The Aetherion plaza pulsed with energy as Elyndor Academy's entrance exam shifted to its second phase: elemental trials. The floating spires above cast shimmering light across the rune-etched arena, where thousands of hopefuls gathered—nobles, beastfolk, and hybrids, all buzzing with nerves. The Celestars stood together, their Gladefen herbs stashed in bags, Tofu flitting above Iuro's head. The air smelled of ozone and crushed starvine, the trials' mana fields humming.
Lui adjusted his ruby-hilted sword, red eyes scanning the arena. "Phase two tests our magic. Stay focused—no showboating, Rick."
Rick, still dreamy from the black-haired girl's smile, grinned. "No promises, captain." His blue wand twirled, water droplet carving glinting.
Ishi's shadow daggers flickered. "Focus or fail. Your call."
Yuuv yawned, bell wand chiming softly. Ding~. "Stars say… it's tricky."
Izumi checked a trial map, gray eyes sharp. "Each trial's tailored—fire, water, plant, shadow, spatial, psych. Teamwork's last."
The proctors, robed mages with stern faces, divided the crowd. Each brother faced a solo trial, designed to push their novice magic to the limit. The arena split into glowing zones, runes flaring as trials began.
Lui's Trial: A maze of stone pillars, each etched with heat runes. Flames erupted randomly, testing control. Lui's red eyes glowed, tracking paths. "Flame Crest!" His sword slashed, absorbing fire into a blazing spiral, clearing a path. A noble jeered, but Lui finished fastest, earning a proctor's nod.
Rick's Trial: A pool with floating platforms, water jets shooting unpredictably. Rick's violet eyes gleamed, reading flows. "Jet Veil!" A water disc spun, deflecting jets. He slipped once, soaking his tunic, but laughed, finishing with a splashy flourish. The black-haired girl watched from afar, smirking.
Iuro's Trial: A tangled grove of rogue vines, snapping like whips. Iuro's green eyes glowed, sensing their pulse. "Verdant Grasp!" Vines obeyed, parting for him. Tofu buzzed, lighting his path. He tripped but recovered, earning cheers from a beastfolk group.
Ishi's Trial: A darkened dome, shadows shifting into beast-like forms. Ishi vanished into a shadow pool, daggers ready. "Shade Claw!" He struck precise points, dispersing illusions. A proctor raised an eyebrow, impressed by his speed.
Izumi's Trial: A warped maze, walls shifting via spatial runes. Izumi's gray eyes tracked distortions. "Spatial Rift!" He slashed, bending space to align paths. A draconid rival faltered, but Izumi cleared it, calm as ever.
Yuuv's Trial: A misty chamber, illusions mimicking fears. Yuuv's cyan-blue eyes glowed, bell chiming. Ding~. "Mind Drift." Illusions froze, fading under his psychic pulse. He yawned mid-trial, but his calm aura stunned the proctors.
The brothers regrouped, panting but grinning. The final phase loomed: a team trial. The proctors led them to a rune-lit coliseum, where groups faced a simulated beast—a mana construct, a glowing wolf with thorned vines. "Work together or fail," a proctor barked.
Lui took charge. "Formation! Iuro, vines for control. Rick, water to slow it. Ishi, Izumi, flank. Yuuv, daze it."
Iuro's "Bloom Mend" wove vines to bind the wolf's legs. Rick's "Wave Pulse" soaked its thorns, dulling them. Ishi's "Fang Pierce" and Izumi's "Gravity Slash" struck its sides, weakening its glow. Yuuv's Ding~ and "Echo Bind" dazed it, letting Lui's "Inferno Edge" shatter the construct in a fiery burst.
The crowd roared, runes flaring to signal victory. The noble from earlier scoffed but clapped grudgingly. The brothers high-fived, Tofu buzzing wildly.
As they caught their breath, a proctor stamped their scrolls. "Pass. Report to dorms tomorrow."
Rick, still glancing at the black-haired girl in the crowd, whispered, "She saw that, right?"
Iuro laughed. "You're hopeless."
A faint Starwatcher shimmer flickered near the spires, gone in an instant, as the Celestars headed toward their new chapter.