Mage Born

The hall lay in ruins, a testament to the chaos that had just unfolded. The test overseer was nowhere in sight. Cate believed her role was simply to observe, especially since the soul puppets had dispersed to pursue the fleeing participants. She and her group were safe within a protective spell, invisible to the puppets. Only one puppet remained, now moving away. Cate savored her impending victory, but her smile faltered as the young man she had taken in casually stepped out of her barrier. The powerful spell, while effective at keeping others out, couldn't prevent someone already inside from leaving.

The moment he emerged, the soul puppet shrieked, a sound like a bat out of hell. It lunged, its long swords aimed directly at him, its intent unmistakably lethal. The puppets were notoriously dangerous. Cate's first instinct was to rush to his aid, but she held back. She was no hero; such notions had long left her. Her initial desire to save him stemmed from an inexplicable liking for him as a person, not romantically.

"Since the fool doesn't know what's good for him, I'll let him meet his fate," she declared, though Mary could detect the disappointment in Cate's voice. Mary remained silent.

At that moment, the young man touched the ground, and his entire aura shifted. He was clearly a mage. The earth trembled slightly, and two shimmering swords rose from the ground. He snatched them with a flourish, then spun dramatically, his newly formed blades clashing with the soul puppet's. The puppet's high-grade swords were no match for the earth-infused weapons. After a few clashes, they were severed. The young man's swords continued, slicing through the puppet's armor and the flesh beneath. Green blood erupted, its putrid stench filling the air. The puppet split in two.

Mary's jaw dropped. Cate gazed at the young man with renewed curiosity. While his raw magical skill wasn't exceptional, he had masterfully amplified his swordsmanship with the little magic he possessed, elevating his power to an astonishing level. Cate sighed, dispelling her now-useless barrier.

"What's your name?" she asked. Her previous interest had deepened; now she was consumed by a burning desire to understand him. The young man said nothing, merely moving aside to sit and catch his breath.

Cate looked at Mary. Their agreement included Mary divulging information about the other competitors. Mary, sharp as ever, quickly understood.

"He's called the Mage Born," Mary began.

The young man opened his eyes, looking at her, not with anger, but as if he expected her to continue.

"He was raised among humans and knew nothing of our world until he was seventeen. He believed we were myths and legends. He had a loving family and a lovely girlfriend. When he turned nineteen, his magic awakened, revealing a powerful mage bloodline. The earth trembled, and without any control, he caused a massive earthquake that killed his parents, brothers, and girlfriend. The quake was so immense it destroyed half the city and left the rest in shambles. The High King and other supernaturals noticed and intervened. A powerful mage clan, the ancient and noble Silva Clan, took action, calming the situation. They took in the young man, and everyone thought that would be the end of it.

"From that day until now, the Mage Born has never spoken, and even his real name is known to only a few. He lived with the Silva Clan, trained in both magic and the blade. This continued until a few months ago when he was suddenly accused of killing the heiress of the Silva Clan. He fled, killing all those sent to apprehend him. His bloody battles with those who pursued him are why most people have been avoiding him."

Cate listened, her expression unreadable. To her, this kind of story was nothing new. She could see countless hidden truths within the young man's narrative, but that was all.

"He was left with no choice but to try and join the Avalon Society. It's the only way for him to survive the Silva Clan, who are intent on killing him no matter the cost. If he can join the Avalon Society, even the Silva Clan will have to give up on killing him. At least, they won't do it out in the open for all to see."

Cate finally understood why the young man had stepped out of the barrier. He wanted to showcase his skills to the observers, who were undoubtedly watching everything. If the Avalon Society learned how powerful and useful he was, they'd be more inclined to accept him. For the Mage Born, simply passing the test wasn't enough to join the society, because he came with too much baggage. Even the Avalon Society had to weigh the benefits of taking him in against staying on the good side of the Silva Clan, one of the Three Mage Clans. Even the High King had to show them some deference.

The Avalon Society had to be very careful about how they dealt with the Mage Born .His was a blood feud with the Silva clan and this blood debt was due to him killing their heiress and not some no body from the clan .The heiress to a clan as powerful as the Silva clan had to have been truly impressive and talented beyond reproach .For the Mage Born to have killed her was the same as him cutting short the bright future of the clan .

Cate looked at the Mage Born and she could not stop herself from sighing out loud .

Cate could sympathize with him but that was all .

"Everyone has their cross to bare ."she thought .At this moment ,the woman in charge of the test appeared once more .She looked at them for a second before she ignored them completely .Even though, before them lay the remains of one of the soul puppets ,t was clearly not enough in her eyes .The Mage Born was disheartened but not ready to give up just yet .

The woman raised her hand and she released a large blast of flames that flooded the sky ,signaling the end to the first test .The puppets stopped attacking and retreated .Those fortunate enough to still be alive had passed the first test .