of the fire before the referee told Alex to stop.
Alex did as the ref said and stopped using his magic. Malcolm was covered in burns as the medical doctors ran to check on him.
As Malcolm was escorted out of the arena, the announcer came back onto the microphone.
"The winner in the time of one minute and twenty-seven seconds is Alex Blackwood!
Claps and applause were heard from the arena, but there were also boos; some people felt Alex had gone too far for just an exhibition match.
The announcer continued, "Now, second-year students, who among you will choose to mentor Alex Blackwood?"
As soon as the announcer finished speaking, multiple hands went up, but two of them shocked everyone.
The Ice and Lightning Empresses both raised their hands.
Raven looked at Freya, shocked, but Freya had a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes.
"Well, it seems Alex has impressed both the one and two ranked second years, but by school rule the highest seat has priority, so officially Alex Blackwood's mentor is Freya Crawford!" the announcer said.
Ravens stared daggers into Freya who didn't take notice of it, she was focused only on Alex.
Meanwhile, Anna was still shocked by what happened to Alex. He was never this cold before he left. What happened to him? And where did this fire ability come from?
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