A young man, about my age, walked in with a confident air. He seemed more refined than I was, bowing to the witch with a politeness that made me raise an eyebrow slightly. "Hello, noble mage. A pleasure to meet you, madam," he said, his voice full of respect.
The witch, as expected, only sighed. Her attention turned back to me, ignoring the boy entirely for a few seconds. She picked up a scroll from the table and handed it to me firmly. "Your exam here is done. You will proceed to another test! I need to attend to other young ones."
I thanked her with a brief nod and stood up. There was a weight in the air that made me want to leave quickly. I passed through the entry curtain, ready for the next step.
As I exited, I found myself in a new environment. It was spacious, almost identical to the first tent, but what stood out the most was the peculiar goblin in the center. He wore an impeccable suit, a top hat that seemed slightly disproportionate to the size of his head, and a monocle fixed over his left eye. A sight as comical as it was oddly intimidating.
"From the layout of this tent, there must only be two tests. It's really simple!" I thought as I walked toward him. Bowing slightly, I greeted, "Hello, Master Mage. It's a pleasure to meet you."
He smiled, revealing slightly pointed teeth. "Come, boy, have a seat."
I did as instructed, sitting in the chair opposite him and placing the scroll with my information on the table. The goblin, with small green hands, picked up the document, bringing it close to his face as he adjusted the monocle.
"A three-star talent?" he murmured, scratching his chin with a thoughtful look. "With luck, you might become a mage. Very well! Now let's test your elemental affinity!"
With a quick gesture, he touched the table, which opened ingeniously to reveal a crystalline, transparent square. Its surface shimmered as if it were alive.
"Eclivel, raise your finger forward," the goblin ordered.
I immediately followed the instruction, extending my arm with my finger pointed. Without warning, he pulled a small needle from a drawer and pricked my finger with precision.
"Urghh…" I groaned internally but kept my expression firm.
The goblin collected a drop of my blood and let it fall onto the crystal. As soon as the liquid touched the surface, the crystal shone, emitting a faint humming sound.
"All right, everything is ready to begin. Now, focus and stare at the crystal," he commanded in a voice that left no room for doubt.
I obeyed, fixing my eyes on the structure. To my surprise, the crystal began to float, slowly spinning in the air. It changed shape, alternating between a triangle, square, and circle. My heart started to beat faster.
The sound of the vibrating crystal grew louder, and soon the square began spinning at a dizzying speed. My mind was pulled elsewhere, as if an invisible force had torn my consciousness from my body. The environment around me went completely dark, but I was still aware. I could feel my body sitting in the chair, yet my eyes were locked, staring into the void.
Then I heard the goblin's voice, calm and inquisitive: "Alright, what do you see?"
I took a deep breath, trying to comprehend what was happening. In the vast dark world, something began to emerge. A massive sun appeared before me, shining with an intensity that should have been overwhelming, but it wasn't. It felt welcoming, as though its glow was made of pure, invigorating energy. I spoke, my voice filled with awe: "I see a bright sun, but somehow it doesn't hurt my eyes... as if its light is something good and pleasant."
A slight smile formed on the goblin's face, and he continued, "Anything else?"
I looked around in that void and soon noticed something different. Beyond the sun, a blue streak of lightning cut through the dark world with incredible speed. It was so fast that anyone else would probably miss it, but somehow, my eyes could follow it. I responded almost instinctively:
"There's also an immense blue thunderbolt vibrating around. It's moving so quickly, but I can see it clearly."
"Is it as big as the sun?" the goblin asked.
I shook my head, my voice firmer now:
"No, it's a bit smaller, but it's undoubtedly almost as big."
The goblin seemed to reflect for a moment before asking again:
"Besides these, can you see anything else?"
I closed my eyes briefly, trying to push my mind further. I felt my body being drained, energy slipping away as if I were practicing the breathing techniques my father had taught me. In the depths of that dark world, I noticed something strange, something that seemed to defy all the laws I knew. The darkness on the horizon was distorted, bending in a way that made my stomach churn. It was as if space itself was being twisted and folded.
"The environment at the edge of the dark place is being bent in some bizarre way," I said, my voice low and hesitant.
The goblin nodded, seemingly understanding something that was still a mystery to me. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly, everything disappeared. I was pulled back, and the real world filled my vision once again.
I swallowed hard, feeling my heavy breathing and the cold sweat on my forehead. "What just happened to me?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
The goblin ignored my question with a practical air. "The test is complete! In terms of elemental affinities, you have the highest affinity with the elements of Light and Radiance. Following that, with Thunder and Lightning. And, surprisingly, you also have a hint of affinity with the element of Space!"
As he spoke, he quickly filled out the form, sealing it with a fingerprint before handing it back to me.
"Let me give you some advice!" he said with seriousness. "Elemental affinity is the future path of a Mage, you know. Some Mages can manipulate lightning, some can manipulate fire, and others can even control ice! These are all paths of choice."
"Although, in theory, a Mage can use any type of elemental spell, the ones with the highest affinity not only allow for faster casting but also contain more energy. If a Fire-element Mage wants to cast a water-based spell, not only will it consume more spiritual energy, but the spell's power will also be weaker. There could be a pool, yet even so, the water-based summoning would result in just a ball of water!"
I thanked him with a respectful bow, took the form, and exited through the back entrance, as he had indicated.
As I stepped out, a ray of sunlight pierced through the surrounding tents and shone directly on me, as if greeting me. I paused for a moment, feeling its gentle warmth on my skin. I smiled, and a short laugh escaped me.
"Who would've thought, huh?" I thought, looking at the sky. "I thought my destiny was to walk in the shadows as a mage of darkness... but it seems I'll be the brightest light of all. As bright as the sun."
I was admiring the open sky, still processing the results of the aptitude test, when a familiar voice sounded far too close to my ears.
"Hey! Eclivel!" Styg, the little goblin warrior, appeared as always, full of endless energy. "Did you finish your aptitude test too?"
I nodded, holding up the yellow scroll in my hands. "Just finished a moment ago."
Styg laughed loudly, his exaggerated and smug expression already irritating me before he even said more. "I finished too, hehe! I, this young master, am a four-star moon."
I rolled my eyes. Before I could respond, Styg continued with his typical over-the-top enthusiasm: "Hahaha! Do I have better talent than you?"
I sighed deeply, feeling my patience begin to wear thin. A vein pulsed on my forehead, but I managed to stay calm for a moment before replying: "Styg, shut up, man... it's just a one-star difference."
"HAHAHAhahaha~~" He laughed even louder, ignoring my attempt to end the topic. Then, in a playful tone, he added: "The less talented always say things like that."
I clenched my fists, holding back the urge to actually punch him, but in the end, I just gave him a light punch on the shoulder.
"Pow!"
"UHH~~" Styg groaned, rubbing the spot. "Hey, man! I was just joking, no need to get mad."
I crossed my arms, not hiding my irritation. "Let's just go choose our academies."
Internally, my ego was a little bruised, but I knew it wasn't something that mattered in the grand scheme of things. This world didn't care about pride, only strength and survival.
Styg was still rubbing his shoulder, pretending to be in pain, but soon he spoke again with that animated air: "My dad already chose for me. I'm going to the Blutil Tower. My family has a relationship with one of the Senior Mages there… Why don't you come with me too?"
The offer was tempting. Styg was a good ally, despite his annoying personality. But I shook my head, politely declining. "My supreme attribute is light… that doesn't align with the central attribute of the Blutil Tower. I'd better look for another academy."
"All right then." He shrugged and waved as he disappeared into the crowd. "I'm off to handle the procedures. If you change your mind, come find me in the Blutil Tower area!"
I stood still for a moment, pondering his words. He had his path set by his family, but for me, everything was open.
"Where should I go?" I murmured to myself. I shook my head, discarding the indecision. "Doesn't matter… let's check out the academies first."
I wandered aimlessly through the camp, observing the surrounding tents. Each one seemed stranger than the last. Some resembled circuses, with a small fan-shaped door at the center, as if they were meant to both entertain and intimidate. Others were terrifying, built with decorations that looked like they came straight out of nightmares. One, in particular, caught my attention: it seemed to have been made from the skull of a giant devil, with curved horns and an open mouth serving as the entrance. I watched as people passed through the devil's mouth as if entering a haunted house.
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