Director Gryphon's voice cut through the air like a steady bell, slicing through the hum of the Aldaria Magic Academy's central courtyard.
"All students, proceed immediately to the Amphitheater."
The order echoed, accompanied by a slight magical tremor from the runes embedded in the walls, which glowed a silver-blue hue for a few seconds before fading. A collective murmur spread among the groups of students scattered across the gardens, corridors, and training areas.
Logan, Blake, and Kassia were near the Combat Pavilion, finishing a practice session, when they felt the arcane wave ripple through the stone floor.
"I don't think that was on the schedule," Blake commented, putting away his training staff, sweat still trickling down his temple.
"A general summons, mid-afternoon?" Kassia frowned, tucking her braid behind her shoulder. "Either it's something big, or someone blew up another building."
Logan took a deep breath and straightened his academy uniform.
"Let's go," he said, turning to the two of them. "If the Director is involved, it's not something small."
They followed the crowd toward the Arcane Amphitheater.
***
The Amphitheater was the same location as the opening ceremony. As the students filled the seats, the atmosphere vibrated with whispers and speculation.
Logan, Blake, and Kassia sat in the middle rows, accompanied by Elian, Nyx, Darian, and Lyra. The smell of cold stone and ancient parchment mixed with the faint aroma of arcane incense that always seemed to hang in that place.
"The stage's containment runes are active," Nyx murmured, pointing discreetly at the silver lines tracing the central circle. "This isn't just an ordinary announcement."
"Maybe it's a notice about the exams," Lyra suggested, unconsciously smoothing the corner of her notebook.
Kassia shot a quick glance at Logan.
"End-of-semester exams…" she murmured. "Would it be too early to announce the details?"
"In Aldaria, it's never too early to put pressure on us," Blake replied, trying to ease the tension with a half-smile.
The conversations ceased when the air above the stage rippled as if it were water, and the figure of Director Gryphon materialized smoothly. Around him, four professors positioned themselves in a semicircle, including Darius Morn and the Theory of Magic professor, Venera Lys.
When the Director raised his right hand, the silence was absolute.
"Students of Aldaria," Gryphon began, his voice amplified by an arcane circle. "Thank you for attending so quickly."
"We are approaching the end of another semester," the Director continued. "And, as everyone knows, the Aldaria Magic Academy does not settle for paper tests. True knowledge is forged under pressure, in real situations."
An excited murmur ran through the amphitheater. Some students straightened in their chairs, clearly eager.
"It is with this in mind," Gryphon proceeded, "that I officially announce this year's End of Semester Exam."
He made a gesture with his hand, and the air above the stage lit up. A large hologram appeared, projecting the image of a vast ruined city, covered in vegetation and shrouded in a greenish mist. Broken towers rose like giant bones amidst deserted plazas. Staircases that led nowhere. Gates half-buried in the earth.
In the center of the projection, a stone circle marked by ancient runes glowed faintly.
"The Ruins of Eldanor," Gryphon announced.
The name fell upon the amphitheater like a stone in a deep lake. Waves of murmurs, frightened whispers, and exclamations rippled through the place.
"Is… is this serious?" Nyx involuntarily squeezed Elian's arm. "Eldanor?"
"I've read about this place," Elian murmured, his eyes locked on the projection. "But I thought most of it was historian exaggeration."
The Director paced a few steps across the center of the stage, hands behind his back.
"Eldanor was built over three thousand years ago by an ancient civilization whose origin is still a subject of debate among scholars." His voice echoed gently but firmly. "A civilization that vanished as completely as smoke after the wind."
New images appeared: visions reconstructed by magic, showing Eldanor in its prime. Lustrous domes, channels of arcane energy running through the air like rivers of light, temples of dark stone adorned with complex symbols.
"However," Gryphon continued, "they left behind something no one could ignore: their structures. Eldanor was built on two clear levels."
The projection split in half, revealing a three-dimensional "cutaway" of the city.
"On the surface, we have temples, plazas, public buildings, commerce… what remains of a society that breathed magic." The hologram showed the upper layer, with ruined squares and temples. "But the true mystery lies beneath."
The "floor" of the projection dissolved, revealing dozens of underground floors spiraling down into the depths. Each level was different from the other: some filled with giant crystals, others with flooded corridors, still others covered by colossal roots.
"The underground of Eldanor extends for dozens of floors, each deeper, older, and more dangerous than the last. For centuries, explorers, adventurers, and academics have entered. Many never returned; those who did brought back fragments of knowledge, artifacts, and… scars."
Blake swallowed hard beside Logan.
"This doesn't sound like an exam anymore," he murmured. "It sounds like academic suicide."
Kassia kept her gaze fixed on the projection, fingers interlaced tightly in her lap.
"It is said," Gryphon continued, speaking again, "that Eldanor was a site of concentrated magical power. Not just an urban center, but a massive focus for channeling the world's mana."
The images changed, showing symbols of distinct schools of magic carved into walls, giant arcane circles, columns coated in runes. in some sections, the stone itself seemed to pulse, as if it were living flesh.
"Ancient magic still permeates that place." The Director's gaze hardened. "This magic is unstable. In some points, it amplifies the power of mages who venture inside, elevating their capabilities far beyond the normal. In others, it drains vital energy with the same ease as snuffing out a candle."
The collective murmur now had a different tone: fear mixed with fascination.
Logan watched the projection, and in one of the underground floors—a vast hall covered in shadows—for an instant, he had the impression of hearing, far off, a deep howl.
Fenrir.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus only on the Director's voice.
"Structurally, Eldanor is a risk in itself." Gryphon gestured, and the projection showed one of the floors collapsing in a chain reaction, columns snapping, floors giving way. "The centuries have damaged much of the underground levels. Cave-ins are common. Floors can give way and drag down everything above them. Every incursion into Eldanor is, by nature, a calculated bet."
"And as if that were not enough," the Director continued, "the creatures that inhabit that place have adapted to it. They have evolved amidst the residual magic, becoming stronger, more aggressive, and more resilient versions of their common counterparts. Do not underestimate any being you find inside, no matter how small it seems."
Darian leaned forward, eyes shining.
"Stronger creatures…" he murmured. "That actually sounds fun."
Lyra shot him a look of pure dismay.
"Only you would think that."
Gryphon paused for a longer moment, and the silence that followed gained weight.
"There is also the legend." His voice took on a deeper timbre. "It is said that in the final depths of Eldanor, in the oldest and almost inaccessible layers, there exists a creature thousands of years old. So ancient that its true name has been forgotten by the world."
The projection showed only a dark void, as if the magic refused to reveal what was hidden there. A point of darkness so deep it seemed to devour the light from the amphitheater's ceiling crystals.
"Some believe it to be an Ancestral Arcane Beast. Others claim it is something even older, something that predates the Arcane Beasts we know." Gryphon nodded to his own thought. "The only certainty is that, if it exists, it guards a treasure not merely of gold, but of knowledge, lost Artifacts, secrets of the civilization that built Eldanor."
A student from Frostgard raised his hand.
"Director, are we… going that deep? To this creature?"
"No," Gryphon answered without hesitation. "The end-of-semester exam does not require and will not allow you to reach the deepest floors. The Academy itself has established limits for the incursion. You are not suicidal. You are students."
Some laughed nervously.
The Director made a slight gesture, and the hologram shrank in size, hovering beside him like a reduced model.
"Now, to the practical details."
***
"The mission that will serve as the End of Semester Exam will be an incursion into the Ruins of Eldanor," Gryphon declared. "The objective will be to explore a small portion of the ruins to collect specific artifacts that will be listed in a dossier given to each group, and to return safely to the Academy within a maximum period of one week."
The words "return safely" remained echoing in Logan's mind. The way the Director emphasized that did not go unnoticed.
"You will be organized into groups of five students," the Director continued. "The composition of each group will be defined by the Academy, taking into account magical affinities, physical capabilities, performance history, and…" he paused briefly, "political balance between kingdoms."
Students from Eryndark and Sky Reaper exchanged suspicious glances in various parts of the stands.
"The groups will be released by the end of the day," Gryphon informed them. "Everyone will receive, in their dormitories, a starter kit for preparation: information about Eldanor, a list of materials and artifacts to be found, and appropriate clothing, already enchanted with basic protections."
Kassia squeezed her fingers, visibly tense.
"One week… inside unstable ruins, with residual magic, adapted creatures, and a legend of a millennial creature." She sighed. "Yes, this is definitely Aldaria."
"Senior professors and field instructors will accompany the mission," the Director added. "They will remain at strategic points as emergency support and are authorized to intervene only in situations of risk of death or large-scale structural collapse. This is an exam, not a field trip."
Blake raised an eyebrow.
"Translating: if we almost die, they let it roll until the 'almost' starts turning into 'death'."
"At least we know we won't be totally alone," Logan replied, though he felt the weight of reality. "And anyway, it's not like we can refuse."
"The departure date will be in two weeks," Gryphon announced. "Until then, you must prepare, train, study, and form synergy with your teammates. And, above all, understand that power without control is the most efficient way to dig your own grave."
The Director took a deep breath, letting his gaze sweep across the amphitheater again.
"Remember: the true treasure of Eldanor is not the gold, nor the artifacts. It is the choices you will make inside. How you will deal with fear, with power, and with responsibility. That is the exam that truly matters."
The runes on the stage floor glowed faintly as he concluded:
"You are dismissed. By the end of the day, each of you will have, in hand, the first step of this journey."
The light of the ceiling crystals seemed to dim for a moment, as if Eldanor, somewhere far away, had just awakened and turned its attention to Aldaria.
***
"Groups of five…" Blake repeated as they exited via the staircase amidst the crowd. "And the Academy chooses who gets who. There is no way this ends well."
The afternoon sun bathed the campus as the trio emerged from the Amphitheater. The air felt drier, like before a storm. Students of all years were spread out in small groups, discussing animatedly.
"I only know one thing," said Kassia, crossing her arms. "If they separate us, I will personally go to the Director to argue."
"Uh-huh," Blake quipped, the corner of his lips lifting. "You talking like that is almost as weird as Darian talking about humility."
Darian, who was coming a few steps behind with Nyx and Lyra, threw up his hands.
"Hey, I heard that!"
"You were meant to," Blake retorted.
Logan walked a little ahead, eyes lost on the horizon of the Academy's towers. A city built to channel magic… a millennial creature guarding a secret at the bottom of the abyss.
"Logan?" Kassia touched his arm. "You've been quiet since the announcement."
He blinked, refocusing on the two of them.
"I'm… processing." He let his breath out slowly. "A real mission, outside the protected limits of the Academy. Ancient ruins. Unstable magic. This is exactly the kind of situation where the wrong type of power decides to show up uninvited."
Blake understood immediately.
"Fenrir."
Logan nodded, his jaw tight.
"If that place amplifies or distorts magic, my connection to him could become… unpredictable. And if I lose control in there, it won't just be rocks falling on our heads."
"Precisely for that reason," Kassia replied firmly, "we need to be together. You are not going alone."
She looked at Blake.
"Let's train. Seriously. Not just direct combat, but fine control, group tactics, escape, support, reading mana flow. If Eldanor distorts power, we have to learn to operate with both strong magic and limited magic."
Blake smiled, but the glint in his eyes was serious.
"Okay. Two weeks, then. Intense training and a small expedition to the city to buy useful items like potions, scrolls, components, and decent food. I don't trust expedition rations."
"I agree with the food part," said Logan. "And the training part. If this exam is a door… let's walk through it prepared."
Nyx and Elian approached.
"Are you guys going to prepare as a group too?" asked Nyx. "It would be good to train together, even if the Academy decides to separate us into the groups of five. At least we get used to covering each other's weaknesses."
"Good point," said Elian. "We can focus on situations that simulate an unstable environment: arena with moving plates, fields with mana distortion… ask Darius to supervise a session or two."
Blake smiled lopsidedly.
"And do you think Darius is going to miss the chance to watch us get beaten up by some absurd formation he invents?"
"Probably not," replied Kassia, laughing. "But at least we'll learn something in the process."
They agreed to meet at night to define a training schedule. Then, gradually, the group dispersed toward different areas of the campus.
***
The rest of the day passed in a mix of expectation and restlessness. Rumors about possible group formations spread through the corridors.
"They're going to mix kingdoms."
"I heard they won't let more than two students from the same kingdom in the same group."
"They said some professors nominated students with potential for deeper missions."
Logan, Blake, and Kassia spent a few hours at the Combat Pavilion, reviewing basic techniques and testing small combinations. The goal was more to feel their joint flow of mana, to perceive each other's timing.
In the late afternoon, they decided it would be better to rest a bit and wait for the promised announcements.
When Logan arrived at the door of his room, something caught his attention.
A rectangular box, made of dark, finely crafted wood, rested exactly before the threshold. On the lid, his name was engraved in shimmering silver alongside the Academy's symbol: the quill, the sword, and the crossed book.
Logan felt his chest tighten for an instant.
"So this is it…"
He crouched down, touching the smooth surface of the box. The wood was cold, but there was a slight arcane vibration running through its fibers. It wasn't a powerful artifact, just a receptacle sealed by a simple identification spell.
As soon as he placed his entire hand over the symbol, a soft click echoed, and a faint glow ran along the edges of the lid. The lock undid itself.
Logan pushed the door to his room open with his shoulder, balancing the box in his arms, and entered.
***
His room welcomed him with the same calm as always: the made bed, the shelf with some books borrowed from the library, the desk where the grimoire Umbra Vinculum usually rested, the window open to the inner garden.
The air brought the scent of damp earth and leaves, and the distant song of nocturnal creatures began to emerge.
He placed the box on the bed for a moment, just staring at it, seeing his own distorted reflection shine in the silver surface of the Academy symbol.
"The sooner, the better," he murmured.
He opened the lid carefully.
Inside, three sets were arranged with precision: two envelopes of thick paper, sealed with wax—one with the Academy emblem, the other with the crest of Aldaria and a small additional mark: a circle with three diagonal lines, the specific seal of the Field Exam. Beside them lay a set of neatly folded clothes and a smaller case containing vials and components.
Logan picked up the envelope with the Academy emblem first. Breaking the seal, he smelled the familiar scent of fresh ink and enchanted parchment.
"The student will find in this box samples of the materials that must be identified and collected during the incursion into Eldanor."
Just below, a detailed list of names with brief descriptions.
"Examples…" Logan murmured, opening the small internal partition beneath the envelopes.
There they were, carefully stored in small transparent compartments: the samples of each described material. Each one accompanied by isolation runes to prevent mutual interference. He held the fragment of blue-green crystal between his fingers. The surface vibrated with a rhythm almost like a heartbeat.
"These are reference models. During the exam, each group will be required to recover a minimum quantity of each listed material, to be transported safely in containers provided by the instructors upon departure."
Just below, a second section described the clothing.
Logan placed the parchment on the bed and lifted the special uniform.
It was a set of sturdy fabric pieces, dark gray with deep blue details, quite different from the everyday Academy uniform. The pants were reinforced at the knees and sides, and the jacket had a functional cut, with multiple internal pockets. The fabric felt light to the touch, but dense.
When he ran his fingers along one of the seams, tiny runes lit up for a moment.
The other part of the letter explained:
"The provided suits are enchanted with basic protections: — Light impact cushioning. — Resistance to superficial cuts. — Partial insulation against moderate cold and heat. — A thin layer of stabilized
Logan raised his eyebrows.
"So basically an automatic emergency shield."
The idea was comforting and disturbing at the same time. If an automatic protection trigger was necessary, it was because they expected the students, at some point, to approach situations where a second of reaction time could be the difference between living and dying.
He left the uniform aside, carefully folded, and placed his hand on the second envelope—the one sealed with the Exam crest.
The paper felt slightly thicker, and the wax seal bore not only the Academy symbol but also a small detection glyph. When he broke the seal, the glyph glowed, as if confirming the identity of the reader.
Inside, there were three sheets.
On the first, a more "technical" summary of Eldanor: partial maps of the upper levels, notes on areas known for mana distortion, warnings about cataloged creatures and unstable zones. Nothing he hadn't already heard from the Director—but here, in detail, with small field observations.
"Zone 2B: moderate structural instability. Avoid jumps and heavy impacts."
"Zone 3A: elevated concentration of shadow magic. Light spells are strengthened; shadow spells may undergo mutations."
The second sheet contained logistical guidelines: routes for arrival and departure, meeting points with professors, maximum stay times on certain floors. A small drawing showed the area where the Academy would establish a safe camp on the outskirts of the ruined city.
And then, the third sheet.
"Group 17 — Designation: Eldanor-XVII"
Logan felt a sudden coldness in his stomach when he read the title.
Below it, five names.
Logan's eyes widened, his hand gripping the paper with such force that the parchment crumpled.
He reread it, as if the letters could change by sheer will.
His eyes darted back through the list, line by line, looking for some mistake, some note indicating "provisional, subject to change."
"No…" he whispered, incredulous. "No, no, no."