Chapter15 The Magic Practice Test: Jack's Triumph and a New Beginning
Professor Magnus's study was thick with anticipation.
Sophia paced nervously, while Lady Eleanor, perched on a plush armchair, sipped her tea with an air of forced calm.
Outside, the wind howled, mirroring the tempest brewing within Jack's magical assessment.
Jack stepped into the shimmering portal, the air around him crackling with energy.
He'd practiced his incantations, visualized his defenses, and even chugged a whole bottle of Elara's "Focus Potion" (which tasted suspiciously like fermented cabbage).
He was ready.
Or so he thought.
The moment he crossed the threshold, a wave of oppressive magical pressure slammed into him, like walking into a brick wall made of pure mana.
The simulated forest clearing shimmered with an unsettling, hyper-real quality.
The chirping of birds sounded a little *too* cheerful, the rustling leaves a little *too* loud.
He'd expected a challenge, thanks to Henry's meddling, but this was something else.
A low growl ripped through the idyllic scene.
Three pairs of luminous eyes materialized in the shadows.
Magic wolves.
Bigger, meaner, and definitely more teeth-y than he'd anticipated.
"Oh, come *on*," Jack muttered, grabbing his wand.
"Not the direwolf knock-offs again.
"
The wolves lunged, fangs bared, claws extended.
Jack reacted instinctively, casting a basic shield spell.
*Bam!
* The impact reverberated up his arm.
He hadn't expected the force to be so…real.
He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a set of snapping jaws, and scrambled to his feet.
This wasn't some classroom exercise; this was a full-on, fur-flying, fang-flashing brawl.
The wolves attacked relentlessly, a blur of grey fur and snarling teeth.
Jack parried, dodged, and cast minor hexes, but he was getting overwhelmed.
His shield flickered under the constant assault.
He needed a plan, and fast.
He remembered Elara's cryptic advice: "The environment is your ally." His eyes scanned the simulated forest.
There!
A cluster of shimmering, iridescent mushrooms.
He recognized them from his magical botany lessons: Exploding Puffshrooms.
Highly unstable, and very, very loud.
Grinning, Jack lured the wolves towards the fungal minefield.
He dodged another lunge, the wolf's claws tearing a strip from his sleeve.
*Close one.
* He feinted left, then darted right, leading the pack directly into the patch of puffshrooms.
*BOOM!*
A cloud of purple spores erupted, followed by a series of smaller *poofs* and *bangs*.
The wolves, disoriented and singed, scattered.
One limped away, whimpering.
Another lay motionless, surrounded by a haze of purple smoke.
Jack, coughing slightly, gave a weary thumbs-up to the shimmering air where he knew the assessors were watching.
Outside the simulation, Professor Magnus's stern face cracked into a rare smile.
"Resourceful, isn't he?
" he murmured.
Sophia let out a whoop of delight.
Back in the simulation, Jack's brief moment of triumph was shattered by a deafening roar.
From the depths of the forest emerged a creature far more formidable than any wolf: a massive lion wreathed in flames.
Its mane crackled with fire, its eyes burned like embers.
A Flame Lion.
Jack gulped.
Things had just gone from bad to *inferno*.
The Flame Lion unleashed a torrent of fire, scorching the earth where Jack had stood moments before.
His basic shield spell crumpled like paper against the intense heat.
He scrambled back, desperately casting defensive spells, but the heat was overwhelming.
His clothes began to smolder.
He needed to think outside the box, or rather, outside the spellbook.
A memory flashed through his mind: a high-school chemistry experiment involving baking soda and vinegar.
Could he replicate the effect with magic?
He focused, visualizing the chemical reaction, channeling his magic into creating a counter-force.
He muttered a modified water spell, infusing it with a neutralizing agent he'd concocted from crushed moonstones and salamander scales.
A jet of frothy, white foam erupted from his wand, slamming into the Flame Lion's fiery mane.
The flames flickered and sputtered, momentarily suppressed.
The lion roared in frustration, shaking its head, momentarily blinded by the foam.
It was a temporary reprieve, but it bought Jack some time.
He used the opportunity to scan his surroundings again.
He noticed something he'd missed earlier: a narrow crevice in the rock face, partially hidden by a curtain of vines.
An escape route?
Or a trap?
He had to gamble.
He darted towards the crevice, dodging another blast of fire.
He squeezed through the narrow opening, the rock scraping against his back.
The passage led into a dimly lit cavern.
At the far end, bathed in an ethereal glow, rested a crystal, pulsing with magical energy.
The objective.
He reached out, his fingers brushing against the smooth surface of the crystal.
Just as he grasped it, a figure materialized in front of him, blocking his path.
Henry.
His face was twisted in a sneer.
"Looking for this, Jack?
" Henry held up a small, intricately carved device.
A disruptor.
Designed to destabilize the entire simulation.
He aimed it at Jack, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"I think it's time we ended this little game.
"
He pressed a button on the device.
The air crackled ominously…
Jack's gut churned with a nervous energy that had nothing to do with the questionable stew he'd had for lunch.
He stood before Professor Magnus, the imposing figure of the magic instructor radiating an aura of barely-contained frustration.
The Professor's office, usually a sanctuary of arcane texts and bubbling potions, felt more like an interrogation chamber.
"Mr. Smith," Magnus began, his voice a low rumble that echoed off the book-lined walls.
"Your… *unconventional* methods in the theoretical exam have raised some… *concerns*."
Jack winced.
He'd perhaps embellished his answers a little.
Okay, maybe he'd invented a new spell involving interpretive dance and the rhythmic chanting of 1980s pop lyrics.
He'd thought it demonstrated *creative* spellcasting.
"However," Magnus continued, a flicker of something that might have been amusement crossing his features, "your practical assessment will be the true test. Succeed, and perhaps we can overlook your… *artistic license*."
The practical exam was held in the grand hall, transformed into an obstacle course of shimmering magical constructs.
Students were tasked with navigating these illusions using newly learned spells.
Jack watched as other apprentices stumbled, spells fizzling or backfiring spectacularly.
One unfortunate student accidentally transformed himself into a potted plant.
Jack swallowed hard.
Sophia, radiating confidence in her flowing robes, caught his eye and winked.
He took a deep breath, reminding himself of her unwavering belief in him, Isabella's gentle encouragement, and even Lady Eleanor's dry, but supportive nod earlier.
He could do this.
His first challenge: a swirling vortex of illusory fire.
Jack remembered Sophia's advice - visualize the outcome, focus your energy.
He muttered the incantation, not with the textbook precision of his classmates, but with the conviction of a man desperately trying not to become a human torch.
A shimmering shield of water erupted from his wand, protecting him from the illusory flames.
He navigated the next few challenges with a mix of luck, improvisation, and the occasional burst of genuine magical prowess.
He levitated a heavy enchanted rock not with a levitation spell, but by cleverly rigging a pulley system using conjured rope and a strategically placed gargoyle.
Professor Magnus raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips.
The final challenge was a duel against a magically animated suit of armor.
Jack knew he was outmatched in brute force, so he resorted to cunning.
Remembering a trick he'd learned from a street magician back in his own time, he conjured a handful of glittering illusions – rabbits, playing cards, even a tiny, singing Elvis.
The armor, clearly not programmed for such distractions, froze mid-swing, its enchanted eyes whirring in confusion.
Jack seized the opportunity, disarming the knight with a well-aimed blast of air from his wand.
The hall erupted in applause.
Even Professor Magnus offered a grudging nod of approval.
Sophia rushed to his side, beaming.
"I knew you could do it, Jack!"
As the crowd dispersed, Elara Moonshade approached, her eyes twinkling.
"Impressive, Mr. Smith," she said, her voice low and mysterious.
"Your… *unique* approach to magic intrigues me.
There may be a… *role* for you in an upcoming endeavor.
Something… *significant*.
"
Jack, still buzzing from his victory, could only manage a bewildered, "Uh… thanks?
"
He glanced back at the now-dormant suit of armor, a strange symbol etched on its breastplate catching his eye.
He felt a prickle of unease.
Elara's words echoed in his mind.
This wasn't just the end of a test.
It was the beginning of something new, something much bigger than himself.
And, he had a feeling, something much more dangerous.