The air was thick with tension as the four groups lined up for the final trial on the training field. Every invoker knew this was their last chance to prove their skill, and that the decisions and actions taken today could shape their futures. Kaeleen felt the pressure like a weight on his shoulders, but his determination pushed him onward. His level 2 mana core was stronger and more stable, and though he still felt the exhaustion of the previous night, he was confident he could surpass his own limits.
The groups readied themselves as Professor Wolfram stepped to the center of the field to initiate the trial. His voice was clear and firm as he gave the instructions.
"This trial will measure your teamwork, strategy, and mana control," Professor Wolfram announced. "Each group will face a series of tasks where coordination and adaptability will be tested. There will be no direct confrontations, but competition may require some interaction between groups. Any unfair interference will be penalized."
The field was divided into various task zones, each one designated for a specific challenge. The groups moved to their assigned stations, and each team soon began their work. Kaeleen's group moved smoothly under the guidance of Naomi, the top-ranked invoker, who, though aloof, led with a quiet confidence.
Kaeleen focused on constructing magical barriers around his group, using his dark mana to build defenses while his teammates completed their tasks. Despite his fatigue, he managed to create a stable shield that deflected practice attacks from other teams aiming to hinder their progress. But just as he reached the midpoint of his task, a familiar and unpleasant presence pulled his attention away.
Ithan and Erik, with their teammates, were approaching from a distance, their eyes gleaming with a familiar mix of mockery and malice. Kaeleen tried to concentrate, ignoring their taunts and sarcastic remarks, but it was clear that the bullies had no intention of leaving him alone.
As he tried to refocus, he felt a vibration in the air—an oncoming spell. He barely had time to turn and raise a barrier before the spell struck, forcing him to stumble back. Ithan's smirk remained as he lowered his hand, clearly pleased with having broken Kaeleen's concentration.
"What's wrong, Kaeleen? Is that all you've got?" Ithan sneered, his tone dripping with arrogance.
Kaeleen took a deep breath, trying to ignore the comment and return to his work, but Ithan's attack had disrupted his mana flow. He tried to restore his barrier, but another spell flew at him, this time from Erik. Forced to defend himself again, he struggled to maintain his balance and focus.
"I'm not here to fight," Kaeleen muttered under his breath, though irritation flared in his gaze.
Erik laughed darkly. "Neither am I, really." With that, he sent another mana blast, shaking Kaeleen's shield.
Kaeleen stepped back, realizing he couldn't just stand there defenseless. If Ithan and Erik wanted to provoke him, he'd give them a reason to reconsider. With a swift motion, he conjured a dark sphere and hurled it at them, forcing both to retreat.
Ithan barely dodged the attack, but his smug smile persisted. "Is that the best you can do? No wonder everyone thinks you're dead weight."
The words cut deeper than he expected. Clenching his fists, Kaeleen struggled to stay calm, but the pressure of his dark mana surged inside him. It was as if every word from Ithan was deliberately crafted to destabilize him. Just then, Erik fired a spell directly at Elise, who stood close to Kaeleen, and the blast struck her, rendering her unconscious on the ground.
The sight of Elise falling sparked a wave of rage within him. The restraint he had carefully maintained shattered in an instant, and he felt his dark mana roiling violently. Every attempt to contain it only seemed to amplify its intensity, like an overflowing river threatening to break through its banks.
As he watched Erik step closer to Elise with a cruel expression, the voices in his mind grew louder. The dark mana seemed to be whispering to him, urging him to let go, to protect Elise with everything he had.
"What are you going to do now, Kaeleen?" Erik taunted, kneeling beside Elise with a look of contempt. "Maybe we should have some fun with your friend… and you can just watch."
That last remark broke through the last of Kaeleen's self-control. He felt all the pent-up energy explode in a surge of pure rage. The whispers from his dark mana, once subdued and distant, became shouts, demanding vengeance. In that moment, all discipline and restraint vanished, and a dark aura began to envelop him.
A strange silence fell over the training field as a dense cloud of dark mana coiled around Kaeleen, forming a vortex of shadows crackling with a menacing energy. His eyes glowed with an intense fury, their depths reflecting the fury of someone on the edge of losing complete control.
"This is what you wanted?" Kaeleen whispered, his tone a chilling threat. "Then take it."
With a swift movement, he unleashed a burst of energy that forced Ithan and Erik to retreat, both now with expressions of shock and fear. Without giving them a chance to react, Kaeleen launched a series of dark spells at them, his attacks growing increasingly fierce and wild.
Each impact echoed across the field, and the ground trembled beneath the force of his assaults. Kaeleen moved swiftly, his hands sending waves of dark energy that exploded upon contact, scattering dust and debris. The other trainees, who had initially watched with curiosity, began to back away, alarmed by Kaeleen's escalating fury.
Erik, cornered on the edge of the field, tried to defend himself with an improvised shield, but Kaeleen's relentless attacks overwhelmed him. Each blow weakened his defenses, and Erik's expression shifted from disdain to pure terror. Ithan tried to flee, but Kaeleen intercepted him, unleashing a blast that brought him to his knees.
The whispers in Kaeleen's mind intensified. Now, they weren't just distant murmurs but sharp commands urging him to finish them, to show no mercy. The fury blinded him, and though a small part of his mind tried to stop him, his will had become weak against the darkness consuming him.
"For what you did to Elise…" he murmured, his voice trembling with contained rage, "…you'll pay for this."
He gathered a massive amount of dark mana in his hands, shadows swirling around him. His intent was clear: to end them both once and for all. However, at that moment, a blinding golden light appeared between him and his opponents.
Princess Selene advanced toward him, her face a mask of calm that contrasted sharply with the chaos around them. She extended her hand, and a barrier of divine mana surrounded Kaeleen, neutralizing the dark mana and containing the shadows that enveloped him. Selene's energy was pure, and the contrast between her light and Kaeleen's darkness illuminated the entire field.
Kaeleen felt the intensity of the divine energy, and it was as if the whispers in his mind instantly faded. The anger melted away, and the tension in his body vanished, leaving him weak and drained. His vision began to blur, and before he could fully grasp what was happening, his body gave out, and he collapsed, unconscious.
Princess Selene maintained the barrier a moment longer, ensuring the dark mana was fully contained. Around her, the other trainees watched in silence, some murmuring under their breath as their eyes shifted from Kaeleen to the battered bullies. Fear was evident in their faces; what they had witnessed was beyond anything they had expected.
After confirming the danger had passed, the princess gestured to two nearby guards. "Take him to my chamber," she ordered, her expression serious and contemplative. She knew Kaeleen needed help, but she also understood that the nature of his power could be perilous if left unchecked.