The excitement in the Celestial Academy Entrance Courtyard was palpable as the holographic screens above flickered to life, disying the results of the grueling entrance exam whichsted more than a week. Crowds of hopeful and anxious teenagers gathered around the screens, their eyes reflecting a mix of anticipation and nervousness.


    "Look, results are out!"


    "Oh, let me see!"


    "Which rank did I get?"


    "Could I pass the exam?"


    The teenagers, each adorned in their distinctive attires, craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the holographic disys. The air buzzed with whispered conversations, excitement, and the asional gasp as individual results were revealed.


    Aurelius, ncing at the holographic screen, felt a surge of nerves. His eyes scanned the list of names and rankings, searching for his own. Aurelia, standing beside him, mirrored his sentiment, her fingers subtly intertwined with her robe.


    The holographic disy scrolled through the names, and with each passing moment, the tension among the teenagers grew. Some erupted into cheers and high-fives as they discovered their rankings, while others wore expressions of disappointment.


    And then, there it was—the names of Aurelius and Aurelia slowly illuminated on the holographic screen. The two exchanged a fleeting nce, their eyes reflecting a mix of relief and curiosity.


    "Aurelius Avondale, Neb Acolyte Three Stars, Rank 7!"


    Aurelius couldn''t help but crack a smile at his achievement. It was a significant leap from his previous standing, a testament to the hard work and determination he had invested in his training. More importantly, he managed to rank up by one star during the exam.


    "Aurelia Lighthaven, Neb Acolyte Three Stars, Rank 6!"


    Aurelia''s eyes widened with a mixture of surprise and pride. The tumultuous journey she had undertaken, both emotionally and magically, had culminated in amendable rank. Her gaze met Aurelius''s, and for a moment, an unspoken understanding passed between them.


    "Look! It''s them!"


    "Oh! They must have entered the Top 5, right?"


    "Of course, she is the granddaughter of the Principal, after all!"


    As the holographic disy continued to unveil the top candidates, the atmosphere in the courtyard buzzed with excitement and spection. The anticipation reached its peak as the holographic screens scrolled through the rankings from bottom to top.


    In the fifth position, the name of the pink-haired girl appeared.


    "Lyra Nightengale, Neb Acolyte Three Stars, Rank 5!"


    A mix of cheers and disappointed sighs rippled through the crowd. The pink-haired girl, Lyra, maintained aposed expression, acknowledging the result with a subtle nod.


    The fourth position was revealed next, revealing the boy who had been so confident in the silver-haired girl''s sess.


    "Emeric Ironheart, Neb Acolyte Three Stars, Rank 4!"


    Emeric, not expecting to fall short of the top three, frowned momentarily. The realization of not securing a higher rank than the ck-haired boy left him visibly dissatisfied.


    The third position brought attention to the ck-haired silent boy, who had quietly observed the unfolding events.


    "Ren Wintershade, Neb Acolyte Three Stars, Rank 3!"


    Ren, maintaining a calm exterior, epted his ranking with a nod. The courtyard, now abuzz with discussions and reactions, eagerly awaited the revtion of the top two.


    The moment arrived, and the holographic screens paused momentarily, building anticipation.


    "And now, the top two candidates! In the second position..."


    Gasps filled the air as the silver-haired girl, expected to im the first spot, appeared on the holographic disy.


    "Aria Starlight, Neb Acolyte Five Stars, Rank 2!"


    Aria''s cold and calm demeanor remained unshaken, but the shockwaves of surprise and curiosity spread through the onlookers. Whispers and murmurs erupted, questioning who could have surpassed the seemingly unbeatable candidate for the top spot.


    As tension lingered in the courtyard, the holographic screens unveiled the final revtion.


    "In the first position, securing the top rank is.."


    A hush fell over the crowd as the name appeared, unexpectedly iming the first position.


    "Adrian Lighthaven, Neb Acolyte Four Stars, Rank 1!"


    The courtyard erupted into a cacophony of reactions. Adrian''s name echoed through the space, leaving the spectators in disbelief. The silver-haired girl, Aria, showed a flicker of surprise before concealing it beneath her usualposed exterior.


    Adrian, who had been silently observing the unfolding events, now stood as the unexpected victor, casting a nce toward Aurelius and Aurelia. The former Lighthaven siblings, amidst themotion, exchanged a brief andplex gaze. Aurelia, however, averted her gaze the next second, her expression filled with anger and loathing. Adrian could only shake his head in helplessness.


    "Attention dear participants." Suddenly, a loud voice attracted everyone to the owner of it. It was an instructor from the Academy. "We congratte those who have passed the exam and secured their positions. Your hard work has paid off, and you are now an official students of the Celestial Arcane Academy. And as those who couldn''t...."


    The instructor continued his speech.


    ording to him, they were free to leave and take a rest for three days. The orientation would be three dayster. Then the Weing Ceremony would be held the day after, and those in the Top 10 would receive rewards from the principal himself.


    After the instructor finished his speech, the participants started dispersing. While the top rankers found themselves surrounded by many, four top rankers were in search of another figure - the dark horse who managed to get rank 1.


    But to their surprise, the boy was nowhere to be found. It looked like he left before the instructor finished his speech.


    Well, there was one person who saw and didn''t do or say anything when the boy was leaving.


    ''I should find out more about him...''


    ______ ___ __


    Two dayster. Later evening.


    The rain was pouring relentlessly, and in a dark alley, a figure was lying on the wet ground. The figure, soaked to the bone,y on the cold pavement, his clothes clinging to his body. His consciousness wavered as he gazed up at the turbulent clouds, raindrops falling on his face.


    The sound of rain hitting the puddles mingled with distant thunder as the figure''s breaths grewbored. Each inhale felt like a struggle against the encroaching darkness. He could taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth, a testament to the fierce encounter that had taken ce.


    Figure''s vision blurred, the world around him a distorted tableau of shadows and reflections in the pooling water. The rain continued its relentless assault, the droplets creating ripples on the ground.


    ''Is this how I die?'' He pondered, his thoughts disjointed as if floating in the deluge. A weak chuckle escaped his lips, which soon turned into a fit of coughing. Blood mixed with rainwater, staining the wet ground beneath him.


    With fading strength, the dying figure muttered, "At least... managed to save them... save her."


    _____ __


    ___ _


    (Author Note: As you guys wanted, I fastened the plot. And here we are. Can you wait for the next chapter? Or...


    Is our Alex finally gonna make his appearance?


    For info: The next chapter will be released tomorrow between 00:00 and 01:00 in US time.)