With the delivery of tea from a nearby servant, conversation began. As her status as a princess (even from a small kingdom) she was entitled to a private room instead of a dorm as well as security detail when she makes her way to the academy. Yet her father refused, trusting his own guards to protect their future ruler.
It turned out that the representative, named Merkad, is actually a citizen of her kingdom and he took the job of being her tester despite his high rank in order to return home. Merkad is actually an earth mage of the master stage. The order of mage levels goes as follows; trainee, novice, intermediate, master and grandmaster. To become an instructor at the academy, you must qualify at the master level to be considered.
All students are expected to have begun their journey of becoming a mage before they start their schooling. Thankfully, all testers are gifted with beginner books to help guide those who don't have any, (despite her kingdom's vast library, there is a lack of mages due to its distance from the kingdom and so there was no need to acquire magic tomes).
He also explained the basics of cultivating your element which was not as simple or comfortable as it seemed. To do so, you have to build up your inner world which is a reflection of your soul and affinities. At her level, it consisted of nothing but to successfully enter the trainee stage she must form one of her elements in it. This would allow her soul to begin creating her own magical energy which she can use to form spells.
The instructor also provided her with an inscribed scroll which will let her carriage pass through the runic circle which surrounds the academy keeping it safe. After the discussion, she excused herself while her father worked out the finer details so she can work on becoming a trainee. Her first destination being the royal library which only a select few can enter.
She darted towards the section of plants to find a specific one that she could recall. After about twenty minutes of diligently searching, she found what she was looking for. It was a type of seaweed, called Knollgrass. Not only was it a plant which grew under water but it was also highly poisonous, which she felt was one of the best options since the instructor suggested that with her triple affinity for the beginning of cultivating her inner world, she should focus on creating things that encompass two or more of her elements.
Reading the extract of the plant it said:
'Knollgrass, a highly poisonous type of seaweed characterised by its dark green appearance with pink sacs growing moderately around it. Consumption is known to cause paralysis, nerve damage and in severe cases death. All those who know their way around the Verun coast know to not make contact with it in case one of its sacs burst.
A burst sack will release a small amount of pink liquid which turns into vapour once it touches the open air, breathing this in is less poisonous as long as its in small amounts, but it can cause nausea, fainting and illness.'
The Verun coast is the one which her kingdom lies on and has direct authority over, this type of seaweed is actually banned to harvest and if any washes up on the beach, a trained herbalist is authorised to handle and destroy it safely. Opening the tome given to her by Master Merkad, she began to read the first chapter on entering her inner world and visualising her first construct.
'In order to become a trainee mage, one must have the ability to enter their inner world and create their first construct. The ability of this varies depending on the soul strength of the user, yet every person with an affinity is capable of doing so. To begin one must steady their breathing and enter a trance-like state, you must block all of your senses. First your sight by closing your eyes, secondly you must tune out every noise, ignore every smell, dull every taste and finally lose your sense of touch.
This will feel uncomfortable and you will want to move to ground yourself but you must ignore it. If you are successful in doing so, you will feel a pulling sensation that will guide you to your inner world. Follow it. Once you do, you will know. When you are peering in your inner world, visualise your construct. The feel of it, its colour, appearance, smell and will it into existence.'
Following the instructions, she did as it said. Katrina slowly shut off all her senses and gravitated towards her inner world. For a moment, she was overcome with emotion. She couldn't describe it, but it felt like home. She didn't know how long she sat there enjoying the blissful feeling until she remembered what she had to do. Imagining the dark green colour of the plant, the light pink sacs, which some she imagined bursting turning into pink liquid running down, others vaporising into pink gas which drifted around the plant.
The silver haired girl envisioned it growing tall, swaying under the current. A cool energy condensed around her, and rushed towards her inner world. With wonder, she watched as Knollgrass began growing. Writhing high and steady, exactly like she imagined it. She wanted to observe it longer but as it finally solidified, magical energy spread through her breaking her out of her trance.
Back in the real world, she stared as goosebumps raised across her arms and legs as her body began naturally absorbing the compatible magical energy. She felt stronger, faster, like all of her senses had strengthened. Katrina felt reborn, and then she felt it.
The wonder of human magic, the voice of her inner world. A kind of like system that develops for every mage who walks the path of magic.
[Mage level: Trainee
Affinities: Water, Plant and Poison.
Constructs: Knollgrass
Cultivated affinities: All].