TASTE OF BATTLE

  For the first major task, the teacher gathers all the students outside the academy, leading them into the vast wilderness that surrounds the kingdom. Towering trees, treacherous terrain, and hidden dangers lurk within, making it the perfect place to test the students’ abilities.

  As dawn breaks over the academy grounds, the students stand in a large, open field at the edge of the Wilderness of Lunara, waiting for the signal to begin their first task. The instructors stand on an elevated stone platform, observing.

  “The objective is simple,” the lead instructor announces, her voice carrying across the field. “Deep within the forest lies the Luminara Bloom, a rare flower that only blooms once every full moon cycle. The first house to retrieve it wins. Beware—the forest is filled with dangers, and only those who can adapt will prevail.”

  A shimmering barrier dissipates, marking the start of the challenge.

  “Go!”

  As expected, each house approaches the challenge in a way that reflects their unique abilities:

  ? House of Aries – The Frontline Warriors

  The Aries students, led by Darius and Gareth, immediately take the lead, smashing through dense vegetation with brute force. Using their enhanced strength and endurance, they carve a direct path forward, determined to be the first to reach the goal.

  ? House of Taurus – The Unshakable Guardians

  Unlike Aries, Taurus students are methodical and cautious. They move as a unit, their earth-based abilities allowing them to reinforce their path, breaking apart dangerous terrain and creating stable footing. While slower than Aries, they are unstoppable once they gain momentum.

  ? House of Gemini – The Tricksters and Scouts

  Gemini students take an entirely different approach. They split up, using their quick reflexes and illusion magic to deceive both opponents and creatures in the forest. Some create false trails, while others blend into the surroundings, scouting ahead for the best path forward.

  ? House of Cancer – The Defenders and Supporters

  Cancer students move cautiously but steadily. Their defensive magic allows them to form protective barriers, keeping their group safe from unexpected attacks. Selene Moonshadow, one of the most gifted students in their house, senses disturbances in the environment, guiding her team safely through areas where danger lurks.

  ? House of Virgo – The Artisans and Alchemists

  The Virgos, including Ethan, Orion, and Callan, struggle at first. Unlike other houses, their abilities are centered around creation and modification, not direct combat. Many Virgo students find themselves falling behind, unable to compete with the sheer physical prowess of Aries or the deceptive speed of Gemini.

  ? House of Libra – The Tacticians and Mediators

  The Libras use calculated movements, avoiding unnecessary fights. They rely on balance and foresight, analyzing the best routes while preventing reckless engagement. Their strategy is simple: observe, adapt, and outmaneuver.

  ? House of Scorpio – The Shadows in the Dark

  Scorpio students prefer the stealth approach, disappearing into the forest while others struggle against the elements. They rely on poisons, traps, and ambush tactics—not to defeat opponents directly, but to ensure they never reach the finish line.

  ? House of Sagittarius – The Wild Hunters

  Sagittarians excel in long-distance combat and survival. With unmatched archery skills and an affinity for the winds, they scout from above, leaping across treetops and taking down threats before they get close. Their speed is second only to Gemini.

  ? House of Capricorn – The Masters of Endurance

  The Capricorn students don’t rush. They persist. While others burn out or struggle, they conserve their strength, adapting to every situation with unshakable discipline. The longer the trial, the stronger they become.

  ? House of Aquarius – The Innovators and Manipulators

  Liora and her fellow Aquarius students take a unique approach, using their control over water and air to reshape the battlefield. Instead of fighting the terrain, they move with git, redirecting rivers, clearing paths, and using their intellect to stay ahead.

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  ? House of Pisces – The Dreamers and Mystics

  Pisces students rely on intuition and spiritual energy, sensing the best paths before anyone else even sees them. They are the ones who warn of incoming danger and guide others through unseen forces. However, their fragile physical endurance makes them vulnerable in direct combat.

  Midway through the challenge, the forest erupts into chaos.

  From the depths of the wilderness, monstrous creatures emerge—twisted, hybrid beasts, corrupted by the residual energy of shattered moonstones. These creatures, known as Moonborn Beasts, are neither fully animal nor human, but something in between. Their glowing eyes pierce through the darkness, and their grotesque forms shift unnaturally, as if their bodies can’t decide what shape to take.

  The first attack happens suddenly.

  A Gemini scout running ahead screams as a shadowy, wolf-like creature lunges from the underbrush, its elongated limbs stretching unnaturally toward him. Before it can strike, a Sagittarius archer fires a glowing arrow straight through its head, causing it to dissolve into mist.

  “Stay alert!” the Sagittarius leader shouts. “These things aren’t natural!”

  The chaos spreads as more of these Moonborn Beasts attack different teams.

  Each House’s Response to the Attack

  ? The Aries students charge forward without hesitation, cutting through the creatures with brute force. Darius and Gareth take the lead, their fists and weapons shattering the beasts before they can regenerate.

  ? The Scorpio students disappear into the shadows, avoiding direct combat. They use their poison-based magic to weaken the beasts before swiftly executing them.

  ? The Cancer students form protective barriers, defending themselves and nearby students while healing the wounded. Selene Moonshadow stands at the center, her aura glowing as she keeps her team safe.

  ? The Virgo students, including Ethan, struggle at first. Their abilities are built for crafting and transmutation, not direct combat. Some attempt to use alchemy, hurling enchanted flasks that slow the creatures, but it’s clear that they are at a disadvantage.

  ? The Aquarius students cleverly redirect a nearby river, washing away the weaker beasts while freezing others in place.

  ? The Capricorn students stand their ground, taking hits and countering with relentless, calculated strikes. Their endurance keeps them from tiring out.

  ? The Libra students analyze the creatures’ weaknesses, quickly figuring out that their bodies regenerate unless their cores are destroyed.

  ? The Taurus students create rock walls, funneling the creatures into a single, controlled path for the stronger fighters to eliminate.

  ? The Pisces students, though not strong in combat, use their mystic sight to warn others about incoming ambushes, allowing the more combat-focused houses to react in time.

  As the battle rages, Ethan watches how the other houses are excelling, while most Virgo students struggle to contribute. He clenches his fists, feeling the weight of their reputation—Virgo, the house of alchemists, crafters, and thinkers, always overlooked in combat.

  But then, he remembers something.

  The mystical symbols—the ancient code of the Virgo power—can alter existing matter. It’s not about brute force. It’s about modification, adaptation, and transformation.

  Closing his eyes, Ethan places his hands on the ground. He activates his Virgo aura, the green light glowing brightly around him. He recalls the coding structure he studied, the way the mystical symbols can rewrite reality like lines of code.

  Instead of fighting directly, he rewrites the battlefield itself.

  ? The mud hardens into stone, creating new paths for the struggling Virgo students.

  ? Roots from nearby trees twist together, forming makeshift barricades.

  ? He enchants weapons on the ground, boosting their strength so his housemates can finally fight back.

  Then, he goes further.

  Spotting a group of Moonborn Beasts approaching a wounded group of Pisces students, he grabs a handful of enchanted grains—the same technique he once used on his family farm. He infuses them with transmutation energy and throws them into the air.

  The grains glow—and within seconds, massive vines sprout from the ground, wrapping around the creatures and pulling them into the earth.

  The battle shifts.

  The other houses begin to notice.

  “Virgo is… holding their ground?” a Libra student mutters in shock.

  “How is that commoner doing all that?” a noble Aries student growls, watching Ethan manipulate the battlefield with ease.

  Even Darius, who has been cutting through creatures like a war machine, pauses briefly to glance in Ethan’s direction. His father’s words echo in his head—how Ethan was nothing more than a late-blooming commoner with no place among them.

  And yet, here he was.

  -The Final Push – Reaching the Luminara Bloom

  After the battle, the surviving students push forward. The journey remains harsh, but each house has proven their strength.

  As the challenge nears its end, a large clearing comes into view. In the center, glowing under the moon’s soft light, is the Luminara Bloom—the rare flower they were sent to retrieve.

  The students rush forward, but only one can claim it first.

  Ethan, exhausted but determined, makes his move. With his enhanced Virgo aura boosting his speed, he dashes ahead.

  But Darius isn’t about to let him take the glory.

  The Aries prodigy surges forward with pure speed, his aura burning bright red. At the last second, he shoves Ethan aside and grabs the flower.

  The Aries house erupts into cheers, while the Virgo students watch silently. They had never expected to win—but for the first time in history, they had placed second.

  Back at the academy, the results are announced:

  ? Aries takes first place, thanks to Darius’s final push.

  ? Virgo claims second, an unprecedented result that leaves many stunned.

  ? Sagittarius takes third, followed closely by Aquarius.

  For the first time, Virgo is acknowledged as more than just builders and alchemists.

  Even among the nobles, whispers spread.

  And as Ethan walks past Darius, the Aries student smirks.

  “Not bad, commoner,” he mutters. “But don’t get comfortable. This was just the beginning.”

  Ethan smirks back, his Leo spirit flickering in his heart.

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”