The Royal Magic Academy's training grounds were alive with the roar of incantations and the clash of elemental forces. The annual Grand Trial was underway—a rite of passage where students faced daunting challenges to prove their strength and advance in rank.
For Kertia, this trial was more than just a test. It was a chance to silence doubters, to prove that the sickly boy reborn as the Guardian's vessel could command power beyond imagination.
The trial was divided into three grueling stages:
Stage One: Mastery of ElementsStudents had to summon and control elemental forces—fire, water, earth, air—while maintaining precise control and balance.
Stage Two: Summoning and BindingThis stage challenged students to call forth creatures or constructs and command them with absolute obedience.
Stage Three: Combat EnduranceThe final test was a battle against a conjured opponent or multiple foes, testing strategic thinking, magical control, and resilience.
Kertia's first stage began in a circular arena surrounded by towering stone pillars etched with ancient runes. The air crackled with tension as spectators gathered.
He focused his mind, calling forth the chill of the earth beneath his feet. Though his specialty was necromancy, the trial demanded elemental mastery.
Slowly, frost spread across the ground, shimmering crystals growing like fragile flowers. A gust of wind lifted leaves and dust, swirling in a delicate dance around him.
The crowd murmured in surprise. Few expected Kertia to excel in this stage.
Stage two was where Kertia shined. He knelt in the center of a summoning circle, chanting the Guardian's ancient incantations.
Bones and fragments of old magic coalesced, forming an army of skeletal guardians. Each moved with fluid precision, responding instantly to Kertia's silent commands.
Arielle and Tomas watched from the sidelines, pride shining in their eyes.
The final stage was the most brutal. Kertia faced a conjured beast—a terrifying chimera of flame and shadow.
The battle was fierce and exhausting. The chimera lashed out with fiery claws while shadows clung to Kertia, seeking to sap his strength.
But Kertia's control was unwavering. With a snap, his skeletal warriors surged forward, engaging the beast in a deadly dance.
The fight pushed Kertia to his limits. Every move required precision, every spell exacting focus.
When the chimera finally fell, the arena erupted in cheers.
Despite his victory, whispers remained. Some nobles still doubted necromancy's place among the highest ranks of magic.
But Kertia cared little for their judgment. His heart burned with determination.
That night, in the quiet of his room, Kertia opened an ancient tome gifted by the Principal. Its pages spoke of the Guardian's legacy—a lineage of power, sacrifice, and eternal vigilance.
He read of ancient battles between gods and shadows, of the delicate balance that kept the world alive.
With renewed resolve, Kertia vowed to honor that legacy.
"Strength is not just power," he whispered. "It is the will to protect, the courage to stand when all others fall."
The trials had proven one thing—Kertia was no longer the boy born frail and forgotten. He was becoming a force the kingdoms would come to rely upon.
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