As Cedric arrived at the Academy of Magi, Sarah, his mother's attendant, greeted him with a warm smile and a nod. Sarah was a tall and elegant woman, her chestnut hair flowing down her back in graceful waves. "Greetings, my lord. If you would kindly follow me." Her emerald-green eyes sparkled with kindness and wisdom, making her a comforting presence for Cedric as she guided him through the halls of the academy.
As they walked, Cedric and Sarah engaged in a conversation about the upcoming debut and its rules. "Today is a prestigious moment for you, my young lord. You will have the honor to prove yourself to the magical community. You will demonstrate your most powerful spell and show them your potential." Sarah emphasized the importance of showcasing one's magical abilities while cautioning Cedric against using forbidden spells or engaging in reckless behavior. She stressed the need to maintain composure and to show respect towards the other noble children in attendance.
Cedric listened attentively, a mixture of nervousness and excitement bubbling within him. "Do you think I'll get to meet the other noble kids soon, Sarah?" he asked, his voice tinged with anticipation.
Sarah smiled reassuringly. "I have no doubt, my young lord. I understand your talents, my lord. However, treat the other noble children with the utmost respect, even if they don't meet your standards."
"My standards?" Cedric said, confused.
Lyla, agitated, spoke up. "How dare you presume my lord's standards, Sarah!"
Sarah let out a slightly annoyed sigh. "I'm just trying to say that even if they are not worthy of you, don't harm anyone. It would cause friction between the families."
"HUH?" said Cedric, oblivious to everyone's misconception of him being a god-like being.
As they approached the entrance to the main building, their attention was caught by a heated argument nearby. Cedric turned his gaze towards the commotion and saw a young girl with short, blonde hair shouting at a boy with slicked-back silver hair. The boy, with his icy blue eyes narrowed, stood tall and composed, seemingly unfazed by the girl's outburst. "How dare you call my flare spell child's play!" said the blond-haired girl.
"I won't act like it isn't. It's a C-ranked spell, not even worth mentioning," said the silver-haired boy.
Trying to mediate the situation was another boy with vibrant orange hair, his calming presence attempting to diffuse the tension. "Come now, we were ordered not to fight amongst ourselves."
Curiosity sparked within Cedric, and he turned to Sarah. "Who are they?" he inquired, gesturing towards the trio.
Sarah's gaze followed Cedric's, and she sighed softly. "That girl is Lilly of House Cornale, a house renowned for their fire magic."
Cedric looked at her and from his lips slipped, "She's cute."
Sarah chuckled. "The boy with silver hair is Adrian of House Reeve. Their house commands the magi army. Then there is Oliver of House Regan. His family is renowned for magic seers and summoning. He is the most gifted seer the house has seen in generations. They're also participating in the debut."
As if on cue, the argument escalated, voices rising in intensity. Cedric couldn't help but be drawn to their interaction, the dynamics between them captivating his attention. "What are they fighting about?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Sarah shook her head, her expression filled with a mix of amusement and concern. "It's hard to say, my lord. If I had to guess, though, it would probably just be friendly competitive trash talk."
Cedric's gaze shifted back to the trio, observing their gestures and expressions. Adrian, the silver-haired boy, seemed to exude an air of superiority, his posture and cold demeanor suggesting that he believed himself to be on a different level than the others. Lily's fiery spirit clashed against his, their words an intense clash of wills. Oliver, with his calming presence and attempts at mediation, played the role of the peacemaker, striving to bridge the gap between the two.
"Friendly trash talk," Cedric said to himself before walking towards the trio.
Lily stopped yelling to look at Cedric. "Who are you?"
Oliver spoke with recognition. "OH! That's 'THE' Cedric Montclair!"
Lily's eyes widened in surprise. "The rumored future strongest mage?"
Adrian gave a cold glance at Cedric. "So that's him."
Cedric cleared his throat, not paying attention to anything the other kids said. Lily nervously asked Cedric, "So what do you want?"
Cedric, now ready, smiled his unintentional sinister grin. "You will need to be a lot better to compete with me," he said before turning around and walking away.
His words shook the trio. Lily, surprised, spoke with shock in her voice. "He assessed us and said we weren't even on his level?"
Adrian smiled as he thought, "So he thinks he's better than me? If he is, then I'll finally..."
Oliver scratched his head, confused, as he thought to himself. "Everyone says he has the highest magic reserve in the world, but I couldn't even feel his magic like I can with other mages."
Cedric, feeling proud, thought to himself, "Yes, I was able to give friendly trash talk."
The debut commenced, and Cedric watched in awe as the noble children showcased their spells and skills. Lily stepped up to the stage, and across from her, a training dummy appeared. She took a deep breath before chanting her incantation. "Sparks of flame from the raging fire within, charge and burn my foes!" A ball of fire flew toward the dummy, burning it to ash. The crowd started clapping as Lily jumped up and down with joy.
Next was Oliver, who walked up to the stage and, with a deep breath, pulled out a small needle and pricked his finger. As the blood from his finger fell to the ground, a magic circle appeared. Oliver began to speak in an ancient tongue, and as he finished, a blue giant wolf with two horns appeared. "A Fiend wolf!" One noble yelled out in surprise.
The crowd clapped furiously as Oliver said to himself, "Thank the gods that I didn't pass out."
Next was Adrian, his silver hair shimmering under the spotlight. He cast his spells with precision and finesse. Frost formed under Adrian's feet, and in a flash, the training dummy was shredded into pieces. "Did he use wind magic?" One noble said, confused.
Adrian's father, Lord Reeve, chuckled. "No, he used an instant minor frost spell and shot razor-thin frost blades to destroy the dummy."
The crowd erupted in a rain of applause, capturing the admiration of the crowd. Cedric couldn't help but feel a mixture of admiration and a twinge of competitive spirit within him. Catching Sarah's gaze, Cedric said, "Impressive."
Sarah's eyes sparkled with confidence. "So, does he catch your attention, my lord?"
Cedric nodded his head. "He's so cool."
It was now Cedric's turn, and the crowd began whispering, "He is the one to watch," said one grand mage.
As the debut unfolded below, far above the academy, a blue dragon with a single arm engaged in a conversation with a majestic golden phoenix. "Was it you who slayed my dear student?" said the blue dragon.
The phoenix scoffed. "And what if I was?"
Their discussion gradually shifted towards hostility, ready to fight. They both charged at each other.
Unaware of the conversation in the sky, Cedric stood poised, ready to unleash his spark spell. The excitement in the air was palpable as he raised his hand, summoning the magic within him. "Those who dance in the clouds, answer my call and DESTROY my foes..."
Megna screamed from inside Cedric's head. "Merlin! That incantation is wrong!"
However, at that very moment, the blue dragon unleashed a powerful spell, creating a surge of energy that reverberated through the air. The phoenix dodged as the dragon summoned a bolt of lightning.
The crowd gasped as a massive lightning bolt struck the training dummy Cedric had targeted. It was as if their spells had intertwined, resulting in a display of magic beyond what anyone had expected. The onlookers erupted in a mixture of awe, disbelief, and exhilaration.
An old mage from the Mage Council looked to his fellow mages in disbelief. "I've never heard that incantation before. Did he invent a new spell? At the age of seven!"
Amidst the chaos, Adrian, the silver-haired boy, felt a surge of excitement and anticipation. As he watched Cedric's spell unfold, his perception of Cedric shifted. In that moment, he realized that Cedric could be the rival he had been searching for, someone he could consider as his equal. As he thought to himself, "That guy, he is the one I've been looking for." A smile tugged at the corners of Adrian's lips as the thought ran through his mind.
While the crowd went wild over Cedric's display of magic, Oliver, the orange-haired boy, noticed something peculiar. He possessed the ability to sense magic, allowing him to discern the source and nature of spells. As he observed Cedric, he realized that Cedric had no magical power of his own. Oliver chuckled to himself, amused by the situation. "Well, well," he thought, "Cedric doesn't even realize he has no magic. This could be interesting." Oliver couldn't help but feel drawn to Cedric.
As Cedric basked in the cheers and applause, his focus remained on the exhilaration of the moment. Yet he looked at his hand and said to himself, "I really have to remember the incantation. I could hurt someone. Everyone up there is probably upset that I messed up the spark spell so bad." Cedric let out a nervous sigh. "I'll just not look up there."