Wand Selection Ceremony [2]

All eyes were fixed on Ember as she slowly reached out to grab Celestia's Star. The students and professors alike did not doubt her capabilities; if anyone could obtain the Epic-grade wand, it would be her.

Ember's fingers closed around the wand, and the room fell silent. Everyone waited with bated breath for the wand to resonate with her. But as time passed, there was no reaction from Celestia's Star.

Ember's face twisted in anxiety as she shook the wand up and down, hoping for any sign of a response. But the wand remained still, like a simple decorated stick.

!?

"T-This can't be happening," Ember whispered to herself in a shaky voice.

Celestia's Star had been unclaimed for over a decade, and many had hoped that this year, one of the talented young students would finally find a connection with it.

Ember was the main candidate, given her gifts as both a brilliant mind and a powerful mage.

But now, even she couldn't resonate with the unconquered wand. It seemed as though Celestia's Star was destined to remain unclaimed, even in a class full of the world's most talented young sorcerers and sorceresses.

The professor of the Honors class broke the deafening silence, "...Uhm, Ember, I think you should choose another wand. It doesn't seem like this wand is resonating with you."

"N-No, please, I think if I just give it more time—" Ember replied, her face showing a look of desperation as she began to move and shake the wand.

Swish— Swish— Swish—

However, after waiting for more than five minutes, the Celestia's star remained silent.

Ember's mind raced with thoughts: 'My mom is going to kill me! My mom is going to kill me!' She clutched the wand tightly, her face showing desperation and anxiety as she thought about her mother's inevitable disappointment.

"Ember!" Scarlett called out, her voice ringing out in the room and capturing the attention of everyone present.

!?

Startled, Ember looked up to see Scarlett's eyes fixed on her with a kind yet firm expression.

"That behavior doesn't suit a princess like you. Just choose another wand, okay?" Scarlett said, with a smile.

Feeling embarrassed and frustrated, Ember looked around the room and saw many students staring at her awkwardly. Some wore mocking smiles, while others seemed pleased that she had failed to resonate with the epic wand.

She took a deep breath and composed herself before responding, "I... apologize for my unsightly behavior."

Scarlett reassured her, "Don't worry about it. Just look around for another wand that suits you better and resonates with you."

Ember nodded and began to scan the room for another wand that could potentially resonate with her. However, her search was interrupted when a red wand from a top shelf suddenly transformed into a majestic phoenix made of fire. The phoenix circled around her as if it had chosen her as its owner.

"...What wand is that?" Ember asked, mesmerized by the sight of the phoenix.

"That's the Phoenix Heart," Scarlett replied. "It's one of the rarest wands in existence and is highly coveted by fire mages."

Ember's eyes widened in surprise. She had heard of the Phoenix Heart before, but she never thought she would have the chance to wield it.

"...Even I wasn't able to resonate with it during my time," Scarlett added with a shrug, noticing Ember's hesitation.

The other students and professors looked stunned upon hearing this, as they all knew how powerful Scarlett was. If even she couldn't resonate with the Phoenix Heart, then how was Ember able to do so?

Ember pondered for a few moments before making a decision. With a hesitant hand, she reached for the wand and felt a surge of warmth spread throughout her body as it recognized her as its owner.

"I choose the Phoenix Heart," Ember announced, her voice filled with determination.

"Add your drop of blood to it to complete the bond," one of the professors advised.

Ember nodded and pricked her finger with her nails. She then let a drop of her blood fall onto the wand, sealing her bond with the Phoenix Heart. The wand glowed brightly, signaling that it had accepted her as its new owner.

"Congratulations, student Ember. You are now the new owner of the Phoenix Heart wand," the professor announced, and the room erupted in applause.

Clap— Clap— Clap

As Ember returned to her place with her new wand, the professor raised her hand and called out, "Alright, now let's move on to the next student. The second-ranked student in the entrance examination, Caius Valerian, please come forward and select your wand."

The students stopped applauding and all eyes turned to Caius as he made his way to the center of the room.

Ember, Aria, and even Scarlett were curious to see which wand he would resonate with. Everyone wondered if he would try to get his hands on Celestia Star as well.

"So, what wand will you choose this time, Caius Valerian?" Aria muttered, her gaze fixed on Caius. She was intrigued to know if he would stick to the same wand he had chosen in her previous timeline or go for a different one.

Meanwhile, Caius ignored everyone's gazes and gossip and stood in the center of the room. He raised his hand and spoke to himself, "Alright, Compi, show me the code for the Wand Mastery achievement."

Ding!—

[Wand Mastery Pass: WMST202X21]

Description: This code is a rare and coveted item, only available to those who have demonstrated the highest level of mastery in the art of wand usage. To obtain the Wand Mastery Pass, one must complete a series of challenging tasks and pass a rigorous exam, designed to test their skill and knowledge of wand lore.

Once obtained, the Wand Mastery Pass grants the user the ultimate privilege: the ability to select any wand from the academy's inventory, regardless of rarity or availability. In addition, the user can customize their wand with unique enchantments and designs, limited only by their imagination and skill.

But beware: the Wand Mastery Pass is a once-per-academic-year achievement, reserved only for the top-ranking students of the academy. And with great power comes great responsibility. Use it wisely, and become the ultimate Wand Master!

(Note: Selecting a wand using the pass comes with a cost - the user must sacrifice a portion of their own magical energy to bond with the wand.) ]

"...."

Caius stared at the code on the screen, deep in thought. After a moment, he asked himself inwardly feeling a bit uncertain about how to proceed, "...So, how do I use this code in real life again?"

Ding!

A message appeared before Caius.

[Simply recite the code while standing at the center of the academy's wand inventory and it will grant you access to choose any wand of your choice from the inventory, regardless of rarity or availability.]

Caius nodded and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and began to chant the code.

"W-M-S-T-2-0-2-X-2-1," he whispered slowly and clearly.