Entrance Trials and Echoes of Power
Chapter 10: Entrance Trials and Echoes of Power
The capital city, Astralis, rose like a dream from the valley floor—silver and gold towers crowned in floating rings of light, sky-bridges weaving between buildings that reached into the clouds, and a great spire at the center of it all. If Elyden was a city of charm, Astralis was a city of awe. Wide avenues buzzed with mana-powered carriages and windwalkers. Banners of the six gods floated above archways, and armored academicians flew overhead on manticores, sky disks, and ethereal steeds.
"It's like stepping into a damn movie," Arlo muttered, helmet tucked under her arm.
The six Earthlings—Robert, Ivan, Meloy, Steven, Arlo, and Sana—had arrived at the outer gates of Astralis Academy. Even the entrance looked like the threshold to another world: massive white and black gates engraved with the symbols of the six gods and interlocking rings of runes spinning slowly above.
After showing their travel IDs and paying the enrollment fee (thankfully covered in part by their guild reward), they were allowed through the arcane scanning gate. Each was tagged with a glowing crest of blue light, showing they were aspirants.
Inside, a crystal panel blinked:
> [Welcome: Astralis Academy | Initiation Trial Series – Commence]
Required Exams:
– Written Aptitude Test
– Potential & Affinity Scan
– Combat Evaluation (Grouped by Race)
Combat Trial Note:
Human Applicants will be evaluated by assigned instructors.
Optional Challenge: Survive 30 Seconds against Instructor for Bonus Upgrade.
---
Phase I: The Trials Begin
The written test was straightforward for Robert, who aced everything from arcane physics to rune recognition. Ivan breezed through the creative logic problems, while Meloy and Sana excelled in biology and spirit theory. Steven, surprisingly, did well in ingredient lore and elemental interactions. Arlo scowled through the exam, but her military knowledge made her answers functional and precise.
The affinity test came next. Each person stood in a circle of runes that pulsed with magic. Floating crystals read mana resonance, divine bonds, mental focus, and body potential. The testers whispered amongst themselves as each Earthling passed through. "Strong resonance… chaotic links… divine touch? Interesting..."
But the real trial—the combat evaluation—was still ahead.
---
Phase II: Combat Trial – Human Division
Robert, Steven, and Arlo were escorted to a closed-off arena beneath the academy's central plaza. The walls shimmered with enchantments. Floating glyphs marked time, and a large hourglass turned overhead.
Across from them stood a tall man in black uniform armor, bearing the Academy crest. His nameplate read Instructor Calen, Rank D+. Despite being labeled "low rank," the sheer weight of his mana made the air hum suffocating us and distorting the air around.
"Instructions are simple," Calen said, stepping forward. "Survive for 30 seconds. Strike if you can. Resist. Endure. If you last, your system will be upgraded."
[System Quest: Optional Combat – Survival Mode | Objective: Endure 30 seconds]
[Reward: Rank Upgrade to F+, System Function Unlocks, First Star Map Activation]
[Reward First Constellation Completely Unlocks]
"Ready?" he asked, unsheathing a curved practice blade.
Robert nodded, clutching his Starsteel Thread Blade. Arlo cracked her neck, holding her Grav-Hammer. Steven gripped his Embersteel Cleaver.
The lowly hourglass flipped.
Fight.
Calen vanished.
Time seemed to stop in place
"Try you're best in land a hit on me I've been boring since the enrollment this year started".
---
The fight was over in less than 22 seconds.
Robert barely raised his blade before a pressure wave knocked him flat. He swung—wild, late—and hit nothing but air. His thread magic fizzled as he stumbled to dodge another strike. He was too focused on shaping celestial lines and not enough on immediate danger coming toward his head.
Steven managed to launch a flaming chop of cleaver-infused heat slash, but Calen danced around it, striking his wrist with a flick that knocked the blade free. Steven tried to grapple, but his balance was off—he'd never actually used his cleaver in a real fight before.
Arlo did the best. She activated her kinetic stabilizer, absorbed one glancing hit, and managed to counter with a shoulder bash that made Calen blink. But she didn't anticipate the backstep feint. The next blow slammed her into the wall with enough force to crack the rune-stone.
As Calen raised his blade, all three systems started blinked red.
[Emergency Shutdown Engaged: System Barrier Activated]
Then darkness.
"This is the best you have to offer me good more promising students for the school it's getting interesting''.
---
Phase III: Infirmary Awakening
Robert woke in a white healing chamber with warm magic pulsing through his chest.
Steven groaned beside him. "Did anyone get the number of that semi-truck became that how I feel."
"Pretty sure it was that Calen guy," Arlo replied dryly. She had a healing brace wrapped around her shoulder.
Sana, Meloy, and Ivan were seated across the room, having finished their own tests.
"You're lucky," Sana said, setting down a water bottle. "They had me fight a beastkin instructor. She walked through all my attacks. She took me apart in four moves."
Robert sat up. "Wait… we lost. Did we fail the test?"
Before anyone could respond, the door opened—and in walked a tall woman in sky-blue robes, her presence commanding yet calm she was also very beautiful.
"I'm Marisa," she said, brushing silver hair behind one ear. "Instructor to you. Healer of the school. And someone who stopped you from dying."
"You mean we could've actually died?" Steven asked, horrified.
"If Calen hadn't held back? You would be dead," she said flatly. "He used three percent of his full power."
"…Three?" Arlo repeated.
Marisa nodded. "You all have raw potential, strong system resonance, and divine interest. But your coordination, battle instincts, and use of your weapons are amateur at best. You swing like civilians children that don't know how to fight properly. That can be fixed."
There was silence.
Then Ivan raised a hand. "System just pinged. Did… we pass?"
Marisa pointed to a table near their beds. Colored stones glowed red and blue.
"Look at the colors. Blue means accepted."
All six stones were glowing bright blue.
Robert exhaled. "We passed?"
"You passed. Barely."
---
System Update: F+ Rank Achieved
[Rank Up Achieved: F+]
[System Functions Unlocked:]
– Clothing Customization Full Unlock
– Gacha (Basic Tier)
– Personal Log Archive
– Stat Tracking Interface
– System Network Link (Shared Info Across the Six Earthlings)
"Wait—Gacha?" Ivan asked, perking up. "Like loot boxes?"
[Yes. Gacha is now accessible. Tier: Basic. 1 Pull Available.]
"Gimme."
Robert sighed. "We'll check it later."
---
Private Meeting – Academy Tower
At the peak of the central spire, Principal Raevius Altharn stood with his arms folded behind his back. His eyes glowed softly with divine insight.
Standing beside him was Instructor Calen, and across the circular platform was Marisa, arms crossed.
"They're rough," Calen said, "but interesting. Especially the Ones that just enrolled."
"Robert," Raevius murmured. "A direct link to Virell and Ysera. He sees too much, and yet not enough he has hidden potential."
"Arlo is a tank waiting for form with her piloting knowledge and mechanical skill. Steven's flames are promising also if he can master buffing spell it opens new doors. Ivan is strange—his cloth magic is anomalous. Meloy is a warden in disguise as heavy figher. And Sana…"
"Her system is old," Marisa interrupted. "Built on emotional balance and rage. A healer-brawler hybrid. Rare not many people like her.''
Raevius turned toward the floating constellation chart.
"We've had divine-blessed students before. But not six at once. And all from another world."
"They need training," Calen added. "Badly."
"They'll get it," Raevius said. "But keep them close. Others will want to claim them. Especially when word spreads."
---
Other Promising Students – This Year's Enrollment
The academy was buzzing with strong talent this year. Among them:
Kaelin Voss – Half-dragon Skyborn, wielding Storm Qi and a glaive. Quiet, analytical. Rumored heir to the Storm Seat.
Tessaline Vire – Elven chronomancer from Cresciaa. Controls time flow in bursts. Has already reached E-rank.
Barun of Zar'aleth – Vampire knight and bloodforger. Dual-wields necrosteel blades. From one of the vampire war houses.
Ryll Mosswood – Beastkin rogue, lightning-fast reflexes. Leads the guild youth team in The Maw Below.
Leihara El'Venn – Noble elf from the Rooted Reach. Master of sylvan binding and defensive field spells.
These five were ranked as Top Tier First Years, and each had already demonstrated superior control of magic and martial skills. Yet even among them, whispers about "the Six Outsiders" were starting to spread.
---
End of the Day
After their release from the infirmary, the group returned to their inn on the city's western quarter. The food tasted better after a near-death experience—fresh honeyed bread, riverfish stew, seared beast ribs. And for once, they all ate in silence.
Steven finally broke it.
"We're in. We've got a week before the term starts. What now?"
"Train," Arlo said flatly.
"Yeah," Robert said, staring up at the night sky. The stars above Astralis danced, and within them… he could see a new shape forming.
The Delta Lyra Sector was nearly complete.
And something else—something darker—stirred behind the second moon.
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