chapter 7

We arrived at the Imperial Sorcerer Academy on a bright morning, and the sight before us was even more dazzling than I remembered from the game. The academy was like a small city, with towering white stone towers, gardens filled with magical plants, and students wearing various spirits moving everywhere.

"Wow," Draken whispered, staring at the massive buildings. "This… is bigger than I expected."

"Look at all these spirits!" I said excitedly, pointing to a group of students training in the main courtyard. There were spirits of every type—fire, water, earth, air, and even some rare ones like light and darkness.

Ember flew around my head enthusiastically, making cheerful musical sounds. She seemed eager to meet other spirits too.

"Lian! Draken!"

We turned to see Elyana running toward us, wearing an elegant light blue dress and smiling happily. Behind her floated a small light spirit glowing with a soft silver glow.

"Elyana!" I hugged her warmly. "You made it safely! And I see you have a new spirit."

"Oh, this is Luna!" she pointed to the light spirit. "I bonded with her after Mom recovered. Turns out Silver Moonflowers not only cure illness but also attract light spirits too!"

"That's amazing!" Draken said with a rare smile. "Now we all have partners."

"Exactly! And now…" Elyana looked around nervously. "Are you two nervous? Because I'm really nervous. I spent the last two weeks reading every book I could find about the academy, but I still don't know what to expect from the exams."

"We'll be fine," I reassured her. "We're all strong, and we have powerful spirits. What could possibly go wrong?"

As soon as I said that, I realized I might've just jinxed us. In stories, when someone says "What could possibly go wrong?", something usually does.

We headed to the main building where hundreds of applicants gathered in a large hall. The ages varied—from teenagers our age to adults in their early twenties. Everyone looked confident and determined.

"Applicants!" A powerful voice echoed through the hall. A man in his fifties stepped onto the stage—he was tall and thin, wearing a dark blue academic robe embroidered with gold. His white hair was tied back neatly, and his gray eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence.

"I am Professor Marcus Firestone, Deputy Headmaster of the academy," he announced. "Welcome to the entrance exams for the Imperial Sorcerer Academy."

Silence fell over the hall.

"This year's exam will consist of three stages," Professor Firestone continued. "First, a basic spiritual power test. Second, an academic knowledge test. Third, a practical match to demonstrate your combat skills."

"Three stages?" Elyana whispered nervously. "In previous years there were only two!"

This was different from the game too. In the game, the exam was just one battle.

"This year, we expect higher standards," the professor said sternly. "The Empire faces new challenges, and we need only the best talents."

He raised his hand, and a long list of names appeared in the air. "Stage one begins now. When I call your name, proceed to Hall A."

He began calling names in alphabetical order. "Alan Brownstone… Alisa Crystal… Arthur Blackwood…"

"We'll be called later," I whispered to my friends. "Our names are in the middle of the list."

While we waited, I noticed a young man standing alone in a corner of the hall, watching us with strange looks. He was tall with blond hair and cold blue eyes, wearing noble clothes. Something about his appearance looked familiar…

"Lian Shadowind!" Professor Firestone called.

"That's me," I said, heading toward Hall A.

Hall A was filled with complex magical measuring equipment. In the center was a large crystal ball glowing with a soft white light.

"Place your hand on the ball," said an assistant professor—a young man with thick glasses. "It will measure your spiritual energy level and the quality of your bond with your spirit."

I placed my hand on the ball, and immediately it began to glow brighter. Ember flew and landed on my shoulder, and our bond started radiating warm energy.

The ball changed color from white to golden red, then danced with different colors across its surface. The assistant glanced at a side meter, and his eyes widened.

"This… this is unusual," he muttered. "Spiritual energy level 58, and bond strength… 95%?"

"Is that good?" I asked, pretending ignorance.

"Good? It's exceptional! Most new students have levels 20-30 and bonds around 60%." He quickly wrote numbers on a paper. "And this kind of bond… I've never seen anything like it. It seems as if you're… completely connected."

I left Hall A trying not to smile too much. The results were better than I'd expected.

"How did it go?" Elyana asked anxiously when I returned.

"Very well," I said. "Now it's your turn."

They called Elyana's name ten minutes later, then Draken's. Both came back with pleased expressions, meaning their results were good too.

"Stage two!" Professor Firestone announced. "The academic knowledge test!"

We were taken to a large hall filled with tables and chairs, like a regular exam room. Thick exam papers were placed in front of each of us.

"You have two hours," the professor said. "The questions cover history, geography, politics, basics of magic, and math. Begin!"

I opened the exam paper and smiled. These questions were relatively easy—a mix of knowledge from the game and our training with Draken over the past two weeks.

"What are the names of the five kingdoms that form the Northern Alliance?" – Easy.

"Explain the Elemental Harmony Theory in spirit control" – I knew this from the game guide.

"Calculate the distance between the capital and the southern port city using coordinates…" – Basic math.

I finished the exam in one hour and ten minutes, but I waited until most other students had finished before turning in my paper. I didn't want to look too smart.

"The final stage!" Professor Firestone announced after the papers were magically corrected quickly using spells. "The practical matches!"

We were taken to a large outdoor training arena surrounded by stands where academy professors sat to observe the matches.

"You will fight in pairs," the professor explained. "The match ends when one opponent surrenders, becomes unable to continue, or I stop the match. Use of lethal force is prohibited."

They began reading pairs from a list. "Elyana Monlet vs. Gerald Funston… Draken vs. Mark Iron…"

"Lian Shadowind vs. Victor Shadowbane."

My heart stopped for a moment. Victor Shadowbane? The same Victor who tortured me for three years?

I looked across the arena and saw the blond young man who had been watching us earlier step onto the battlefield. Yes, it was Victor Shadowbane—the cousin who made my life hell.

"Fate has a sense of humor," I muttered.

"Do you know him?" Draken asked, noticing my expression.

"He's… a distant cousin," I said carefully. "We have a complicated history."

I entered the arena, and Victor was already waiting with a smug smile.

"Little Lian Shadowind," he said loudly enough for the audience to hear. "Or should I say, former servant?"

Gasps of shock rose from the stands. The bastard was trying to publicly humiliate me.

"Hello, Victor," I said calmly. "Still a sorcerer, as I remember."

"A sorcerer?" he laughed. "I'm a Tier Two Spirit Controller, Level 22. And you… well, you're just a beginner with a cute little fire spirit."

He looked at Ember mockingly. "Aren't you adorable? Like a pet."

Ember glowed with angry red light, and I felt her anger through our bond. I was angry too, but I controlled myself.

"Are you both ready?" asked the referee—an older professor in his forties with a gray beard.

"Ready," Victor said, drawing a long black sword. Dark shadows began gathering around him—dark spirits.

"Ready," I said, placing my hand on my small sword's hilt. Ember flew in front of me, eager for battle.

"Begin!"

Victor attacked instantly, surrounded by dark shadows that made him move with incredible speed. "Dark Magic: Dancing Night Blade!"

His sword glowed with dark energy and lunged at me with blinding speed. But I was ready.

"Ember, Flame Shield!"

A wall of golden fire appeared in front of me, and Victor's sword hit it and bounced back.

"What?" he exclaimed in surprise. "That's impossible! Flame Shield is a Tier Three technique!"

I didn't answer him. Instead, I attacked.

"Shadowind Technique: Dancing Flame Blade!"

This wasn't a real technique—I was combining sword training with Draken and Ember's fire abilities. But the result was stunning.

I moved swiftly across the arena, my sword surrounded by flames, attacking Victor from multiple angles. He barely managed to defend himself.

"This is impossible!" he shouted while retreating. "You used to be weak! How did you become so strong?"

"People change, Victor," I said, continuing my attack. "Especially when they stop living under the shadow of tyrants."

Angry at my words, he tried a desperate attack. "Forbidden Dark Magic: Nightmare Prison!"

Thick black shadows shot toward me, attempting to wrap around me and trap me in a world of nightmares. But this was a big mistake on his part.

Forbidden dark techniques were powerful, but they also drained a lot of energy and left the user vulnerable.

"Ember, Holy Light Explosion!"

Ember transformed into a blazing golden fireball and exploded with such intense light that the spectators closed their eyes. The shadows vanished instantly, and Victor collapsed to his knees, completely drained.

I stood over him, my sword at his throat, Ember flying above his head glowing triumphantly.

"Surrender," I said calmly.

He stared at me in shock and fear, then slowly nodded. "I surrender."

"Winner: Lian Shadowind!" the referee announced.

The stands erupted in applause and cheers. I looked toward Elyana and Draken, who had finished their own matches—and both had won too.

As I walked off the arena, Victor grabbed my arm.

"This isn't the end," he whispered angrily. "The Shadowbane family won't forget this humiliation."

"I look forward to it," I replied with a cold smile.

"Successful students!" Professor Firestone called. "Come forward to receive your acceptance badges!"

I stepped up with Elyana, Draken, and about fifty other students. Out of three hundred applicants, only this number passed all stages.

"Congratulations," the professor said, pinning a golden badge on my chest. "You are now official students of the Imperial Sorcerer Academy. Your classes begin next Monday."

We left the academy with hearts full of joy and excitement. We had a week to prepare and find a place to live before school started.

"I can't believe we all passed!" Elyana said, jumping with joy.

"I can't believe how you defeated that bully," Draken said admiringly. "Those techniques were amazing."

"Thanks," I said, though part of me was worried. Victor wouldn't accept defeat easily, and the Shadowbane family had great influence.

But that was for the future. Now, we were students at the best magical academy in the Empire, and before us lay a world of possibilities.

"So," Elyana said. "Where should we live? Does the academy provide housing?"

"Yes, but…" I remembered something from the game. "There's a better option. We can rent a small house in the student district. More private, and cheaper if we split the cost."

"Great idea!" Draken agreed. "Like a small family."

I smiled. A small family. I liked that term.

Ember flew between the three of us, glowing with warm, happy light. Even she was excited about our new beginning.

A new adventure was beginning, and this time, I wouldn't face it alone.