The Test

Three silvers were more than Ares would earn in two months; how could he not try it today. He let Charlie lead him through the areas to the centre of the square. A huge obelisk easily 4 stories high was stood in the centre of the square. There was a small crowd to the front and a short queue to its side. Most of the people at the recruiting day had already been tested so there weren't many in the queue. When he was forced into the line by Charlie only two people were in front of him.

There was a short elderly man by the obelisk, he had a hunched back and a long straggly beard. He seemed to be wearing some old worn silver robes which were threadbare and mostly grey now. In his hand was a knobbly walking stick.

"Next" he shouted gesturing at a female at the front of the line. The girl walked up standing next to the old man. She was stood between two waist height silver spheres which seemed to be floating.

"Age?" The old man asked.

"12 Sir" the girl answered.

"Place your hands on the spheres" The old man ordered.

The young girl was clearly from a poor background judging from her simple looks and cheap clothes, she was shaking as she placed her hands on the spheres next to her.

The obelisk behind her began to glow ever so slightly turning green a faint outline of a vine also entwined its way up the obelisk.

The girl took her hands off and the obelisk turned quickly stopped glowing.

"Talent rating 3 suitable magic of plants. Earth guilds are in the west of the square." The old man seemed disinterested.

The girl looked ecstatic that she had potential and after thanking the old man and with a huge smile headed off towards the west of the square.

Ares could hear a conversation between the male in front of him and another group waiting by the side.

"look at the pathetic trash that are here today, she was happy about a 3. What a pathetic waste of space. I pity the trash that those second-rate guilds have to deal with" Ares could see the group the young man were speaking too were nodding their heads and laughing at the young girl a look of distain on their faces.

"Next." The old man gestured.

Having only seen the young man from behind Ares got his first view of him. A regal looking young man with a hook nose took the space. He wore a clearly expensive purple robe trimmed in gold and had a seemingly permanent sneer on his face.

"Age?" the old man asked again.

"13, Watch a real mages talent" he commented placing his hands onto the spheres before even being told to.

The obelisk instantly lit up, it wasn't bright but it was easily much brighter then the young girl from before. It also had a black snake entwining around the base of the obelisk.

The young man took his hands off the spheres and grinned maliciously to himself.

"Nice one Lance" a young girl shouted from his group.

The elderly man seemed slightly surprised.

"Talent rating of 7, and a very rare suitable magic of conjuration. I suggest the dark guild; young master Lance was it."

Lance seemed to not even care for the rating and didn't respond to the elderly man, instead he made his way to the group and turned to look at Ares.

It seemed Lance wasn't going to leave.

Charlie was still close to Ares and quickly explained the rules before he had to go up.

"The obelisk is a remnant from the ancients no-one knows how it works but the most anyone has been evaluated on talent was an 9. There hasn't been anyone over 9 in the last 100 years. The sign that appears shows what magic is best suited for you." Having heard this Ares already realised that getting a 6 like Charlie was already amazing a level 7 clearly meant that Lance was talented.

"Next" the old man gestured to Ares.

Ares made his way up to the obelisk and stood between the spheres.

"Another pathetic piece of trash, how did a piece of waste like this even make it into the square." Lance spoke loudly and even from the back of the crowd his voice carried.

Ares was angry but this sort of treatment was something he was so familiar with he didn't even change his expression.

"Don't worry about him Ares just do your best!" Another voice sounded. Ares quickly glanced around and saw Charlie grinning from the side. Ares felt a fondness for Charlie, he didn't even know him and he was speaking up for him.

"Look that trash has a friend, shame the friend looks like a half dead gargoyle." Lances voice once again carried through the crowd.

This time Charlie quietened and his face went red his scar turning a mottled purple. Ares could feel anger rising in his chest.

"Age?" the old man asked ignoring the crowds.

"13 Sir" Ares replied.

"Place your hands on the spheres" The old man continued.

Ares placed his hands on either sphere and shut his eyes.

There was a strange coolness to the spheres. He zoned out of the area and the voices of the crowds turned into silence. There was a strange pulling feeling inside his body before a slight burning in his palm. The spheres then became hotter and hotter and instinctively he pulled his hands away and opened his eyes.

The silence continued and there were no sounds the crowd seemed to be frozen. Ares turned and looked at the old man.

The old man's mouth was slightly open and he remained silent.

"What's happened?" Ares asked glancing around, people had begun to move but they were still not talking.

The old man stammered.

"Talent level..." he took a deep breath before again glancing at the obelisk

"10." He looked at Ares with a glimmer in his eye.

The rest of the crowd instantaneously burst into chatter. At the back of the group was a group of well-dressed men and women. In this group Lance had a particularly disgusting look on his face as he heard the outcome.

"This pathetic piece of trash dares to outperform me, Blake find out everything you can about him." He ordered a close friend.

"Your suitable magic is space magic." The old man seemed slightly dejected at this outcome. The old man seemed to hesitate before adding.

"If you wish to join either the light or dark guilds I can put a word in for you, even if your suitable magic is not ideal; with your talent level whichever guild you join you are likely to rise far." He seemed to particularly like Ares and this offer was not something that anyone had been given so far.

"Thankyou sir for your kind intentions, I may soon take you up on that offer however I wish to explore the different magics before choosing." Ares replied genuinely grateful for the offer. Inside he was in a state of shock about his talent level although his face did not display it.