Ohhh!
A wizard tower!
That is so cool!
Ah?
Is that a dragon in the mountain!?
Awesome!
A whole bunch of new information is popping inside my head every time I look somewhere and focus on something!
Hmm?
Is that a wizard!?
Let me go check!
...
Inside a giant boat flying in the sky, a wizard was standing before a bunch of kids.
"Listen up! I will only say this one time!" a wizard wearing a comically small wizard hat and baggy robes started to talk.
About several dozen small kids in wizard and witch attire holding books in one hand and a plate with an insignia on the other stood at attention and listened.
"Congratulations! You have been tested in your respective cities and towns and have shown proof of being capable of absorbing mana! You already beat the odds of 1 in a thousand! There are 999 others out there that would love to have your talent."
The kids stood proud and excited. But that did not last long before the cold water was dumped on them.
"But being able to absorb mana is just the beginning! It does not mean you can become a wizard or witch apprentice! Or even a wizard like me!" the wizard said.
"You are now currently the newly recruited handyman introduced to the Everbright wizard tower! Out of the 78 of you, I expect at most 7 or 8 of you to become wizard or witch apprentices in the testing tomorrow. The rest of you will become handymen and will be doing chores in the wizard tower until you either die from an 'accident' or improve enough to retest and pass to become an apprentice!"
The wizard said finally to everyone. He watched with the look of satisfaction on his face as he watched the kids grow anxious for tomorrow. After seeing enough, he turned around to walk to his room on the boat.
The apprentices onboard took over after this and led the kids to their rooms
"Everyone! You have one chance to become an apprentice tomorrow! I don't care how you do it... But remember, you cannot get caught! I don't want to lose points because of some fools." Said several apprentices, each saying something similar with little variations in between.
"If you do get caught, then I will reluctantly have to accept that I have to prepare another human test subject for my master on board the boat." Once these words are said by several more apprentices, the newly recruited handymen went silent.
"Either hope for the best... or find a 'way' to succeed." Said one of the handymen.
"Will there be handymen from previous recruits there at the testing tomorrow?" said a young girl tightly holding her book and insignia in nervousness.
"That is for you to figure out... but I would worry more about surviving until then." said a female apprentice with green spikes scattered along her robes and skin. Leaving only her face and hands untouched.
The handymen went silent again.