- Grading

"As is tradition here at Cranbrow, the start of a new year marks our magical grading ceremony for those who turned five in the previous year," Rasha spoke to the crowd of children in front of her. "Remember, the result you receive here is not final, and you can improve or fall short depending on how hard you work, among other factors."

The children had assembled outside the building in a neat line in preparation for the grading.

"Not that that matters, I'm going to be an S rank at minimum," Bran confidently said to his friends.

Elanor, who had arrived a few months prior, scoffed at his remark. "Don't you only have one element?"

"You'll see," he said, a smirk spreading onto his face.

Rasha made her way down the line of children, extracting samples of blood and testing them in the device as she went. Two assistants followed her down the line. One was carrying a sheet of paper, on which she recorded the tested scores of each child in secret. The other aided her by replacing the used syringes with fresh ones and disposing of the used ones.

They completed the process quickly and without incident. "Wait in the main hall. Once ready, we will come and find you to discuss your grade with you," Rasha told the children. The three then promptly returned to the building. They quickly moved to an office found under the staircase and collapsed into seats once inside.

"Let's get the results formally copied down," Rasha said, opening a drawer and taking out a book. She was seated behind a large desk toward the left of the room. Behind her, the wall was blocked by different types of storage. The two women who had accompanied her were sat on the other side of the desk.

"Going down the list, first is Johanna Cain..."

After a few hours, caregivers began to come into the hall and call out names.

"Hey," Marcus began, "is it just me or did they take an oddly long time to finish whatever it is they do in there?" he asked his friends.

"Maybe, I'm not too sure," Bran replied. He looked down as he answered, and was fidgeting with his hands.

"I'm sure there's nothing to worry about," Elanor chimed in, trying to alleviate any worries the two might have.

Eventually the numbers in the room dwindled and Bran was called to the office.

"So, El, what do you think he's actually got? After all that boasting, I think he's no more than a C."

"It probably makes sense for him to be around a B, he seems determined to succeed, which might push him forward," she responded with a confused look. "El?"

"Yeah. It's a chore to say your full name every time, so normally people shorten it."

"Surely you can do better than that. I mean, we shorten Bran's name already, can't you be a little creative?"

He thought for a minute. 'Elanor Loxley.'

After a while, he asked, "how about Lox? Good enough for you?" his lips raising on one side as he spoke.

She met his smirk with her own. "Yeah, it's good enough."

A few minutes later, Elanor's name was called, and she too left to find out her result.

Marcus continued waiting alone as more and more people were called to receive their results. In the end, he was the only one who remained.

"What should we do about it? After all, it's unprecedented."

"We tell him nothing," Rasha said, heading towards the door and putting on a coat. "I'll see if I can find her and see what she wants us to do."

"She surrendered him to us, surely it's our choice?" the woman responded.

"You would seriously expect a ten-year-old to care for a newborn alone? She left him with us, but she never stopped watching, never stopped caring. She needs to know about this."

She glanced back at the table, where the book that contained the children's profiles lay opened on Marcus's page. The area where a representative letter should lay remained empty.

'Such a potent S rank that it almost broke the scale. How is that possible? What is that child?' she thought to herself, her mind racing to find what would have caused such monstrous power in the child.

"I'm leaving," she declared. "I'll be heading north for some time, so please look after this place for me."

She left the building and hastily travelled down the lane to the gate. Next to the gate stood a small stables that housed a handful of horses. Once there, she went inside and released a horse, before mounting it and racing North.

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She rode into the fort and led the horse to the stables, the surrounding soldiers unbothered by her presence, recognising the woman from nearby towns.

Despite her age, she raced to the room of the Vice-commander and hammered on the door.

"Enter," came a voice from inside.

She twisted the handle and forced the door open. "Where is she?" she asked as she entered the room.

"She's in the Hub, you haven't missed her by much," he responded without looking up from a spread of papers on his desk. "What's so urgent that you would personally come here?"

"It's between me and the girl. Do you know how long she'll be?" she asked with a hint of desperation in her voice.

He shook his head. "We've got a large operation there, and you're aware how important the hub is to the North, as well as its symbol to the nation."

The Hub was what northerners used to refer to the city of Nosia, the city of night. A large city who's black architecture stuck out among the summer greens and winter whites of the North. All travel into the north, be it goods, people, or news, would wind up among its tight alleys and gothic atmosphere at some point. It's most notable feature was the chapel of Tenebryll, the deity elemental of Darkness.

"I understand. Of course, her work here is important to the safety of the nation," Rasha said with a hint of disappointment.

"You're welcome to stay until she's back?" Garnell offered. "I assume you wouldn't leave Cranbrow without leaving it in good hands."

"Thank you," she said with a smile. "I'll take you up on your offer."