Every student in the courtyard leaned slightly forward, holding their breath, watching as Wuxie, Minjun, Dan, Kyle, Selene, and Rylen began the delicate dance of alchemy, each demonstrating mastery, focus, and control.
The tension in the air was palpable, a living thing that seemed to thrumming between every workstation, waiting to see who would rise, who would falter, and who would claim a place among the fifteen who would proceed to the next stage of the Imperial Examination.
The Orb of Accord pulsed once, its ethereal light rippling across the courtyard, and the trial began. A tense hush fell over the gathered students as they moved methodically to their stations. Vapors hissed from boiling liquids, crystals shimmered with a faint inner glow, and the subtle hum of magical resonance wove through the air. Bowls clinked, powders sifted into precise piles, and faint wisps of elemental energy danced across the mixtures, catching sunlight in glints of red, blue, and green.
