Prince Eldan:
Their fate would be decided today.
The young mages of the kingdom ofArcadia
were about to discover the path their lives would follow, they would either become Arcanists, those who fight with raw chi and willpower, or Alchemists, those who fight by shaping chi through knowledge and creation.
From as early as ten years of age, the children had been trained rigorously, learning to harvest their chi energy.
today marks the day they will be divided into their chosen paths.
Once their path is chosen, they proceed to Arcadia Academy, where they will learn how to fully harness their powers and master the art of battle.
Only a few had the strength, discipline, and focus to endure the grueling process.
For those who failed, years of intense training would come to nothing, and the weight of disappointment often fell not only on the child but on the entire family.
Parents had spent countless days consulting shamans, praying fervently for guidance and protection, hoping their child would succeed in today's trial.
Children from noble families enjoyed the advantage of tutors that are strong and experienced mages assigned to guide them personally.
Meanwhile, children of commoners were often left with older or weaker mages, the ones their families could afford, who might not have had the strength to draw out their wards' full potential.
In this kingdom, girls were always placed under a single Path.
Their power leaned toward healing, nurturing, and protective magic, and so they were destined to be healers of the realm.
Boys, on the other hand, had two possible paths,either Arcane or Alchemy.
The grand courtyard of the palace had been prepared meticulously for the selection ceremony.
Rich banners fluttered in the wind, reflecting the colors of the different paths.
Mages both young and old had gathered, their auras faintly visible to those trained enough to see them.
The king,his wife and The Crowned prince sat upon the elevated dais, flanked by guards and servants, all citizens was present for this serious event in the kingdom's life.
At its center stood a pedestal of white stone, and upon it rested the Globe, a sphere of translucent crystal that hummed with energy.
This was the day of destiny.
Inside the waiting hall, the air was tight and hot. Young mages filled the long marble room, all dressed in white training robes, their faces glowing from nerves and excitement. This was the moment they had been waiting for since childhood.
Eldan sat with his small group of friends near the end of the hall. His palms were sweaty, and his leg bounced up and down without control.
"I feel like throwing up," Zah whispered,He was one of Eldan's oldest friends,they had met in their first year of training under Mage Zhalik when Eldan had helped him patch up a bruised wrist. Zah was a commoner,born to a family of blacksmiths in the outer district but he had one of the sharpest minds among the trainees. He always tried to make light of things, even when fear was written all over his face.
"You and me both," Eldan muttered, forcing a weak smile. "What if I mess up again?"Eldan asked.
"You won't," Ryn said quickly. Unlike Zah,Ryn came from a noble family that has produced renowned and respected Alchemist.
"You've trained hard. You'll get blue for sure."He added.
Eldan didn't answer. He wasn't so sure. His brother Rian never had to doubt himself. Everything always came easily to him,harvesting chi, even winning people's respect. Eldan… barely managed to keep up.
He remembered the first three years of training,how Mage Zhalik had given up on him. He was always behind in class. No matter how much he practiced, his Chi refused to respond the way it should.
His father, king Darius, had grown tired of hearing his name followed by disappointment. He changed Eldan's tutor three times,first to Master Hareth, who was known for training battle mages. Then to old Mage Duran, who was famous for patience. Still, there was no improvement. Each time, the result was the same.frustration, failure, and finally, being sent back.
He ended up returning to Zhalik, the one who never wanted him in the first place. Zhalik would sigh each time Eldan walked into the hall. "Try again," he'd say coldly. "This time, don't waste my air."
Some days, Zhalik would demonstrate a technique,a swirl of Chi wrapping around his hands before exploding into a perfect arc of light. When Eldan tried, his energy would spark once, flicker weakly, then vanish. The class would snicker.
He remembered one afternoon clearly. It had been raining, the field muddy, the sky gray. Zhalik had ordered them to channel their Chi into a defensive barrier. Everyone's shields glowed faintly,some even shimmered like crystal. Eldan's, however, broke apart the moment the first drop of rain touched it.
"Enough!" Zhalik had snapped, his voice carrying through the courtyard. "You can't even protect yourself from the sky! What will you do when the world turns on you?"
That night, Eldan didn't sleep. He sat by the candlelight, trying to feel his Chi, trying to sense it the way the books described as a current flowing through the veins, a voice inside your soul. But all he felt was emptiness.
He thought maybe he was born without it. Maybe the gods had forgotten him.
Still, he refused to give up. While the others rested, he trained. When they went home, he stayed back, repeating every movement until his arms shook. He was tired of being the weak one, tired of the way his father's eyes looked past him during feasts, tired of hearing his brother's name praised in every hall.
Sometimes, when no one was watching, he'd punch the wooden training post until his knuckles bled, whispering through clenched teeth, "Whycan'tIbelikethem?"
Now his fate will be decided today.
The sound of laughter echoed across the room. The eldest twin prince Rian and his group of friends strolled in, looking like they owned the place. Their robes were cleaner, their badges shinier. Everyone straightened as they passed.
"Well, look who's hiding in the corner," prince Rian said, smirking as he stopped in front of Eldan's group. "Little brother and his collection of losers."
Eldan tensed. His friends went quiet.
"Don't start," Eldan said quietly.
"Don't start?" Rian chuckled and looked at his friends. "Hear that? The weakling thinks he can talk now."
One of his friends stepped closer. "Maybe if you cry a little harder, the globe will give you a pity color."
The group burst into laughter. Eldan's face heated up. He clenched his fists but stayed silent.
"What's wrong?" Rian mocked. "No words? No confidence? You sure you're even royal blood?"
"Leave us alone," one of Eldan's friends said, but his voice shook.
The Rian grinned widened."I'm just trying to help him. When he fails, everyone will say the king's bloodline is cursed. I can't have that. Maybe I should ask Mage Zhalik to excuse him,save him the embarrassment."
That was when a voice spoke from behind them. Calm, steady, but sharp.
"Or maybe you should save yourself the embarrassment of picking on people half your size."
Rian turned. A girl stood a few steps away, her arms crossed. Her silver-stitched robe marked her as one of the top students. Her long hair rested on her shoulder.It was Lyra one of the few noble-born girls who didn't act like it,she trained harder than most boys and never hesitated to speak her mind. Everyone said she had the temper of an Arcanist, though her friends swore she had the heart of a healer.
The prince's smirk faltered. "Who invited you?"
"Nobody," she said simply. "But I couldn't ignore the noise of a spoiled brat showing off."
Gasps spread through the hall. No one ever spoke to Rian like that.
Another girl Mira stood beside her now, smaller but just as bold, her dark hair tied in a high ponytail. "You think scaring people makes you stronger?" she said. "You just look pathetic."
Prince Rian's friends stiffened, glancing between each other.
The prince chuckled, but his jaw ticked. "You two should watch your mouths. You're lucky this isn't a duel ground."
"And you're lucky someone's finally telling you the truth," Lira shot back.
For a moment, nobody breathed.
Then Mage Zhalik's deep voice echoed from outside the doors.
"All candidates, prepare for the selection ceremony!"
The hall fell silent instantly.
The Rian smirked again, brushing past the girls as he went toward the main doors. "Try not to faint out there, little brother," he whispered in Eldan's ear.
Eldan swallowed hard, his heart hammering. He didn't answer. He just looked once more at the two girls who had stepped in. Lyra gave him a small nod before turning away.
They all headed outside for the ceremony.
Mage Zhilak stepped forward. He was the most powerful Arcanist in the Kingdom of Arcadia, a figure whose very presence demanded attention.
Zhalik was one of the three living mages in Arcadia who had reached the Ninth Tier of Chi mastery,a level so rare it was said to blur the line between mortal and divine.
"Welcome all to the selection ceremony of our young mages," Zhilak's voice thundered across the courtyard, perfectly clear despite the thousands gathered.
"These young mages have spent 10 years learning to harvest their chi energy. Today, their fate will be revealed,Whether they will continue their Journey will be decided today." His voice carried authority, and the crowd fell silent.
"And now we shall begin. It is as it has been every year. Step forward, place your palms above the Globe, focus your energy, and push your chi into it. Your fate will then be revealed,So young mages form a line and step forward."Zhalik added.
Of course, Prince Rian and his friends stood proudly at the front of the line. They were confident,the kind of confidence that came from knowing you'd never failed at anything.
Prince Rian stepped forward first. He was strong and confident, his posture impeccable. He approached the globe, placed his palms over it, and began to channel his energy, his focus absolute.
The crowd held their collective breath.
Even the king's proud eyes and Zhilak's steady gaze bore into him.
Slowly, the globe began to glow a brilliant blue, signifying that he was an Arcanist.
Applause erupted across the courtyard. Nobles and commoners cheered, and the king's lips curved in a rare smile of approval. The prince bowed briefly and stepped aside as the ceremony continued.
His friends followed one after another, their energies merging with the orb one blue, then another, and another. Each result drew more cheers. It was as if fate had already decided that the strong would only grow stronger.
Next came others noble and common-born alike. One by one they placed their hands on the Globe.
Each time, the crystal flared a color:
Green for the healers,
Red for the Alchemists,
Blue for the Arcanists.
Some walked away cheering, others in tears for the Globe occasionally remained dull and lifeless, signifying rejection.
For those unlucky few, the silence of the Globe was the silence of destiny.
When Mira and Arya came forward, the two young mages clasped hands for courage. The orb pulsed gently, green. Healing mages. The crowd clapped politely, though the green never drew as much excitement as blue or red. Still, the girls smiled proudly.
Then, at the far end of the line, Prince Eldan and his two friends stood quietly.
"Your turn soon," Zah muttered under his breath, trying to hide the tremor in his voice.
I feel sick," Ryn whispered beside them, rubbing his sweaty palms on his robe. "What if I get nothing?O God!."
Eldan gave a weak laugh, though his heart was pounding against his ribs. "We will be fine" he said, mostly to comfort himself.
Zah nudged him. "You'll be fine, Eldan. You've trained harder than half the class."
"Yeah," Ryn added, forcing a grin. "You're a prince. Maybe the gods will be nice today."
Eldan wasn't so sure.
Then it finally got to them, Zah went first. He stepped forward, swallowed hard, and placed his palms above the globe. A faint shimmer ran through it, then burst into blue light. The crowd clapped. Zah exhaled in relief, shooting Eldan a proud grin before stepping aside.
"See?" he mouthed. "Easy."
Then Ryn was called. He approached nervously, shoulders stiff, eyes squeezed shut as he pushed his Chi forward. The globe flickered red, the color of Alchemists.
"Yes!" he said loudly, stepping back with a wide smile.
And then it was Eldan's turn.
His knees felt weak as he walked toward the glowing globe. The whispers in the crowd grew louder, some out of curiosity, others out of mockery.
"Have you seen the younger prince? He's trembling already."
"Of course he is. He can barely harvest his chi. Even his own mentor gave up hope."
"He's a disgrace," murmured another. "Imagine being born a royal and still powerless."
At the edge of the platform, theyoungertwinprince Eldan stood still, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. He could feel every eye on him,the weight of expectation pressing down like chains.
He looked up now , the king's gaze met his, hard and disappointed.
He wanted to disappear.
But his eyes met the Crown Prince's. For a brief moment, the noisy arena seemed to fade away. Prince Aziel sat among the royal spectators, his expression calm but his gaze steady. When their eyes locked, Aziel gave a small, reassuring nod ,subtle, but enough. It meant "you'll be fine."
Eldan's chest tightened. Somehow, that simple gesture gave him a bit of courage. He swallowed hard, straightened his back, and stepped toward the glowing Orb.
He took one shaky step, then another. The crowd fell silent as he approached the pedestal. The Globe pulsed faintly, waiting.
He hesitated, staring at the reflection of his pale face in the crystal.
Please, he thought, just let me be something. Anything.
His fingers trembled as he raised his hands over the Globe. He took a deep breath, reaching inward , searching for that spark of energy that his tutors said every living being possessed.
For a long moment, there was nothing.
The air grew still. Whispers began to rise.
And then.
A faint light flickered in the center of the Globe. Not blue. Not red.
Purple.