Admission Test

"Good afternoon, visitors. May I know your purpose?" The armored guard's voice was stern as Eliya and Ardiel approached the gates of Far West Military Academy.

The academy loomed before them like a fortress rather than a place of learning. Nestled in the heart of the White Forest, its towering walls were expected. As an institution funded by the Empire, it served as both an educational facility and a strategic outpost.

The White Forest, stretching across half the northern lands and reaching the far edges of the Avalon Range, was the northern counterpart to the Dark Forest in the southwest. This vast expanse was a breeding ground for Lycan species, necessitating fortified cities and towns within its borders.

Eliya handed a letter and a badge to the guard and stepped back.

"Excuse me for a moment; I'll need to verify this with the Warden," the guard said, retreating into a small entrance beside the massive portcullis. Another guard took his place and greeted the newcomers warmly.

"This is for your special admission," Eliya explained to Ardiel, noticing his curious look. "Classes started weeks ago, so this is the only way for you to join now. You'll be a bit behind, but I'm sure you'll catch up quickly."

The guard soon returned with an armored man. "I'm Warden Orfen, in charge of admissions," the Warden said with a polite nod. "I've verified your documents. Unfortunately, only you, young sir, are allowed inside." He addressed Eliya with an apologetic smile. She didn't mind, as her task was to escort Ardiel safely and return.

"That's fine. Thank you for your help," Eliya said before turning to Ardiel. "You should head in. I'll be leaving now."

"Thank you, Vice Captain Eliya. We'll meet again soon!" Ardiel saluted, his gratitude evident. Eliya had been more than patient, even when he'd made stubborn requests.

"Do well, young master," Eliya said to Ardiel before turning to the Warden. "Please take good care of him." With a final nod, she walked away.

"Let's go inside. I'll brief you on the details," Warden Orfen said, guiding Ardiel through the gates. The narrow corridor and the fortress's thick walls, ten meters deep, gave a chilly welcome.

He gasped as he saw the interior of the fortress. Most of the buildings follow a perpendicular architecture with a conflation of both romanesque and baroque style. It was an amazing sight for him, while they are not as grand as the important buildings in Wyrmport, it wasn't something he didn't expect for an academic institution.

A few students were roaming around, occupied by their own thoughts, knights and guards were patrolling around. It almost felt like a city plaza by how wide the interior was, each person he saw exuded discipline, making the entire vicinity almost void of noises, except for some mechanical noises and calling cadenses from students who were during their routines. 

"Newcomers often get lost if not guided closely," Warden Orfen said, pulling Ardiel from his awe. It was a common reaction, so he allowed the boy a moment to take in the scene.

Ardiel followed quietly, marveling at the new environment he would be part of for the coming months or years.

"Walking is the standard here," Warden Orfen continued, "unless there's an emergency. Running or using movement techniques outside of training and study sessions is strictly prohibited to maintain discipline and a peaceful environment."

"No flight as well, basically, the use of magic without permission from your superior, is strictly prohibited. We are all allies here, there's no reason to use magic against anyone," he added.

"This is the Admission building," Orfen said as they entered. The lobby was empty except for a front desk with a lone attendant. "You'll take your admission test here. It changes each year, and since you have a special token, it'll be different for you."

The front desk staff handed Ardiel a form and a penquill. "Please fill this out," he said.

"Alright, I'll be back in a while. Good luck, and be at your best," Orfen said before stepping away to prepare.

"Your admission consists of three parts," the staff explained. "The Physical Test, Aptitude Test and The Sorting Test."

"Follow me to the Evaluation Room," the staff said, collecting the form and penquill before leading Ardiel deeper into the building.

They entered a high-ceilinged room where a man was waiting.

"Physical test is further divided into two stages; The Innate stage which evaluates your raw capabilities without the aid of mana, and the Assisted stage to evaluate your capabilities once enhanced by mana, this provides us the level of amplification your mana could provide you," the staff explained to him.

The difficulty ranges from Tier 1 to Tier 5, with special admissions defaulting to Tier 3."

"Can I increase the tier?" Ardiel asked, surprising the staff.

"Are you sure? There's a significant gap between tiers. If you fail, you'll be downgraded to Tier 1," the staff warned.

"I'm sure. Can I try Tier 4 first and maybe Tier 5 after?" Ardiel's fearless attitude caught the staff's attention.

"Wow, you're quite brave," said Rodan, the man in the room. He was an Auror instructor for second-year students and clearly intrigued by Ardiel's confidence.

"I'll be your sparring partner and evaluator," Rodan said, shaking Ardiel's hand. "I'm Rodan."

"Pleased to meet you, Sir Rodan," Ardiel saluted, well aware of the military academy's etiquette.

Eliya has given him some tips during their travels since she too was a graduate of the academy.

"Okay, let's start," Rodan walked at the center of the room, calmly anticipating for Ardiel to follow.

"Choose the weapon of your choice," Rodan said, motioning to the right side of the room where various weapons were hanging on the wall.

Ardiel picked a shortsword in his left hand and a bowblade in his right, strapping both the bow and quiver on his back.

"Impressive. It's been a while since I saw a kid using two different weapons." Rodan was impressed with the sight before him. A kid who could use both a melee and long-range weapon was rare, as each weapon demanded a different set of skills from the user, making proficiency in multiple weapons harder.

"We'll start with Tier 4 difficulty," Rodan said. The instructor in charge would always restrict their strength to match the difficulty.

Ardiel took the opportunity to strike first, bolting forward with commendable speed. It was a chance for him to showcase the fruits of his five years of training under Simon, his mentor.

He swung his left arm sideways to his right, then slashed upward, taking a more aggressive approach instead of the usual downward slash. Rodan smirked at the solid clash of their swords as he firmly defended.

"Not bad," he commented before taking a step back.

Ardiel continued to leap forward, trying to overwhelm his opponent with an oberhau, momentarily surprising Rodan with the provoking move. His momentum increased as he kept slashing, incorporating thrust movements. Rodan either parried the attacks or casually countered his moves.

Just as Ardiel was about to make a wide slash, prompting Rodan into a parrying position, he instantly leaped backward, pulled the bow and an arrow from his back, and drew the bowstring. He aimed and released the arrow towards Rodan's chest. The succession of movements happened in mere seconds. Rodan almost failed to parry the arrow by a thin margin.

The staff at the front desk gasped, clearly impressed by Ardiel.

The sparring slowly took a more serious turn, with Rodan starting to enjoy the situation. It almost felt like he was savoring the challenge and forgetting that he was supposed to evaluate Ardiel objectively.

The intensity gradually increased, their moves becoming more precise. Ardiel had finally adjusted to the momentum and was now openly showing all that he had in store. This was his chance to let people know that he might be a cub now, but he was a dragon among those of his age.

"And... that's enough," Rodan announced as they both stepped back after a heavy clash, with Ardiel panting heavily.

Rodan took a moment to catch his breath, eyes fixed on Ardiel with a newfound respect. "I didn't realize it at the time, but we went on to Tier 5 level without me knowing, and perhaps a bit over the line too," Rodan said, putting his hands on his waist. He gazed at the boy with pure admiration, his expression softening.

Ardiel stood there, chest heaving, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. He straightened up and saluted, his movements sharp despite his exhaustion. "Thank you, Instructor Rodan."

Rodan returned the salute with a smile, his stern demeanor melting away. "You did exceptionally well, Ardiel. Your skill and determination are remarkable."

Ardiel's legs finally gave way, and he slumped down on the ground, his breath coming in heavy gasps. The adrenaline was still rushing through his system, making him feel more energized than ever, despite the exhaustion.

Rodan crouched down beside him, placing a hand on Ardiel's shoulder. "You're one hell of a dragon," he said, clicking his tongue in approval. "With talent like yours, you're going to make waves here."

They took a moment of rest to prepare for the next stage of the Physical test.

As Rodan stood up, the staff who had been observing the sparring session approached, still looking slightly awestruck. "That was... impressive," the staff member said, his voice filled with genuine admiration. "I've never seen anyone handle a Tier 5 test like that."

Ardiel nodded, too tired to speak, but his heart swelled with pride. This was just the beginning, and he was ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.