The energies collided, bursting back and almost rupturing the veins in the puzzle before Kai managed to calm them down.
'I need to find a way to have the mana pass through each other without interrupting either flow.' He gritted his teeth, slowly working the mana through, each second was tense. A small backlash in the energies could ruin his progress in seconds.
A minute ticked by, Then another—
Finally it clicked, mana rushing through.
'I did it!'
A path of crisscrossing mana swirled like a vortex, flowing around and through each other. As the energy reached the end of the path it stopped. Now two glowing orbs of energy were welled up inside the cube. His mana channels ached from the strain of such fine manipulation, and his core felt a bit pinched as well. So he put down the cube and leaned against a row of seats watching the other participants.
Each cube was different, the last 25 were specialized for specific elements, but Kai was nowhere near that level yet. Only those with delicate control could pass, and even then, most Casters didn't bother threading all four paths.
A girl with pink hair had just finished her last cube as well, -47- the highest in the class. She came up to him and stretched out her hand for a hand shake. Kai tried to respond but before he could even move his arm all the way his hand snapped to hers like a magnet.
Weird, is this a… test?' He pushed against the mana, dissolving the magnetic energies. She frowned, confused. Before striking up a conversation.
"I saw your number, 25, that's very impressive for an augmenter, if you keep it up you'll be better than most casters."
He smiled, accepting the compliment and adding one of his own– "Yes, but 47 is very high as well, you're almost at the midpoint of the class already."
The girl let go of his hand before speaking. "I'm Mayara Polly, I'm a Caster."
While Kai already knew, it was still common courtesy to introduce one's magic path during introductions.
"Kai, no last name, Augmenter."
She smiled. "Nice to meet you Kai." Scratching her chin she asked, "Do you have any friends?"
Kai's smile faded- 'What the– this brat.' —aloud, "Yes… I have friends."
"Who are they?" She leaned in expectantly, her large, round, rose-colored eyes stared into his soul.
"Uhm… Jilas Wynn-"
The girl made a weird face as Kai went on.
"Valencia Baln—"
"Also Valencia Balnayara?" The scrunched face changed into one of disgust. "Those two… really? Guess you're different than I thought, a weirdo and a narcissist. That's an interesting friend group."
Kai looked her up, and then down. Frilly pink caster robes, curly pink hair, light skin, pink eyes….
'Pink, Pink, Pink…' His face twisted. 'I'm a freak magnet!'
"Hey! What are you thinking?" The girl in front of him glared and frowned. "You're thinking something stupid aren't you."
Kai shook his head, solemnly accepting his fate.
'I'm a loser…'
"Hey! I'm talking to you."
—
Laying on his bed the young man opened a letter, the one he had received this morning.
-Dear Kai, I hope this letter finds you well. I know you can't write so I'm not expecting one back–
Congratulations on your stellar performance, I heard all about it from my good friend at the academy, he even said that he teaches one of your classes! That's so exciting~ Anyways, you did extremely well and should be very proud of yourself.
Something came to my attention however. The High Priest of Wind has shown interest in you, so we'll be visiting the capitol during your break. It'll be after your midterms in a few months so you have something to look forward to. I hope you're doing okay… With everything, I know it's been hard.—
Kai smiled to himself. 'Yeah Sylv I'm doing just fine…'
-Ps. I hope you find friends…- His smile dropped. So much for feeling all warm and fuzzy.
'Man– why does everyone think I'm such a loner!' Shaking his head he reset his mind, thinking about the future.
'A few months of grueling training are in order… I have to be in top shape for midterms, and I absolutely, cannot, fail the written exam this time.'
Stretching his legs he tucked the letter under his pillow, showered, and undressed to get into bed.
—
Somewhere across the academy a Pink haired girl scribbled absentmindedly on a piece of paper. The crystal next to her rang and she picked it up, hearing a voice in her head.
"Mayara, have you found anything out?"
She scowled at the stone before answering.
"Yes, he's a loner, with no notable friends to speak of."
A curt pause, and then-
"Very well, continue your job, and do it properly. You know, father is watching you closely."
The irritated frown deepened, her beautiful features losing composure.
"Fine."
She dropped the stone onto her desk, cutting the mana off. Sitting there, head in her hands ripping at her loose curls, Mayara was distraught. Her father's hand– she could still remember the firm guiding warmth it placed on her shoulder when she left for the Academy.
However that warmth was purely physical, everything she got emotionally from him was ice cold. Silent threats of disappointment, she hated them– not just the task, but her entire lineage as well.
'I really don't want to do this.'
—
A crystal rang, and a boy with silver eyes picked it up. "Yes?"
The voice on the other end of the stone shouted angrily,
"You only tied in the entrance exam! With that much power you should be able to subjugate the entire first class with your teeth alone– you've failed while barely even starting.' The voice turned sinister, growing in momentum. "We've invested so much into you, do NOT prove our efforts WASTED."
The connection shattered and Vaelric could only sigh.
He turned back to the window and continued channeling his mana, the veins in his hair brightening, strands glowing with an ethereal blue. Vaelric had made the right choice, tying with Kai allowed him to progress in the future, it gave him a drive.
'I don't care what they say. I'll just get stronger and win next time.' His silver eyes opened, a grim look of resolve settling over his face.
He wouldn't—no, he couldn't—lose to anyone.
—
Three mentors, three students, three fates intertwined.
—
A crown of cast iron, completely black and pitted– brutal cold steel. Slender hands, stark white like the fleece of a sheep, gripped the armrests of a throne made of stone. A smiling Man sat upon that throne, His teeth far too numerous to count…
'Oh yes, let us see where this will lead.'
His face twists as he throws his head back, laughing until his lungs catch, a wracking cough escaping his lips. A trickle of blood, a red so deep it was almost black, ran down the Man's face.