Outside of his house, a carriage with two horses at the front stood firm. A person from outside the village sat at the reins, while two figures sat inside. The carriage had been there long enough for the water on the wooden wheels to frost over in the cold.
Kai approached the carriage, and the door swung open. Father Aldric and one of his priests welcomed him in.
"Are you ready for your magical assessment, Kai?"
"I've been practicing. I'll be ready for anything."
"The assessment isn't something you have to prepare yourself for, my... Kai, it's something everyone is born to go through. You'll see."
'He was going to call me his child again... At least he's being... nice? What's the catch?'
Kai climbed into the carriage, seating himself across from Father Aldric and the priest. The moment the door shut behind him, he felt trapped. All of a sudden, the carriage lurched forward.
'And here we go... to Ylthara and all that awaits me.'
Except for the rhythmic clatter of horses' hooves, the first part of the journey suffered from silence. Kai stared out of the small window, watching as the dense, twisted woods of his village gradually thinned out, giving way to rolling fields of golden grass and patches of wildflowers.
Father Aldric, instead of taking in the view, glared at Kai.
'A priest glaring at a child in an enclosed space with only another priest as company. That would almost sound scandalous in my previous world.'
Kai stifled a laugh.
As the hours passed them by, the world outside changed. The journey took them from the sparsely vegetated area of his childhood to lush, emerald forests where sunlight streamed through in golden rays. A river of almost crystal-clear water ran alongside the road, reflecting the sky and forest in shimmering waves. Brightly coloured birds flitted between the trees, their songs a melody unlike any he'd heard.
Just as his father had described.
Verdant Hollow, especially his village, had never been beautiful to him. At least, not after the village changed its temperament towards him. It became a prison, a place where people barely acknowledged his existence unless it was to show fear or contempt. But here, beyond the village, the world felt different.
'Lively. Freeing. I wouldn't mind living in Ylthara if it's like this.'
Father Aldric cleared his throat. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
Kai turned his gaze away from the window, meeting the priest's dark, unreadable eyes.
"Yeah," he muttered. "It's nice."
Aldric's smile was thin. "Ylthara is the pride of Verdant Hollow. The heart of magic, trade, and faith in our lands. You'll see wonders there that you could never imagine."
Kai didn't respond. He wasn't interested in wonders. He was interested in the truth, the real reason his mother had warned him to run.
They rode in silence after that. The further they traveled, the more the landscape flourished. The dirt paths became stone-paved roads, and the small wooden homes and farms that dotted the countryside gave way to towering buildings of smooth marble and dark stone.
Then, finally, Ylthara came into view.
Kai had seen nothing like it.
A giant purple film covered a gigantic area like an orb or a dome. It shimmered brightly, stretching further than he could see.
"Ah, the pride of the city. The impenetrable arcane barrier. Once closed, nothing can get in or out. It protects the most important place in all of Verdant Hollow."
'Or out? Why wouldn't they let anything out?'
Kai's heartbeat quickened.
As they approached, a small hole opened up and some guards in heavy armour bowed to the carriage.
Inside the barrier, the beautiful sight of Ylthara opened up to them.
Grand buildings, each with intricate carvings and soaring arches, lined the street. The air smelled of roasted meat, fresh bread, and something sweet he couldn't quite place.
People bustled about, dressed in rich fabrics and adorned with jewellery that caught the light. Extremely dense magic lingered in the air, humming beneath his skin. Kai could feel the life of the city pulse within it.
Unlike the sparse population from his village, the city of Ylthara had thousands, or maybe hundreds of thousands of magic users. All of their energy spilling out through the streets.
Kai felt his mouth salivate, and quickly swallowed.
'What was that? I don't really feel hungry anymore, so was that a thirst for mana? Life? I need to hurry up and get this over with.'
And then, towering above the rest of the city, stood a massive stone building. Unlike the rest of Ylthara, which gleamed with wealth and beauty, this structure was different. It was far older than anything Kai had witnessed so far. The stone was weathered, its dark surface covered in twisting runes that pulsed faintly with magic.
Upon their approach, Kai looked out the window of the carriage and spotted a downtrodden area.
"What's that?"
"Oh, that?" Father Aldric followed Kai's line of sight, "That's the stain of Ylthara. The oldest part of the city, the slums, inhabited by some pests who don't know their place."
'That didn't sound very priestly of you, you know.'
The carriage slowed as they approached the entrance of the giant stone building. The heavy iron gates creaked open, revealing a long pathway leading to their destination.
Father Aldric smiled.
"Welcome, Kai," he said, "to the Hall of Sorcery."
'It almost feels like a crypt that could become my tomb.'
Kai wandered down the halls to a receptionist-like desk where a huge woman stood, dressed in a cloak similar to that of the other workers in the building. Deep purple with gold trimmings, covering the top of pure-white pants and jacket. Without the purple cloaks, Kai could have mistaken them for employees of a psychiatric ward.
"Another magical assessment?" the receptionist asked Father Aldric, who stood beside Kai.
"Indeed. A boy with a rather unique set of skills. I'm interested to see his results."
"Is that so?" she asked, looking at Kai, "Well, the priest here can help sign all of your forms, so just wait over there."
The receptionist pointed toward a row of ornately carved chairs where several other children sat, all waiting for their assessments.
Kai scanned the room, taking in the nervous faces around him. A few fidgeted with their clothes, some whispered among themselves, while others sat stiffly, trying to appear composed.
But what stood out most to him wasn't their expressions—it was their mana.
Pathetic, he thought, his eyes narrowing slightly. Like comparing an ant to an anteater. Compared to Mari, these kids barely had any presence.
"My father says I could be a Rank Ten Fire Elementalist!" a boy suddenly declared, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.
Kai turned his head. The boy had vibrant red hair, a grin full of confidence, and a puffed-out chest as if he were already wearing the title he boasted about.
"Ranks?" Kai blurted out without thinking.
The boy turned to him and smirked. "Heh, heh. You don't even know what ranks are?"
Kai's fingers twitched. A dark shape rippled beneath his seat, responding to his irritation.
'I'll kill this kid.'
The thought flared so naturally, so easily, that it startled him. He clenched his jaw, forcing Shade back into his shadow. 'What am I thinking?'
The boy leaned forward, his grin widening. "You look like you're super duper shocked! I can tell! Well, I will tell you—if you ask really nicely!"
Kai stared at him. "W... What are ranks?"
"Very good!" The boy nodded sagely—then immediately faltered. "Uh..." He scratched his head, clearly struggling.
Kai raised an eyebrow. "So, you don't know either?"
A low chuckle interrupted them.
One of the employees had approached, settling onto the bench beside them. Unlike the others bustling around in purple robes, this man wore a blood-red cloak with black trim. A golden cross was woven into the fabric above his left breast. His long black braids framed his sharp features, and his green eyes gleamed with quiet amusement.
He seemed separate from the goings-ons inside the building. Like a man without a care in the world.
"Ranks," the man began, his voice smooth, "are a classification system for mages. When children reach five years of age, they receive their specialisation here in the Hall of Sorcery. Upon assessment, the system evaluates their spell knowledge, mana reserves, and aptitude for spell-casting, determining their rank."
Kai nodded, absorbing the information. "How many ranks are there?"
"Thirteen," the man answered. "Most children undergoing their first assessment are at ranks twelve or thirteen. Most adults never surpass rank seven. It would be incredible to be rank ten or higher at your first assessment. And currently, there are only six people on the entire continent at rank one."
Kai frowned slightly. So ranking up must be incredibly difficult... Then again, his village never cared about ranks—just whether or not someone could do the work.
"Emille Lockheart!"
A voice called from across the hall.
The red-haired boy perked up. "That's me!" He shot Kai a quick grin before darting off toward the summoned official.
As Emille disappeared behind a set of heavy doors, Kai turned his attention back to the red-cloaked employee.
"Thanks, sir," he said.
"Don't worry about being so formal." The man smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "My name is Broderick, and I serve as the church's emissary here as an inquisitor."
Kai stiffened slightly.
'The Inquisition? Here? Aren't they bad? The traveler said so, but this man seems so friendly.'
Broderick's smile widened. "Meeting bright children such as you is a pleasant contrast to my usual work."
Kai forced himself to smile back. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Broderick."
"Mister? Rather polite, aren't you, young man? I suppose that's fine." Broderick studied him for a moment, his green eyes gleaming. "If I meet you again..."
"I'm Kai. Kai Tensen."
Broderick nodded slowly, his gaze lingering. "If I meet you again, Kai, I hope it is under circumstances as pleasant as today."
Kai felt a shiver run down his spine.
'That look in his eyes... Actually, I have a bad feeling about this guy...'
A smile was on Broderick's lips, but there was something behind it. Something cold. Calculating. Similar to the smile of the Collector. But Broderick had nothing clinging to him.
Kai sat back in his chair, forcing himself to stay composed.
The feeling of being trapped here grew more intense.
'Even if I have to leave, how can I escape this building, and then the barrier?'