Losing Powers

Students clustered in groups, all in various shades of high-quality robes, laughter and excited chatter filling the air like an electric storm.

None of them noticed me at first. I stood awkwardly at the edge, not sure where I was supposed to go until Valeen gave me a slight push forward and then strode off without explanation. I caught glimpses of the other recruiters dispersing too—some joining the teachers on the upper balconies, others vanishing through illusionary walls.

A loud chime echoed through the space, and a woman in flowing robes that trailed sparks stood at the podium near the front.

"Welcome to the Resonance Trials," she said, voice amplified by unseen magic. "Today, you will each be tested for the depth and type of your essence. These results will place you within the appropriate arcane, alchemical, and martial paths."