As Lucien stepped into the evaluation hall, his crimson eyes scanned the vast chamber lit by hanging crystal lanterns. Only two other Duke houses had sent heirs—a blonde girl with eyes sharp as blades, and a broad-shouldered boy who radiated disciplined strength.
The room slowly filled with nobles, their faces marked by pride, nervousness, or bored entitlement. Half an hour passed in murmurs and muffled arrogance until the doors opened once more.
A man walked in.
He looked neither polished nor proud. His coat was worn, his beard unkempt, and his eyes stern—like steel forged in old wars. He carried no badge of House or rank, yet the air shifted around him. Authority cloaked him like shadow.
Without greeting, he barked, "Stand according to your rank. Counts first, then Marquises, and finally Dukes."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. A few noble heirs bristled at the blunt command—irritated by the lack of decorum—but none dared protest aloud. This man had been sent directly from the Celestial Conclave. His word carried weight none could challenge.
Once the students were seated in rank order, the man stepped forward, voice ringing across the chamber.
"There will be three Trials: of Mind, Body, and Soul. Each of you will be thoroughly evaluated."
He paused, letting the words settle.
"For the Mind, you will face a private interview. All of you will be asked the same questions, so none may cry favoritism."
With that, he turned and entered a chamber off to the side. A guard outside the door called the first name—a Count's son who entered with a confident smile.
Three minutes later, he emerged pale and shaken, escorted silently into a separate room.
And so it continued. One by one, heirs entered and exited, some rattled, others grim-faced. Until finally—
> "Lucien Drayven Vaelor. Step forward."
Lucien rose, his movement calm, collected. As he entered the chamber, the older man motioned him to sit.
"Sit. Let's begin."
---
❖ Trial of the Mind
Q1: How many types of mana are there?
Lucien answered without hesitation, his voice steady.
"There are many, divided into tiers based on rarity and origin."
---
I. Core Elemental Mana (Common Types)
Available to most. Foundational forms.
1. Fire – Offensive, destructive.
2. Water – Healing, fluid manipulation.
3. Storm – Lightning, wind, sound.
4. Earth – Defensive, seismic, crystal growth.
5. Nature – Plants, toxins, beasts.
6. Wind – Speed, evasion, agility.
7. Frost – Freezing, slowing.
8. Magma – Fusion of Fire and Earth.
9. Volt – Precision lightning, tech affinity.
---
II. Advanced / Rare Mana Types
Rarer, linked to bloodlines, Codex anomalies, or rare exposure.
10. Aether – Space, illusion, light.
11. Nether – Curses, fear, corruption.
12. Arcane – Pure energy, magic structures.
13. Mind – Telepathy, suggestion.
14. Blood – Life manipulation, forbidden arts.
15. Mirror – Mimicry, reflection, reversal.
16. Chrono – Time distortion, echoes.
17. Spirit – Soul-based communication.
---
III. Legendary / Unique Mana Types
Inherited, mythic, or relic-linked.
18. Equinox – Light and dark balance.
19. Oblivion – Mana-devouring void.
20. Genesis – Creation and transmutation.
21. Dreamweave – Dreams, alternate consciousness.
22. Echo – Memory and parallel realities.
23. Pact – Contractual, often with spirits or sins.
---
"Some hybrids exist, and legends tell of Sin-bound mana—linked to demons and forbidden arts," Lucien finished.
The man gave a brief nod. "Correct."
---
Q2: What are the major religions and their views on power?
Lucien answered in sequence:
---
1. The Celestian Concord (dominant among humans and elves)[A/N:This is the Celestian Concord not Celestial Conclave(council)]
Worships the Seven Celestials (Virtues).
Believes the Codex reflects divine favor.
Opposes sin and demon corruption.
Practices: Star-blessings, purification, and mana prayers.
Sacred Text: The Starlit Codex.
2. Church of the Black Flame (dwarven origin)
God: Yndros, blind forge deity.
Belief: Life is forged through trials.
Sees Codex as a soul-test, not divine law.
Rituals: Molten offerings, soul tempering.
3. The Aetherborn Faith (elven mystics)
No singular gods, but Emanations (spiritual archetypes).
Belief: All souls flow from the Aetherstream.
Codex seen as a soul's reflection across lifetimes.
4. Cults of the Sevenfold Sin (forbidden)
Worship the Deadly Sins as divine truths.
Practices: Bloodbinding, sin-ascension, Nether merging.
Goal: Open the Seventh Gate to total mana domination.
5. The Grey Path (mana-neutral scholars)
No gods. Reveres the First Echo—origin of mana.
Seeks balance, rejects extremes.
Practices: Debate, meditation, Codex neutrality.
6. Flame of the Fallen Star (heretical prophecy cult)
Believes a chosen one—the Fallen Star—will rewrite fate.
Relic: Heart of the End-Sky (meteor shard).
Hated by Conclave, feared by Celestian Concord.
---
"Good," said the man, scratching something onto parchment.
---
Q3: What is the history of Aegis Arcanum?
Lucien inhaled, then spoke clearly.
---
"Aegis Arcanum was founded around 20 AV, after the First Demon War. When the Four Realms merged during the Veilfall, the demons of Rathom unleashed destruction unmatched by any race. The Conclave realized power without discipline was chaos—and so they built a fortress-academy."
"It was named Aegis Arcanum—the Shield of Magic. Its purpose: train protectors, seal corrupted zones, and eliminate demonic threats."
---
Founder: High Archon Alaric Vaenlor, first Codex Archon, human war hero.
Sealed the first Rift at the Cradle of Starfall (now the academy site).
Left behind the Sanctum Core, a Veilfall relic.
Bound his blood to the academy, becoming its first Archon-Commander.
---
Key Periods:
Demon Prohibition Act (60 AV): All demon-bloodlines outlawed. Mana purity wards installed.
Rise to Power (100–400 AV): Aegis became the gatekeeper of titles, military power, and royal appointments.
Present Day (~500 AV): Whispers of corruption fester—rogue research, hidden demonic blood, and a Sanctum Core that pulses with unnatural rhythm.
---
"Some say the academy's greatest enemy... now walks its halls."
Lucien looked the man in the eye. "That is the history I know."
---
The man studied him for a long second. Then he said, voice dry and unreadable:
> "Interesting. Proceed to the next chamber, Lucien Drayven Vaelor."
Lucien rose without flinching, stepped toward the door, and vanished into the second Trial
Absolutely—here's a scene showing the Conclave examiner in a quiet moment between interviews, revealing his inner thoughts. It adds depth to his character and subtly subverts expectations.
Interlude: The Man Behind the Trials
The waiting chamber was silent again. Another heir had exited—shaking, pale, lips tightly sealed. The guards closed the door, leaving the examiner alone once more.
He exhaled slowly.
The flickering lanternlight threw long shadows across the stone walls, but he didn't flinch. His hand ran down his weathered beard. His eyes—sharp, calculating—drifted not to the files before him, but to the window where a sliver of pale blue sky peeked through.
> "Demon-blood butcher."
"Conclave's Hound."
"The Mindflayer."
That's what the children called him. And their parents whispered worse.
He chuckled without humor, the sound more gravel than mirth.
> "They all think I enjoy this."
He looked at the names etched on parchment. So many sons and daughters of noble lines—pampered, polished, poisoned by legacy. So many faking courage, pretending virtue.
> "They think I do this to break them. That I want to see them fail."
He picked up a file—the boy who had just left. Still trembling when he walked out, though his answers were clean, almost textbook.
> "But fear reveals truth. Pride bends under pressure. That's why I ask the same questions—because how they answer matters more than what they say."
His gaze shifted toward the next name.
Lucien Drayven Vaelor.
> "The fallen heir. The red-eyed disappointment. Or so the papers say."
He narrowed his eyes.
> "But today... I saw something else."
He closed the folder. No flourish. No drama. Just a silent fold, as though sealing a thought.
> "They say I'm heartless. They're wrong. I remember every name I send forward… and every one I don't."
He stood, the chair creaking behind him.
> "I don't destroy futures. I test whether they can survive the weight of one."
And with that, he stepped to the door.
"Call the next one," he said flatly.
But in his chest, beneath the worn coat and the rumor-forged shell, something flickered—an ember that hadn't fully gone cold.
A/N:With this most of the world building is complete.I like how this is turning out and please if you like the novel atleast add it to your library.Thanks for reading