~030 Mage Ascension Exam V The Exam Takes a Turn (Part Three)

003…

 002… 

001…

000… 

BANG!!!

A thunderous bell echoed across the arena like a war drum announcing the end of carnage.

Davi slowly opened his eyes. 

The dense fog that once veiled the Illusion Maze faded into shimmering threads of nothingness, revealing the brutal aftermath of the trial.

Bodies were scattered across the maze like discarded puppets some unmoving, others grotesquely twisted, and a few already beginning to decay.

Russell staggered forward, his eyes blank and haunted. His mind was replaying the events that unfolded in the maze like a loop.

"Did I really envy him that much? Could I really have killed Davi?" Russell thought.

The weight of guilt clung to his chest like iron chains.

As the bell's final note died, the remaining candidates who failed to overcome their inner demons were forcefully released from the illusion. 

A few collapsed in shock, coughing or sobbing uncontrollably.

Then they began to emerge those lucky or strong enough mentally to survive. 

Those who had succeeded in the Beast Taming Trial were reunited with their pets. 

Gravilis, bruised and battered, hobbled to Davi's side, purring softly as Davi stroked its fading scales almost non-extinct scales.

A few others barely made it out, like Gerald, the battle-scarred leader of the Red Rock Mercenaries, who stumbled out 22 minutes before the end.

Not everyone was so fortunate.

Loken Ani, a prodigy from Neighrad, was one of the unlucky ones. 

Despite taming a powerful B-Rank Mist Scorpion, his body trembled violently, his skin was ghostly pale, and his eyes held the trauma of unspeakable horrors.

The Mist Scorpion, sensing his distress, scuttled to his side and wrapped him protectively with its stinger.

It felt like the scorpion was saying… "Its alright master, I will protect you from harms way"

"He…hey, Bob," Loken whispered weakly, tears streaming down his cheeks as he buried his face into his companion's chitinous carapace reminiscing on the illusion.

"Should I have done that? Was that really worth it?" Loken thought as he reflected deeply.

***

From the mage's observatory platform above, the elders watched in somber silence.

"Haha… these young lads," Magic Master Rhogar Flintmane muttered, stroking his beard. 

"I wonder what trial he faced… especially that blind lad… his illusion wasn't visible to us."

"True," nodded Grandmaster Cael Von Meritus. 

"Even though he failed this test, that rare lightning element of his and the mist scorpion beast he tamed… it's more than enough to set him apart."

He paused, then added gravely, "Still, this year's exam… it's on another level entirely. Back in my time, our academy trials were mostly written tests… maybe a few mana elemental exams but that was it; no illusions, no beast taming, no danger!"

Lady Stacy, who had just joined the conversation, folded her arms. 

"Your time was peaceful. Ours is not. With war on the horizon and that place set to open, pushing them this hard is necessary." She responded.

One of the representatives from Glacier Hollow Academy, a pale magic master with frost lining her cloak, scoffed. 

"Why continue with the final test then? Isn't this enough?" She said.

Before Stacy could answer, Archon Alzareth spoke…his voice commanding and calm.

"Precisely why the last test must happen!"

Everyone turned to him.

"As many of you know, I am here as a representative of the International Council of Mages (ICM). While recruitment is a goal, it's not the true reason behind this exam."

A heavy silence followed.

"This year's Mage Ascension Exam is a global initiative. Across the continents, similar tests are underway" 

"The real purpose is the discovery and classification of newly awakened ability users especially those with dormant or rare elemental alignments. The illusion trial has already triggered two of such awakenings… and we expect more in the next."

Shock spread across the gathered masters. Even seasoned Grandmasters like Halvar and Frank showed visible alarm. Only Lady Stacy remained unmoved… she already knew.

Old Man Frank clenched his fists.

"So that's it… the ICM's true motive. Even with all my influence, I was kept in the dark. Damn it. I have to warn him before it's too late"

"And that boy… Davi not only is he growing far too fast but he should have begun to suspect me by now. If not for Alzareth, I'd have ended him already… and I still might, I just need the right opportunity but where do I find one?" He thought.

***

Meanwhile, below…

Russell's gaze had softened, and Davi was gently caressing Gravilis' skin.

Elsewhere, Nimue Arlen and Alyssia Vel Bluera had become fast friends. 

They laughed as if they hadn't just survived one of the deadliest exams in mage entrance exams in history.

Alyssia was petting her majestic A-Rank Eclipse Howler a snow white wolf hybrid she named Bluey. 

Nimue played with her other pet a smaller, D-Rank Groomling Fox with a playful nature and a shadow affinity. 

The fox clung to Nimue more than to its owner, its gray fur shimmering under the evident sunset.

"I love this one so much," Nimue giggled. 

"Have you named it yet?" She asked excitedly.

"No… not yet. Any ideas?" Alyssia asked.

Nimue grinned. 

"Hmm… How about Shadow?"

"That sounds perfect" Alyssia smiled, 

"Its fur really suits your dark energy…wait, wha… what's that?!"

She stopped mid-sentence.

Something was… changing.

Everyone felt it.

A wave of dark energy, heavy and intoxicating, began radiating from Nimue. 

It was dense, ancient, suppressive and unnatural. 

The Groomling Fox was drawn in instantly and so to was Gravilis.

The beasts didn't cower, they basked in the energy like moths drawn to a flame.

But others backed away in fear. 

Even some of the strongest beasts present whined and retreated like Bluey. 

The mages above stood, eyes wide.

Davi, still blind, could only hear the panic erupting around him.

"Gravilis?! Gravilis, where are you?!" he shouted, panic rising.

Russell rushed to his side amidst the panic, as he knelt beside him. 

"Something's happening. That girl is releasing some kind of dark force and your pet is heading toward her! Call it back it could be in real danger." Russell said out of worry.

Suddenly, the system rang in Davi's mind.

[Host pet Gravilis has discovered one of the subsets of Origin Energy in its impurest form!]

[Requirements met for healing Gravilis… Begin absorption of darkness origin to purge decay]

[Authority breached… unlocking restricted functions…]

[-Pet Skill Store: UNLOCKED]

[-Pet Skill: Beast Codex: UNLOCKED]

[Beast Codex: UNLOCKED]

[-Skill Technique]

[Class: Cultivation Technique]

[Name: Ninefold Dragon Nirvana]

[First Nirvana: Baptism in the Abyssal Spring]

[-Purifies core essence of impurities and tempers body]

[-Draws ambient Nen and elemental qi from surroundings]

[-Assimilates refined beast cores to accelerate evolution]

[Initiate "Baptism in the Abyssal Spring" on Gravilis to trigger healing?]

[Yes] / [No]

Davi's eyes widened. His hands trembled.

"YES! Do it!" he shouted.

Russell blinked. 

"Yes to what? Are you crazy? I just said your stupid pet might die call him back!"

"No! He's going to be healed… I can feel it, that energy is essential to him… whoever that girl is she is a blessing for Gravilis, he is meant to absorb that energy!"

The onlookers were stunned by his conviction. 

Then the system chimed again…

[Mission to heal Gravilis…]

[Status: Cancelled!]

[Commencing Transfer: 2%... 29%... 53.5%... 71%... 99%... 100%]

[Gravilis has inherited Ninefold Dragon Nirvana!]

[Bond Sync: +29.46%]

[First Nirvana: Baptism in the Abyssal Spring (Activated!)]

[Purification Process Started… 1%]

Davi grinned wide, overwhelmed by joy and relief.

Gravilis began to glow like a living black hole, pulling in waves of darkness. 

Cracked scales regrew. The rot and aura of decay slowly vanished. 

The decay merged with its earth affinity, forming something new, something stronger.

The Groomling Fox trembled as it absorbed fragments of the energy, though far slower than Gravilis.

"Grandmaster Cael!" Archon Alzareth barked. 

"Cast a magic suppression formation now! Even I feel dread from this power!" Archon Alzareth said.

Cael moved instantly, casting a wide formation.

The pressure lifted as the sense of danger seemed to have disappeared. 

Lady Stacy turned to Alzareth. "What was that? Certainly not nen right?"

"No," he said grimly. 

"That was Origin Energy, one of the sub-founding energies of our world… Lost since the Age of Fracture. There was once an empire that mastered it. Ability users, all of them! Powerful… and dangerous."His voice lowered. 

"She cannot participate in the next exam. It's too risky… For now let her be under our care just incase she goes out of control… darkness is… unpredictable." He said.

Grandmaster from Glacier Hollow Academy Lady Clare narrowed her eyes. 

"Wait… isn't that the blind lad's pet? It's absorbing that energy like it belongs to it? No ordinary beast could survive that."

"Hoho… that… that's unexpected. If I recall, that pet has an affinity with decay… that should explain why that is so I believe" Grandmaster Halvar said as he responded to her.

Old Man Frank's heart sank.

"This is bad. Very bad. I should've acted sooner… but now… if I don't act quickly, I'll lose control over everything. Davi must be eliminated. No more delays!" He thought.

Alyssia turned slowly, her eyes fixed on Davi and Russell.

"Just who are you?" Alyssia thought, her mind spinning, then suddenly, a surge of pain shot through her head.

"Ahhh!" she screamed, drawing attention to her father the king, as well as alerting the mages nearby. 

Blood streamed down her nose, and she coughed up a mouthful of crimson.

"My bond! It has been nullified by her?! How???" she gasped, clutching her chest and suppressing the pain as best as she could.

Then, as if on cue, a voice like silk, eductive, elegant, and tinged with danger, echoed through the arena.

"Hoho… This exam is getting far too interesting… Why don't I join the fun, eeh?"

Gasps rippled through the crowd as a woman emerged from thin air ravishingly stunning, her presence adorned in regality and untouchable grace. 

She didn't just appear she commanded the stage… Even Lady Stacy had to admit… she lacked a bit compared to the beauty before her.

"Magic Archon Aureya Draith?!" Lady Stacy exclaimed, her voice trembling with disbelief.

A slow, knowing smile crept across Old Man Frank's face. 

Seems the heavens are smiling upon me today, he mused watching the drama unfolds.