Amidst the formidable talents of each of these regions lie the candidates that may have never fallen short from the sight of the Thorn but may have always been deemed less by their country folk.
Ivana has always been the brightest windsurfer of the Vailes in her generation, and Gale was only the second.
The Pyrus twins have always been celebrated by the pits of Emberfall, and Ferina was nothing but a side character unimportant to the region.
Aurora... she was barely ever seen by the folks of Elarian city at all. After all, her father was simply the brother of the King, and her bright cousins have always overlighted her light... like Lucius himself.
These people were always there but were never seen.
Have you, perhaps, ever felt that way?
Because that is how they feel every day.
Aurora, Gale, and Ferina stood in line, facing their respective trial chambers' large, ancient doors.
The headmaster's words echoed in Aurora's mind: "This is your moment to prove your worth. Use your powers wisely and show us your true potential."
Aurora took a deep breath, her silvery blonde hair cascading down her shoulders, framing her delicate face. Her soft blue eyes hidden beneath her glasses reflected her nervousness but also a hidden determination. She had always been shy, unsure of her abilities.
This was her chance to change that!
"Good luck, Aurora," Gale said, giving her a reassuring smile before he went into his own chamber.
Aurora's cheeks burned without her noticing. She was flustered by the young man's remark, as she could barely even remember the last time she heard those words of sincerity.
She was never able to hear that back in the main castle. She was just a girl... and Lucius... well, Lucius is Lucius.
Ferina, with her fiery red hair and sharp amber eyes, nodded at Aurora. "You got this. Just believe in yourself."
Aurora nodded, feeling a tiny spark of confidence. She entered her chamber, the door closing behind her with a resounding thud.
--
The room was enveloped in darkness, the only source of light emanating from the glowing enchanted walls.
In the midst of the chamber loomed a colossal figure—a Shadow Beast.
Its form is crafted from pure darkness, eyes gleaming with a malevolent red glow. A menacing snarl reverberated through the room, sending a chill down Aurora's spine.
"Alright, Aurora, you've got this," she muttered under her breath.
Raising her hands, she conjured a soft, radiant light. The beast hesitated for a moment before lunging at her with astounding speed. Aurora narrowly evaded its attack, feeling the rush of air as it tore past her.
"Focus," she urged herself.
Summoning more light, she fashioned a protective barrier around herself. The beast collided with the barrier, its claws scraping against the shimmering light. With newfound confidence, Aurora pushed back.
Channeling the light, she concentrated it into a beam that struck the beast. It let out a ferocious howl, staggering backward in agony.
"I can do this," Aurora declared, her voice ringing louder. She sensed a surge of warmth spreading through her, a burgeoning new power awakening within.
Closing her eyes, she honed in on the light within her. When she opened them, her hands radiated with an even greater brilliance.
Unleashing another beam of light, more potent and precise than before, she struck the beast square in the chest, causing it to disintegrate into shadows. Aurora stood there, panting but triumphant.
"I... my light... it is still here... with me!"
--
Gale stepped into his chamber, a vast and dimly lit space, the heavy door closing behind him with a resounding thud that echoed through the air.
The room loomed large and ominous, its towering walls adorned with ancient, cryptic runes that glowed faintly in the dim light, whispering secrets of a bygone era.
At the room's center stood his adversary—a formidable Stone Golem!
This golem was a colossus, its form composed of rugged rocks and massive boulders seamlessly joined yet imposing in its sheer mass.
Its eyes, aglow with a deep, menacing red light, seemed to pierce through the shadows, fixing an unyielding gaze upon Gale.
"My wind may be weaker than hers... but it does not mean it is not strong enough!" Gale declared, his voice resolute and firm.
With an elegant sweep of his arms, he conjured a swirling vortex around himself, the air humming with energy as the winds circled him with increasing ferocity.
The golem, unswayed by Gale's display, thundered toward him, its every step causing the ground to tremble.
Yet Gale was nimble, tapping into his mastery of wind magic to dart around the chamber like a gust.
He directed a potent gust at the golem, aiming to disrupt its advance, but the golem seemed barely affected, its massive form cutting through the wind like a mountain through clouds.
Undeterred, Gale remained a step ahead, his movements fluid and precise.
But when the golem swung its massive arm, it narrowly missed Gale, the rush of air grazing him, a stark reminder of the power he faced.
In that moment, Gale sought something stronger, something that could turn the tide of battle. Closing his eyes, he delved deep into his being, focusing on his family's heritage—the ancient and powerful winds of change!
A peculiar, electrifying sensation coursed through Gale's back, as if the air itself was rewriting his very essence.
Upon opening his eyes, he beheld the faint, ghostly emergence of wings—ethereal and translucent, they were not fully formed, yet they granted him an unparalleled advantage.
Taking flight with these nascent wings, Gale effortlessly dodged the golem's relentless assaults, soaring above with the grace of the wind itself.
"Now, it ends," Gale proclaimed, his voice echoing through the chamber.
Summoning his strength and will, he called forth a formidable tornado. His hands moved with purpose, guiding the roaring winds as they swelled into a towering vortex, a spectacle of nature's raw power.
The tornado engulfed the golem, the sheer force of the wind proving overwhelming.
Rocks and boulders that formed the golem's body were torn away, piece by piece, caught in the dance of destruction. Gale landed gracefully on the ground, watching as the golem crumbled to dust before him.
"That's how it's done," he stated with a triumphant grin, basking in a surge of pride.
--
As Ferina entered her chamber, she couldn't help but appreciate how the heat from the torches mounted on the ancient stone walls provided a welcome respite from the biting cold of the outside world.
The warm, flickering light gave the room an ethereal glow, casting dancing shadows that seemed to move with a life of their own.
Standing with an imposing presence in the center of the spacious chamber was her opponent—a fearsome Fire Drake!
The creature's scales seemed to capture the very essence of fire, glowing with a menacing, almost hypnotic inner light.
Its eyes, alight with an intelligence and fierce determination, fixed onto Ferina with a gaze that promised a battle not easily won.
"Alright, let's dance," Ferina declared, resolve firm in her voice.
As she spoke, she focused her mind, summoning flames to encircle her fists—her body's response to the imminent threat a testament to her training and innate power.
The drake responded to her challenge with a mighty roar, a gush of flames pouring from its maw toward her in a terrifying display of its own power.
Quick on her feet, Ferina rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the inferno.
She countered swiftly, launching a burst of flames toward the drake. Her attack, though lacking the potency she had hoped for, was enough to cause the beast to hesitate momentarily. This was the opening she needed.
With agility that spoke of her mastery in combat, Ferina danced around the drake, her movements fluid and precise. She wielded her fire with expertise, keeping the drake at bay as best she could.
Yet, the beast was relentless, its terrifying claws and razor-sharp teeth gleaming dangerously in the firelight as it lunged at her time and again.
Feeling the tide of the battle pressing against her, Ferina's thoughts raced.
"I need more power," she acknowledged, feeling the weight of her predicament.
With determination fueling her spirit, she gathered herself, summoning every ounce of fiery energy she could muster.
The air around her seemed to pulsate with the growing intensity of her power, the flames enveloping her hands now brighter, hotter, fierce enough to make the mighty drake recoil in apprehension.
Seizing the moment, Ferina charged forward, her fists now a maelstrom of blistering flames. She struck the drake with unparalleled might, and her empowered flames searing its formidable scales.
The beast roared, a sound of pain and rage intermingled, reeling back from the force of her assault. Ferina, sensing victory within reach, pressed her attack, her blows relentless, each strike fueled by the culmination of her might and desperation.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the drake could withstand no more. With a final, anguished cry, it collapsed onto the cold stone floor, defeated.
Breathing heavily, Ferina stood victorious, albeit not without cost. She glanced down at her arm, noticing a deep gash, a parting gift from the drake's lethal claws. The wound was severe, blood seeping freely, but the pain paled in comparison to the triumph of her victory.
"Damn.. that hurts! I wonder how everyone is faring though..."