Chapter: 4 The Second Test
The first test had concluded, and Mr. Campbell stood at the front, nodding as he jotted down the last few notes on his clipboard. He scanned the crowd of us before speaking.
"The first test is now complete. The next test will take place at Building B." He pointed toward a large structure painted green and gold. "You shouldn't keep your examiner waiting." With that, he vanished in a streak of black lightning.
"Show-off," Sarah muttered, crossing her arms.
"He's a teacher. What else would you expect?" I said with a shrug.
"Yeah, whatever. Hey, wanna race to the building?"
"You wanna lose?" Kevaughn said, smirking.
"In your dreams!" Sarah shot back, already getting into position.
I stepped back, holding my hands up. "I'm staying out of this."
"Same," Daniel said.
Shaheem yawned. "I wasn't going to join in regardless."
"Ready," Sarah said, her voice brimming with energy.
"Set," Kevaughn continued.
"Go!" they shouted in unison, taking off at full speed.
"And there they go," I said, shaking my head.
Daniel squinted in the opposite direction. "Should we tell them they ran the wrong way?"
"Nah, they'll figure it out," I replied, already heading toward Building B.
Daniel shrugged, falling into step beside me.
By the time we reached the building, Sarah and Kevaughn had caught up, both of them winded and grumbling about how "the map was misleading." Inside, the room was massive, lined from floor to ceiling with sleek metal panels that reflected the bright overhead lights. A balcony wrapped around the room where students from the academy stood, observing. In the center of the floor was a giant, clear crystal orb, pulsing faintly.
Standing in front of it was a familiar face—Ms. Brian. She was as composed as ever, her sharp gaze scanning the room.
"Now that everyone is here, let me explain the second test," she began, her voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. "Your task is simple. Channel your Psyconic Energy into the orb behind me. This room and the orb are designed to measure the energy you output. The orb will display your score."
She glanced around. "Any questions?"
A student near the front raised his hand. "Could you give us a demonstration?"
Without hesitation, Ms. Brian approached the orb and placed her hand on its smooth surface. An amethyst aura burst from her body, flooding the room with a palpable intensity. The air buzzed, heavy with energy, and the orb glowed a brilliant purple before dimming. A number shimmered on its surface—a 6.
She withdrew her hand, the aura dissipating instantly. "There you have it. The lower your score, the better." She turned to face us again. "Now, when I call your name, step forward."
I glanced at my friends. Daniel looked deep in thought, probably analyzing the test already. Sarah, as usual, appeared ready to crush it. Kevaughn was grinning, while Shaheem yawned again, his expression unreadable.
"This seems simple enough," Kevaughn said.
"It does," I agreed.
"Still, we don't know exactly what they're grading us on," Daniel said, frowning. "Is it just the score?"
"Does it matter?" Sarah cut in. "We're going to crush it, like always."
"Just a word of advice," I said, lowering my voice. "Don't let your energy spill out too much."
"Why not?" Kevaughn asked, raising an eyebrow.
Shaheem spoke up before I could answer. "I think I get what Oriane's saying. Instead of letting it flare everywhere, make it precise. That's probably what they're looking for."
I blinked, surprised. "Didn't expect you to catch that, Shaheem."
"Just because I'm lazy doesn't mean I'm stupid," he shot back.
"So you admit you're lazy?"
"I said no such thing."
Ms. Brian began calling names, and students stepped forward one by one. Abigail, the white-haired girl we'd noticed earlier, went first. As she placed her hand on the orb, a blue aura surrounded her. The temperature in the room dropped noticeably, frost forming on the floor around her. The orb glowed faintly blue before fading, displaying her score—a dim 8.
Ms. Brian nodded. "Next."
The test continued, with scores ranging from dull 9s to dim 8s, but never lower. Eventually, Daniel's name was called.
He stepped forward, his movements calm and deliberate. Placing his hand on the orb, a thin layer of Psyconic Energy wrapped around him like a shell. It was subtle, precise—no energy spilled beyond his control. The orb glowed bright white before dimming to reveal his score: a bright 7.
The room buzzed with whispers.
"Whoa, that's better than anyone else so far."
"Did you see how precise that was?"
"He barely even tried!"
Daniel walked back, nodding to himself.
"Nice job," I said.
"Thanks. You were right—the orb responds better to concentrated energy."
I smiled. "Told you."
Kevaughn was next. "Alright, my turn. Don't mess up," I teased.
"Me? Never."
"You better not," Sarah added, smirking.
Kevaughn approached the orb confidently. A shell of gold and black Psyconic Energy formed around him, larger and less controlled than Daniel's. The orb glowed brightly before dimming to reveal a dull 6.
The room fell silent for a moment before the whispers started again.
"A six? That's insane!"
"Is he as strong as Ms. Brian?"
"No way, but still…"
Kevaughn grinned as he rejoined us. "Not bad, huh?"
"Not bad," I admitted. "But you need better control."
"A lot better," Sarah added.
"Let's see you do better," Kevaughn challenged, crossing his arms.
Sarah and I exchanged a glance. "Are you sure about that?" we said in unison.
Ms. Brian's gaze lingered on us now, her interest obvious.
"Impressive," she murmured to herself. "Let's see what else this group has to offer."
When my name was called, I walked up to the orb, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on me. Placing my hand on it, I let a thin layer of rose-gold Psyconic Energy wrap around me. It clung to my skin like a second layer, perfectly controlled. The orb glowed intensely before dimming, revealing my score: a bright 5.
The room erupted into whispers.
"A five? That's impossible!"
"He's even better than that other guy!"
"Who are these people?"
I smirked as I rejoined my friends. "And that, Kevaughn, is how it's done."
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Alright, don't get cocky."
Eventually, it was Sarah's turn. She walked up to the orb, her movements steady. When she placed her hand on it, there was no visible aura or energy. The orb glowed crimson before dimming to display her score: a glowing 7.
I whistled. "You know, no matter how destructive she is, sometimes I forget how good she is at control."
"Right?" the others echoed.
Sarah rejoined us, grinning. "And that's how it's done."
"Alright, you got us," I said, raising my hands in mock surrender.
Shaheem was last. He strolled up lazily, placing his hand on the orb with minimal effort. A hazy blue and green aura flared briefly before fading. The orb glowed, revealing his score: a glowing 7.
He returned to us, oblivious to our exasperated looks.
"What?" he asked, blinking.
"Nothing, Shaheem," we all said in unison.
Ms. Brian watched us closely, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Interesting," she muttered.
Chapter 4: End
Brightness Scale:
Dull: Low
Dim: Moderate
Glowing: High
Bright: True
These come up later keep these in mind.