Chapter 325 - Ardanians Guild (2/2)
”Pay it no heed.”
”Master Ryul is conducting the initiation process.”
”Excellent, on that matter, could I have some recruit take the test of initiation?”
”Are they the students of Hidros?”
”Yes.” Hunched over the desk, a quill dipped in ink wrote beautifully across the paper.
”My lady,” asked Ysmay, ”-could thee explain what is happening?”
”And it's done,” interjected Aimon.
”No, explanations will be given later. All who wish to be in the mages guild have thine guild card stamped.”
Admits the bunch; Ysmay, Anastasia, Kim, Mille, Christina, and Timothy, accepted her proposal. A stamp later, ”Are you not joining?” asked Ysmay to Eira who shook her head in dismissal.
The sound of conjured spells approached as if the rising sun. Louder with each step, ”-here we are,” said Aimon with a push of a door. Opened to the training ground with an elevated dome barrier. Disfigured, the outside world grew to be blurry.
”Lady Serene,” waved Ryul who supervised potential recruits, many o' races tried at casting magic. ”Alright recruits, that is it for the test. You've all failed, please try again in a few weeks or head to another guild,” not an ounce of sympathy. Disappointing look and lowered heads left the grounds.
”Are you serious?” asked Kim.
”I know,” shuddered Mille and Christina.
”They had potential, even more so than I've seen from the first-year students of our academy,” commented Timothy.
”Don't sell us so short,” snarled Anastasia.
”That wasn't my intention, it's just that…”
”What Kim's trying to say is how powerful their auras felt,” completed Ysmay.
Blue robe, a few staff at the ready; Ryul exuded an innocent feel with an underlying aura of menace.
”Still as unforgiving as thou art renowned for,” laughed Serene.
”Not that it does me any favors. The mage's guild has rare members as is. Most are tantalized by the prospect of glory in battle. None wish to be true support. The true talent knows it best to continue studying at the universities. I've to be harsh to prevent mistakes on the battlefield. So, what brings you here?” peered over her shoulder, the forehead crinkled.
”School exchange program. These are the students you are to evaluate. Guild Master has added a new rule, if the test is passed, their training will have to be cut down to one week opposed one month. If they fail that as well, tis back to Hidros.”
Raising an eyebrow to recruits, ”-passing the test is hard as is. Let's see if Highness's class is worth the trouble.”
”Alright, line up everyone,” ordered Serene, ”-those not in the mages guild are to not interfere,” led behind a line drawn, the test was to start again.
”Class 2A, I shan't bother to remember thy names. Only if thou art worthy then I'll introduce myself. The test hereby starts, come at me with killing intent – use whatever method thou wish.”
Exchanging glances, *Spell combination: Majed,* focused on a single point with Kim as the leader, ”-GO!” a beam of high velocity flew straight at Ryul. *Snap,* the ground around him turn to the abyss, *-Ether Element: Split,* the body cloned itself to dispel Majed. Surrounded by said clones, *Ether Element: Mend,* back as one, *Wave,* a stomp had the ground shaking.
”Now,” jumped, *-Five elements joined as one, come forth and heed my call, spirit of the angel Reina; Ethereal Barrier,* a circle followed by many dots conjured as a shield by Kim.
*The sound of mine voice enchants all around. Slumber as I command: Lullaby,* cast by Timothy, he knelt to conjure more barriers.
”Let's go, CHRISTINA,” screamed Mille, *Come forth, weapon forgotten to the ages, Xnu's bow,* drawn, *BLOOD MOON ARROW,* a single arrow turned into five of which grew in power.
*Amplify o' the strength of mine companions: Enhancement,* shielded by Timothy, Christina had all their mana output running at their limit.
*Mud floor,* whispered Ysmay as a puddle of goo reached out to grab Ryul.
*Burn in hell: BLAZE,* screamed Anastasia with a surge of fire.
”Impressive,” *Ether Element: Dimensional Split,* as if a broken mirror, the world around cracked, the spells seemed to stop with them stuck to the floor. *Ether Element: Void,* a vortex summoned to take away all the spells. *Release,* hands pressed, they fell to the floor.
”Did we lose?” asked Kim with a headache.
”Think so,” Timothy laid face down.
”Now then,” stood in the middle of the exhausted students, ”-I won the moment my fingers snapped. My element allows me to create a pocket dimension that overlaps with the real world, thus, I essentially become a god in that realm. I saw the spell utilized weren't based on thy magical elements; some were incantation that used the mana to alter the workings of thy limitation. I must applaud the efforts, many scholars have studied the same thing to forget that mana is very versatile. An element is only to show that one favors a particular type. Forgotten over the ages, I think that said misinformation had mages thinking of an element being only what a mage could use.”
”Is that how it works?” asked Kim.
”What do you mean, how it works?” perplexed, Ryul frowned.
”We were told to think outside the box,” stood Timothy, ”-so Mille and Kim figured to try and cast other types spells. It took a few months but they realized that it was possible.”
”Think outside the box,” he laughed, ”-Lady Serene, the recruits have passed with flying colors.”
”Alright,” she smiled, ”-we'll head to the fighter's guild. They are in thy hands, Master Ryul.”
Left, those chosen had a more detailed explanation of how they lost. ”Ma'am, may I ask who Ryul is?” questioned Harold intrigued by the fight.
”A very powerful mage, one of the best our Kingdom hosts. How fearsome isn't in his power, far from it. He has an innate talent at forcefully pulling a student's raw potential out. A highly valued Professor who represents the Elven community as representative of the Ardanian council.”
Step by step, they arrived at a differing aura, from calm and compose to screams of passion and guts. ”The fighter's guild, trust me, Master Ryul was harsh, however, Lady Mieshre is even worse. Get ready, her tests are brutal and always changing. Grab a sword, use magic, do whatever is necessary – she'll break the hardest man into a kitten to then turn into a lion.”