Chapter 3: The Academy's Trial

Amara gazed up in awe at the towering spires of the Magic Academy. After a long journey, he had finally arrived in the capital city and stood before the famous school where legends like Kain ver Gearmin had once walked the halls.

Despite his excitement, Amara also felt nervous as he joined the throngs of other young hopefuls crowded around the academy gates. They were all here to take the entrance exam that would determine if they were skilled enough to be admitted as students.

"Only 1 in 10 applicants pass the trial," Amara heard someone say. "The rest are sent home in shame."

Amara swallowed hard, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. He glanced around at the other teenagers, taking in their confident stances and expensive robes that marked them as nobles or children of wealthy families.

By comparison, Amara's own clothes were simple and threadbare. But he stood tall, reminding himself that his mind and will were as sharp as any of theirs.

At last, the towering gates swung open. A professor emerged and led the applicants into the academy's courtyard. Strange contraptions and target dummies were set up, clearly part of the trial.

"You will each demonstrate your mastery of the arcane arts," the professor announced. "Control your mana and cast the spells you know best. Those lacking talent will be dismissed."

The trials began with tests of magical ability. Amara clenched his fists in frustration as he watched applicants his own age unleash powerful blasts of elemental energy. His low mana reserves allowed only weak sparks to fly from his fingertips.

Next was the physical trial of strength, speed and endurance. Here Amara excelled, his athleticism honed from years of hard labor. He climbed walls swiftly, lifted heavy weights and ran laps tirelessly, surpassing many of the pampered noble boys.

Finally came the written exam, covering history, math, science and spell theory. Amara scribbled fervently, the library books he'd pored over giving him an advantage over those who'd had private tutors.

At last, the trials ended and the nervous applicants gathered to hear the results. Amara held his breath as names were called, hoping his skills could outweigh his lack of magic.

"Amara, orphan of the western village," the judge announced. "Though your mana is weak, your marks in the physical and written tests were unmatched. We've never seen such an unusual combination. You shall be assigned to a special research cohort for further assessment."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd as Amara stepped forward.