"This is... Incredible!"
In the middle of the slums, an imposing building stood tall. Its architecture could impress many. The structure was surrounded by a high brick wall, with large barred gates in between. A skinny young man stood before these gates.
Ragryno was just an ordinary slum rat. His parents had left him at a church when he was a child. He barely remembered who they were or why they abandoned him. He wasn't one to complain about it, especially not today.
He wasn't the only one standing at the gate. On either side of him were two large men dressed in casual clothing. The entire area around him was far from the slums he was used to. Well-built houses lined the streets, and people of middle-class status walked by. Though Ragryno felt the occasional glance in his direction, he paid it no mind.
It was hard not to notice him, after all. Not only was he completely out of place in his tattered clothes that looked like they could fall apart at any moment, but his long ears also stood out. He was an elf.
The young man gazed at the mesmerizing white marble from which the building was constructed. His eyes held genuine interest, something the guards noticed. One of them approached him.
"Hey, kid, what are you doing here?"
Ragryno shifted his gaze from the majestic temple to the large man before him. The man had a slightly protruding belly and a thick beard on his face. He was completely different from the boy.
Though Ragryno was an elf, he was far from tall, unlike his kin. The harsh life in the slums, where he had to fight for every piece of moldy bread, had left his body thin. His skin clung to his bones, making him look almost like a walking corpse. But there was something else about him that stood out besides his long ears.
Staring back at the bearded man were cat-like eyes, each with a different hue. The left was a shade of violet, while the right was green. The man frowned slightly, expecting an answer.
Snapping out of it, Ragryno grew slightly nervous but soon extended his right hand. He opened his palm, revealing a large rune symbol on it, and the guard immediately understood. The guard silently exchanged a look with his companion, who shrugged and began opening the gates.
"How long have you had that mark, kid?" the bearded man asked, trying to avoid looking into the elf's unsettling eyes. Ragryno was used to this; the man certainly didn't look like someone who had lived in the slums.
"A month now," the boy said quietly.
That mark on his hand was something he had waited for his entire life. It was the mana seal.
At 15, any humanoid race received this mark and was required to undergo a special ritual at the church—a pact with mana, in exchange for which the individual would receive their magic. Ragryno had wanted to come here ever since he turned 15, but his nerves kept causing him to delay such an important event.
The fact was, depending on the magic one received, anyone's life could change drastically. There was no guarantee that one would receive something truly valuable or useful. Furthermore, it all depended on one's innate talent for that very magic, which could only be determined after receiving it.
For the short elf, this mark could be his chance to escape the dreadful life he had known until now.
The sound of a click interrupted his thoughts, signaling the opening of the gates. Without hesitation, Ragryno moved forward, feeling his heart race faster. This was a turning point in his life—he couldn't afford to miss it.
"Good luck, kid! May the mana bless you!" the bearded guard said, more out of formality than anything else. Deciding not to delay the elf any longer, he returned to his post.
Ragryno didn't respond, continuing on his path to the temple. He walked along the cobblestone path, noticing small rest areas with fountains and people preparing for something.
There was no door at the entrance of the temple. Before Ragryno was only a golden archway, beyond which lay darkness.
'Please, let it be something good... I'd even take crafting magic... Anything that could be useful and pull me out of the slums.'
With a nervous heart, the young man stepped into the darkness, disappearing beyond the arch.
As soon as he entered, he felt a strange sense of being watched, as if eyes were on him from every direction. The feeling was incredibly uncomfortable, but he had to endure it. The sounds of shuffling feet and hurried preparations for the ritual filled the air. The boy realized that he had arrived just in time.
Soon, a rather handsome young man with light hair, dressed in a white robe, approached him and asked him to follow. This was standard procedure for all newcomers. He led the elf to a small room with two chairs and a table. On the walls hung two torches, providing a soft light. The man took the far seat, and Ragryno sat on the one closest to the door.
'What's the point of this?'
Ragryno settled into the chair, noticing how comfortable it was, and stared at the man in front of him. After a moment of studying the elf, the man smiled kindly and began to speak.
"So, may I start by asking your name?"
Ragryno frowned slightly at the respectful tone, but soon relaxed his face and answered calmly.
"Ragryno."
"Nice to meet you, Ragryno. I assume you're here to make a pact with mana and discover your magic, am I right?"
'What else would I be here for?!' the boy nearly blurted out.
The question was rather stupid and annoying, making the elf frown, so he simply nodded.
"Good. Then I'll need you to answer a few questions. Everyone who wants to receive their magic goes through this process. Let me know when you're ready," said the light-haired man, still smiling warmly.
Ragryno was still deeply anxious. He hoped that his life in the slums wouldn't affect his magic and that he wouldn't end up with something like theft magic. Although, he even doubted that such a thing existed.
Gathering his thoughts, he finally said he was ready. The light-haired man nodded at him and took out a parchment from his robe. Ragryno hadn't noticed before, but there was a quill and ink on the table. Placing the parchment on the table, the man clasped his hands together and began the interrogation.
"First question—are you a descendant of any noble lineage or known mages?"
Ragryno was slightly taken aback by the question, and even considered it rather foolish to ask an elf dressed in rags.
"No," the boy answered. Perhaps he was... But he certainly didn't know, so he wasn't going to claim it. After his response, the white-haired man made a note on the parchment.
The following questions were mostly about age, chronic illnesses, place of residence, and other similar inquiries. But a few of them were rather... strange.
"Are you in any way connected to a god?"
Ragryno, of course, said no, as otherwise, he wouldn't be living in the slums but somewhere in the capital, eating the finest meat and washing it down with the most expensive wine. He was skeptical about all this divinity, but even someone like him knew that gods existed and could even bless you.
'Unfortunately, not even in my dreams do I see a chance of receiving the blessing of any god, unless there's a god of poverty... If such a one exists,' the boy thought, smiling slightly.
After the interrogation, the elf was led to a wide hall, where the first thing he noticed was the multitude of people, roughly his age.
They were all very different, many dressed in expensive clothing, while others were dressed in rags like him. Age was perhaps the only thing that made him similar to the others.
The hall was magnificent. Golden tiles adorned both the ceiling and the floor. Onyx columns stood on either side, inspiring awe in Ragryno.
The walls were decorated with numerous beautiful paintings, and beneath them were small statues depicting praying people. At the end of the hall was a massive window, which bathed the entire room in light, making everything visible.
A faint tension hung in the air, and the voices of many children, anxious about receiving their magic, could be heard. Ragryno also noticed a pleasant scent in the hall, as if someone had sprayed some kind of magical perfume. Though he didn't know what they smelled like, judging by the stories of some people in the slums, they were something like enchanted water for the rich, instantly making you attractive to ladies.
In the large hall, there were also other individuals. At the far end, Ragryno saw five figures he immediately identified as "Adventurers." There were two women and two men, as well as one... strange being. It was a slightly translucent person made up of green whirlwinds. It took Ragryno a moment to recognize the race of sentient elementals.
This elemental stepped forward slightly and began speaking loudly, silencing the voices and drawing everyone's attention.
"Please, quiet down!" the elemental spoke. His voice was very gentle, but Ragryno felt immense power in it, making it difficult even to open his mouth.
Once everyone had quieted down, the elemental continued.
"Welcome, future mages! Today is a significant day for each of you, and I understand your excitement. But to become a powerful mage, you will need patience, so let this be your first lesson." The elemental spoke with graceful hand gestures, in sync with his words.
Ragryno was captivated by the scene before him, so he decided to listen to the elemental, waiting for its further words. Everyone in the hall did the same.
"Now, one by one, each of you will step forward and stand on this plate," the elemental said, pointing with its windy hand at an entirely white slab in the hall.
The queue quickly formed, based on the influence and wealth of the families whose heirs had come to receive their magic today. Ragryno, for obvious reasons, found himself at the very end.
"I believe we can begin," said a man standing at the back of the hall.
The elemental looked at him and nodded, calling the first person forward. It was a girl with silver hair. She was dressed in simple clothing, which created a slight dissonance for Ragryno.
'Maybe her family doesn't like to stand out too much? But then why is she at the front of the line?'
"Now, young lady, please step onto the white plate," the elemental said gently, and the girl simply stepped onto it. Everyone saw the symbol on her right hand glow faintly white.
The elemental returned to the other adventurers and stood in front of them all. He remained silent for a moment, studying the girl, and then spoke again.
"Now, lady, my companions and I will assess your approximate level of talent during the mana contract process. All you need to do is repeat the words after me. Are you ready?"
The girl silently looked at him and nodded.
"Then let us begin the mana contract ceremony! Repeat after me: O mana, turn your gaze upon me."
The girl hesitated for a moment but finally spoke.
"O mana, turn your gaze upon me."
The elemental smiled and continued, "Today, I wish to make a pact with you. Hear me out!"
The girl repeated these words, and Ragryno saw the slab beneath her begin to emit a faint light.
"Grant me, as your child, my purpose! Allow me to fulfill your will and enter your realm, striving to ascend to you!"
Ragryno didn't like this speech. He didn't want to humble himself so much before some mana. Perhaps it was normal for other aristocrats, but to him, it felt completely foreign. But if he wanted to escape the slums, he knew he would also have to repeat these words, and he simply resigned himself to it.
Meanwhile, the slab glowed even brighter and took on a silvery hue.
"O mana, that permeates every particle of this world, I call upon you! Let your wisdom be my guide, your strength my weapon. Lead me on the path you have prepared, and let me fulfill my destiny!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the slab exploded with light, and everyone's expressions changed.
Ragryno felt a strong wind on his skin. But it wasn't a forceful wind that pressed down on him, no... This wind was completely strange. It was very pleasant, and for some reason, it even slightly lifted his spirits. He once again felt a piercing gaze upon his body, but this time, it was much stranger... Something impossible, something very mysterious.
As soon as the radiance faded, everyone saw that the girl standing on the slab had extended her right hand forward. A strange droplet, resembling liquid metal, was levitating above her palm. Ragryno tried to peer into it, but other than finding it rather beautiful, he couldn't discern much.
However, the entire hall suddenly erupted in noise. Everyone was shocked, and each person understood that what they had just witnessed was clearly not an ordinary occurrence in the process of receiving magic.
"Incredible mana density—so this is the power of the Silver Blood clan, huh?" muttered a man in armor at the back of the hall. Two other girls and a quiet boy merely stared in awe at the scene. Meanwhile, a wide smile adorned the elemental's face. Ragryno didn't understand why the elemental was so pleased that someone had received such great power, but he didn't give it much thought.
"Now, young lady. I don't think we should prolong this ceremony by having each of us give our assessment one by one," the elemental said, approaching the girl.
She simply clenched her fist, and the strange droplet vanished. The walking hurricane continued to speak.
"Your talent is undoubtedly immense. Your path in magic will be very fruitful, and I am confident that you will bring about significant changes in our world. The density of your mana surpasses any talent, but as I understand it, all in your clan possess this, correct?"
The girl silently looked at him and simply nodded. Everyone could see her face as she stood sideways, and the elf felt that she seemed indifferent to her own talent.
'It's as if she's even sad?'
"With your skills, you will certainly pass into the Royal Academy. My companions and I will write a recommendation letter for you, so you can already consider yourself a student!" the elemental spoke with great joy, now standing almost right next to the girl. On its windy face was an unmistakable interest, but Ragryno wasn't so detached from the world that he couldn't understand the personal gain the elemental would derive from all this.
After all, it was under his guidance of this ceremony that such a monstrous talent was born, wasn't it?
Soon the girl returned to the line, and a crowd of other candidates immediately surrounded her. Words of flattery and sycophancy from the other participants rang out, causing Ragryno to scowl with distaste. The elemental once again brought silence by simply asking for quiet and continued speaking.
"May each of you be as talented as this young lady. Do not despair if your powers are not as impressive. Those like her are truly rare. I have no doubt that there are hidden talents among you. Let us not delay any further and proceed with the ceremony."
'This guy's got a silver tongue. Everyone instantly calmed down and felt inspired.'
For Ragryno, this event only brought more anxiety. He feared failure. Yes, the girl turned out to be a talent monster, but this was just a preliminary assessment. He was sure that if she decided not to pursue magic and improve herself, she would quickly lose her talent.
Soon the ceremony continued. All the following candidates were not as outstanding as the first, but even so, the group at the end of the hall kept remarking that everyone in this room had talent.
But there was also another monstrous talent. A boy, who was just two people ahead of Ragryno in the line, demonstrated magic related to time. At least that's what the elemental said. Soon it was finally Ragryno's turn.
At that moment, anxiety surged within him again, and Ragryno realized that his future would be decided right now. He already felt somewhat uncomfortable being in such a large company, as before, he had always preferred solitude over being in the company of friends. Though, he didn't have any friends. Friends in the slums don't exist—he doubted that such a concept was even real.
"Hmm... You're an elf, I presume?" the girl at the end of the hall suddenly spoke as Ragryno stepped onto the white slab. He raised his gaze and realized that this girl had been silent until now. She was dressed in a purple robe, holding a long staff with a crystal at the end. Her hair and face were hidden in the shadows of her hood, making it impossible to discern her appearance.
"Yes," the boy simply said, not wanting to engage in further conversation with the hooded woman.
She silently stood there. The shadows hiding her face made it impossible to read her emotions, but just as she was about to say something, the elemental interrupted, stepping forward.
"Please, let's not get distracted. Now, are you ready to begin the ceremony?"
Ragryno looked at the elemental with his heterochromatic eyes. At first glance, one might think they were filled with determination, but his slightly trembling body betrayed his true feelings.
'Please, let it be something good. I'll accept anything, just to get out of the slums,' the boy thought, feeling a cold drop of sweat run down his spine, causing him to shudder slightly. This was the most intense moment of his life, the one he had endured everything for up to this point. For this small chance, he was willing to risk everything he had.
He took a deep breath and nodded at the elemental, closing his eyes. He once again pictured the scene of the girl receiving something incredible, and his fear was slightly replaced with determination. He wouldn't leave here until he received something good.
"Then let us begin your mana contract ceremony!"