***
"The Recruitment!" Leo exclaimed, jumping to his feet and abruptly recovering.
"Indeed," mused Minea. "Are you two well-versed in what happens here?"
Leo began to answer, but Leonidas beat him to it. "I'm not exactly familiar with how everything works. May you enlighten me?"
"That's fine," replied Minea. "When the Al'Father of Valhalla summons you, all you need to do is place your hand on the Matríxum—the circular orb he carries. If your color glows—say, gray for example—that means Thoth has blessed you and you will sit at the gray table." She motioned to the various colored tables set up before them.
"After everyone is selected, the students will stand at the podium, where Recruiters sent by the Four Academies, will be sent to recruit any students who caught their eye. Do you understand?"
Leonidas slowly nodded, slightly overwhelmed by the information. "And what if the orb— the Matríxum doesn't glow?"
"Well, that hasn't happened in the History of Valhalla, nor in the other Academies. There are only stories of such a mythological event. If the Matríxum doesn't glow, that means the student hasn't been blessed, and also, harnesses a small portion of Celestia. Like I said before, this has never happened, so don't bother dwelling on it, understand?" Minea explained.
"Yes, thank you for the information." Leonidas bowed slightly, showcasing a symbol of respect.
Minea simply smiled at him in response. With a wave of her hand, Leonidas felt himself pushed forward rapidly by an invisible force. His surroundings became a dizzying blur, and before he knew it, he was with Leo on the line of teenagers; bizarrely they had landed on their feet instead of head-first.
Upon doing so, the man stationed atop the podium— the All'Father, bellowed in a deep voice, filled with authority. "Greetings to all! As we all know, we are here to welcome this new-batch, of our future upstanding civilians! Give these teenagers, a round of applause!"
The audience erupted into a raucous applause that seemed to shake the very foundations of the room. Yet, amidst the cacophony of cheers and whistles, the single line of teenagers remained still and silent, too caught up in their own nervousness to move.
With the raise of a finger, the Al'Father silenced the great hall. "Behold, I am Odínasz Nor'sak, appointed Al'Father of the Academy of Valhalla," he declared, eyeing the Matríxum in his grasp. "This is one of three sacred Matríxums - it will tell us which among you has been chosen by our divine and all-powerful deities. But before we begin."
He hovered two fingers over his heart, and chanted: "Glory be to the Malefícars; Glory be to Skygard; Glory be to the King."
"Glory be to the human race," the crowd of students, and adults finished. This time the line of teenagers spoke.
Leonidas didn't know if it was his imagination, but for a fleeting second, he could see a look of discomfort on the Al'Father's face, as if he had drank something acidic. He brushed away the thought, and the Al'Father began to speak again.
"Without further ado, let's begin." The Al'Father announced. "Sofia Po'sia, come forth!"
At the front of the queue stood a teenage lady, one of the few who appeared to not be nervous. Her skin, pale and smooth as porcelain, stretched over cheekbones and rosy lips the color of ripe cherries. Around her face coils of brilliant blonde hair cascaded down past her broad shoulders that seemed to be delicate as well as potent. But most beautiful were to be found in her eyes: wide pools of blue sapphire; all the boys in the hall were hypnotized by her charm.
She walked toward the podium, her head held high, as her luxurious, pink-tinted robe draped onto the floor for each step she took; an aura of wealth oozed from her, indicating her status as a noble. Her calloused fingertips, gently made contact with the Matríxum. At first, the Matríxum remained unchanged.
Then, in an abrupt manner, it vibrated, and a seductive, pink color pierced through the stormy shade, illuminating the orb. A shadow, one taking the form of a pink-tinted dagger, as well as a triangular stone, could be seen amidst the foggy shade.
"Sofia Po'sia; Battle-Magus or Runer, blessed by Venus; Deity of Beauty and Love!" The Al'father bellowed, as a pink-colored table erupted into cheers.
Sofia stepped off the podium with a contented smile, making her way to the pink-colored table where a crowd of students sat. They greeted her with thunderous applause, embracing her warmly and offering their congratulations.
"What are those shapes?" Leonidas asked, turning toward Leo.
"The dagger and runestone indicate she has been blessed to walk as a Battle-Magus or a Runer," explained Leo. Then he grinned: "Man, that chick is fine."
Leonidas shrugged, his gaze shifting back to the podium, where the All'Father began to speak.
"Jiorndr Lza'Ar!" The All-Father called out.
Next in line, stood Jiorndr Lza'Ar. He was short but stoutly built; his hands, clothing and bronze-colored, bruised skin were marked with the signs of labor. His broad chest, clenched jaw, and muscular arms made it clear he would most-likely be attempting to be a Battle-Magus, though, it was just an assumption from Leonidas.
With a grunt, Jiorndr moved to the podium; his expression showed no sign of nervousness, nor of confidence. His large hands clenched the Matríxum, and most immediate, it underwent another color. A hue, one combined with a mix of lava red, and molten gold, materialized on the Matríxum. A silhouette could be seen in the dim fog, taking on the shape of a sword.
The All'Father announced: "Jiorndr Lza'Ar; Battle-Magus, blessed by Vulcan; Deity of Fire and Blacksmith!"
A radiant table, aglow in the Matríxum's luminescent hue, filled with ecstatic cheers. Jiorndr released a deep breath of relief, as if he were holding it in for hours. He strode towards the jubilant table. As he arrived, back-slaps rained down upon him and handshakes filled the air.
One by one, the students were called forth. Some of them were gifted with a divine golden hue, bestowed upon them by Eir, Deity of Health and Vitality. Others shone brightly with a silvery radiance, courtesy of Diana, Deity of Hunt and Archery. The vast majority however were blessed with an emerald shade thanks to Terra, Deity of Nature and Animals.
The small number of chosen ones were given the career-choice of Battle-Magus, while the majority were selected to be Vitaliters and Runers. But only one individual was gifted with the great honor of becoming an Alchemist, though, they didn't look too happy about it.
Leonidas watched the scene unfold silently, until it was finally his turn.
"Leonidas," the All'Father called out, bearing a knowing smile. "Come forth."
With an exhale, Leonidas heeded his orders, walking onto the podium. The crowd gossiped among each-other. Most insulted him about his choice of clothing, while others discussed to themselves, predicting what deity had blessed him. Some guessed Venus while other theorized Vulcan.
In the back of his mind, Leonidas felt a twinge of nervousness. What if he wasn't to be blessed to become a Battle-Magus? A drop of sweat dwindled onto his brow, as he continued walking.
From the corner of his eye, Leonidas could sense the recruiters hovering nearby, eagerly awaiting his next move. Leonidas pondered if the news had already spread about him being sponsored by the Malefícar of the East.
"Place both palms on the Matríxum, Leonidas," instructed the Al'Father.
Leonidas nodded, following his orders. Upon doing so, everything faded to black. Memories surged within him, all a mere flash, disappearing as fast as they appeared.
He remembered working as a slave in Persia. He remembered discovering the power hidden inside him. He remembered slaughtering his slave-owners, before escaping on-foot to Greece. He remembered arriving at the remnants of Sparta, and discovering his lineage. He remembered finding demigods, people who he fit in with. He remembered battling, becoming one of the strongest in the battle-ground. He remembered rebuilding Sparta. And lastly, he remembered his death.
A burning, seething emotion was swelling within his gut. It wasn't sadness or anger, instead it was a wild and frenzied craving for battle that overwhelmed him. He could feel the feeling surging through him, an overpowering urge to fight and make his enemies know pain and suffering. The only feeling that simmered in his gut, was blood-lust.
He could feel the power coursing through his body, like an electric current surging through his veins. His muscles felt as if they were being torn apart and re-built, stronger and more resilient than ever before. A warm sensation radiated from his chest, emanating outwards with every breath. He felt greater strength than he ever thought possible. It was pure euphoria.
Then, his vision returned. The headmaster had a smile on his lips, and his azure eyes twinkled with interest. The crowd watched in awe, completely stunned into silence by the scene before them. All the recruiters present were dumbfounded; it was as if time had stopped and none of them could fathom what had just happened.
Leonidas looked down at the Matrixum, and was taken aback by its new appearance. The eerie, blood-red hue had seemingly spilled out of the orb and enveloped him in a dense, crimson fog.
The Al'Father grinned, before bellowing:
"After multiple millenniums, the embodiment of a deity has arrived— Leonidas— Avatar of Mars; Deity of War!"
***