Chapter 34: The Test

The gloomy forest stretched before them, thick with whispering mist and biting cold winds. Hutson and the other apprentices followed in Dino's wake, their footsteps echoing lightly on the pristine stone path.

Despite the encroaching wilderness, the path remained immaculate—not a single fallen leaf in sight, and each stone identical to the next. It was as if some unseen force meticulously maintained it, ensuring that no chaos of nature disturbed its symmetry.

After ten minutes of silent walking, the path opened into a circular garden.

At its center, a fountain gurgled softly, sending crystalline droplets into the air. From this central hub, multiple pathways branched out, disappearing into unknown directions. Their own path was just one among many, leading to this mysterious meeting ground.

Hutson quickly noted the presence of eight figures scattered throughout the garden. Some stood alone, others in quiet conversation, but all of them possessed an unmistakable air of power.

As Dino led the group forward, all eyes turned toward them.

From among the gathered wizards, an elderly woman stepped forward. She wore a tall, pointed gray hat and a flowing gray robe, her presence commanding yet measured. Wrinkles lined her face, marking her as someone in her sixth or seventh decade of life, yet her sharp gaze suggested her mind was anything but frail.

Her voice, though aged, carried an air of authority.

"Dino, I heard that among your recruits, a particularly gifted young lady seeks to join Augustus Academy. Which one is she?"

Dino chuckled, his tone lighthearted yet firm. "No need to rush, Professor Nina. Once the test is complete, she will be yours to take."

He turned toward Lilian and beckoned. "Lilian, come here. This is Professor Nina of Augustus Academy."

Lilian, ever poised, curtsied with perfect aristocratic grace, her demeanor demure yet composed. "Professor Nina," she greeted in a gentle, almost shy voice.

Hutson nearly laughed aloud—she was putting on an act.

Nina, however, was utterly taken with her. Beaming, she clasped Lilian's hand, inspecting her with the keen interest of a collector finding a prized gem. "Ah, yes—splendid!" she murmured approvingly.

Meanwhile, the other seven wizards in the garden began to approach. Men and women alike, their mere presence carried undeniable weight—not a single one among them was ordinary.

Dino turned back to the apprentices. His voice cut through the murmur of conversation.

"Those with a token, stand to my left. Those without, stand to my right."

At once, the group divided.

Seven apprentices, including Hutson and Lilian, stood on the left—they bore tokens from various wizarding factions.

Only four stood on the right—the untethered, those who had no affiliation to any wizarding order.

Hutson's gaze flickered toward the right group in mild surprise. Feigal, a name that had piqued his curiosity more than once, stood among them.

Feigal had no token.

This revelation unsettled Hutson—he had assumed Feigal was connected to some greater power.

Dino, unfazed, reached into his coat and withdrew a crystal sphere, holding it aloft for all to see.

"The next step is the aptitude test," he announced. "This crystal will measure your potential as a wizard, scored out of one hundred. The higher your score, the greater your natural ability."

He paused, then added, "However, remember this—talent is not everything. In the world of wizards, knowledge and dedication will always outweigh raw potential. A high score means you will advance quickly, but it does not mean you can afford to be lazy."

Dino's gaze swept over them before calling the first name.

"Hutson. You go first."

Without hesitation, Hutson stepped forward.

"Place your hand on the crystal and channel a small amount of your mana. Relax," Dino instructed.

Hutson obeyed. The moment his fingers touched the smooth surface, white mist swirled inside the sphere.

Then, it condensed into a number.

75.

"Hutson—seventy-five! Not bad at all!" Dino clapped him on the shoulder in encouragement.

Hutson blinked, momentarily stunned. He had expected a far lower score—perhaps a mediocre forty or fifty, at best. But seventy-five?

That was far from weak.

As he processed this revelation, a cold presence approached.

A stern, dark-eyed man strode toward him. His hawk-like gaze landed on Hutson's hand, more specifically on the ring he wore—a Fireball Ring.

"You," the man said, voice smooth yet commanding. "That ring—it bears the sigil of Moonlight Woodland."

Hutson felt an immediate pressure settle over him. It wasn't deliberate—this man exuded raw power simply by existing.

"Yes, sir," Hutson answered steadily.

Dino stepped in, patting Hutson's shoulder once more. Instantly, the intimidating aura dissipated.

"This is Larry Church, a formidable wizard from Moonlight Woodland," Dino introduced. "He will be taking you under his wing."

Hutson bowed respectfully. "Sir Larry."

Larry's expression remained unreadable. He studied Hutson for a moment before giving a slight nod. "You will follow me later."

"Lilian, you're next," Dino called.

Lilian stepped up gracefully, placing her hand on the crystal.

The mist swirled—then solidified.

87.

"Excellent!" Dino praised. "Miss Lilian, your potential is remarkable!"

"Thank you!" Lilian beamed, lifting the hem of her dress in a delicate curtsy.

Professor Nina, barely containing her excitement, took Lilian's hands, leaning in to whisper in her ear. Whatever she said was lost to the rest of the group.

The remaining token-bearing apprentices took their turns, though none surpassed Lilian's score. The best among them reached 72, while the weakest barely scraped 15.

Hutson noticed the boy who scored 15—a familiar face.

Joshua.

He was the one Feigal had strung up like bait on the ship's first day, dangling over the waves as punishment.

Now, he stood frozen, his face pale as ash. His token—a quill—marked him as belonging to Aruf Swamp. But at 15 points, his future seemed grim.

Hutson looked away. There was no point dwelling on Joshua's fate.

The second round of testing was about to begin.

Among the four without tokens, Feigal stood at the back of the line—as he always did, lurking like a shadow.

The first three apprentices tested between 60 and 70—respectable, but unremarkable.

Then, it was Feigal's turn.

Hutson's eyes narrowed in curiosity. Feigal wasn't ordinary. He was stronger than most of them—so what would his score be?

Feigal approached the crystal, expressionless as ever.

His gaze, cold and reptilian, betrayed no emotion.

He placed his hand on the sphere.

The mist churned violently.

Then, at last, the number emerged.

5.

A stunned silence filled the air.

"Five? How is that even possible?"

Hutson stared at the number displayed within the crystal, stunned beyond words.

A mere five—the lowest aptitude score of any wizard apprentice present.

Yet Feigal was already a Second-Class Apprentice—a rank that required rigorous advancement and training. He was young, strong, and undeniably skilled. By all logic, his potential should have been remarkable.

"How does someone with an aptitude of five reach this level?"

Fragments of Dino's words surfaced in Hutson's memory:

"Look at Feigal. His mental strength is incredibly high, but extremely unstable. He relies on… extreme methods."

Extreme methods…

Hutson's thoughts raced. What kind of methods could allow someone with such abysmal aptitude to rise so quickly?

Had Feigal forced his way forward through forbidden arts? Had he sacrificed something precious in exchange for power?

But before Hutson could piece it together, Dino's voice shattered the uneasy silence.

"Ahem."

The wizard instructor cleared his throat, addressing the group with his usual commanding presence.

"That concludes the test. Those bearing a token, find your respective mentors and prepare to leave."

Then, he turned to the eight powerful wizards who had come to claim their apprentices.

"And now, to our esteemed masters—there remain four apprentices without a token. If any of you are interested in taking them under your wing, now is the time."

The three others—each with aptitude scores above passing—were swiftly chosen by different wizarding factions. Their futures, uncertain yet promising, had been secured.

Yet, as the apprentices dispersed, one figure remained unmoved.

Feigal stood alone, untouched by fate.

No one reached for him. No one even spoke his name.

The young apprentice who had once exuded an air of quiet menace now appeared as little more than a ghost left behind—unwanted and unseen.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Even Hutson and Lilian, who had traveled with Feigal for months, had never expected this outcome.

Feigal had no faction. No token. No place to go.

Dino's expression shifted almost imperceptibly. Though he remained composed, there was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.

He let the silence linger before trying once more.

"...No one?"

The question hung in the air, unanswered.

Then, after a long, suffocating pause, a deep voice broke the stillness.

"He can come with us. To Green Hollow."

A broad-shouldered man with a thick, unkempt beard stepped forward. His robes were simple and worn, his manner blunt and to the point. He did not exude grandeur like the others, nor did he seem particularly eager.

But he had spoken.

And in that moment, Feigal's fate was sealed.

Feigal himself did not respond—not a word, not a question.

He merely gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.

"Come," the bearded wizard said simply, turning away without another glance.

Without hesitation, Feigal followed.

Dino watched as they walked away. There was something in his eyes—something unsaid.

He looked as if he wanted to speak. To warn him. To ask him… something.

But in the end, he said nothing.

His throat moved as though words had formed, but they never left his lips.

And just like that, Feigal was gone.

Taken by the only hand that reached for him.