Unexpected encounter (Lotus flame)
_Ten years ago_
A little boy with a long white hair dressed in tatters and covered in blood, which flowed from his forehead, was walking across the street and from his dirty and blood stained cloth paired with his dull eyes and the lost look on his face it could be inferred that he has no idea whatsoever of what is going on or where he is. And as he was wandering around the street, many looked at him with either disgust or pity but none cared to attend to him at all.
At dusk he sat at a corner outside a small restaurant, with his stomach furiously grumbling, staring into the restaurant in hope that he would be fed. But was rather met with a cold shower of peppery water and curses.
Many days has passed and he was still lost and hungry, with no one to care for him, no memory of who he is and no home to return. Everything and everyone has forsaken him. He is no one and has no one. And soon enough he couldn't walk anymore and just lie on the ground by a corner, waiting for the only relief from all his pain - death.
He didn't know how long it has been but could hear some approaching sound and was lifted by someone and carried into a room. And by the time he came to, he found himself on a bed, bathed and dressed.
" Finally awake. How are you doing?" a voice rang out starling him.
"What's your name lad?" he could see an old man looking at him with concern, firmly holding his hand. His name? He doesn't have any idea.
Looking at the boy who seems to have no clue about his questions. The man took him to the dinning room and served him food which he ate ravenously before he soundly slept off.
The next day he was taken to the city clinic where it was confirmed that he has no memory at all and after weeks of searching for any one who might be related with no result he was officially tagged Richard Roe. But the old man took him in, cared for him, told him stories of legends, bought him books to read, sang lullaby while holding his hand telling him all will be well. And for a time he believed so. And it was so for four years. He finished his elementary school with a high grade, but was told that although he has a bright mind, his talent was lousy. He's got no future as a mage and as a warrior, his feeble physique is a liability. He is useless. And in that same year, the old man died. All was lost. No happily ever after.
_Present time_
"Pink light, that's incredible"
"Doesn't that make seven lights change"
"Oh in all my years, I have never heard of this."
"Yes me too, a trash that bested the bests. Incredible. Unbelievable."
...
"That's surprising. What do you think is happening, Randolph?"
"Let's just say he has a higher level of insight."
"But will he pose a problem?"
"Not the current him."
...
"Who is that?" Almond asked
"I think he is called Richard Roe" the boy named Scott answered.
"Another unknown piece. Humph"
...
"Impossible! What is happening Agnes?" One of the archmages asked the woman called Agnes who seems to be contemplating the possible cause of what is happening right in front of their eyes.
"I am not entirely sure." She answered after a moment of silence. "As we all know that this painting comes from that place and is considered to be a crystalization of magical laws and to be able to pass the third test you have to be well versed in the laws." She added.
"Yes we are well aware of that. But shouldn't the maximum number of colour change attainable be six."
"Let me ask this. What separate a magus of the sixth order from the preceding orders?" Agnes asked.
"The formation of a core seed." The other two mages answered.
"Yes, but what makes them form a core seed exactly?" she asked again.
"Enlightenment on the law!" They answered with bulging eyes which shows that they now understand what she is hinting at.
"Yes exactly. If the six colour change is about how well versed you are about the laws, the seventh colour change is therefore the test of enlightenment about a particular law." She said with sparkling eyes which clearly shows how thrilling and incredible her discovery is to her.
"So are you saying he is already a magus of the sixth order." They asked with a complicated expression.
" Of course not. The highest any of them can be is a high magus of the third order. But he sure has a very high perception of the law. But - sigh" she said as her countenance alternated from being happy to disappointed.
"But what?"
"It remains that he has a very low talent and a poor physique. What a pity."
...
Oblivious to all that was happening and all the various kind of evaluations. Richard was intoxicated with the marvellous feeling he is having. Unlike whatever any one was theorizing, he could feel that whatever is happening is something cause by his body and not him. He could feel something awakening in his blood as he felt it matching the lotus's breath and then everything went dark.
...
He opened his eyes and look around. This is not Realmsgate not Fegnar. This is a world at its END.
Meteors crashing; Smokes and flames; Cracks in the ground; Mountains splitting; Lava overflowing; This is the Apocalypse.
Yet at the center of this world lies a towering giant totally asleep. Maybe he was unaware of what was going on or had just determined to ignore the destruction ongoing. He was in a deep slumber.
Looking at the giant more keenly, he found that his features was divided I to two parts; a half was white and a half was dark including his hair, part white and black.
And moreso, he could feel that the giant was breathing not just with his nostrils but with all of his body.
And suddenly, with thunder and lightning, from the sky came huge flames of destruction which headed directly to the white side of the giant and slowly the flames began to take form. And soon it took the form of a lotus branding itself into the skin of the slumbering giant.
...
Waking up, he found himself still in the third room. The enshrouding glow gone and the lotus had stopped spinning. He could feel a searing pain on his chest and could see a red lotus shaped flame imprint. He stood up and left the room and soon his details were displayed.
Name Richard Roe
Age 16
Origin Unknown
Status Admitted
Evaluation: F class
" Whoa he was admitted, who would have thought he would have been"
"Considering his legendary feat there's no way the academy would give up on him."
"Yeah but F class why not E class. We all know of E class but what's an F class?"
" Maybe it their way of making up for his earlier failure in the first two section. Nonetheless he is just a trash with a devil's luck."
"Yeah I think you are right. Since even D class and E class are prone to failing the academy's requirements later on. He will have to drop out later on. This is just giving his luck face."
"Yes that is definitely the case. Giving him some face."
...
The Archmage Agnes came up the stage and everyone quieted down to listen to what she has to say.
"We thank you all for your cooperation and support and for being patient. And we would like to inform you that we are glad with the good seedlings we have this year full of potential and surprises. We would also like to inform you candidates that this was just a test of potential and it has little to do with your future. Who you later turn out to be solely depends on your choice and effort. There is no absolute." She said while exuding that aura of a leader, of magnificence.
" And before we sum up today's event, we would announce the overall statistics."
" A total of one hundred and fifty candidates took part in the exercise and their evaluation are as follows:
Mid A class - 2 candidates
Lower A class - 3 candidates
Upper B class - 8 candidates
Mid B class - 15 candidates
Lower B class - 18 candidates
Upper C class - 15 candidates
Mid C class - 25 candidates
Lower C class - 33 candidates
D class - 20 candidates
E class - 10 candidates
F class - 1 candidate."
" And that sums up this admission exercise. All candidates are to return in two weeks time for take off. Therefore use this period to say your byes and pay your respects to whom it is due and prepare for the new world at hand. Goodbye and see you in two weeks time."