7 The Test

"Shall we begin." Shawn said from the shadows and instantly the whole area turned into dense forest with the students in the middle. "Is this illusion magic?" Melwen asked Ethan. "No, this is one of the powers of this combat area; the ability to shape shift into any locations the teacher suggests." Ethan explained. "Argh." One students shouted and fell to the ground. "It has started." Ethan stated and took his stance; the void's edge. 

A stance where the user stands motionless, holding the sword vertically infront of their face, with both hands on the hilts. Their eyes are also closed as if meditating. "My instinct alone is okay." Ethan said to himself with his eyes still closed. "Argh." Other students shouted as they kept getting eliminated easily. 

"I'm doing this." Lorcan said and then manifested his lexicon. Slowly the temperature of the environment became colder. Lorcan's lexicon was influenced by ice. In spite of all the students just awakening their lexicons two days ago. Lorcan was an Amethyst rank in ice magic. Amethyst rank was the fourth ranking in the general ranking of elements users. There were five general elements users ranks and they were; Quartz, Amethyst, Sapphire, Ruby and Diamond with Diamond being the highest and Quartz being the lowest. Being able to reach the Amethyst rank in such a short period also gained Lorcan some respect which helped him gain the assistant class representative position in class.

"Here I go." Lorcan said and formed a double-edged sword with pure ice ready to fend off any harm that came their way. Instantly, Shawn appeared behind him in attempt to punch him but just before he could do so Ethan also ran behind him with his sword ready to hit Shawn. Shawn turned quickly and side stepped, dodging the attack effortlessly and disappeared again. 

Right after Shawn had disappeared, a bear roaring angrily came out. It was as if it had had enough of the noise the students were making and wanted them to leave. That bear isn't going to spare anyone that got into it's territory." Shawn said from the shadows once more. "Then that means we must defeat it." Andrew Scott, a muscular boy with a gym-toned body and a strong jawline said and rushed towards the beast with two double-bit axe which was engulfed in flames. "Blazing cleave." Andrew said and swung his axe at the bear unleashing a wide arc of fiery energy, which cleaved through the bear with ease in an instant and reducing it to ash. "That's awesome." some of the students said in amazement. "No matter whether it is victory or defeat never let your guard down." Shawn said as he appeared behind Andrew with his dagger about to give Andrew a cut. 

"No way!" Ethan shouted as he blocked the attack for Andrew and pushed Shawn backwards. Shawn backstepped quickly and disappeared again. "Don't let it get over in your head someone without a lexicon can never be the one to save a lexicon user." Andrew snarled and pushed Ethan who fell straight on his back. "Unnecessary arguments can cause you your life in battles." Shawn said and appeared once more, slashing Andrew at his back. "A wasted effort." Shawn said as Andrew got teleported out of the illusionary space. "Woo! That was close." Shawn said right after he had backstepped to evade Ethan's sweeping cut. "Got you." Lorcan said with a smile as Shawn saw himself standing in an ice magic circle which instantly froze him.

"Let me give him the finishing blow." Emily Morgan, a slim and athletic girl, with long legs and toned arms said as she teleported next to the frozen Shawn to give him a cut. "I think I told you, right? Never let your guard down." Shawn said and slashed Emily's gear on the right arm. "Impossible, I froze him." Lorcan said in disappointment. "That was just the afterimage of my phantom pace. I've been holding back my speed all this while." Shawn said proudly and dashed towards Piper. "Show me some power of yours." Shawn said eagerly as got to Piper and slashed her across the chest. But instantly Piper disappeared, "Got you." Piper said from behind Shawn. "Shadow incarnate." Piper said. The "shadow incarnate" was just a clone of Piper acting as if it was her real body and was just a trap to lure Shawn in and it actually worked . Piper raised her hand in attempt to cut Shawn from the back using her cloak blade, a hidden blade concealed within a shadowy cloak. "Too slow." Shawn said and roll dodged Piper's attack but instantly appeared infront of her again almost immediately.

"I won't allow it." Dylan Ward, a lean and wiry boy with quick reflexes and an agile stance stance said as he swung his double-edged sword at Shawn unleashing an arc of sharp wind energy forcing Shawn to move back. "Thanks, Dylan." Piper said and dashed straightforward at Shawn with Lorcan also attacking him from the back. "This is our only chance. Let's do it." Piper commanded the rest of her classmates attack.

"Wooden chain." Blake Murphy, a slightly lanky boy with long legs and a casual slouch said, as he thrusted what seemed to be a single-edge wooden sword into the ground. Although the sword was wooden, its durability was at the level of steel. A lexicon manifested next to Murphy looking like it was carved out of a tree bark and the "wooden chain" skill as the name suggests created a loop of wooden chains from the earth that headed towards Shawn right after it erupted from the ground in attempt to bind him. But Shawn's speed was still too high for them as he dodged the wooden chains and cut them down with his black dagger.

Unfortunately, right after Shawn landed on the ground after dodging an attack from Piper, four more wooden chains erupted from the ground instantly and got hold of both his hands and feet rendering him immobile. "You got him." Melwen said, waiting for this moment as she watched from above sitting on a branch of a tree. Quickly, her fire phoenix lexicon manifested and she drew out the fire bow. Aiming at Shawn, "Phoenix shot." Melwen said and shot a fire arrow at Shawn. "Good grief. I'll not want to show off my power but that arrow must not touch me." Shawn said as he broke free of the wooden chains and got out of the way before the arrow could make contact with him. "That was close. That's it for today." Shawn said as he congratulated the rest of the students around him.

The forest also disappeared and they were back to the real enchanted combat arena. Out of a class of forty-five students only nine students were able to defend themselves against Shawn's attacks. "So now, since only nine students were left standing. We will be creating groups of five and the nine students will be your leaders." Shawn announced to the students. "Now, Ethan, Melwen, Lorcan, Piper, Dylan, Murphy, Hale, Isabella and Abigail step forward. These are your nine elites students of Class 1 - B. You may form the groups with who you like." Shawn said and stood at the back of the nine students.

"I wouldn't like to be in the team of Ethan." Lily said and cringed. Lily Sanders was an average height girl, with round face and soft features and with a friendly air but didn't want destroy her reputation to be walking with a non lexicon user. "I'm sorry for how I spoke with you during the test." Andrew said to Ethan apologetically. "Well, I'll be joining your group." Andrew said again. "Really, you'll join my group." Ethan was amazed Andrew actually wanted to join his group because he was sure Andrew really hated him for some unknown reasons. "I hope you give our group the best name." Clara Ramsey, a medium build girl, slightly curvy, with a welcoming smile said as she joined Andrew.

"You're also willing to join?" Ethan asked. "Yes, if Melwen has been able to cope with you then so can I." Clara said whiles smiling at Melwen who frowned back. "Uh, Clara do you have any connections with her?" Ethan asked. "Yes, she is my best friend and my rival. Anytime she is not with you she is with me." Clara said proudly. "I see. Let's work together then." Ethan welcomed Andrew and Clara. "But, I don't want to be the only girl in this group." Clara shrugged. 

"If I may ask can we join this group?" Daisy Hughes, an average height girl, slim with a vibrant energy and quick movements asked. "Uh... Do you mean me?" Ethan asked which made Daisy a little bit shy. "Of course, she meant us?" Clara said and pulled Daisy to her side. "You're welcome to, uh... Well, we don't have a name for the group yet. But we'll name it later." Clara explained. "Thank you for having me." Daisy said in slight bowing position.

Ethan was flustered about the situation of some people choosing his group over the other eight groups and had wanted to question them especially Andrew. "Why would someone as strong as Andrew want to join his group?" He thought. "Uh... Why did you guys choose my group over the others? You could've become more stronger with those having lexicons." Ethan said thinking what was coming next was going to be a slap that he hid his face. "Well being able to save me from Sir Shawn today is no small feat." Andrew remarked. "Put those questions aside. I've watched you closely and it seems you're the closest to Sir Shawn." Clara stated after her keen observation of Shawn and Ethan for the past days they've been in school.

"Well, I just take Shawn to be my uncle since I've actually been closer to him since elementary school life." Shawn said scratching the back of his head. "Elementary school?" All his group mates exclaimed. "Well take that as sharing my first secret with you." Ethan said.