Have You Heard of the Ember Trials, Young Man?

"And this year, we have something very special planned for our dear Freshmen!" Deb announced, his voice brimming with theatrical excitement.

He gestured dramatically, sending a fresh cascade of sparkling petals into the air. "A handcrafted test—one designed to filter each student's strengths, expose their weaknesses, and, most importantly, determine their majors and specialties!"

Murmurs spread through the crowd, a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty rippling among the freshmen.

"But before we get to the fun part," Deb continued, grinning like he was letting them in on some grand secret, "let's have our student representative ease us into academy life with his speech!"

With a flourish, he cast a hand toward the senior section, where students stood in pristine white uniforms accented with midnight blue.

The warm glow of enchanted spotlights illuminated them, making their polished attire gleam with authority.

Among the many vibrantly colored heads—a signature of Emberlight's diverse student body—one figure stood out.

A tall man, noticeably distinct from the rest.

Even seated, his presence was undeniable.

The spotlight singled him out, catching the rich hues of his deep, yet vibrant crimson hair. His orange eyes, burning like the sun, flickered in the light as he rose to his full height—a commanding 6'3" (190 cm).

Despite the uniform's structured fit, it was easy to tell—his build was lean, athletic, and powerful in an unassuming way.

Gilded silver shoulder pads gleamed under the theater lights, a subtle but telling marker of prestige.

But what truly cemented his identity was the trusted belt around his waist, from which hung a regal pair of polished faulds—knightly thigh guards.

A knight.

One trained, experienced, and one of the best among the student body.

"Liorayne Caden, heir to the Caden Knighthood, everybody!"

Deb's boisterous voice barely carried over the thunderous applause that followed. The auditorium erupted into a frenzy of cheers, an unmistakable wave of admiration washing over the crowd.

Squeals rose from all directions.

"Holy Ophelia, it's Sir Liorayne! Kyaaah! Someone take his picture—I forgot my phone!"

"SIR LIORAYNE, PLEASE SIGN MY CHEST!"

"STEP ON ME, SIR LIORAYNE, AAHHHHH!"

"ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SPIT AND I'LL KEEP IT AS A MEMENTO, SIR LIORAYNEEEEE!"

Kirie, wide-eyed, slowly reached for his earpiece and switched on the audio block before any more of that reached his sanity.

Up on stage, Liorayne merely lifted a hand, silencing the audience in seconds. The control he held over the crowd was effortless, regal. Taking a brief moment to recompose himself, he leaned into the mic, his voice smooth and commanding.

"It is my greatest honor to stand before you today." His words rang out, rich and unwavering. "I do not believe myself the most suited for this role, yet I will not allow the weight of it to be in vain. I will rise to the challenge, as is my duty."

A pause. A quiet inhale. The theater hung on his every syllable.

"Time moves ever forward, unyielding. We cannot slow its course, nor turn back its tide. What we can do—what we must do—is make the most of every moment given to us."

His golden gaze swept across the audience, kind yet resolute.

"To my fellow Emberlights, know this: We, your upperclassmen, will pave the way ahead. We will stand by you as you forge your path, supporting you until your dreams take flight. And so, I vow—

I, Liorayne Caden, heir to the Caden Knighthood, will represent this university with kindness, respect, and above all… the readiness to serve and protect."

And once more, the Grand Theatre howled in reverence.

Liorayne exited the stage with a wave and a deep bow, his presence lingering like the final note of a grand symphony. Deb stepped forward again, his signature wide grin never faltering.

Then—snap.

The sharp sound cut through the cheers like a conductor's baton commanding silence.

A ripple of distortion swept through the air, and in an instant, the entire theater seemed to shift. Walls collapsed outward, folding away like paper, revealing an entirely different landscape. What had once been an enclosed auditorium now stood open to the sky, with a breathtaking expanse stretching before them.

The students stood atop one of the largest floating islands in Emberlight University—larger than any they had seen thus far. Hundreds of smaller islands dotted the skies beyond, each brimming with magic and purpose.

Deb spread his arms wide, his voice exuding pure delight.

"And here we are, my dear students, at the legendary—Ember Test!"

Another snap.

This time, it was the students themselves who shifted. The seats beneath them vanished, and in the blink of an eye, all two thousand freshmen found themselves standing before a colossal circular gate.

The gate loomed high, forged from enchanted steel, its surface engraved with ancient sigils that pulsed with living magicka. A swirling energy filled its center, dark and unfathomable, waiting—watching.

A test that would shape their fate had begun.

"As a parting gift before your trials begin, allow me to offer you a clue—one born not from duty, but from my own sense of fairness."

Deb's voice carried through the air like a seasoned storyteller weaving an epic. His golden eyes twinkled with amusement, yet beneath the showmanship lay an undeniable weight of importance.

"The Ember Trials consist of six distinct tests, each designed to challenge, judge, and push you to the very limits of your ingenuity. These trials will assess everything—your magical affinity, your physical prowess, your stamina, your intellect, and more.

And at the very end..."

He let the suspense settle, watching the students' anticipation build.

"... awaits a final test, one that is tailor-made for each and every one of you. A test that will bring together all you have endured, all you have learned, and forge it into a defining moment. It is this trial that will determine your true capabilities—and the section in which you rightfully belong."

He smiled, stepping back, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in.

"Now then... let the Ember Trials begin!" The circular door opens as per Deb's announcement, revealing the very first stage, the Arcane Tapestry.

Before all two thousand freshmen stood a library that touched the stars.

Towering shelves of aged mahogany and deep crimson oak stretched endlessly, their surfaces etched with time and arcane whispers. Within their confines lay mystical secrets, bound in leather tomes and sealed with enchantments older than the university itself. One could attempt to count the library's floors—to make sense of its vast, spiraling architecture—but any such effort would be in vain. Magic and wonder refused to be measured.

At the very center of this grand expanse, an orb of interwoven elements pulsed in midair. Fire, water, wind, earth, light, and dark danced together in a mesmerizing display, colliding and coiling into one another in perfect, harmonious chaos.

Then, as if reaching its crescendo, the sphere burst like a bubble.

From its parting radiance, a figure emerged—a woman of fair skin and flowing caramel hair, her presence both regal and enigmatic. She descended weightlessly, clad in a dark emerald kimono adorned with black and gold accents, each fold moving as if enchanted by unseen winds.

With an effortless flick of her wrist, she unfurled a delicate paper fan, its intricate patterns inscribed in an unknown language. Yet even without comprehension, its letters pulsed with measured power, each stroke of calligraphy exuding an undeniable presence.

She smiled, her golden-amber eyes gleaming with quiet amusement.

"Welcome, Readers, to the Sidus Athenaeum."

Her voice was silk and certainty, floating effortlessly through the vast chamber.

With deliberate, graceful steps, she moved forward, the clack of her gilded black geta resonating through the marble floor. The footwear, held together by dark emerald thongs, only added to the quiet authority she carried.

"Many names have been bestowed upon me," she continued, her gaze sweeping over the gathered students. "But here, within Emberlight, you may call me Tomoe Tenko."

"I pride myself in idle chatter, but you all have a goal, do you not?"

Tomoe Tenko's voice carried a teasing lilt, though the sharpness in her gaze made it clear—this was no time for distractions.

With slow, deliberate steps, she ascended—not upon solid ground, but upon invisible platforms of rippling white magic, each one forming beneath her mystical geta before vanishing into the ether.

"Let us begin."

With a graceful sweep of her fan, the air shimmered, and before the gathered students, countless sheets of aged parchment materialized. They floated gently, suspended as if by unseen hands. Despite their antiquated appearance, the pages were pristine, untouched—a perfect canvas awaiting its first mark.

"Together, you will weave an Arcane Tapestry," she continued, her golden eyes gliding over the freshmen. "Each of you holds a fragment of it—pure, unmarked by magic. No two pieces are alike, for each of you wields a different color, shade, and hue of magic."

The parchment drifted downward, settling softly into the hands of each student.

"Imprint your talent and effort upon that very page, and it shall find its rightful place among the grand canvas."

The library seemed to hush, as if the very walls were listening, waiting.

"May Ophelia's light guide your path."

That was all Tomoe Tenko said before the challenge began.

Magic blossomed within the library, surging to life like a field of untamed fireflies. It clashed and coiled, a chaotic symphony of colors, yet the ancient enchantments woven into the Athenaeum held firm. A thin yet impenetrable barrier shielded the towering shelves, ensuring that not even the most reckless burst of power could harm the knowledge within.

And just as she foretold, a blazing rainbow of magic erupted from the students.

Some shone brilliant and unwavering, their magic manifesting with practiced ease. Others flickered weakly, struggling against the sheer force surrounding them. The strongest auras overpowered the faint, while those unable to convert willpower into tangible force found themselves devoured by the currents of arcane energy.

Kirie stood at the very heart of it all—a maelstrom of clashing hues and unrestrained elements.

Waves of fire, water, lightning, earth, and celestial energy surged and intertwined, each daring to swallow the other whole. Even forces that would naturally cancel each other out—fire and water, light and dark—did not react as expected. The sheer, raw density of magic in the air superseded natural law and order.

This was no simple test.

This was a battle against the very essence of magic itself.

Kirie looked down at the parchment in his hand, feeling the familiar pulse of his silver chain bracelet against his wrist. A bright gold light shimmered from within, the luster of his father's primordial, pure magic—a fragment taken from his very soul, now filtered and controlled through his mother's craftsmanship.

He exhaled deeply, steadying his mind.

With both hands, he held the parchment, the twin silver bracelets adorning his wrists glimmering in response. He willed his magic forth.

A bolt of golden orange and soft lilac erupted from his grasp, cutting through the blazing pillars of magic that roared like living fire around him. The surge of power formed a radiant beacon, piercing through the storm of colors like a celestial flare.

All eyes turned to him.

Kirie hadn't meant to draw attention, but, well… being the son of a primordial mana spirit and the late goddess of technology—the very woman who ushered in the Age of Technomagic—wasn't exactly helping him keep a low profile.

The sheer intensity of his magic bathed him in a pillar of light so blindingly brilliant that for a moment, it looked as if he were about to be obliterated by a satellite's laser.

Some students, exhausted from engraving their marks upon their parchments, could only stare in awe, disbelief—or perhaps, envy.

But Kirie paid them no mind.

Within the depths of his mind, blueprints and circuits unfolded like a grand schematic. He envisioned intricate technological pathways, his golden magic constructing the foundation, while metallic lilac accents wove through the framework, gleaming like finely polished steel.

By the time he was finished, his parchment was filled—front and back—with a breathtaking network of interconnected patterns, each one resembling the intricate etchings of a microchip, humming with barely contained power.

With a deep sigh, Kirie finally took in his surroundings.

Only then did he realize the sheer number of eyes fixed upon him.

He glanced down at his parchment, its glowing lines and intricate patterns pulsing faintly, so delicate that one would have to squint just to fully perceive their complexity.

Before he could linger on the details, a crisp clap rang through the air.

Tomoe Tenko, ever poised, folded her fan with a measured flick before spreading it open once more, her motion effortlessly fluid. A single wave sent a ripple through the chamber, and as if answering her silent command, every parchment lifted from the students' hands, drifting toward the center of the library.

The pages floated gracefully, magnetized toward one another, drawn together like fragments of a greater whole. One by one, they connected, their distinct colors blurring and weaving into a grand, shifting tapestry—a radiant mosaic of magic, suspended midair.

Among the thousands of contributions, a few stood out against the chaotic expanse.

A cobalt blue shimmered with quiet strength.

A black so deep it devoured light pulsed ominously.

A crimson streaked with gold sparkled like a captured star.

A rich emerald green flowed like woven ivy, pulsating with vitality.

And at the very heart of it all—Kirie's design.

His gold and lilac circuitry formed the tapestry's ethereal foundation, the very framework that bound it together, its glow a thread of divine resonance linking every piece into a seamless whole.

If that wasn't a statement, nothing else in this trial could ever hope to surpass it.