After a hasty breakfast, where Valentina could barely get a bite down, she made her way to the main hall with a pounding heart. The corridors of Bridgewater University were filled with the excited murmur of students moving like a stream towards the venue.

  When Valentina reached the massive wooden doors of the hall, her breath caught in her throat. The familiar room had been transformed into some sort of arena, kind of like the legendary ritual sites of the great Essence Weavers of the past.

  Complex Essence patterns shimmered in the air, their colored threads woven into a breathtaking web. Various stations were set up along the walls, each with its own enigmatic apparatus and shimmering vials of Distilled Essence to power them.

  "Impressive, isn't it?" murmured Vyxara in Valentina's head. "They really put their back into this last challenge."

  Valentina nodded imperceptibly as she took in the scene. The air crackled with tension and swirling Essence. Small groups of students stood together everywhere, their faces pale with nervousness or flushed with excitement.

  "Val! Over here!" a familiar voice called. Innogen waved to her from one of the far corners, Crispin at her side.

  Valentina made her way through the crowd, past Professor Veilford, who was explaining the rules to a group of anxious-looking participants, and Edgar of Ashford, who was frantically leafing through his notes.

  "By the all the flames of the Martyr, I thought you weren't coming," Innogen said when Valentina reached her. Her friend looked pale, but determined. "How are you feeling?"

  Valentina shrugged her shoulders. "It's like I have a knot of Viur Essence in my stomach. And I haven't slept."

  Crispin put a reassuring hand on her arm. "You're going to do great, Val. You're the best of all of us."

  "Isn't he sweet?" mocked Vyxara. "Your little admirer really believes in you."

  Valentina gave Crispin a grateful smile. "Thank you. I hope you're right. And I wish both of you the best of luck as well!"

  A murmur went through the crowd as the judges entered the room. Professor Emberfell led the group, followed by several other professors and some guests Valentina didn't know.

  "Dear students," Professor Emberfell began. "Welcome to the final challenge of the Greystone Competition. Today you will have to put all your knowledge and skills to the test. The tasks ahead of you will test your skills to the limit."

  While the professor explained the rules, Valentina let her gaze wander around the room. Her heart skipped a beat when she spotted Faustus Boarfend. He was standing near the examiners, surrounded by his usual entourage of rich hangers-on and the lickspittles who would like to be rich and put up with his disgusting behavior in order to belong. His face wore a smug grin that Valentina didn't like at all.

  "Look at that arrogant fool," Vyxara hissed. "He's planning something, it's obvious."

  Valentina nodded imperceptibly. Faustus' confidence was disconcerting. He caught her gaze and his grin widened. He silently formed words with his lips, which Valentina interpreted as "Good luck, harlot".

  "... and remember," Professor Emberfell concluded her speech, "it's not just about speed, but also about precision and creativity. May the Martyr guide you. The test begins in five minutes."

  An excited murmur filled the room as the students began to take their positions. Valentina felt her stomach tighten.

  "I'll see you later," Innogen said and briefly squeezed Valentina's hand. "You can do this, Val. I believe in you."

  Crispin nodded in agreement. "Show them all."

  As her friends moved away, Valentina took a deep breath. She walked to her assigned station, her eyes fixed on the shimmering Essence patterns dancing in the air in front of her.

  "Ready, little Weaver?" asked Vyxara, her voice now serious and focused.

  "As ready as I can be," Valentina murmured. She straightened her shoulders and raised her hands, ready to start weaving as soon as the signal sounded.

  The tension in the room was palpable when Professor Emberfell raised his hand. "Begin... now!"

  With those words, the hall exploded in a blaze of light and color as dozens of Essence Weavers began to weave simultaneously, the air filled with a cacophonous hum. The trial had begun, and Valentina knew that the next few hours would decide her future. She could feel her body tense, her senses heightened by the pulsing Essence around her.

  "First task!" shouted Professor Veilford loudly. "Weave a sturdy shield pattern of Ard Essence that can withstand a Viur attack. You have two minutes!"

  Valentina's hands moved almost of their own accord, forming complex patterns in the air in front of her. The threads of Ard Essence followed her movements, weaving themselves into a dense web.

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  "That's good," Vyxara murmured approvingly. "But reinforce the top left corner, it's still weak."

  With a subtle wave of her hand, Valentina followed the demon's advice. Just in time – a dazzling beam of fire, no doubt the effect of a highly complex Viur pattern, crashed against her shield, but was absorbed effortlessly.

  "Time's up!" announced Veilford. "Next task: turn this bowl of water into ice without using Wazzer Essence. One minute!"

  Valentina blinked in surprise. This was an unorthodox task, but she had an idea. Vyxara had once told her, in one of her usual incomprehensible remarks, that ice was slow water. With nimble fingers, she wove a complex pattern of Luvt and Z?t Essence that slowly iced the water, completely without interacting with Wazzer Essence.

  Around her, she heard frustrated exclamations and the clink of water bowls shattering. Apparently many of the participants were having problems with this task.

  "Brilliant," praised Vyxara. "At last, you really think like a true Essence Weaver."

  The next tasks followed in quick succession, each one more difficult and unconventional than the last. Valentina felt her self-confidence grow with every challenge she mastered.

  She created a glowing butterfly of Lieht Essence that fluttered around the room, attracting the attention of the examiners. She manipulated the Z?t Essence to bring a wilting flower back to life without using Leb Essence, a task that even Faustus seemed to struggle with.

  "The first quarter is over!" shouted Professor Emberfell. "The next tasks will be even more challenging. Prepare yourselves!"

  Valentina used the short break to take a deep breath and drink a sip of water. Her gaze wandered around the room. Many of her companions looked exhausted, some were even crying in frustration. Crispin was visibly struggling, while Innogen smiled triumphantly, obviously pleased with her performance.

  Only Faustus seemed completely unimpressed by the challenges. He stood casually at his station, his arrogant grin firmly on his face. When he noticed Valentina's gaze, he gave her a mocking wink.

  "Ignore that fool," Vyxara growled. "Concentrate on your own performance."

  Valentina nodded imperceptibly and turned her attention back to the shimmering Essence patterns in front of her. The next task was announced: "Create a working hourglass with the sand running backwards. Three minutes!"

  This was a real challenge. Valentina began to weave complex patterns of Z?t and Ard Essence, her fingers moving with a speed and precision she would never have dreamed of a few months ago.

  "Be careful," warned Vyxara. "You're overloading the Z?t Essence. Balance it with a touch of Schate."

  Valentina instinctively followed the advice without breaking her concentration. Before her eyes, the sand in the delicate hourglass slowly began to rise again in reverse.

  A surprised murmur went through the crowd of spectators. Professor Emberfell raised an eyebrow in recognition.

  Valentina confidently mastered task after task. She created a miniature storm of Luvt Essence that hovered over her palm with perfect control. She wove a difficult pattern of Leb and Viur Essence, bringing to life a small flame that opened and closed like a flower.

  "You're incredible, little Weaver," Vyxara whispered, the demon sounded genuinely impressed.

  Valentina allowed herself a small smile. She felt as if she could do anything. The Essence pulsed around her body and seemed to react to the slightest of her thoughts. It was intoxicating.

  "Next task!" shouted Professor Veilford, his voice echoing through the hall. "Manipulate the Essence patterns that appear in front of you to create a stable bridge. Time: four minutes!"

  Valentina turned her attention to the space in front of her, ready to feel the familiar vibrations of the Essence. But what she saw made her freeze for a moment. Essence patterns she had never seen before were dancing in front of her. Strange swirls and loops that seemed to defy any known classification.

  "What the..." muttered Vyxara confused. "These aren't normal Essence patterns."

  Valentina blinked, trying to concentrate. Around her, the other students were already beginning to weave, their hands moving confidently and precisely. Only Valentina stood there frozen, unable to make sense of the chaos before her.

  "Pull yourself together, little Weaver," urged Vyxara. "Trust your instincts. You can do this."

  Valentina began to weave with trembling hands. She tried to manipulate the strange patterns, to force them into familiar shapes. It was as if she was fighting against an invisible resistance. Sweat formed on her forehead as she desperately tried to control the unruly Essence threads.

  "Two more minutes!" shouted Professor Emberfell.

  Panic rose in Valentina. Her competitors' bridges were already taking shape. Faustus' construct shone like polished silver, while Innogen wove a complex structure of shimmering Essence threads.

  "Calm down," whispered Vyxara. "Take a closer look. The patterns may be strange, but the underlying structure is the same. You just have to think differently."

  Valentina took a deep breath and forced herself to look at the patterns with new eyes. Slowly, the chaotic swirls began to make sense. She recognized patterns in the apparent disorder, subtle rhythms that she had previously overlooked.

  With growing confidence, she began to weave again. Her hands moved more confidently now, forming complex gestures that guided and bent the strange Essence threads.

  "Time's up!" announced Professor Veilford. "Please step back and let the examiners look at your work."

  Valentina took a step back and looked at her work. The bridge in front of her pulsed strangely. It was not as solid as those of her companions.

  "Weird," Vyxara murmured. "That shouldn’t have gone wrong."

  "Next task!" shouted Professor Emberfell as soon as the examiners had finished their round. "Create a stable pattern from all eight Essence types. Time: five minutes!"

  The strange patterns appeared in front of Valentina again. With growing confusion, she began to weave, her hands dancing through the air, forming configurations and signs.

  The Essence reacted to her touch, but was flowing and swirling in unusual ways. Was this a part of the test?

  Faustus seemed completely unimpressed. He weaved with an ease that seemed suspicious to Valentina. His eyes met hers and that smug grin appeared on his face again.

  When Professor Veilford approached her station, he frowned, but Valentina couldn't pay him any attention, she had to concentrate hard to wield the unruly Essences.

  The next tasks followed in quick succession, each more complex and challenging than the last. The hours flew by. Valentina lost all sense of time, completely immersed in the flow of Essence.

  "I don’t know what’s wrong with those weird flows and patterns," Vyxara whispered to her reassuringly. "But you're doing great considering the circumstances."

  But when she looked around and saw the sometimes desperate but definitely not confused faces of her fellow students, a strange feeling crept over her. Why didn’t everyone else seem to struggle as hard as she did? And why was Faustus still grinning so smugly?