They walked side by side towards the academy. After entering through the main gate, they followed a path lined with towering walls on either side. Other examinees joined them, while some moved ahead.
Troops stood along the sides, wearing gleaming armor and standing as still as statues.
As they moved further in, they were greeted by a surreal and magnificent sight. A massive, colossal white academy building stretched before them, with a clock at its center. There was a grand entrance at the center and a staircase leading up to it.
A large open space stretched towards the academy, with gardens on either side and a huge fountain near the academy building. Water sprinklers sprayed flowers and plants, and cobblestone paths were laid. At the intersections, signboards pointed the way to the main entrance exam place.
Students crowded the staircases as they entered the academy, wearing colorful outfits. Some had formed groups and wore matching suits. While some students climbed the stairs, others lingered around the entrance, laughing and chatting.
He bumped into someone while he was distracted by the scene. He quickly apologized and focused on his path, afraid that if he lost himself in the marvelous sight of the academy again, he would bump into someone else. He did not want to get into trouble so early. He was here to make friends and enjoy the outside world.
Alex and Thalia continued along their path, with flowers and plants growing on either side. A large crowd gathered around them, everyone awestruck as they gazed at the sight before them. They all felt their heart pounding with excitement and thrill.
Alex glanced at Thalia. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the academy, but she quickly composed herself and looked ahead.
However, Alex could not shake his discomfort being beside Thalia. He quickened his pace, trying to avoid her, but she continued walking alongside him. He felt uneasy, noticing that her eyes had been on him since they first met.
No matter how quickly Alex sped up, Thalia would always catch up. He had been trying to distance himself from her, or at least maintain some distance, but she stuck to his side like a magnet ever since they entered the gate.
Alex finally stopped, and Thalia halted as well and looked at him.
Alex grew nervous under her pale gaze, and soon all eyes turned toward them. The examinees behind them stopped in their tracks, while those ahead also paused and looked back.
Alex coughed and straightened the imaginary wrinkles on his coat before moving forward. Thalia followed him, and soon all the examinees began walking as if nothing had happened.
They followed the directions on the signboard, taking the necessary turns. The path was wide, but the number of examinees made it feel crowded. They soon reached the center of the grounds, where several huge crystals stood on a raised platform, each guarded by a strong-looking person. Stairs led up to the raised platform.
Students formed a wide circle around it, keeping a respectful distance.
The academy building stood to the right side of the ground, casting shadows over it as the sun began to reach its zenith.
As Alex drew closer, he saw an old man standing at the center, supervising and holding a ledger as he called out names. A boy in plain clothes climbed the stairs and approached an empty crystal.
The boy looked extremely nervous and almost stumbled as he climbed the stairs. The old man supervised everything. The man guarding the crystal spoke something, and the boy placed his hand on its surface.
Suddenly, a blue light glowed from the crystal, and a window appeared, displaying his level.
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Level: 17
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Alex almost gasped at the sight of level 17. The boy looked so ordinary that Alex could hardly believe it. When he glanced at Thalia, he was even more surprised to see no reaction from her, as if level 17 meant nothing.
He noticed that some examinees looked surprised, while most remained nonchalant. Then he looked to the side and saw a leaderboard listing the names of the ten highest-level holders for this test.
Alex's eyes immediately went to the first position, and what he saw nearly made him faint. The top spot was level 45. His chest pounded, and it felt as if the ground beneath him was giving way.
He read the name at the top: Lucian Vaelorian. Alex repeated the name in his mind.
He looked down the list and was shocked again by the difference. The second place was level 35, a full ten levels below the first. All the rest were below level 30.
Alex clenched his fists. He felt unworthy and doubted he would pass the entrance exam, since many examinees had yet to reveal their levels. If someone was even higher than level 45, it meant he would be eliminated quickly.
Names were called one by one. Alex felt his blood run cold and struggled to remain calm. All the examinees so far were around level 20, and none were below level 15. Meanwhile, he was only level 1 and feared he would become a laughing stock.
The area grew more crowded as more examinees arrived, while those who had already been tested moved toward the academy building.
- - -
In a quiet room, several people sat on sofas. In front of them, a screen flickered, displaying the examinees and their levels as they touched the crystal.
Shane and Sera sat together on one sofa, with Ariana seated between them.
Cassian and Malrec each sat alone on separate sofas.
Shane looked at his son, who was tense, his hands clenched. Shane could feel the emotion his son was experiencing. He saw Thalia standing beside Alex and noticed how she would look at him and then back at the crystal.
Cassian also observed his daughter and found her behavior peculiar. She was usually reserved and shy, yet here she was boldly sneaking glances at Alex. He sighed inwardly, hoping she would not get her heart broken. She had idolized Alex since she was a child. Now she would understand why people say you should not meet your heroes in real life. Alex was quite different from the stories. He could not heal anymore, and no one knew if he would ever again or if it had all been a fluke. He could not level up either. Every child in the empire had heard Alex's tales, and Thalia was no exception. She often asked Cassian about him, but he never revealed much.
Sera looked at her husband, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. She could see where this was heading and how her son would be humiliated in front of others, yet she could do nothing about it.
Sensing something was wrong from her brother's reaction and posture, Ariana turned to her mother and asked, "Is everything going to be all right?"
Sera and Shane turned toward their daughter, exchanging uncertain glances. Their lips were pressed tight, and they found themselves unable to speak. No words came to their mouths.
At last, Cassian stepped in and said, "Don't worry, everything will be all right." He was not sure why he spoke up, but seeing his friends at a loss for words, he decided to help.