LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 2: Chapter 2
As the ceremony began, Isolde's mind wandered to her grandmother's words of encouragement. She could almost hear her grandmother's voice in her mind, urging her to be brave and to trust in her own abilities. The Alric's voice boomed through the hall, announcing the first part of the initiation: a test of magical aptitude. Isolde's heart pounded in her chest as she watched her fellow initiates step forward, one by one, to demonstrate their skills. "Today, you have all been allowed to enter the halls of our esteemed Royal Magic academy," Alric smiling with outstretched hands the wise man continued, "You all have proven yourselves worthy students, but you will need to prove yourselves once more before enrollment is finalized." The Head Mage's voice rang out, clear and commanding, as he addressed the assembled initiates. "The first trial will test your raw magical potential. Each of you will be required to conjure a sphere of light, the size and brilliance of which will demonstrate your innate aptitude."
Isolde felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach as she watched her fellow initiates step forward, one by one, to demonstrate their skills. The first few initiates managed small, flickering orbs that cast pale, wavering light. As more students took their turn, the orbs grew larger and brighter, casting a warm, golden glow across the chamber. The tension in the room rose as each person's performance was met with varying reactions from the gathered mages and initiates alike. Isolde's heart pounded as she realized her turn was approaching.
"Who's next?" Isolde stepped forward before she could allow herself to hesitate, her heart pounding in her chest as she approached the center of the chamber. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment to center herself. When she opened them again, she focused her gaze on the empty space before her, envisioning the sphere of light she was about to conjure. She raised her hands, palms facing outward, and began to channel her magic. At first, nothing happened.
"You may begin whenever you are ready, child." Natalia offered her a nod of encouragement, "She obviously can't conjure it." Mage Esmeralda tapped her feet disapprovingly.
Isolde's hands trembled slightly as she focused her will, her palms beginning to glow with a faint, ethereal light. The room seemed to grow quieter, the whispered comments of the crowd fading into the background as she concentrated. She could feel the magic within her stirring, like a slumbering beast awakening to her call.
Isolde's eyes snapped open, and with a burst of intense concentration, a sphere of shimmering, opalescent light erupted from her hands. It was larger than any of the previous orbs, pulsing with an inner radiance that seemed to draw the eye. The sphere hung in the air, slowly rotating, its surface alive with swirling motes of color. The surrounding students audibly gasped in awe; others reeled back in horror, not expecting such a blinding light from such a small orb. Isolde couldn't help but grin widely, she almost couldn't believe her eyes, she felt the small energy tug at her heart, she had passed the first test, "Impressive." Esmeralda's eyes narrowed, clearly begrudging the praise as Natalia nodded in approval.
Head Mage, Alric, stepped forward circling Isolde's orb, his gaze fixed, "It seems we have a rather impressive display here," he remarked, his voice resonating through the chamber. "The size and radiance of your orb is quite remarkable, Isolde. It speaks of a strong, untapped potential within you."
"Thank you, Head Mage." Isolde felt a flush spread across her cheeks before she quietly turned around to take her place back in line.
It didn't take long before she felt the heavy gaze of the other students, some were whispering as she passed others, sneered as she passed by. Keeping her head down she chose not to acknowledge their judgements she wasn't here to make friends or garner the approval of others. The second part of the initiation ceremony began as the Head Mage Alric stepped forward once more. "The next trial will test your ability to channel and control your magic." He swept his hand, and a small, ornate chest materialized on the dais. "Inside this chest lies an object of great power. Your task is to open it without using your hands, instead relying solely on your magical abilities."
Isolde peered over the students head's craning her neck to get a better look, the chest was small and compact it could easily fit in her pocket. After a few rounds it was once again her turn, Isolde approached the small chest, her heart still racing from the first trial. She could feel the power emanating from within the ornate box, an almost palpable energy that seemed to beckon her forward. Isolde focused her attention on the chest, her palms facing downward as she channeled her magic. The room grew quiet, the tension palpable as all eyes fell upon the young initiate.
"Do you think she'll make it burst into flames?" a young woman on her right whispered salaciously to her friend. "Maybe, it best to take many steps back." The pair of women giggled showing no attempt to hide their mocking.
Isolde ignored the whispers, focusing intently on the small chest. She could feel the magic pulsing through her veins, a tangible force that seemed to connect her to the very air around her. With a deep breath, she released the magic, guiding it toward the chest with the precision of a master archer. However, this time her magic faltered in a subpar display the chest's lid opened jerkily and seemed to rattle with tension as if had been never been opened.
"What a tease, it seems it was beginner's luck." The room erupted in laughter, Isolde felt her stomach drop why was her magic failing her now? The Head Mage Alric eyed the chest with a critical gaze, his brow furrowing slightly as he took in the less-than-impressive display.
"Interesting," he remarked, his voice tinged with an unreadable note. "It seems your control is not as refined as your raw power."
"I apologize, Head Mage," Isolde murmured, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping up her neck. "I will work to improve."
"See that you do." As she stepped back, Isolde's mind whirred with confusion. The magic had felt so effortless before, but now it seemed to slip from her grasp like water through cupped hands. Her fellow initiates whispered and sneered, their words echoing in her ears. She shot the girls from earlier a nasty glare, they feigned innocence as though they weren't the cause of such an display.
The third and final phase of the initiation ceremony was about to begin. The Head Mage's voice boomed once more, commanding the attention of the gathered initiates and mages alike.
"The third and final trial will test your ability to work under pressure and adapt to changing circumstances." He raised his hand, and a series of glowing orbs appeared around the chamber, pulsing with different colors and intensities. "Your task is to identify and dispel the magical wards embedded in these orbs."
"This will be by far the most difficult test so, you will work in pairs, take a few moments, and find a partner. "
Isolde's mouth fell open, "What a nightmare," she muttered. Isolde's eyes scanned the room, searching for a partner. She felt a sudden pang of dread, knowing that she would be an outcast among the students.
Just as she was about to give up, a tall, slender young man approached her, a friendly smile on his face. "Hi, I'm Elias," he said, extending his hand in greeting. "I was hoping we could be partners for this trial." Isolde felt a wave of relief wash over her. "Y-Yes my name is Isolde" She extended her hand out, "Thank you I was beginning to lose hope." She smiled awkwardly, "Me too, apparently no one wants to pair with a child of the rebellion. "
"Oh, you were born in...." Isolde couldn't hide her intrigue but she wasn't sure is saying it out loud was rude.
"Forsythia," Elias responded with a tight smile plastered on his lips, he shifted quickly looking around the room, in an attempt to avoid any further questioning, it was clear he was uncomfortable speaking of such a thing.
Isolde's heart raced as she and Elias took their places before one of the glowing orbs. The sphere pulsed with an eerie, violet light, its surface shimmering with intricate, ever-shifting patterns. She could feel the magic emanating from it, a palpable force that seemed to tug at the very edges of her consciousness.
"Okay, so we need to identify the wards and then dispel them," Elias murmured, his brow furrowed in concentration. "You will only have fifteen minutes, if you can dispel them all we will be notified and the initiation trial will be over. " Alric's voice rang out across the chamber, filling the air with an aura of authority. "Initiates, begin when I give the signal."
As the countdown began, Isolde's mind whirred with nervous energy. She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she and Elias faced the glowing orb before them.
"Okay are you ready?" Isolde asked the young man Elias nodded, his eyes narrowing in focus as he studied the orb before them. "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's do this, Isolde."
With a deep breath, Elias reached out with his magic, his fingertips glowing with a soft, blue light as he began to probe the surface of the orb. Isolde watched in fascination as he worked, marveling at the way he seemed to navigate the complex web of wards with practiced ease. "I've found one."
"Really?" Isolde asked her voice betraying her shock, "What type of ward is it?"
Elias's fingers danced across the surface of the orb, tracing the intricate patterns that swirled beneath his touch. "It's a binding ward," he murmured, his brow furrowed in concentration.
"Designed to trap the magic within, preventing it from being released." He glanced up at Isolde, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "This is advanced magic, Isolde. I've never seen anything like it before."
"That makes two of us." Isolde sighed, "So, does that mean we failed? I mean i've worked with such complicated magic."
As Elias continued to probe the orb, Isolde began to feel a sense of unease creeping over her. The weight of expectation pressed down on her shoulders, and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest like a drum, "Have some confidence in yourself, don't tell me that the orb you summoned earlier was just a trick?" he teased a grin spreading across his face revealing his imperfect teeth.
Isolde bit back a gasped she was half offended and the other half perplexed she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her smile, even though she knew Elias only meant good.
"Fine, I'll work on this one." Isolde focused on the orb, her palms pressed against its surface as she delved into the swirling patterns of magic that pulsed beneath. She could feel the wards, sticky strands of power that threatened to ensnare and suffocate the orb's inherent magic. With a deep breath, she reached out with her own power, a glowing tendril that snaked through the chaotic web, seeking to disentangle the binding.
"Come on..." She muttered, "Remember what grandmother taught you...." Just as Isolde was about to give up, a spark of clarity struck her. The magic within the orb was still present, but it was trapped, suffocated by the binding wards. With renewed focus, Isolde reached deeper into the orb, her power intertwining with the magical essence at its core. Slowly, methodically, she began to unravel the binding, each strand coming loose as she worked. Just as the final knot loosened the glimmering orb, popped up to the surface signaling that it was purified, a sound rang through the hall Isolde watched in awe as the orb ascended taking its place in the high ceiling, "It appears we have our first orb!" Royal mage Natalia's voice rung out with cheer.
The entire hall erupted in a collective gasp, all eyes turning to Isolde and Elias. Isolde's heart soared with pride, her hands still tingling from the magical exertion. "Well done," Elias said, a genuine smile now gracing his features. "I didn't know you could do that."
Isolde beamed, her earlier embarrassment forgotten in the thrill of the moment. "Neither did I, to be honest."
"Lets get to work," he responded, "I think it is time for you to show off, Isolde."
"W-What? No, I" Isolde stammered. Elias smirked, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Come now, don't be shy. You just proved you can handle advanced magic. I bet you can do it again." He stepped back, gesturing grandly to the next orb. "Ladies first."
Isolde's cheeks flushed, but she couldn't help the small grin tugging at her lips. She glanced at the orb, its surface shimmering with an eerie, emerald glow.
This time it was easier for her she unravelled the ward in less than two minutes, "Wow." Elias whistled in admiration as the second orb floated up to join the first. "You're a natural at this, Isolde. I've never seen anyone dispel wards so quickly and effortlessly."
Isolde blushed at the praise, ducking her head shyly. "It's just like Grandmother taught me - magic is all about precision and control. You just have to find the right way in."
Elias nodded thoughtfully. "Your grandmother sounds like an intelligent woman."
"She's the best she taught me everything I know." As Isolde and Elias turned to the next orb, a wave of excitement and anticipation surged through the chamber. The air crackled with the collective energy of the initiates and mages, all eyes fixed on the duo. The orb before them pulsed with a deep, crimson hue, its surface throbbing with an almost palpable rhythm. Isolde took a deep breath, steeling herself as she faced the final orb. The crimson light seemed to pulse in time with her heartbeat, a hypnotic rhythm that drew her in. She could feel the weight of the entire chamber on her shoulders, the expectation heavy in the air.
"This is it," Elias murmured, his voice low and intense. "The final test." Isolde nodded, her eyes never leaving the orb. "I can feel it." As Isolde reached out with her magic, the orb's surface seemed to ripple and shimmer, as if alive, inviting her touch. She could sense the ward within, a complex, labyrinthine structure that seemed to defy logic, its strands twisting and turning in a seemingly random pattern. She hesitated the enormity of the task before her weighing heavily on her mind.
Elias noticed Isolde's hesitation and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You've got this, Isolde. I have faith in you." His words were simple, but they carried a weight of sincerity that bolstered Isolde's confidence.
Centering herself as she focused on the orb, she could feel the magic pulsing within her, a tangible force that seemed to sing in response to the challenge before her. With a gentle, yet firm touch, Isolde reached out with her magic, her fingers hovering just above the surface of the orb. The crimson light flickered, responding to her presence, and for a moment, she felt as if she were in perfect harmony with the magical essence before her. The ward within was unlike anything she had encountered before - a complex web of interlocking spells, each one designed to strengthen and reinforce the others.
"This one is.....complex....how does this work?" Isolde furrowed her brow in concentration as she probed the intricate web of the ward. Each strand seemed to pulse with a life of its own, resisting her attempts to disentangle it. "I'm not sure," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the collective hush of the chamber. "It's like nothing I've ever seen before."
Elias leaned in, his eyes narrowed as he studied the orb alongside Isolde. Elias's brow furrowed as he peered at the orb, his eyes tracing the intricate patterns that swirled beneath the crimson surface. "I think... I think it's a self-reinforcing ward," he said slowly as if working it out in his own mind. "Each strand is connected to the others so that when one is weakened, the others strengthen in response."
Isolde's eyes widened as the realization dawned on her. "That's... that's brilliant," she breathed, a newfound respect for the ward's complexity.
"But how do we unravel it without triggering the reinforcement?" Elias's lips quirked into a small, determined smile. "We need to find the weak point - the strand that, when weakened, will cause the others to collapse in sequence."
Isolde's fingers danced across the surface of the orb, feeling for the right thread. As Isolde's fingertips brushed against the surface of the orb, she felt a slight resistance, a subtle pushback from the magic that guarded it. She leaned in closer, her breaths coming in soft, steady exhales as she searched for the weak point. The crimson light pulsed in time with her heartbeat, a rhythm that seemed to speak to her, guiding her touch.
"I think... I think I found it." Isolde's fingertips hovered over a particularly thin, almost translucent strand. It seemed to quiver beneath her touch, as if in anticipation. "Here," she murmured, more to herself than to Elias. "This one feels different."
Elias leaned in, his eyes following the path of Isolde's finger. "You're right," he breathed, a note of excitement in his voice. "That's the weak point."
"Try dismantling it" he responded quickly Isolde's breath caught in her throat as she focused all her attention on the weak point. With a mental push, she gently applied pressure to the strand, her magic probing and coaxing it to unravel. The ward resisted, but slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, it began to loosen. As it did, the crimson light of the orb flickered and dimmed slightly.
"It's working," Isolde whispered, her voice laced with wonder. "It's almost there!"
As Isolde pushed further, the ward began to unravel, each strand coming loose in sequence as intended. The crimson light flickered violently, and for a moment, it seemed like the orb might shatter. But just as quickly, the light stabilized, and the ward disintegrated entirely, the orb was now a pure, crystalline white, its surface perfectly smooth and unmarred. The chamber erupted into applause and cheers as the final orb rose to join the others above.
"We did it!" As the final orb ascends to join its peers in the lofty heights of the chamber, Isolde and Elias stand victorious, their hands still glowing with the remnants of their magical exertion. The echoes of applause and cheers resound around them, a symphony of triumph and admiration.
"Congratulations you two! I am impressed." Royal Mage Natalia approached with a warm smile, her deep purple robes swirling around her as she walked. "You've shown exceptional skill and teamwork today." Isolde beamed with pride, her earlier insecurities completely forgotten in the face of her success. Elias nudged her gently, his grin wide and genuine. "I told you, didn't I? You're a natural at this."