The week passed in a blur, and every single student spent it the same way.
—Exams.
The End of the Year Exams was the same for every student of the Academy—both Alpha and Beta—in the fact that it was brutal.
However, with adversity came opportunity.
If the Beta students did extremely well in this Exam, they would be considered for elevation and would be eligible for the Promotional Exams. In the opposite vein, those who did very poorly in Alpha Class would face demotion if they didn't prove themselves in the Exams.
Ashfelt Zephyr was an example of what would happen to an Alpha Student if they failed, as he was demoted to Beta Class—even if only for a short while—after losing a round against a Beta student during the Exams.
This alone was enough motivation for students hoping to climb to the top, and a warning for the ones who wanted to remain there.
The clock ticked and ticked, until the inevitable arrival of the promised day.
