56 "At Least He Died A Legend."

By the time Ovandarrak left Master Dinra's manor and got back to the inn, it was almost dark.

Savyrran had just finished the usual five thousand push-ups she did every evening. Seeing how famished her brother was, she heated up the the food supposed to have been his lunch. Ovandarrak gobbled up the rice and beans quickly much to her sister's amusement. Savyrran had never seen her brother eat so quickly before, and she was certain this was all because of his trials.

"Your captain said you went to see the head of your school." Savyrran said once Ovandarrak had finished his meal.

"She wanted to talk about the next trial."

"The next trial? I thought once green users passed the indigo level, they officially became students."

"Well, yes. But Master Dinra said it was a matter of formality that we knew about the violet level. Whether we passed or failed will have no effect on the fact that we are already students."

"Ah, I see. So will you be taking part in the violet level?"

Ovandarrak seemed a little lost in his thoughts as he pondered over Savyrran's question. He had easily told Master Dinra that he would challenge the violet level so why was he hesitating now? Perhaps, it was because of everything the master had explained to him.

According to Master Dinra, ever since the Soul Recovery School trials began forty-five years ago, only two people had ever tried the violet level. Both of these people were blue users, and yet only one had been able to clear the level.

The last trial for the blue user was the violet level. An applicant with a blue essence had to endure the oppressive blue essence for ten minutes before they could become students. Master Dinra explained to Ovandarrak that only one person with the blue essence had passed this level. The first and last person who failed was actually the most recent to have tried, doing so about seventeen years ago. That person barely lasted for three minutes. In seventeen years, no one else had tried the violet level.

Usually, people were too spooked by their near-death experience in the indigo level and thus, logically decide not to challenge the violet level. Ovandarrak wondered if he was being illogical in choosing to go through the violet level.

"Do you think I should? I could die if I tried." Ovandarrak said in a low voice, as though uncertain.

Savyrran's shiny black eyes stared deeply into brother's light brown eyes. He could tell that Ovandarrak was struggling with something. Her brother was usually certain about most things. In things he was not sure how to act, it was somehow directly related to Savyrran. As someone who knew her brother through and through, Savyrran knew that Ovandarrak was completely ready to try the violet level. He had been training for that his entire life. The only reason he was hesitating was because he was afraid Savyrran would not forgive herself if anything happened to him.

Though he had told Master Nien Dinra that he would try the violet level, if Savyrran told him not to, then he would not. But something told him his sister would not try to stop him from fulfilling his dreams. In fact, she was his number one supporter.

"Will you regret it if you do not try it?" Savyrran asked slowly. She wanted Ovandarrak to be absolutely sure of what he wanted. Just like her, her brother was not someone who easily gave up on things because they were too hard. She did not want him regretting anything in life. After all, Ovandarrak would not want that for her either.

"Absolutely. All I have to do is to be exposed to the oppressive violet essence for as long as I possibly can. Once I can no longer endure it, I could just abort it."

Savyrran nodded in understanding. "Then do it. Just try not to die, okay. Because I will be really mad at you if you do."

Ovandarrak smiled. He could not promise her sister that he would not die. However, he was sure that if his soul got injured, Master Nien Dinra would fix him. Thus, he was not too worried.

"Ovan, I'm serious." A tinge of concern laced Savyrran's voice.

Though she believed in her brother's intelligence and mental fortitude, she sometimes got worried since he could be a little reckless when it came to testing his mental endurance. Four years ago, Ovandarrak had almost drowned at sea when he tried to hold his breath for more than he possibly could. At that time, he could hold his breath underwater only for twenty-five minutes. Since he wanted to be even better, he tried to do it for longer. He added an additional three minutes until he started gasping for air. Thankfully, Savyrran was there to pull him out before he drowned.

"I won't die." He said casually. But they both instantly understood it as a promise.

Ovandarrak quickly made the calculations in his head. If a blue user with a low mental resilience was able last for three minutes when exposed to the violet essence, then assuming he had that same mental resilience, he would last for three seconds until the essence exploded him from the inside out. He was not sure exactly how strong that blue user had been, but if it turned out he was weaker than that person, than his mere contact with the violet essence would spell his immediate doom.

He was not interested in comparing himself with other people, hence he rather did a quick comparison between the indigo and violet essence. Since he could have survived the indigo level for thirty minutes, then it was possible he could withstand the extreme onslaught of the violet essence for approximately ten seconds. That was more than enough time to abort once he could no longer endure it.

…....…

In the wee hours of the morning, when the weak rays of the morning sun bathed the academy, a shocking news had spread throughout the entire academy. The news, which had been pasted everywhere on the academy's campus, claimed that someone was going to attempt the violet level in the Soul Recovery School trials. What was even the most shocking news of all was that the person attempting the violet level was a green user.

Once people found out that Ovandarrak was going to attempt the violet level, there was a wide array of emotions ranging from genuine pity to outright scoffing. What was common in all of these emotions was that no one actually believed he would last a single second in the violet level. As Ovandarrak's name had come to be widely known because of his incredible performance in the trials, he had garnered all manner of admirers and enemies. While his admirers felt sorry that he was going to get killed by the violet essence, the people who envied him could not wait for this arrogant boy to be taught a lesson.

Who in their right mind thought challenging the violent essence was a good idea? Even if the violet essence being used in the trials was far less powerful than a true violet essence, it was still powerful enough to kill a blue user. What business did a green user have challenging the violet level?

"Is he trying to set a record as the first green user to challenge the violet level?" One person asked a friend.

"Set a record? What use is a record if he's dead."

"It's a shame. He had such a powerful armos. Why put it to waste?" Said another who had come to be impressed by Ovandarrak's shape shifting soul armos.

"This is what too much arrogance does to a person."

Everyone in the academy was in one way or the other discussing about the boy with the green essence challenging the violet level. Was this boy brave or stupid? Most of the students opted for the latter.

By the time it was noon, when the violet level was about to begin, everyone in the academy was glued behind a screen, waiting for the trials to begin. The captains were waiting in the Captain's Room, the students were in their various halls, while the remaining applicants were at the Royal Auditorium.

As for today, instead of Savyrran watching her brother from the auditorium, she was at Jenggen Hall, Minyet's hall of residence. The day the two had met back at the auditorium, Minyet had asked Savyrran to come and see her hall of residence.

Minyet had revealed that though she could have watched the trials in her hall, she came to the Royal Auditorium in the hopes of finding a familiar face. Thankfully, she found Savyrran.

Savyrran and Minyet were in the play room together with hundreds of other students. Everyone's eyes was glued to the screen, their breathing uneasy and full of apprehension. Minyet tugged at the sleeve of her long dress, totally dreading the impending doom that awaited Ovandarrak.

When she heard that Ovandarrak was actually challenging the violet, she had thought it was a cruel joke. Then she heard it from the captain of her school, and Savyrran even confirmed that it was the truth. Why would Ovandarrak want to do such a thing? He did not have to prove anything; the fact that he had cleared the indigo level in record time was proof that he was even more powerful than most green users in the academy.

Out of worry, Minyet had asked Savyrran to talk her brother out of it however, Savyrran had laughed it off, as though it was the most absurd thing in the world. Minyet stole a glance at Savyrran. Unlike everyone else, Savyrran did not look bothered at all. In fact, she had a smile of pride on her face.

She must really believe in her brother, Minyet thought. Though she was terrified by the prospect of Ovandarrak dying in the trial, she could not help but smile at the unspoken mutual respect and trust shared between the twins.

"It's starting… It's starting." Someone shouted in the room. Suddenly, the whole room went silent.

On the screen, the students saw the frame of a tall boy with long dreadlocks. Instantly everyone recognised him as the very famous Ovandarrak. He was standing before a huge black door. After a few seconds of waiting, the black door opened and Ovandarrak walked into a brightly lit room. The door closed behind him silently.

The voice of a man started speaking in the room. "The violet level begins in the next twenty seconds as indicated by your time monitor. As soon as it begins, shield yourself from the violet essence for as long as you can. Once you can no longer withstand it, say the word 'abort' to end the trial. Five…"

The students breathed in heavily when the countdown began.

"Four…"

Minyet unconsciously grabbed on to Savyrran's strong muscular arm.

"Three…"

Ovandarrak's eyes were glued to his time monitor.

"Two…"

His eyes were so full of resolute focus that for a moment, it felt like time stopped.

"One!" Everyone in the play room shouted together, and at that very instant, Ovandarrak's rich emerald green essence burst out from him, flooding the entire room and wrapping around him like a thick green blanket.

Everyone held their breath as they watched the young man struggle to stand on his feet. The first second passed, and so did the next, and yet Ovandarrak was still there. He had not exploded yet. It felt like an eternity, however, only five seconds had passed.

Savyrran felt Minyet's fingers digging into her skin. If not for the fact that she had a high tolerance for pain, she would have immediately realised that she was actually bleeding.

"Oh no." Minyet whispered the moment Ovandarrak fell to his knees and grabbed his head as if he was suffering a terrible migraine.

As if he had finally reached his limits, Ovandarrak suddenly dropped to the floor like a sack of rice. A blinding white light filled the entire room, and then everything went blank. There was nothing on the screen anymore.

"What just happened?" It was was the common question everyone asked themselves.

While Minyet's eyes were full of dread at the possibility of what was to come, Savyrran had a rather calm expression in her eyes. Though she did not look terrified by whatever had happened, the usual cheerfulness in her eyes were no more.

"Twelve seconds." One person said to his companion. "He was in there for twelve seconds."

"That is insane."

"I know right. At least, he died a legend."

"I can't believe a green user challenged the violet level in my time."

The discussions began, none of them truly believing that Ovandarrak had survived the trial.

Savyrran stood up slowly. She had to get to her brother as soon as possible. She knew this was Ovandarrak's decision, yet she could not help but feel guilty about not convincing her brother otherwise. Savyrran closed her eyes to think. She knew her brother; he had promised to stop as soon as he reached his limit. Thus, she decided to hold him to his promise.