The main hall of Lightstar Academy was larger than it had appeared from the outside.
Klen walked through the double doors with the others, his footsteps echoing softly against the polished stone floor. The hall stretched upward into a high ceiling supported by thick pillars, its walls lined with banners bearing the academy's crest—a silver star surrounded by a circle of flame. Windows of colored glass cast fractured light across the floor, and the quiet murmur of applicants filled the space like the rustle of leaves.
Instructors stood at intervals along the hall, each one holding a clipboard or a small crystal that glowed faintly when touched. They directed the flow of students with quiet efficiency, pointing them toward different corridors and doorways.
"Applicants for the background check, proceed to the eastern corridor," one instructor called. "Eligibility check, western corridor. Physical and mental assessments, northern hall. Mana exposure, southern chamber. Practical skills, training grounds."
The crowd began to split.
Klen turned to the others.
"It seems we will be separated for some of these."
Lyra nodded.
"Then we should meet back here when we are finished."
"Agreed," Rosalie said. "The preliminary phases should not take too long. We can reunite afterward and compare notes."
Marna grinned.
"Last one back buys dinner."
"We do not have money for dinner," Hil pointed out.
"Then last one back owes everyone a favor."
"Fair enough," Klen said.
They separated.
The background check was conducted in a small room with a single desk and two chairs.
Klen sat across from an instructor—a woman with greying hair and sharp, perceptive eyes. She held a document in her hands, scanning it briefly before looking up at him.
"Name?"
"Klen."
"Origin?"
He hesitated.
"I was born in the Kingdom of Valenor. I do not know the exact location of my birth. I was orphaned at a young age."
The instructor nodded, writing something down.
"Current residence?"
"I serve the Morin Household in Hearthford."
"Occupation?"
"Butler and personal assistant to Lady Lyra Morin."
"Education?"
"Private tutoring in household management, etiquette, administration, combat, and strategy."
The instructor looked up.
"Combat and strategy?"
"Yes."
She made another note.
"Any prior affiliation with magical institutions?"
"No."
"Any criminal record?"
"No."
"Any connections to known rogue mages or illegal magical organizations?"
"No."
The questions continued—detailed, thorough, but not hostile. The instructor asked about his childhood, his time on the streets, his enslavement, his purchase by Fole, his years of service to the Morin family. Klen answered each question honestly, his voice calm and steady.
When the questioning was finished, the instructor set down her pen.
"Thank you, Klen. You may proceed to the eligibility check."
The eligibility check was simpler.
A different instructor—a young man with a friendly demeanor—reviewed Klen's background information and confirmed his age, his prior education, and his general readiness for the academy's curriculum.
"You are eighteen," the instructor said. "That is within the acceptable range. Your education has been thorough, though not formal in the traditional sense. That is acceptable. Lightstar values practical experience as much as formal schooling."
He stamped a document and handed it to Klen.
"You are eligible. Proceed to the physical and mental assessments."
The physical assessment was conducted in a large room filled with equipment—measuring devices, testing apparatus, and a small track for running. Klen moved through each station with practiced efficiency, his body responding easily to the demands placed upon it.
Height. Weight. Reflexes. Endurance. Flexibility. Each measurement was taken and recorded.
"You are in excellent physical condition," the examiner noted. "Your training has been rigorous."
"Thank you."
The mental assessment was less physical but no less thorough. Klen sat with a different examiner—an older woman with a calm, soothing voice—who asked him a series of questions designed to evaluate his mental state.
"How have you been sleeping?"
"Well enough."
"Any recurring nightmares?"
"Sometimes."
"How do you handle stress?"
"I focus on what needs to be done."
"Do you ever feel overwhelmed?"
"Sometimes. But I do not let it stop me."
The examiner nodded, making notes.
"Your mental state appears stable. You have experienced significant trauma, but you have developed healthy coping mechanisms. That is encouraging."
She smiled.
"You may proceed to the mana exposure test."
The mana exposure chamber was a circular room with walls of smooth stone.
Klen stood in the center, alone. The instructor—a tall man with a calm expression—stood near the door, watching.
"This test will expose you to controlled amounts of mana," the instructor explained. "You may feel discomfort. You may feel nothing at all. Either response is acceptable. What matters is how your body reacts."
He raised a hand.
A soft glow filled the room.
Klen felt it immediately—a warmth that spread through his body, gentle at first, then intensifying. It was not painful, but it was strange. Like standing too close to a fire. Like breathing air that was somehow thicker than normal.
He stood still.
The warmth continued.
Then, slowly, it faded.
The instructor nodded.
"Your body tolerates mana well. There is no sign of rejection or adverse reaction. You are compatible."
Klen exhaled.
"Thank you."
The practical skills assessment was conducted on the training grounds.
Klen stood in a wide, open space with a wooden sword in his hand. Several instructors watched from the sidelines, their expressions neutral.
"Show us what you can do," one of them said.
Klen moved.
He ran through his forms—the familiar sequences of strikes, blocks, and counters that he had practiced for years. His body moved with practiced ease, his left hand guiding the wooden blade through each motion.
The instructors watched in silence.
When he finished, one of them nodded.
"Your form is excellent. Your conditioning is strong. You have trained extensively."
"Thank you."
"You may proceed to the waiting area."
The waiting area was a large courtyard adjacent to the main hall.
Klen arrived to find Lyra already there, sitting on a stone bench with her hands folded in her lap. She looked up as he approached.
"How did it go?"
"Well enough," he said. "And you?"
"The same. The mana exposure was strange, but not unpleasant."
"I felt the same."
Marna arrived a few moments later, her expression bright.
"I passed everything," she announced. "The physical assessment was tiring, but I managed."
"Of course you did," Lyra said.
Rosalie and Hil arrived last.
Rosalie's expression was calm, but there was something thoughtful in her mismatched eyes.
"Everything went smoothly," she said. "The academy is thorough in its evaluations."
Hil nodded.
"Very thorough. I suspect they are looking for more than just skill."
"What do you mean?" Marna asked.
"The interview will be the true test," Hil said. "The preliminary phases are about facts—background, health, compatibility. The interview is about character."
Klen considered this.
"You may be right."
An instructor stepped into the courtyard.
"Attention, all applicants. You have completed the preliminary phases of the entrance examination. The academy will now compile the results and determine who has qualified for the final battle tests."
The courtyard fell silent.
"This process will take approximately one month. During this time, you will remain on academy grounds. You will be provided with accommodations, meals, and access to training facilities. You are encouraged to use this time to prepare for the final examination."
The instructor paused.
"Only those who pass the preliminary phases will be permitted to participate in the battle tests. The results will be announced at the end of the month. Until then, you are dismissed."
He turned and walked away.
The group stood together in the courtyard.
"A month," Lyra said softly.
"A month to prepare," Klen repeated.
"It feels like a long time," Marna said. "But also not long enough."
"We should train," Klen said. "Every day. We should use this time to improve our skills and prepare for whatever the battle tests will require."
Rosalie nodded.
"Agreed. I will need to familiarize myself with the training facilities. I have not had access to such resources before."
Hil inclined his head.
"I will assist Lady Rosalie. We can train together."
Marna grinned.
"Then it is settled. We train. We prepare. And when the month is over—"
"We show them what we can do," Lyra finished.
Klen looked at the group—his friends, his companions, the people who had stood beside him through everything.
"Yes," he said. "We will."
They left the courtyard together, walking toward the accommodations that had been prepared for them.
The preliminary examinations were over.
But the real test was still to come.