[Hrozun 01, 0100 A.R]
[Middrasil]

Current in-game time 5:01 PM

Across the pitch-black darkness, Tamaki drifted away mindless of his surroundings, not like he had any, to begin with. Then without any warning, a voice echoed all-over for him to hear loud and clear shaking him just a bit.

"People of Zerundus, I am Vadodara, queen of flames–" Tamaki wasn't familiar with who they were that was talking but as the lad continued to listen to what this person had to say, he soon found out that it was a declaration of war. "I only have a few words to say to all of you listening. Four moons from now, the world shall blaze in a righteous inferno, by my flames."

Tamaki was confused as to why this Vadodara character would declare war, but he had no other choice but to listen.

"I'll give you all some time to prepare yourselves, for judgment is coming. I am coming! Angistone, Luxenheim, Throndrheim, Heavensguard, Noxamir, Tritoth, Middrasil, Shivangard, and Atherion. All of you shall be judged." Then silence followed soon after, leaving Tamaki stunned as he started to wonder about what they meant.

He called out to the voice, telling them, "Wait!" He repeated it over and over until a bright flash of light blinded the lad as his eyes adjusted to the light. Once he was able to gain some vision, he was surprised to see his outstretched arm in front of him, bathed in a cold sweat the young lad puffed in and out.

Where am I? Where are the others? Retracting his arm, placing it on his face trying to recall all the recent events, Tamaki attempted to comprehend his surroundings, seeing as he wasn't in the middle of the Camp. Looking around he saw he was laying on top of a white bed and was covered in a white sheet.

A single purple tulip greeted him as he turned beside him, it was placed on a purple ceramic vase set on top of a table near his bed. Across the table was a window sill that allowed light to pass through, illuminating the room he was in. He decided to take a look at the window to get an idea of his location.

The moment Tamaki's feet touched the cold hard planks, a shiver was sent over his body. His first attempt at standing ended with him falling back on the bed, he was surprised at how weak his legs were then he asked himself, How long was I out? He questioned, looking down at his numb legs.

He tried standing up again resulting in him going back down like before. This time he was reassured of his weak legs and made use of the table beside him for support, and even then he had a hard time as his arms were also weak from the lack of activity for a long period. He was guessing two or three days?

Inching his way towards the window, he was met with a view of a crystal-clear lake in the distance. A flock of white cranes soared across the lake's shallow water, the lake was a decent-sized one, and right across it was a dense row of trees that surrounded the lake.

Looking below him, a humble little garden with an assortment of plants can be seen flourishing. White fences kept the local animals away, a lot of thought was placed into this little garden as Tamaki could tell.

The boy thought to himself, This is a nice place, he looked around the cozy little room. If the others were here, he could imagine them swimming like children while Muzui and Yuna fought over something small. Where are they? His sigh had a bit of sadness in it.

While Tamaki sulked by the window, his nose soon picked up something, it smelled good and appetizing. Come to think of it, he felt so hungry right now and his throat was drier than a desert that when he tried speaking with his voice, he would cough. His stomach roared in anticipation as he heard footsteps approaching from behind the door.

Tamaki wondered at who it was and also of the nice aroma. Yuna? The boy unconsciously let out, his anticipation reached a climax as he heard the knob of the door rattling then soon the door creaked open.

It wasn't Yuna nor was it anyone he knew of, he gazed curiously, taking mental notes such as their rather small delicate frame, porcelain skin, and long silky aqua hair. But what captivated him out of all these features were two pupils resembling a sapphire gem as they were directed at him.

For a moment Tamaki forgot his hunger and thirst as he was left in awe by the person's stare. The girl raised an eye-brow to see him out of bed, "Oh, you're awake," she said nonchalantly then placed the pie she was holding on top of the table beside the bed then walked up to him.

Who is she? Tamaki asked half-mindedly while observing the girl's movements. Though, it was hard focusing on the person thanks to the scent of pie wafting his nose.

"So how was your sleep?" The girl inquired of him, she talked to him with a sense of familiarity although he never met her, ever. Tamaki opened his mouth to reply but because of how dry his throat was, he could only manage a single nod.

"Oh, that's good, I bet you're hungry and thirsty after sleeping for so long," She was spot on with what she said because if she hadn't pointed it out, Tamaki wouldn't have noticed he was already drooling.

He was given a cup of water and Tamaki drank it all in an instant, quenching his throat, "Eat up while it's warm." Then came the pie which Tamaki deleted out of existence before he could even realize it, he didn't even bother saying his thanks and went down ahead.

He was surprised to find how delicious the food tasted, maybe it was the hunger tricking his mind but regardless, the food was great and went down his belly easily.

"That's quite an appetite ya got there," the girl commented as she watched him drink a whole pitcher of water. Once done, Tamaki wiped his lips and let out a burp with satisfaction, he did excuse his lack of manners, as all of it was gone in a matter of seconds. "Ooooooo~, even the plates are clean, wowww~" she stared at the boy with amazement as she said those words.

"Thanks for the food," the boy finally thanked her as he bowed his head towards her. The girl regarded him with a look then smiled gently as she chuckled. There was a short pause as they stared at each other, though Tamaki did all the staring while she smiled back at him.

Finally deciding to ask a question, "Uhm...where am I?" Was what he asked of her.

"You're in my house," her reply was brief and nonchalant which was off-putting for Tamaki since she kept a smile.

"How did you uh...meet me?" What he meant by his awkward question was 'How did he get here'. He cursed himself for choking on his words. The girl kept a neutral expression then tapped her chin.

"Your friend asked me to take care of you, and boy, back then you looked so scuffed up you might as well be dead," The girl told him, "Well now that I can see your face a little more clearly, you don't look half bad." She eyed him from top to bottom.

If that was the case then that would make her his benefactor, as she was the one to nurse him back to health. The lad bowed his head once more, "Thanks for helping me!" He declared gratefully.

"You should be thanking your little girlfriend, not me," she interrupted him. Tamaki gazed back, confused as to who she was referring to. As if reading his mind, the girl explained, "You know? That girl with white hair? Has red-eyes like you?"

Filicia? A chain reaction erupted inside the lad's head. Vivid images would bombard Tamaki as he was reminded of what had happened to him in the form of brief fragments and short scenes.

He was reminded of a bright light wrapping around him, he can hear the others and their voices around him fading into a distance. Then it was followed by him surrounded by falling flaming rubble as strong gusts of air blew behind him, that was when he saw a hand reaching out towards him and he instantly recognized the voice belonging to Filicia while she yelled his name.

A sharp pain erected from the back of his head as he was reminded of what followed after that. He was shown another memory; now he was lying down on the ground as his left eye was darkened by a crimson curtain. Holding his hand while sobbing beside him was Filicia, she was repeatedly saying apologies over and over, he wiped away a tear from her face before everything turned completely black. But before everything faded into darkness, a voice echoed in his mind, lingering for just a moment saying; "Please save him."

"So do you remember?" When Tamaki came back to reality, he was met by the girl squatting down to meet his face. She stared at him with anticipation in her eyes.

"I...I do," he responded, though he still has no idea who she was, "Where is Filicia?"

"She's not here and she told me to take care of you," said the blue-haired female, still squatting in a position making her a lot shorter than she already was. She tilted her head to the side then grinned, "Don't worry, she'll come back tomorrow to check on you."

"I-I see," Tamaki nodded before going silent, he stared at the girl intently, unsure of what to say to her. Sensing the tension in the air, the girl frowned then stood up. Something about the way she looked at him with those eyes struck him differently, especially when she stopped grinning at him.

"I guess I'll be taking my leave now, you better stay here and rest for a while," she started by picking up the plates Tamaki used then walked to the door, "Also, put a shirt on next time. I placed one next to your bed, please use it." She left behind a stunned Tamaki before closing the door behind her.

Tamaki looked down at his body, realizing he wasn't wearing his shirt. The boy buried his face into his palms, his ears turning red.

[Atherion]

Current in-game time 6:00 PM

Jurn was walking down the dorms in a rush while holding a book at hand. It was already time for their exams. Thanks to the conundrum a few days ago, the whole kingdom went into disarray and the Academy was also affected forcing them to postpone the exams to today.

Sweat poured from Jurn's face as he ran across the hallway, speeding to a corner and passing by some students along the way.

"Oi Jurn! Where are you going!? The exams are this way!" A student called out to him as Jurn ran past them. He was running in the opposite direction of where the exams were, confusing the others as they saw him.

He was looking for a certain dorm, room 201 which he found as he veered left in a corner. He stopped in front of it, panting heavily as he clutched his knees, he stood straight and cleared his throat preparing to knock on the door, "Sylvia? Viola? Are you in there? You're both going to be late for the exams if you don't hurry," he declared but no one responded.

Jurn hasn't heard from the two since yesterday, and he hasn't seen Sylvia or Viola at the cafeteria when he had dinner, it was strange as Sylvia was not the type to skip food, she was always early when it came down to food. And he knew for a fact that wherever Sylvia was, Viola was always there beside her sister regardless. 

"Sylvia? Viola?" He repeated their names then knocked once again, but no matter how hard he knocked he got no reply. Maybe it was because of his reputation, did they feel they were a stain by his side because he was the son of a noble? No that can't be it, right?

Before his fist could knock a third time, a melody caught his ear. He would raise an eyebrow to this symphony, it was gentle and slow and made anyone who listened to it feel a sense of stillness. A fiddle? Who was playing it? Jurn has heard of various instrumentals and the such from a young age thanks to being a noble.

An ear-piercing shriek from the Chilin bird signaled students to get prepared as the exams were about to commence. This was enough of a reminder to snap Jurn from his odd daze as he shook his head violently left and right.

He snapped his wand and aimed it at the doorknob, quickly chanting a simple incantation causing something within the knob to click as the lock was undone. "Pardon the intrusion but the exams are star–" his eyes would widen as he stopped talking. Right in front of him was a room littered with books and grimoires all of which had magic theories within them.

A couple of [Wisp Orbs] lit up the room while an orb floated above a certain Lyrken girl who wore a witch hat. Sylvia sat on a wooden chair while holding a book on top of her lap, her eyes focused solely on the book she was reading as she was uncharacteristically silent. Her expression was calm and she was surrounded by books stacked on one another.

Jurn almost forgot he was staring at Sylvia because of how focused she was. Aside from Sylvia, a silhouette stood behind the mage as Jurn discovered the source of the melody he was hearing. Viola played her fiddle as the second orb of light in the room circled her, dancing to her music.

Jurn can't place a finger on it but somehow, something about the silence in the room fought with his urge to talk to them. It felt like the air inside the very room had disappeared and was replaced by a vacuum as no one bothered to acknowledge Jurn's presence in the room.

If anything, Jurn had the feeling he was unwelcomed and was interrupting something important. Outside the academy's courtyard stood almost every student and teacher, they formed straight lines parallel to each other, it was organized from the first-years to the seventh-years.

"Look at them all, such promising kids they are," Magic Arts teacher Arturo Ergosí announced with a proud laugh.

"I'm so excited for this year's exams," said an ecstatic woman. "I can't wait to see how much they've improved!" Draped in a puffy pink wool dress, the Teacher of Magic Theories Eresa Ijania was well known for her bubbly attitude towards everyone which made her a favorite among the students.

"Yes yes, a bunch of raw talent this year but still," Professor of Alchemy Rias Blumon casually crossed his legs, sending a sharp glare at a specific direction. His eyes landed upon a group of Marked Ones, disgust, and bitterness in his eyes, "Talent is not the only basis of a good mage."

"Now now Rias, contain yourself, it's not like any of them are gonna make it past the first trial anyways," Viore Slitherine, teacher of Illusion Magic, cackled to herself slyly.

"Heh, I hope you're right," Rias scoffed and turned away his gaze. "Who are the candidates for this year?" The man in the suit adjusted his tie.

Arturo cleared his throat, nudging Eresa beside him, "So who're the lucky brats this year?" The Luar(Dwarf) asked in his scruffy voice.

"Let me see," the woman pulled out a piece of parchment paper from her pockets then read aloud, informing the others of the top five candidate students of this year's exams.

Third-year Lily Murk, a daughter of a wealthy noble family, at the age of ten has mastered Water magic. She is currently top of her class and is diligent when it comes to her studies.

Fourth-year Fiona Agarthas, daughter of a merchant and an adept user of Flame magic. She is a short-tempered girl which fits her affinity for flame magic, she is also quite smart and is the top of her batch.

Second-year Mathias Ferny, as the son of a Duke, has received personal training regarding magic but even then he still insisted on going to this school. Just like the others, he is also a bright one.

Fifth-year Jurn Fern, a son of a noble and one of the greatest prodigies this academy has ever seen. He was the same age as Lily Murk but in terms of abilities, he excels in almost every magic and has the experience to back it up.

"And that's all of them~" Eresa chirped happily as she finished her explanation.

"Well ain't that good news, I'd want some booze with me right now," Arturo laughed.

"Good," Rias chuckled, he was pleased to hear about the new candidates. He sent a glance at the Marked Ones then chuckled once more.

"Ohhh Jurn~ show us what you're made of." Viore Slitherine said with a feline grin.

While the Professors were still bantering, a single tap of a cane behind them would send shocks to their bodies as they stiffened. A normal person would've noticed nothing different but these teachers were experts in sensing magic, and right now they sensed an enormous presence behind them.

An old geezer with grey hair and a well-kept beard walked around with his cane at hand standing straight for a man who looked like he was in his sixties. The students who noticed the man immediately behaved themselves as they stood straight. Who was this man you ask? He was none other than Yuvjta Ermin, the headmaster and principal of this academy.

He made his way towards the podium set in front of the crowd of students, taking his moment as he scanned each and every one of them while they all stayed silent. 

Once he was done, the headmaster cleared his throat and spoke to a magic circle which acted as a microphone, "I see that all of you are here and accounted for, save for a few but it is their fault for their tardiness. I'm sure most of you are anxious about tonight's event and I understand your worries since I myself, also went through the same experiences as you."

"Due to a terrorist attack on one of our country's cities, we've been forced to postpone the exams to today. But enough of that as I have a question for all of you here tonight," the man's wise steel look sent shivers down the students' spines as he gave them a serious stare, "Are you confident that you have what it takes to study in this academy? If so, then I want you all to prove it, tonight. All of you will be placed under three trials, each trial will test and see if you have what it takes to be a proper mage."

No one dared to even utter a single whisper across the crowd as they listened to the headmaster's announcement, heck, they couldn't even take their eyes off of him even if they wanted to, "Do not be alarmed if these trials would cause you any harm as this test is assured to never cause injury. While you cannot be hurt, once you fail the trial you shall be sent back to the starting point where you will be given the chance to start over again."

Some students let out a sigh of relief as they heard about being given a chance to try again, but they were quickly shut down once Yuvjta raised an hourglass as small as a mouse, "You will be given as much time as the grains of this hourglass to finish the trials."

Judging the size of the hourglass, it would only give them ten minutes which was already a short period for any of them. Some students would whisper with one another, saying, "This is so unfair, how are we able to finish the trials in such a quick time?" They said but while some complained, some smiled at this with glee, like the Marked Ones as they took this as another challenge, "Oh sweet, a speedrun! I'm down for it!" Some would say.

"As students of this academy, I want you all to show me that you are worthy to bear this school's name," and with that, the Chilen bird let out another screech, signaling the end of the briefing and the beginning of the magic exams.

Meanwhile back in the dorms, Jurn gulped as he stared back at Sylvia's eyes.

[To be continued]