The Day Of The Test Has Come

I decided to pretended not to hear anything, but deep down I know, that it will still bother me during my training. "I can do this. No matter what anyone says, I can do this." I tell myself as I use the same lame spell that flops every time. "Firebolt."

KABOOM!

The result was still the same. I went rolling on the ground, I was still bothered by shat I heard earlier so I decided to stop my training for today.

"Thankfully I did not get any injuries this time." I sigh in relief as I lean against the tree and stare at the skies. "The test will be held in the next few days. If what they said is true, then it will be difficult this time around but that will not stop me." A smile crept on my face as I hope to see what the Tower Masters has added to the test.

"Mark! You should go and apologize to William yourself, you can't have father do the apology for your actions all the time." Hannah calls out to Mark, he decided to lock himself inside his room after what happened with William. "......."

"Mark?" Hannah reached out to the doorknob and realized the door was open the entire time, just as she was about to open the door, Mark walks out of his room with a withered face like he had cried the entire night.

"Do you think it felt good for me? I feel awful. William is my friend, what kind of friend would I be if I let him be in danger?" he asked with a sharp gaze and left.

"Mark? –" she watches her brother leave the house in silence. "I was inconsiderate of his feelings. I should have realized that he must have felt awful for what he did." Hannah clenched her fist for not being able to realize Mark's feelings from the beginning.

"Just let him be for now. You know Mark has his way of apologizing." Her mother comforted her as she felt the tension between the siblings. "It's all my fault. I did not manage to understand how he felt about the incident. I lashed at him and even slapped him. I'm a horrible sister." Hannah then proceeds to cry and her mother comforts her.

Meanwhile, Mark walked his way toward the field where William is doing his daily training and finds it peaceful. The sound of explosions from the failed recreation of the basic fire spell did not reach his ears. "Did he rest for the day?" he thought to himself as he looks around and failed to find William.

"Is he in their house?" he asked himself. "What brings you here, Mark? Looking for me?" William called out to him hanging from the branches of the tree. "You look awful like you cried the entire night." He added. Mark composed himself and look up to William and said, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. That spell did nothing to harm me after all so don't feel bad." Mark looks at William sternly as if he is taking his apology so easily as if nothing serious happened. William knows this and added, "It's understandable. If I were in your shoes I would do the same, especially for my friend if that is the only way for him to understand the danger and possibly prevent him from getting hurt. But the thing is, if you are also in my shoes, you would have done the same thing I did."

William then climbs down the tree and pats his friend's shoulder. "I'm really sorry, Mark. I know I am being unreasonable but I still stand by what I want. I will join the test." Mark's expression turned grim as he looks at William. "Are you sure about that? Even if it means hurting your own family?"

William nods his head, "I have hurt them countless times, hurting them again will not make any difference." Mark breathes deeply as flames covered his hands. "Very well then, if you are that stubborn and as a friend, this is the best help I can give. Let's spar, the test will involve a spar this year."

William smiles after finally getting sparring lessons from a friend that has a fire nature. William gladly accepted the offer.

A few days later and the day of the test arrives. People from all over the region come to their town for the test.

"I heard you have been helping William in his training. How did it go?" Mark's father asked him. "I can't disclose that. He wants it to be a shock for everyone." Mark responded. His father looks at him and then smiles. "Well, I look forward to it then. To think that my son who has been trying to change his friend's mind would help him in some way."

After their brief exchange, his father went to greet the participants of this year's test.

"I hope this year would be different but I honestly don't think that will be easy." He said to himself with a worried tone. "Especially this year, I heard countless Prime Mages are waiting to be confirmed. It would be a great threat to what William is about to do." He cannot hide his worry and then went to look for his friend.

"This year's participants look promising. There were rumors about Prime Mages in our region. I hope to see them in action this time." An old man with a beard said to Mark's father. "I heard about it as well. It's a shock. Prime Mages don't just appear out of nowhere, but then again, they will be a blessing to our region." He replied with a smile.

At the same time as Hannah is helping her mother behind the stage, a young man approached her. "Hello, my lady. May I have the honor of knowing your name?" a young man with perfect body proportion asked with a smile.

Hannah feels dreaded upon his approach and stares at him sternly. "This is the first time that I have seen him. He doesn't look like a 10-year-old to me. We look more like the same age, maybe he skipped the tests all those years ago?" she thought to herself as the young man doesn't seem to retrieve his hands before Hannah shakes them.