The academy exam

"How much is the corn bread?" Willana asked.

"4 barrato  copper coins, young lady."the shop keeper exclaimed.

She shook her head: 

"Damn,  even bread is expensive these days."

The young shopkeeper shrugged. "Can't give  it to you  for any less".boss would kick my ass.

"I'll take it." she answered.

She grumbled as she  took the bread:

"What a robbery. Now I won't have enough for carob cakes."

Street cleaners littered the street  as she walked  outside. Most of them were elves, with their sharp teeth and long, downturned ears. Let's just say I could never be an elf bride.

She regretfully walked past  the carob stand  at the marketplace.

"Fresh apples!

Carob cakes, carob cakes!"

MUST

NOT

BUY

I'm on a budget. She ruminated.

Soon after, she was home.

"Mom, I'm back!"

She took off her green  coat and tossed it aside.

She put the bread on the table.The table was packed with unwashed dishes. At the end of the room, opposite of the entrance door, stood a shrine, consisting of a small table, a candle, pink gem, commonly known as a soul gem, and a badly drawn picture of  her mother.

"You know what day it is?It's the day  of the magical academy entrance exams."

 She tucked her  wavy brown hair behind her ears as she came closer  to the shrine. She grabbed the gem and cleared  her thoughts.

She slowed and deepened  her breath while closing her eyes. This was the easiest way to do it.

"Sweetheart, I don't wanna break your heart, but you know  this will go as well as it did for me."her mom's words echoed in Willana's mind.

"No, mom, times have changed. I'm sure I can do it."

Mom's voice echoed in her head again."Unlikely, but I'll be there for regardless of  what happens. You know that, right?"

"Thanks, mom! It's time for me to go."she grabbed the gem and put it in her pocket.

No time for lunch this time. She thought.

She was already  at the door when she remembred. She left her mirror at the shrine table. "Of course, I forgot…" She clicked her tongue as  she went back for the mirror. The mirror reflected her   freckled, yellow-eyed face for a moment. She put the gem and the mirror into her leather bag and stormed out.

Walking at a fast pace, she passed by the blood  shop, where  people ould buy blood stones. A few streets beyond that, the testing field  of the magic academy  was hosting entrance exams. It was a huge grassy field. There, she stood in line. Most of the participants  had at least one blood  stone  on their arm , stomach, or forehead, but mostly on the arms. Some had them  as a part of their clothes, or weapons, usually a staff or a wand. Some time passed and it was her turn. The  instructors sat at a table  with  2 vases and a candle. One with water, and one with dirt.

Most of the initiating  students could only control a  drop of water  or a tiny speck of dirt.

"Where are your blood stones?"the instructors asked in unison. 

"I don't have them, I don't need them." she stood proudly.

The whole area roared with laughter.

"This is not that kind of establishment."said the instructors.

"What's next, are you  gonna pull out tarot cards?" someone in the crowd mocked her.

Her eyes teared up a little.Her face was tomato red.

"Let her try it at least." A guy  with  a bloodstone in his sword said.

The instructors groaned. "As if we should listen  to a  man who has already  failed two times." the bald one  answered.

"Sure. One chance. That is all you get." said the long haired instructor in a robe.

Baldie gave him a dirty look.

Willana grabbed the opportunity by the throat and pulled out  her mirror and gem. She held the gem  in her left hand and mirror in the right.

She shouted with her eyes closed.

Spirits of the dead, hear me!

Bovuu na heer, reaper of souls

Kazaana, the one who  watches over the dead, 

And Belina, you who  hold the barrier between death and life, 

help me bind my mother to me. Let her out!

Slowly, her mother started  coming out of the mirror while the gem turned dark purple.

"It's been so long since I've been out."her mother said.

"Is that it?" the bald instructor asked.

The candle was blown out  as Willana's mother  came closer to the table. She grabbed  the vase with water and  drenched the bald instructor with it.

" It's been a while, can't believe you haven't croaked yet. I see you're still a closed minded asshole. Also, no one makes my daughter cry!"she shouted.

The  bald instructor looked pissed.

"Assaulting an instructor certainly won't help you.And I'm afraid that even if we  let you in, the higher ups would not." the instructor wearing a robe explained.

Willina  realized where that  was going. Quick to be disappointed,  she made a gesture with her hand in the air that looked like a v and a circle and muttered some words. She turned around to leave as  her mom was pulled back into the soul gem, turning it pink again.

Exactly once she left the area, the guy with the sword  stopped her.

"You were really cool back there." he praosed her.

She smiled." Thanks, but that's not gonna enroll me into the academy."

" Well, I'll probably fail again, if that makes you feel any better. A goofy expression sat on his face, his dark brown eyes closed and thin lips contorted into a grin.

"Good luck with that, you'll need it." she said.

" I'll see you around!" he shouted. 

"Belina's street!"she shouted back.

I'm running out of money.She thought. Maybe I should sell my blood  to  the blood gem factory. Let's go to the blood bank and draw some blood.

The blood bank was near the academy so she  was there by foot in   5 minutes.