1 Caden

Round hills stretched to the horizon. A massive wall protected the countless buildings and homes within, sprawling atop those hills into the distance. A huge tower pierced the sky above and glowed faintly blue from runes etched into the sides as they pulsed gently. Countless people walking around and doing business down below, like a horde of little ants between the roads and plazas. The sound itself spoke of a vibrant atmosphere and the happy and carefree faces of the people.

The City-State of Atlas.

The home of the Wizard Order. This city itself has been the largest city of mankind for hundreds of years, sitting at one million inhabitants. Being directly in the heartland of human civilization, this city became the largest hub of trade for all the human kingdoms, empires, republics, and other states, but the most important part of this city is the leaders. The Wizard Order of Atlas was created nearly a millennium ago; they are the protectors of the peace and the protectors of mankind itself.

They have stood sentinel, fought off invasions of Orcs, Lizardmen, Goblins, and Giants. Even the arrogant and elusive elves are wary of the power of Atlas. Accompanied by the city-state of Atlas and her armies, they became the largest and strongest peacekeeping force in the world. Though not as large as some armies in human territory, it is still completely professional, with strong support from the Wizards for any magical needs, or strong combatants and generals.

"Todays the day." Caden thought as he woke up.

Caden was 5'11, short brown hair with forest green eyes. He had desirable looks. Not the most handsome man in the world, but enough to turn a head or two, along with his energetic expression and usually friendly attitude he was sure to be popular in any circle. It was the day of the Apprentice trials.

He had waited his whole life for this day, the day he would enter the path to become a true Wizard. He was a baby when his potential for magic was recognized by a passing Wizard, taken from his family the Duke of the North from the Kingdom of Arminium, east of Atlas.

Training ever since he could walk, he became an initiate of the Order. Though there hasn't been much he can do magic wise yet, due to his still not matured sea of mana and his clumsy control of mana as a consequence. It was his sixteenth birthday a few months before, the age he was recognized as a man, and the age initiates are allowed to take the trials. If he succeeds he will be assigned a Wizard as his master who will train him more in-depth in the ways of magic until considered able enough to become a Wizard himself.

Freshening up his face and hair and putting his initiates robes on, the young Caden excitedly placed his training wand in his robe and ran out the door to his room.

"Woah! Watch it!"

After almost bumping into a passing Wizard, he bowed his head in apology and ran down the hallway without another word. The old bearded wizard shook his head and continued on.

"Young'uns these days..." He murmured as he saw the boy join a group of other initiates rushing down to the trial room.

Caden looked to his side upon the face of one of his only friends. Her name was Serana, with luscious long brown hair, a golden twinkle in her otherwise black irises, and a youthful and excited face. She wore the same gray-blue initiate robes as he with a shorter 5'7 height.

They are close to each other in age, with Serana being a month older than him. His only other friend was named Alder, though he wasn't here today as he was a few years older than Serana and himself and had become an apprentice Wizard before them. He ignored the ongoing conversation from a few other initiates to catch up with her as they all headed down.

"Hey! The trials are here, I'm so excited!~" Serana said giddily as they walked.

"I know! We've literally been waiting our whole lives for this, I'd be more surprised if you weren't excited." Caden joked with a slight smile.

"Haah. Don't give me that attitude, you reminded me for the past week at least five times a day!"

"Tch. I'll show you soon. I'll probably"— he gave her a wink— "train under our great Arch Wizard himself."

A smug smile crept over his mouth before Serana giggled.

"Oh get over yourself. I wouldn't be surprised if no Wizard takes you in for having such an arrogant grin." She said with a playful smile of her own before they halted at the entrance to the room with the other initiates.

Upon arriving he stopped to catch his breath and settle his racing heart as he looked upon the back of a wizened old Wizard as he and the others stood around him. A few other Wizards began watching the proceedings from the side, studying the initiates and whispering to each other, no doubt determining who they should take. It isn't like they are spoiled for choices though! Caden thought, considering this was the biggest batch of initiates in a long time and there is only six of them, including Serana and himself.

This was inevitable, considering there were only around 200 Wizards in the Order. With a low chance for a human to have the right requirements, and gathered from all humanity, there wasn't that many of them. The rate at which new Wizards are gathered is barely above those that have died. With some years of having no new Wizards at all! So while there are dozens of initiates and apprentices, the rate at which they progress to Wizards is not fast enough.

The group of initiates held their breath and straightened out their postures. A soft chuckle responded to their entrance a moment later as the Wizard turned around, revealing a great white beard, deep blue and black eyes flecked with white like the cosmos itself. A dazzling navy robe with intricate runic patterns surrounding it, and in his hand a dark metallic staff. The staff was about 73 inches (ca. 185 cm) long, with spiral rings at the tip around a pure white sphere in their center.

This was Owynvan, the Arch Wizard of the Order, Head of the Grand Council, and today's trial examiner.

The old man smiled as his eyes studied the young blood before him. "Welcome, young initiates. Today is the day you truly enter the path to becoming a Wizard." He said as his eyes narrowed on Caden, a small nod of approval before shifting to the others.

"Today, you will prove that all you have learned since you were brought to Atlas has not been useless. The others in the Grand Council have let me know you all were ready, so I shall not make you wait any longer!"

He nodded at them and turned, gesturing with his arm for them to follow. They all breathed in and went further inside, unable to keep the smiles off their faces. The watching Wizards straightening their expressions to study these young talents seriously.

"Well let's do it then! I know you're dying to pass the trials, as was I at your age, so long ago." He said fondly of his old memories.

Leading the exuberant young Caden and the other initiates further into the huge room before stopping near an arena.

"For starters, you will all practice your combat skills. You need to take out three training golems with our training staves, so I can see your form and strength." He said waving to the rack of training weapons at the side.

They all nodded and stepped over and grabbed a training staff before walking to the center of the room and stretching. Caden's body moved in the motions of a practice form as he spun and struck with his staff to relieve the tension in his muscles and relaxing them for strenuous activity. Breathing in, he got into a combat stance; his feet were wide and his knees bent as he placed his staff in a forward horizontal grip. His eyes focused on the training golems as they approached and began to surround him at a distance of a few meters. The same scene was happening to the others, with Serana sharing a nod to Caden before a serious glint overcame her face.

Each golem had a practice sword ready as they and the initiates waited for the Wizard's approval.

"Begin!" Owynvan said as his staff stomped on the floor with a bang.

The three golems brought their swords to bear simultaneously from three directions. Caden swiftly deflected the sword in his front with a quick parry of his staff, stepping forward deftly and to the left side of the first golem to dodge the other two swords as they passed by the air behind his back. The boy twisting his body for leverage as he struck his staff into the leg of the golem, causing it to collapse on one knee before striking it hard in the back and face-planting it to the ground—right in time to step back from a side-swipe from the next golem.

The third golem rounded up to his flank while the second golem continued the attack with a barrage of heavy-handed thrusts and cuts from the sword, Caden either deflected or nimbly avoided the swings as he began to strike the overextended golem.

"Hmm." The old man nodded his head in approval as the boy kept positioning himself to where only one golem could face him at a time.

Caden had been trained since childhood, so while the golems were actually quite fast and strong compared to a common soldier, the boy was able to keep his head and maneuver his way to victory.

With another crash of a golem to the ground, only the last remaining golem approached.

Caden cracked his neck to relieve his tension and exhaled with a triumphant grin as he walked forward to the last golem, his staff to his side. With a quick forward step, Caden rushed to the golem's front, ducking below the swing of the sword as he stabbed his staff forward, pushing his opponent off balance and following it up with a combo of well-placed strikes before it too fell as a signal of his victory.

Caden turned and bowed politely to his examiner as he awaited his first score of the day. He glanced to the others, and while most of them were done, Serana seemed to be struggling a little but managed to bring the last golem down and meet back up with the others in waiting. To his relief, as she had always been a bit underwhelming in physical combat, but she accommodated it in magic theory and control.

"Well done, well done! You all did respectably. You pass the first trial. Next, I will test you on the basics of magic. Place the staves up and bring out your training wands, we'll see how well you learned so far." The old man said with a wave of his hand.

Caden let out a small smile as he returned his training staff to the rack and stepped back to the center of the room. Grabbing his training wand as he straightened his posture and waited for his next instructions. This next part was the real bread and butter of the trials, as they were Wizards! Not soldiers. While they need to be able to hold their own in close-combat, you generally have failed as a Wizard if you let your enemies that close. Though a true Wizard is capable of standing toe to toe with any opponent up close regardless, as magic can enhance the body to the same level as warriors.

Owynvan paused for a moment to stare at each initiate. "Good. Now, let us begin with testing your skills in the School of Resonance." The old man said with a soft smile.