Caelan finished breakfast before his father had to remind him.
That alone earned him an approving nod from Garrick.
They left the inn shortly afterward. The capital was already busy, but the streets leading toward the academy were especially crowded. Families arrived in carriages, candidates walked alongside guardians, and attendants carried trunks toward the supply entrance.
Some candidates wore expensive clothing embroidered with their family crests. Others arrived with modest bags and worn shoes. A few traveled with private instructors who continued giving advice until the guards separated them from their students.
Caelan watched a boy about his age argue with his father over a set of spell diagrams.
"You don't need to keep telling me," the boy complained.
"Then stop making the same mistakes."
"I know how to draw a containment rune!"
"Yesterday, you nearly set fire to your tutor's sleeve."
"That was one time!"
Their voices faded as the crowd carried them toward a different checkpoint.
Elara adjusted the collar of Caelan's coat.
"Your registration papers?"
"Here."
"Token?"
He showed her the brass piece.
"And your notebook?"
"In my bag."
She seemed satisfied.
Garrick rested a hand on Caelan's shoulder. "We'll be waiting near the public entrance when the assessment ends. Follow the staff's instructions, and don't leave with anyone unless you've told us first."
"I won't."
"Good luck."
Caelan stepped away from his parents and joined the line of candidates.
He didn't look back until he reached the checkpoint.
His mother was still watching. She raised a hand, and he returned the gesture before turning toward the guards.
The candidate entrance stood beneath a broad stone arch, separate from the main visitor gates. Two academy guards checked each applicant's brass token against a list while an attendant directed them toward the examination complex.
When Caelan reached the front, he presented his token.
The guard examined it, then glanced at the ledger.
"Caelan Veyr. Westmere."
"Yes."
"Proceed to the eastern examination hall. Follow the blue markers. Guardians are not permitted beyond this point."
The guard returned his token.
Caelan passed beneath the arch.
Beyond it, the academy opened into a vast avenue lined with tall buildings and carefully maintained gardens. The city noise diminished behind him, replaced by the sounds of distant bells, footsteps, and students speaking in small groups.
He had seen part of the grounds the previous day, but the morning revealed more. Wide paths branched toward different districts, and enchanted lamps hung from stone pillars even though daylight had already reached the courtyards. Farther away, several towers rose above the surrounding buildings.
The forest was visible beyond the academy's outer grounds, its trees forming a dark green boundary against the sky.
A line of blue markers had been painted along the avenue. Caelan followed them with the other candidates.
They passed a large training court where students were practising under supervision. One group worked with wooden weapons while another drew temporary runes in the air, activating small bursts of light against padded targets.
A sharp crack sounded from the court.
"Is that normal?" he asked the student walking beside him.
"Probably. It's an academy training ground."
"That doesn't answer my question."
The other student shrugged. "If something explodes, I assume someone will come running."
Caelan decided not to continue the conversation.
After several minutes, they reached the eastern examination complex.
It was an enormous building of pale stone with a central hall and several connected wings. Above the main doors, the academy emblem had been carved into a circular panel. Two instructors stood near the entrance, directing candidates into separate lines.
A sign displayed the day's schedule:
PRELIMINARY ENTRANCE ASSESSMENT
- Registration verification
- General written examination
- Magical control evaluation
- Practical assessment
Caelan read the list once before entering the building.
Inside, the hall was filled with candidates. Some sat quietly with their eyes closed. Others reviewed notes or whispered last-minute questions to one another. A few appeared entirely unconcerned.
Caelan found an empty place near the back and sat down.
A boy with neatly combed blond hair occupied the next seat. His coat was expensive, and a silver crest decorated its collar.
"First time here?" the boy asked.
"Yes."
"Thought so. You were looking at the training grounds as if you'd never seen a mage use magic."
"I haven't seen many students practise in a place like that."
The boy smiled. "I'm Adrian Valcrest. My family has sent students here for generations."
"Caelan Veyr."
"Which house?"
"None. I'm from Westmere."
Adrian's expression shifted slightly, though not quite into disdain.
"A village applicant?"
"Yes."
"Interesting. The academy accepts candidates from all over the kingdom, but most people from smaller settlements struggle with the written examinations. They don't have access to the same instructors."
"That seems reasonable."
Adrian blinked, apparently expecting an argument.
"You're not offended?"
"Would being offended change the examination?"
For a moment, Adrian said nothing. Then he laughed.
"You're either very calm or very stubborn."
"I've been told both."
Before Adrian could reply, an instructor entered the hall.
The room quieted.
The instructor was a tall woman wearing a dark uniform with silver trim. Her hair was tied back, and a narrow identification pin displayed the academy's emblem.
"Candidates, welcome to the Aurelion Royal Academy. I am Instructor Merrow, and I will oversee your preliminary assessment."
She waited until the last conversation died away.
"Today is not a competition to determine who possesses the greatest magical potential. It is an assessment of your current abilities, knowledge, and capacity to follow instructions. Your performance will be recorded, and the admissions committee will review the results." This chapter was taken from novelping dot com without permission.
She walked slowly along the front row.
"Do not attempt techniques you have not been taught merely to impress the examiners. Do not interfere with another candidate's work. If you damage academy property through deliberate misconduct, you may be dismissed immediately."
Her gaze passed over the room.
"You will receive instructions before each section. Listen carefully. Questions may be asked when permitted, but attempting to obtain information from other candidates during an examination will be treated as cheating."
She gestured toward the doors at the far end of the hall.
"The written examination begins now. Follow the attendants to your assigned rooms."
Chairs scraped against the floor as candidates stood.
Caelan followed the line through the doors and into a long corridor. Each room had a number engraved above its entrance. An attendant checked his token and directed him into Room Twelve.
Inside, individual desks stood in orderly rows. A single sheet of paper and a writing instrument had been placed at each seat.
Caelan found his assigned desk and sat down.
The door closed behind the last candidate.
A bell rang.
An examiner walked to the front and turned over the first page of the examination packet.
"You may begin."
Caelan looked at the questions.
The first section concerned basic magical principles: mana capacity, sensitivity, control, and the distinction between temporary runes and permanent enchantments.
He answered carefully.
The next section presented several rune diagrams and asked candidates to identify structural errors. One pattern contained a broken connection. Another had been drawn with inconsistent spacing. A third appeared correct but included a note describing unstable activation.
Caelan paused over the third question.
He examined the diagram, then read the description again. The rune's lines were properly connected, but one section was compressed enough to distort the intended structure.
He marked his answer and moved on.
The final page presented a scenario involving a damaged protective enchantment. Candidates had to identify possible causes and explain what they would investigate before attempting repairs.
Caelan wrote that he would first inspect the physical structure, check the energy supply, and determine whether the enchantment's surrounding conditions had changed. He added that he would avoid increasing the mana input until he had established whether the instability originated in the rune itself or elsewhere.
When the bell rang, he put down his writing instrument.
An attendant collected the papers row by row.
Caelan leaned back and flexed his fingers.
He couldn't know how well he had performed. Some questions had been straightforward, while others required careful interpretation. But he had answered every question he could justify without inventing an explanation where he lacked evidence.
Outside the room, candidates gathered in the corridor, comparing answers despite the warning against discussing the examination before everyone had finished.
Adrian emerged from another room and spotted him.
"How was it?"
"Manageable."
"That's all?"
"What did you expect?"
Adrian shook his head, smiling. "You're an unusual fellow, Veyr."
An attendant called for the candidates to assemble in the central hall.
Caelan followed the others.
The written examination was over, but two assessments remained. And judging by the instructors waiting beside the next set of doors, the academy had no intention of making the rest of the day easier.
Caelan checked his token, secured his notebook in his bag, and joined the line for the magical control evaluation.