Entrance Exams, Part 1

For centuries, humankind has dabbled in fiction. For years, authors have written about magic, strange creatures, and gods that wield enormous power. Throughout all of history, humankind had speculated what that kind of world would be like, where magic reigns supreme. Well, no longer do you need to speculate, for a world like this exists. A place where dragons fly across the sky, swords clash against each other, and huge fireballs hurtle across vast plains. This realm of fantasy is collectively known as Estiden, and as expected of a fantasy world, it is inhabited by multiple races of all shapes and sizes. Giants the size of a house, fairies no taller than your knee, and dragons with scales harder than steel are no myth in this world, but reality. Similarly, the countries are just as diverse as the races that inhabit them. 9 different powers rule the lands of Estiden. In the northeast, occupying an island off the mainland, the Island Tribes. As the name implies, these people are not exactly one nation, but they have banded together before to face national threats. However, as they are very barbaric people, they rarely interact with the rest of the world. That being said, they are known to have ferocious warriors who don't fear death. If they ever decided to invade the mainland, it would by no means be an easy fight.

Traveling across the sea, we arrive at the mainland of Estiden. To the north is the Confederation of The Many, a communistic country on the verge of collapse due to internal conflicts. Their people are starved and desperate. They are known to be capable thieves, assassins, smugglers, and anything else dealing in crime. Some say that instead of a Confederation, they are merely a band of thieves posing as a nation.

Directly below the Confederation, two more powers can be found, each separated from the other by the Senilko Mountain. On the west side lies the Senilko Mountain Theocracy, a strange but unified people. They are known to be extremely religious and have been known to mount crusades against the Federation of Kuh for control over the "Holy Senilko Mountain" as they call it.

On the East side of the Senilko mountain is the Federation of Kuh, and similar to the Confederation, they also suffer from internal conflicts, although not as much as the Confederation. They face extreme corruption, as more and more of their nobles and officials are bribed. Some call this nation "The Dog of Teltia."

Splitting the land in half, a great divide runs from the southeast corner to the northwest corner of the world, essentially creating two continents within the mainland. This is known as the great channel of Estiden. Traveling across this expanse of water, we arrive at the Kingdom of Teltia, an extremely capitalistic nation ruled by a frosty queen who is known for her cunning mind and sharp tongue. This nation holds power over the southeast entrance to the channel, and as such, has made boatloads of money from trade. They are suspected to have bought out over 60% of Kuh's nobles, but no one has been able to confirm this as Teltia covers their tracks well. Despite the lack of evidence, the world is still cautious of this great maritime trading power.

Above the kingdom of Teltia, we find the Principality of Fenzho Guo, the oldest power in the world. These people were the original natives of Estiden before humanity settled their lands. As you would imagine, the people of Fenzho Guo have a rich and vast history filled to the brim with old legends and tales, but none more infamous than "Extinction", the sword of the Prince himself. If the stories about this weapon are true, its power is said to rend the heavens and split the sea. However, almost no one believes these fairy tales anymore. The sword Extinction is just a tale used to get naughty kids to sleep.

To the west of Fenzho Guo, we find a newly formed power called The Ontigan Empire. Formed only a few hundred years ago, it is a surprise that they have already carved out a place in history as an unstoppable force. Their warriors, although individually weak, can work together extremely well. The Ontigan Empire fights with numbers and tactics, a strategy which is rarely seen in this world ruled by magic. Their Emperor is known to be a shrewd man, not losing to the queen of Teltia with his ingenious ideas and strategies.

Tucked in the southwest corner of the world, opposite the Island Tribes, is the Frost Chiefdom. These people, although barbaric like the Island tribes, have ceased fighting and formed a unified government of wise elders. They are isolationist, like the Island tribes, but do not refuse travelers. As such, the world knows that this nation is not to be trifled with. Every day, they fight against something they call "Ruination". Exactly what "Ruination" is will forever be a mystery, as the Frost Chiefdom guards that secret well.

Last but not least is the kingdom of Avalon, seated just above the Ontigan Empire and the Principality of Fenzho Guo. This nation, often called the "Cradle of Humanity'', is the second oldest kingdom in the world. These people have a great and long history as the first pioneers of Estiden, but not much is known about them before they settled.

In Avalon, seated at the direct center of the kingdom, is a city called "Prehcaster". In this city, one boy eighteen years of age gazed up at its towering gates. This boy's name was Alrik Hakim, and he had an emotionless expression. His steps were calm and measured as he drew closer to the gates. Once he had gotten within a few feet, one of two guards standing at each end of the gate spoke out to him in a tired voice.

"Identification Please."

Alrik dug into his pockets, quickly retrieving a small piece of metal that hung from a chain. If one looked closer, it was engraved with the name "Alrik Hakim". A look of surprise flashed across the guard's face.

"Adventurer?"

Dangling from Alrik's hand was an adventurer's plate, a small piece of metal engraved with his name, race, and gender. After a moment, the guard got over his stupefaction and reached into a bag slung over his shoulder and retrieved a similar piece of metal. After holding it near Alrik's plate, the two began to glow a soft blue. The guard nodded in satisfaction and stepped aside, not looking Alrik in the eye.

"Enjoy your stay in Prehcaster."

Alrik nodded slightly and continued on his way inside the city.

GUARD POV:

Benjamin, a 26-year-old guard of Prehcaster, watched that youth disappear within the crowds and thought to himself.

'That's an adventurer?'

Adventurers were supposed to be tough, ruthless thugs who overpowered everyone in their way with brute force . . . but the boy could only be described as strange. He had walked straight up to the gate wearing a simple brown tunic and black trousers that any farmer could be found wearing. His short black hair was unkempt and roughly cut. His chin was littered with stubble that looked like it had been shaven by a dull blade. Farmers who lived in villages far out from cities could rarely buy luxury items such as razors and usually had to make their own, so being rough wasn't out of the ordinary. His build was on the leaner side, not quite skinny but nowhere near strong. His stats confirmed his average look. As a guard of Prehcaster, he was given a bracelet of insight that allowed him to see others' status windows. A status window was the gods' evaluation of a human, and as such, it was never wrong.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Alrik Hakim

Age: 19

Race: Human

Mana Type: None

-Statistics-

Strength (5)

Dexterity (5)

Constitution (5)

Intelligence (5)

Charisma (5)

Wisdom (5)

Mana (5)

Unique Skills: None

Combat Style: None

Combat Abilities: None

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He was completely normal in every way, besides his mana which was way below average. What spells could you even cast with five mana? He had no special skills, combat style, or mana affinity. He was your regular, everyday joe that could be found anywhere in the world. However, one thing about him was different. One thing about him was strange.

'Those eyes . . .'

Alrik's gray eyes sent shivers down Benjamin's spine, like someone had suddenly put an icecube down his shirt. Something about those eyes made Benjamin uncomfortable, to the point where he avoided that gaze by any means possible.

"Enjoy your stay in Prehcaster."

Not looking at the boy, Benjamin gestured for the boy to move along. In the corner of his vision, Benjamin saw the boy nod before disappearing into the crowds inside the city. As soon as he was gone, Benjamin heard a sigh from beside him.

"That guy rubs me the wrong way."

His fellow guard on duty, Hoyle, spoke in a relieved tone. Benjamin nodded and looked back over the crowd and thought to himself

'What was up with him?'

Alrik POV:

Alrik's relaxed gait continued even as he was swallowed up in the crowds of Prehcaster. With a disinterested expression, he forged a path through a sea of people. Wherever he walked, people naturally moved out of his way. There was an aura around him that seemed to push everyone away from him. Maybe it was his cold gaze, or his foreboding body language, but everyone who met his gaze could feel a cold chill travel down their spine. The store clerks, who usually hollered out deals to anyone with ears, would look at him for a moment before averting their gaze to another suitable customer.

Alrik was used to this, however, and paid them no mind. It had always been like this. He never interacted with others, preferring to keep to himself. As he made his way through the streets of Prehcaster, Alrik thought to himself.

'Life is much easier when no one wants to get in your business.'

For instance, the streets basically cleared themselves for him. Normally, pushing and shoving was the only way to get through such a dense crowd, but thanks to his natural "push", he didn't have to worry about that.

After a few minutes of walking, Alirk arrived before a huge building near the center of Prehcaster. It was cylindrical in shape, with multiple pillars on the outside supporting the whole structure. The edges of the construction were lined with a shiny gold-like substance, making the whole structure glow in the midday sun. Connecting the pillars to each other were arches, each filled with intricate designs of various heroes and gods doing battle against evil, almost like a temple.

In between the two largest pillars was a huge metal gate, entirely made out of silver and gold, which only added to the building's extravagance. Similar to what was above it, the doors were decorated with detailed designs, however they didn't seem to depict anything in particular. They were most likely for decorative purposes.

'The Holy Colosseum of Prehcaster. This is it, huh?'

Walking directly up to the gate, Alrik knocked on it three times. From behind the door, he could hear the echo of his knock. The door opened after what felt like ages. A man with long silver hair and dark-green eyes stared at him from the other side. His face was wrinkled with age. He wore a black and white robe that covered his entire body except for the hands and head. The sleeves were cut off just below his elbows; they were as thin and fine as tissue paper. With his appearance, Alrik instantly recognized him as a professor of the Royal Academy.

"May I help you?"

asked the man in a gruff voice. It seemed like all the life had been sucked out of him. Alrik bowed politely before raising his hand.

"I am Alrik, participant 12b of the Royal Exams."

After saying this, Alrik pulled a small ticket out from his pocket. The man looked Alrik up and down. He frowned before snatching the ticket from Alrik. He glanced at it and narrowed his eyes. Then he handed it back to Alrik and walked away. From down the hall, he spoke over his shoulder.

"Well? Are you just going to stand there all day?"

Without waiting for an answer, the old man continued.

"Follow me."

Without stopping, the old man continued walking toward the stairs leading upstairs. Alrik followed him obediently. As the two ascended the stairs, they passed many rooms that held other people his age. Each of them were dressed in fine clothes and had obviously dressed for the occasion. In this way, he stuck out like a sore thumb. Alrik could feel their gazes but tried to ignore it. After about twenty minutes of ascending the stairs, they arrived at the top floor. Alrik's legs were beginning to burn from climbing so many flights of stairs, but he didn't complain. He could tell the old man already disliked him.

They entered a room with about thirty other people around Alrik's age, some human, some not. Each of them had a serious look on their face, gripping their swords, shields, staffs, and bows with determination. A few of them glanced over at Alrik and the Old man leading him. Whispers began to travel around the room, no doubt about him. One individual was so bold that he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear him clearly.

"Since when did we start letting commoners into the exams?"

The old man beside Alrik shook his head and spoke in a forced tone.

"He has a ticket. He may participate."

Alrik clenched his fists as anger began to cloud his mind. Sensing that he was about to say something that would probably get him in trouble, Alrik whispered something inside his mind.

'Tranquility.'

Instantly, a calming feeling washed over him. If Alriks mind was a lake, it suddenly became clear of any ripples or distortions. Alrik, looked over at the boy who was so obviously badmouthing him. His shirt was bright red with gold trim, and he wore a golden belt around it that had the symbol of the House of Khatri. He also sported a pair of pants in the same style but instead of being made from cloth they were made from silk. On top of his nice clothes, he had a metal breastplate and shin guards. There was no doubt about Abhiman's status; everyone in the room knew him by reputation and by sight.

The sword at his waist was engraved with magical symbols, glowing softly in the dim room. The blade was heavy and well-maintained; it gleamed brightly where light fell upon it. It wasn't something to be taken lightly when wielded by a skilled warrior or magician. It wasn't just any sword. This was a magical blade—it had been passed down through Abhiman's family for generations, and it carried its rightful name: "Bhanu". It was famous. Everyone knew about it. Alrik, now calmed by Tranquility's effect, bowed low and spoke.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you. Please go easy on me."

The arrogant young master-esk boy spat back at Alrik.

"Good, at least you know your place."

Like a bolt of lightning, anger flashed across Alriks mind. Accompanying his annoyance, a robotic voice resounded inside his head.

'Tranquility level I effects have been breached . . . Tranquility level II activated.'

Once again, Alrik became calm. Rising from his bow, Alrik took a seat and closed his eyes. In that familiar darkness, he spoke inside his mind.

'Status Window'

As if painted on the back of his eyelids, words appeared.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Alrik Hakim

Age: 19

Race: Human

Mana Type: Dark

-Statistics-

Strength (1)

Dexterity (1)

Constitution (1)

Intelligence (999+)

Charisma (1)

Wisdom (999+)

Mana (1)

Unique Skills:

Thought Acceleration V | ACTIVE | Increases the rate at which neurons in the brain fire. With every level, the user's ability to process information is doubled.

COST | 100 Mana/second |

Skill Currently Functioning? (False)

Mana Mastery X | PASSIVE | Skill which increases mana efficiency and control. With each level gained, mana cost for any skill or ability is halved and control is improved.

COST | None |

Skill Currently Functioning? (False)

Eyes of Ammit V | ACTIVE | By seeing the heart rate, perspiration, body language, and mana fluctuations of an individual, the eyes of Ammit can judge the heart of an individual. The higher the level, the more accurate this skill becomes. Upon activation, one might notice the mana in the air become heavy as the user's eyes glow.

COST | 10 Mana/second |

Skill Currently Functioning? (False)

Tranquillity V | ACTIVE| This skill allows the user to never panic, be surprised, or show any kind of emotion. The higher the level, the more stable the mind becomes upon activation.

COST | 2 Mana/second |

Skill Currently Functioning? (True)

Mask of Proteus VI | ACTIVE | This skill allows one to hide or alter their status window once per day. The higher the level, the more alterations can be made and the harder it becomes to see through the "mask".

COST | 10 Mana/alteration |

Skill Currently Functioning? (True)

Combat Style: Dark Dream Mage, skilled at making their opponents dance in the palm of their hand.

Combat Abilities: Dark Bullet, Fear, Mind Manipulation, Mind Link.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After confirming Mask of Proteus was still in effect, Alrik sighed with relief internally.

'Good . . .'

***

After around an hour, the room was now mostly empty. Alrik's peers had either gone to warm up for the competition or to a balcony which overlooked thousands of Prehcaster citizens eagerly waiting for the Royal Exams to begin. Following their example, Alrik stood up from his chair and made his way to the front of the room, passing through a doorway which led to a wide balcony, filled with a few people. Some of them gave Alrik a disgusted look, but most of them ignored him. Alrik paused as a cacophony of sounds bombarded his ears. After a second, he began regretting his decision to walk outside.

From below, the stands of the colosseum were packed to the brim with people of all shapes and sizes. Some non-humans could be seen here and there, but mostly everyone was human. They all carried banners and flags of different colors, each one representing a different faction hoping to enroll their prodigy into the Royal Academy. They made quite the racket by shouting and cheering at the top of their lungs.

In the center of the colosseum arena, one man stood with a staff in his right hand and a book in the other.It was hard to make out the details at such a distance, but Alrik could at least tell that he had long gray hair that reached his shoulders and a large purple robe embroidered with golden colored patterns. While the robe was similar to the old man who had guided him, you could tell from one glance, even at a distance, that his was of higher quality. After a few minutes of him gazing at his book, he suddenly snapped it shut. In an instant, a horrific amount of mana filled the air, and all the noise from the crowd was silenced.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and non-human friends, Welcome to the one hundred and thirty-first annual Royal Exam. It is my pleasure as Headmaster of Avalon's Royal Academy to welcome you all here for this prestigious event."

He paused for a moment, taking his gaze across the crowd before resuming.

"As you all already know, the first round preliminary rounds will begin today, consisting of team battles between groups of five. All participants, please look at your ticket. A secondary number should be glowing next to your original number and letter. Those who have the same number are a part of your team. Please get to know them well, as together you will either fail or pass. We will begin the tournament thirty minutes from now after the participants have all gotten accommodated with each other . . . Now, with the boring details out of the way, allow me to say how excited I am to see this year's talent. I wonder, what new skills will my old eyes behold? What new ideas will be born? Tell me, denizens of Prehcaster, aren't you not just as excited as I? Join me, citizens of Prehcaster, in witnessing history today. Let us see how bright the future of Avalon is."

With these words, the Headmaster clapped his hands. The silence was interrupted by thunderous applause and cheering. Everyone was in a good mood, ready to see the country's best and brightest talents. After gazing at the stands for a second, the headmaster turned and began walking toward the exit from the balcony. Alrik stared at his figure as it grew smaller and smaller.

'He's strong.'

The headmaster had wordlessly silenced everyone in the crowd. Plus, that enormous amount of mana which felt like he had suddenly been submerged ten meters under water.

'Could I beat him if he tried to kill me?'

Alrik, who was lost in thought imagining himself against that monster, suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. Upon turning around, he saw two boys and two girls standing there.

"Hey, you're part of team 2, aren't you?"

One of the girls spoke up. She was tall and skinny with auburn hair that reached her waist. Her skin was smooth and pale, giving her a ghostly appearance. She pointed at his ticket. Alrik, who hadn't bothered to check it yet, looked down at it. Sure enough, his ticket was glowing.

'Participant 12b, team 2'

He nodded with an expressionless face.

"Yeah, that's me."

He replied. After a brief awkward silence, one of the boys spoke up. He had a build similar to Alrik, except he was a whole foot taller. He had bright blue eyes and blonde hair. His face was sculpted and handsome, with sharp features and a killer jawline. Alrik's expression didn't change but inside he felt a twinge of jealousy.

'I hate pretty boys'

"I'm Sherwin, I hope you don't mind me asking, but why are you participating in the exams? From your stats, you don't seem to be- um . . how do I say this . . ."

Sherwin trailed off before being elbowed in the stomach by a second boy.

"Sherwin, don't be rude."

The one who had spoken gave Sherwin a dirty look before smiling at Alrik with an extended hand. His voice was loud and confident, obviously trying to make up for Sherwin's rude remarks. He was a lot shorter than Sherwin and Alrik, but he made up for it in personality. Strapped across his back was a bow. His long ears and green hair indicated that he was of elven ancestry.

"Sorry, I hope he didn't offend you. My name is Cernunnos O'Sullivan, but you can call me Cern."

Alrik's gray eyes gazed at the group of four, seemingly disinterested.

"It's fine."

Alrik responded in a deadpan voice. He noticed Sherwin frown a little at his listless response. Then, Alirk clasped Cern's hand. His grip was firm and powerful, suiting his confident personality.

"Well, since we all already know each other, let me introduce you to everyone."

Turning around, he pointed at Sherwin.

"This mean fellow is Sherwin Lankarani, he's our swordsman. He is the fastest out of all of us, and he practices the Light Flash Sword Style. You can count on him to be fast and deadly."

Switching his attention from Sherwin to the girl who had originally spoken to Alrik, he continued speaking.

"Now, you're not going to believe me, but that girl who looks more like a ghost than a human is actually half earth giant. She is incredibly strong, despite her looks. Believe me, one time, Sherwin pissed her off and was thrown twenty yards. Her name is Brianna Murhpy."

Brianna, the tall and skinny girl with black hair, smiled and waved at him. Alrik nodded in response.

"As you can probably tell, that girl is a mer-human. Her name is Amaya Abbas, and she's our resident support. She can heal us, and slow our enemies down. One time while we were out on a monster hunt, I nearly died from a bite wound, but Amaya's magic stopped the bleeding.You can count on her to help us out from the backline."

Amaya was the most unique looking out of the four. She had light-blue skin, blue hair tied into a messy bun, deep sea green eyes, and slits in her cheeks which Alrik could only assume were gills. Amaya avoided Alrik's gaze, causing Brianna to apologize on her behalf.

"Sorry, she's always this shy."

Alrik only gave a nod in response. Cern then turned back round to face Alrik.

"Lastly, you got me, Cern. I'm our marksman."

Cern took out his bow, which seemed like a twig that had been bent and attached with a string.

"I'm pretty good at long range, but it does take me a bit to line up a shot. If you give me an opening, I won't miss it."

Cern seemed pretty assured in his bowmanship. After he finished introducing himself, he looked at Alrik expectantly. In a similar manner, Sherwin, Brianna, and Amaya all looked at him. Alrik brought his hand to the back of his head and sighed.

"Alrik Hakim, Mage."

" . . ."

They were all silent, looking at him as if he was about to continue. Alrik stared back at them. After another moment of awkward silence, Cern broke the silence.

"Alright! Nice to meet you, I guess. Do you, uh, have anything you want to tell us?"

Alrik was about to say no, when he remembered something.

'Ah, right. These are my teammates.'

"Just follow my lead."

Alrik said before making his way down the stairs. The four of them stared at him with surprise as he left.

***

Cernunnos O'Sullivan POV:

Cern gazed at Alrik's back as he left and thought to himself.

'follow your lead? With your stats?'

Cern looked over Alrik's stats again, confirming that he was completely average.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Alrik Hakim

Age: 19

Race: Human

Mana Type: None

-Statistics-

Strength (5)

Dexterity (5)

Constitution (5)

Intelligence (5)

Charisma (5)

Wisdom (5)

Mana (5)

Unique Skills: None

Combat Style: None

Combat Abilities: None

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What's more, he only had 1 mana as a mage. Sherwin snorted and spoke, voicing exactly what Cern was thinking.

"Yeah, we lost. From his status alone, he's not even a mage. Even if he was a mage, what can he do with 1 mana?"

Sherwin, despite his crude way of putting it, was only speaking everyone's thoughts. Brianna shook her head and looked at Sherwin with a displeased face.

"Hey now, just because it's going to be a 4v5 doesn't mean we lost. We can still win this."

Sherwin threw up his hands.

"We're up against the Abhiman, what the hell are we going to do?"

The two devolved into their own argument, but Cern wasn't listening. Cern was too preoccupied with his own thoughts. Even though he knew from a logical standpoint that Alrik was useless, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow wrong. It was a gut feeling of his, and as a superstitious elf, he trusted his gut. Cern looked over at Amaya, who was silent as usual.

"Hey, Amaya, what do you think of him?"

Like Cern, Amaya was someone who usually had a pretty good sixth sense. Sherwin and Brianna stopped arguing for a second to listen to the both of them. Amaya, who looked deep in thought, snapped back to reality upon hearing Cern's voice. She looked at Cern's voice, and then back towards where Alrik had left.

"What do you mean?"

She asked quietly.

"Do you think we should follow his lead?"

Amaya was silent for a long few seconds before she responded.

"I don't know why . . . but I feel like we could trust him. Something about his stats feels wrong."

Sherwin and Brianna looked at Amaya incredulously. Cern nodded.

"I feel the same."