Chapter 49 - Final Exam
In Aegis' room, a few hours before the Final Exam was set to commence.
"Mother, why can't I become a soldier?" she asked, pacing around the room.
Urusla, who sat on the bed, chuckled as she explained that her status as a princess made it seem unfit for her to fight for the kingdom, saying that a princess such as Aegis must stay in the castle until a strong prince came and swept her off her feet.
"Hmph!" Aegis huffed, realizing she had no say in her life, feeling quite irritated.
***
In the throne room, preparations for the final exam were underway.
"I have finished the needles, Reiki." Gyotan said as he presented a medium-sized box to Reiki.
In each exam, in order to become one with the dragon, needles made from drakonite were implanted in the forehead of the children which served as a means of sending them into the Dragon Realm; this method was brought into being with Gyotans innovation.
Taking the box and looking inside, there were an uncountable number red needles of a rather wide girth.
***
Hours passed and the courtyard began to fill with townspeople, all who had brought their now fifteen year old children to take the final test and be truly called Dragon Hosts.
Kotai and Rikka were one of the first to enter, they walked side-by-side with Ichika in the middle; her katana sheathed at her side. One could surely see that she had not only been growing wonderfully as a woman, but growing well as a warrior; The usual playful expression she wore on her face was now replaced with a serious glare, as if she was ready to fight anyone who irritated her.
Rin and Mao arrived a while after with Aiko. Carrying her spear as if it was a walking stick, her expression was hard to read, most likely due to her many personalities waiting to be triggered; her personality disorder proved quite easy to handle, given the fact that each of her personas went by the name 'Aiko'. In terms of her growth, she too was maturing into a woman properly (in exception of her chest). As a warrior, however, she was average.
"Welcome!" Lancelot greeted as soon as the courtyard was full, "I am pleased to see that each of you have trained well! Today's exam will be quite short!"
"As we do every time, the children will be struck in the head with these drakonite needles, which will be done by my second advisor, Reiki! So with no further delay, let us begin, clear the centre of the courtyard! Children, please take the lotus position!"
As soon as the order was given, the crowd followed suit. The remaining children then proceeded to sit cross-legged on the courtyard grounds, some nervous while some were neutral.
After all the children were seated, Reiki took out the box of needles from a pouch, the parents looked at her in awe as she floated above them. She carefully counted the number of needles to match the children; holding thirty needles in her palm, she activated her clairvoyance.
As her eyes flashed yellow, she directed the silver dust to her hand, coating each needle with it; she then raised her hand, and with a quick throw, tossed all the needles. Each of them separated as they flew through the air, striking every child in-between their eyes with precise accuracy.
"Now we wait…" Lancelot muttered.
***
In the dragon realm, Daichi and Mizuko were having separate conversations simultaneously.
"Hmm, So you're the girl who awakened my element, cute." Mizuko stated to both girls at the same time.
She quickly imprinted her spirits on the girls, giving them the character for water on their backs before permitting them to leave.
"When you girls get back to the world of the living, go to Lancelot so he can perform a 'force link', I'd like to talk to him." Mizuko suggested before she released the girls.
Immediately after Aiko and Ichika regained consciousness, all the other participants did as well. They all pulled the needles from their foreheads while wincing.
"It was a success," Reiki stated as she surveyed every child with her clairvoyance, "The limiters on their dragon force has been broken."
Lancelot smiled as cleared his throat, preparing to relay this information to the crowd.
"This concludes the final part of the exam! Each child here today can proudly be called Dragon Hosts from now on! You can all leave now and rest well, children!"
After a cheer, the crowd slowly decreased in density, leaving only the parents of Aiko and Ichika who stayed back; both pairs of parents were informed of what Mizuko had said and as such, they stopped Lancelot from re-entering the kingdom.
"I see, come to the throne room," Lancelot said after he was informed.
***
On top of the castle, Urusla was knelt down, her robes fluttered in the breeze as she released her human disguise, showing her demonic form in all it's ruthlessness.
Noticing the crowd walking down the different castle roads, she decided it was her time to strike. Putting her arms in front of her in a loose clasp, she generated a ball to jade energy; It gave off an energy so ominous, it would make a normal human throw up.
As the ball grew, it became unable to fit in her clasp so she raised it above her head, where it continued growing until it was twice her size; she then released the energy mass at full force into the skies.
Everyone in the kingdom saw the ball fly towards the sky and stopped anything they were up to, watching in both awe and fear. Lancelot and Reiki had looks of suspicion as the ball showed no sign of stopping.
Then…
*BOOM~*