Equinox

Rolling out of bed, I shake off the vestiges of sleep. My nerves buzz like a live wire, so I start some light aura training for a last-minute warm-up before the big day. "Ah, dammit! This feels like those nightmarish exams all over again. Hey, system, why didn't you give me a mission to enter the academy? Shouldn't I earn some points for that?" I grumble under my breath.

[What a nonsensical question. Entering the Academy of Equinox is the basic requirement to receive missions. Why would you gain points for that?]

Tsk, honestly, I can't help but detest you.

[Go cry about it.]

After training and freshening up, I head to the dining hall where Zeke, Ash, Des, Eira, and Seraphina are already seated, their lively conversation filling the room. A steaming heap of green scrambled eggs and bacon, a basket of bread, and a pot of piping hot coffee await me.

"Morning, Kael," Eira greets with a teasing smile. Seraphina rolls her eyes at Eira's jest, greeting me, "Good morning, Kael."

"Morning. I'm surprised you're here early, Sera. I thought we were meeting up south," I say, sinking into a chair and loading my plate.

Zeke grins at me from across the table. "I didn't know you were in a relationship, Kael. Anyways, here's your fake ID. I didn't want to make a bland ID under the name Kael or Brey, so I used something original."

I take the paperwork Zeke passes over. "V? Seriously? You call that original? It's just a single letter."

Eira can't help but laugh. "HAHAHA. Seriously? The psycho gave you an identity under the name V? HAHAHA."

"Wow, so funny, ha ha ha," I sarcastically reply, rolling my eyes. Ash starts to snicker but quickly stifles it with a cough when I shoot him a glare. Hmm, it seems Zeke is already investigating Brey's origins. As expected of him.

"Um, Kael, why do you need a fake identity? Can't you just use your real one? You don't seem like a wanted criminal."

"Sis, you shouldn't meddle in someone's personal matters. Isn't that what you taught me? How can you instruct me in one way and ignore those teachings yourself?"

I nod at Ash's words. It's best to keep Sera out of this. I wouldn't want her to discover that we're all criminals here, or she might start slashing. Zeke is a psycho, Ash is a thief, and Eira, Zeke, and I are running an illegal business. I wonder how she'd react if she found out.

"My bad, I didn't mean it in a bad way."

"Don't worry about it. I have my reasons. I'm not a criminal, so you don't need to fret," I say, turning to face Zeke as he's wolfing down his meal. "Zeke, why did you use a single letter for the name?"

"Why wouldn't I? I've checked the records, no one in this country will question your identity with that name. If you look closely, you can see I used Kael as your middle name, so what's the big deal?"

"Mhm, I guess you've got a point. Anyways, thanks for the identity. I guess it's time to start heading out. If I pass, I'll come see you whenever I get a chance. And don't even think about taking my cut, Eira."

"Tsk, why would you assume I'm going to take it? Don't worry, I won't take it, and I'll make sure Zeke doesn't either."

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

With a brief farewell, Seraphina and I head off toward the Academy of Equinox. The journey is silent, our nerves tangling in the cool morning air. We navigate our way through the bustling streets of the city, the clamor of daily life echoing in our ears. As we approach our destination, I can't help but be awed by the sight before us.

"Welcome to the Academy of Equinox," I mutter as we reach the grand entrance.

The academy stands tall and majestic. It's not quite a castle, but certainly more than a mere building. It sprawls across a vast piece of land like a titan from the stories of old, its elegant and modern structure radiating an aura of authority and creativity. An impressive wide pathway stretches before us, lined with neatly trimmed hedges and magically blooming flowers leading up to the academy.

The Academy has an entire part of the city dedicated to itself, with a shopping district and various establishments for the students to frequent. Since students typically stay at the academy for four years, excluding breaks, this is necessary.

The architecture is truly a sight to behold. Tall, intricately carved columns support large archways leading into the different sections of the academy. Each wing is unique, with an air of mystique about it, making one wonder what secrets lie within. Large, wide windows adorn the buildings, allowing rays of sunlight to pierce through and illuminate the corridors.

The school grounds stretch out in every direction. There's a colossal stadium for physical training and fields for sports. I can also spot a designated area for swordsmanship and magic training. There's even a small lake tucked away on the far side of the grounds and a mini forest nearby, likely used for outdoor activities and gathering materials. It's very similar to how I described it in my novel but with a few differences.

Despite my nerves, I can't help but feel a surge of excitement.

"Sera, ready?" I ask, glancing at my quiet companion.

She nods, her face determined but paling slightly as we step towards the entrance.

Passing through the grand entrance, we find ourselves standing in a colossal hall populated by a modest number of people. Most applicants tend to avoid the testing site for at least a week. But that's precisely why I chose this time to apply. The examiner for the first week is the notoriously stern Professor Thaddeus, fiercely loyal to the Academy. His reputation alone is enough to deter many from applying within the first week. Generally, only those considered foolish would risk attempting to impress him. However, given the fact that some incredibly talented individuals will apply next week, this is arguably the best time to apply, before the professors' expectations skyrocket.

A young lady steps before the gathered applicants, surveying everyone with a frosty gaze. "There's no need for introductions. You are all here with the intent to join the GREAT ACADEMY OF EQUINOX! If you came here with the expectation that the test will be easy, walk out immediately! WE ARE NOT SOME THIRD-RATE ACADEMY! Your payment will not be refunded. Those of you still wishing to apply, line up. Once the payment is secured, we will begin the first part of the examination. I'll repeat, THERE ARE NO REFUNDS!"

"Hey, Kae-, no, V, are you sure I should be here? What if I don't pass? All the gold you gave me will go to waste."

I sigh at Sera's comment. "Don't worry, you'll do just fine. You're certainly strong and talented." Frankly, I should be the one fretting. Sera is sure to pass. My case, on the other hand, is more precarious. I've disguised Umbra as a regular steel sword. I can only hope no one notices, or I might face accusations of cheating.

Once we've paid our fees, the receptionist hands us our examination numbers. Mine is 17, and Sera's is 18. We each wear our numbers pinned to our chests. The receptionist, a sharp-featured young elf with almond-shaped, jade eyes and silver hair cascading to her shoulders, exudes an aura of professional detachment. Honestly, distinguishing a young elf from an old one is difficult, so for all I know, she could be ancient.

She's dressed in the Academy's professor uniform, a long, elegant robe of deep indigo adorned with intricate golden motifs. An opalescent pin bearing the Academy's crest – a majestic phoenix encircling a sun – gleams on her chest. As I receive my number from her, I can't help but notice the tips of her pointed ears peeking through her lustrous hair, a captivating contrast against her porcelain skin, a clear indicator of her elven lineage.

Despite the lengthy queue and the multitude of applicants, she appears unfazed, maintaining an air of composure. Her fingers expertly operate the ethergraph – a magical device used to record and process information – with practiced ease. Every now and then, she exchanges polite pleasantries with the applicants, her soothing voice adding to the aura of tranquility she exudes. However, I can tell it's all a facade. In fact, she likely detests this part of her job.

As Sera and I prepare to move away from the desk, the receptionist looks up from her ethergraph, meeting my gaze. "Best of luck, your payment has been secured and will not be returned," she says, her smile sweet yet her eyes radiating a subtle hint of annoyance.

I nod at her in gratitude, a twinge of frustration stirring within me. "Thank you," I reply, returning her smile.

The line slowly begins to advance, with each applicant taking their turn before the Enigmatic Gem. After what feels like an eternity, my turn finally arrives. My nerves crescendo in anticipation as I step forward, facing another staff member holding an orb of crystallized gem. Up close, it seems even more ethereal, a crystal gem pulsating with an unknown power, set upon an obsidian pedestal. My novel didn't delve into much detail about this artifact, but it's supposed to detect a person's elemental affinity. If I remember correctly, apart from the four main elements, there's a whole array of other possible options, although I can't recall them all. I do remember a transparent option, something I definitely want to avoid. When the gem turns transparent, it essentially means there has never been someone with that affinity, rendering it undetectable. As such, anyone with this affinity has the arduous task of figuring it out on their own.

When my drop of blood touches the gem, half of it glows a dark red while the other half remains transparent. The young lady next to me leaps back in surprise. "What in the world... You have a fascinating affinity. It seems like fire, but it's a shade darker. You also appear to have a separate, unknown ability. From our records, we can tell that your fire-related affinity is not conventional. It might be a mutated version of a recorded fire-related affinity, or it could be entirely new - there's no way to determine its origin. As for your separate ability, we have no information about that. You have passed the first stage, please proceed to the next one."

This is immensely frustrating. Stupid system, now that I know about my elemental affinities, you should be able to provide more details about them instead of keeping them a secret, shouldn't you?

[Unfortunately, I am unable to provide any information about your elemental affinities until you discover what your second ability is.]