《Saintess Reborn》 Prologue : A glimpse of darkness beyond the light. For Aster, when death came, it felt surprisingly warm and comforting. Life as a Saintess had been unbearably cold and empty. To die by poison didn''t feel odd, though it was unquestionably strange. Ordinary poisons had no effect on her due to the Holy Shield that protected the Saintess at all times. And yet, after 120 years in stasis, she could only feel thankful to meet death. Besides, as a Holy Maiden, she knew that she had fulfilled her duty and that another would soon be born in her stead, when the time was right. And so Aster''s sight slowly dimmed till only darkness surrounded her and everything became nothing. Above, the Beings of Light watched the life force of their child slowly dim. "Aster", the Beings echoed, "For your service we shall grant you what you so fervently desire." "We shall grant it to you.", the voices continued to echo. As if reacting to the mandate of the Beings, a golden string invisible to any of the inhabitants of the mortal world slowly made its way out of Aster''s heart and rose towards the sky. Above, a single rain drop fell from the heavens and on touching the golden string, vanished with it. The golden string reappeared above a lake with crystal water and floated towards the palm of a mysterious Being. In the lake, small luminescent fish swam excitedly, seemingly hungry for the golden object. "Nyra." the Being uttered. On hearing the word, a black serpent lurking in the depths of the lake swam up to the surface. "Take this one where it desires.", the Being whispered, as the black serpent swallowed the golden thread and disappeared back into the depths of the lake. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Below, thousands of miles away from the Holy Seer''s Temple, before the shrine of a forgotten god, an old couple prayed fervently to be blessed with a child. In the sky above them, a comet blazed past the dilapidated shrine leaving behind a serpentine trail before it vanished. As the couple left the shrine, they heard the faint cry of an infant, seemingly hidden amongst the shrubbery. "Martin,", the old woman said, gripping the arm of her husband, " Listen." The couple rushed towards the source of the sobs, pushing aside the underbrush. "Look! Martin!", the old woman exclaimed with shock, pointing at a swaddled infant that now lay quietly on a bed of dried grass and twigs. "Perhaps the gods have answered our prayers!" Her companion knelt down slowly and picked up the child. "Someone might be looking for her Martha." he whispered quietly. Parting the hair away from the little child''s face, he let out a gentle smile. "Who could have left her here?", he muttered. Back in the Holy Seer''s Temple, the cold body of the Saintess Aster began to convulse violently as if being possessed by an otherworldly force. The eyes of the Saintess opened suddenly as if alive, as one pupil turned grey. "At last, I''ve managed to come here.", the lips of the Saintess uttered. A stiff hand jerked up, towards the grey eye. "An eye for a life.", the Saintess uttered, letting out a maniacal laugh. "Nevertheless, this will do.", the voice continued out of the Saintess'' lips, which slowly began to turn blush with the colour of life. Chapter I: Novels on a wooden table. The embers in the fireplace crackled and danced up the chimney. A wooden log that had been burning for quite a while snapped in two and collapsed into the hearth. "Stela.", a voice tenderly spoke. Aster opened her eyes slowly, as if roused from a deep slumber. She moved her arm a little, as if to ascertain that she was really alive. It must''ve been a nightmare, she thought. But why was she disappointed that it was a dream? She tried to sit up, but was surprised to find that she couldn''t. It was only then that she noticed the perceptibly large face of a woman staring down at her. She was certain that the face was that of a stranger, but for some reason she didn''t feel scared. Instead, she felt a deep sense of affection and attachment towards the kind-faced woman. Why? She wondered. One of the requirements of being the Saintess was to shed all human emotions and ties that could prove to be a weakness or used as ammunition against her. So why did she feel indescribably attached to this woman? Aster tried to open her mouth to speak but was surprised to find that she could utter only gibberish. "Hush, my little girl. Hush.", the woman said to her, smiling oddly. It was only then that Aster realized that she was being held in the arms of this large and unknown woman. To the left, a wooden door opened and a spectacled, burly man with a button nose and a head of thick grey hair walked in. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "Martha, let me hold her as well,", he cooed, reaching out for Aster clumsily with his right hand. He held a bundle of books on his left hand, tied together roughly with a cotton cloth. "There''s not a chance I''d let you hold the baby while you have other things on hand." the large woman, whose name Aster inferred was Martha, stated bluntly. Aster caught a glimpse of a few of the titles which were familiar to her - "200 Years of Peace" and "Battles never to be forgotten". Then, squished to the bottom of the pile, a thin book whose title could barely be discerned - "The Countess from the Villain''s house is a Ballerina who loves." Aster blinked once, then looked at the scholarly looking man, then looked back at the book. As if sensing something, the man put the books on a table, making sure to keep the thin one at the very bottom of the pile. "If you weren''t a newborn I might''ve suspected you knew what you saw.", he continued, in baby-talk. He pinched her nose lightly and poked both her cheeks. "Look at her big grey doll eyes Martha.", he said with an adoring smile. Aster, at first shocked by the change in scenario, began to feel appalled by the indignity she felt she was being subject to. And worse of all, she didn''t feel angry! Instead, she felt a warm and mellow sensation that calmed her nerves and assuaged any rising irritation that she might''ve felt. She tried to speak out again, " babagugubabbrrr." The sounds came out. ("Don''t touch my nose, undignified old man.") "Gugubrrrrbababgggg.", she tried again, and then, before she knew it - she had dozed off. **** Chapter II : Large people in a small village. Her mother was a large woman, much taller than Aster had been in her past life - looming high at 6''8". Her brown hair was short and rough and she had a plain face, except for her eyes which were a beautiful shade of lilac. She wore clothes that were much too short for her. Skirts and trousers that were meant to brush the ankles lightly, as was the fashion in that time, could barely reach the midway point of her calves. Her mother was patient, kind, lovely and intelligent - the books that she had seen the day she had first woken up in this house, had been those of her mother''s. Well, with the exception of one. "The Countess from the Villain''s house is a Ballerina who loves." That was just one. "The Male lead is a Sadist, but I am the exception." "The Evil Witch from the fairytale, is the Secret Saviour of the Kingdom." "Mother! I am the Seamstress in this life!" "I was reborn just to love you." "The Duchess is lonely." "Ascending to Immortality to love the Goddess of Spring!" These were just a few of the titles that Aster''s father, Martin, razed through like starved cattle let loose on a rich meadow. Her parents were people of the earth, they tilled, they planted, they tended. Everything they needed, they grew in the farm or gathered from the woods close to their home. There were just a few exceptions to this rule. Medicine and books were two of them. Her father was as tall as her mother. Unlike the first time she had met him, he had turned out to be a stern and airheaded man. Regardless, he had the greenest thumb she had ever come across. With the exception of apples, everything that her father planted in their little farm yielded such abundance that they were in want of little. Five years had gone by since she had found herself in the company of this kindhearted old couple and she had long begun to love them like parents - though unaware of it. Her black hair had grown till her shoulder and she kept it tied tightly with a red hairtie. They had named her Stela. At first she tried to gurgle her name to them. She was Aster! The Saintess of the Holy See of Margelia! But the words hadn''t taken shape. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. "Stela, Stela.", they had kept calling her in spite of her best protests. One night, when she was 4, her mum sat her down on her small chair in the study and pulled out an old book from one of the shelves. Dusting the cover and turning the thick heavy leaves of the old book, she stopped at a page with a painting of the Ancients. The flame of a red candle burned brightly in the background, casting lively shadows on the stony walls. Aster was familiar with the Ancients. They were a race of magical beings that had inhabited the Earth before the first humans. They were majestic giants who had powers equal to the demigods of present day. They had vanished from the earth in the first war between humans and giants. Even in the Holy See, information on the Ancients was scarce and lacking. The painting that her mother had stopped at was one depicting an epic battle between a seven headed dragon and a giantess. The painting had captured the battle midway through its occurrence. Three heads of the dragon lay impaled on the jagged rocks in the cavernous deep below the sky in which the battle was being fought. The giantess had one arm raised against two heads of the monstrous beast. A second arm held a heavy shield close to her while two heads of the dragon fought fiercely to wrest it away. "No one knows who won this battle.", her mother whispered reverently. Aster stared at the painting. It was clear that the book was very old and rare. In fact, Aster didn''t recall seeing such a book even at the Library in the Holy Seer''s Temple. But she recognized the four headed beast that had been immortalized in battle. The four headed dragon Styrh was portrayed in the Holy Tomes as the evil demon that opposed the Holy Beings. But did it really have 7 heads? "The name of this Hero was Stela.", her mother continued, "Grey eyes are rare in Margelia, Stela. Legend has it that only descendants of the ancients have grey eyes." Then shutting the book, her mother pulled her into a deep embrace that muffled her breath, almost suffocating her in the folds of the coarse linen dress. When Aster managed to take a breath, she caught the smell of baked apples. It seemed, her mother had been baking an apple pie before taking her to the study. After all, it was her birthday and apple pies were her favourite. Outside, the moon began to glow brightly, as if agreeing with the story. Afterwards, Aster stared at herself in the mirror for a long time. "Stela." "Stela." She repeated. Though the Holy Saintess Aster had died four years ago on the seventh month of year 875 of the reign of King Reiss - this night would mark the real date the Saintess died. For thenceforth, she was no longer Aster, but Stela. Chapter III : Memories The hamlet that Stela lived in was named White Bridge - after a singular timber bridge that lay across a stream. While almost every Village in Margelia had at least one temple in its vicinity, White Bridge did not have one. There were only seven houses in White Bridge and they were spread far apart from each other. If Stela didn''t know better, she might have thought that theirs was the only house for miles across. Stela spent her time reading and watching her parents work. Once a week, the old couple took their produce to the local market, returning with goods which they could not grow in their farms. When she had turned four, her parents had begun teaching her how to read and write. To avoid suspicion, Stela had been feigning ignorance of the alphabets. A recent interest she had picked up was Botany. Her father had scores of books on Botany, some of them were medicinal tomes. These, Stela pored through in her spare time, using the rough sketches of different plants as a disguise for her unusual interest in it. The study in their house was divided into two parts. On the left were Martha''s historical and philosophical books. On the right were the high shelves filled with romance novels, that belonged to Martin. In a corner were the books on botany and ethnobotany. While boredom fueled a part of her interest in these books, a small part of it was a question that often floated in the back of her mind - could the poison that killed her be found in these tomes? And yet, whilst her knowledge grew, she never encountered information on a poisonous plant that could produce the symptoms she had experienced. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Another interesting part of her rebirth, was the faint presence of her Saintess powers. It was as if the magical essence that had formed the core of her powers had been planted in her tiny frame. But that could not be possible, Stela would often conclude. In her past life, her Saintess powers had awakened at the age of 10. Till then, she had lived as an ordinary child in one of the orphanages run by the Holy Seer. She had always been stoic and unemotional, having experienced no warmth or affection in the cold and perfunctory world of the orphanage. When she healed the broken bones of one of the boys in the orphanage, everything changed. The maids and nuns in charge of the orphanage began showering her with attention and care. Then a week later, a magnificent carriage showed up in front of the orphanage and whisked her away. Her natural intelligence sailed her across the various lessons in the Holy Seer''s Temple with ease. In fact, it was about then that rumours of a Saintess who was a genius spread across Faryard, the capital. She had been required to wear a veil at all times, to preserve the purity and holiness of the Saintess. However, she was aware that the true purpose of the veil was to protect people from the Saintess'' rumoured ability to bewitch people, that only the highest echelons in the Holy Seer''s Temple were aware of. While she was not clear as to how much strength the rumours held, being totally disinterested in other humans, she continued wearing her veil. In fact, in her previous life, the Saintess Aster had been one of the most beautiful women in the Kingdom - with dusky skin, wavy ice blonde hair that fell carelessly to her waist, clear green eyes that looked a little pitiful, a heart shaped face and a shapely but slender frame. Despite all this, she had never felt a hint of affection for anyone - with the exception of one person. Remiel. The apprentice and heir of the Holy Seer. Chapter IV : Duality. Remiel was similar to Aster in many ways. They were both considered as "chosen" by the Holy Beings and both possessed considerable magic abilities. However, Remiel was different. Unlike Aster, Remiel exuded a warmth and charm that drew people close to him and made them yearn for his approval and recognition. That aside, Remiel possessed an elegant beauty that made him incredibly popular with the commoners and nobility alike. His short silver hair was always combed neatly to the side, his golden eyes shining radiantly with holy power. While the other apprentice priests at the Holy Seer''s Temple wore a smart white uniform with blue details, Remiel wore one that was white and gold, as he was the heir of the Holy Seer. Remiel seemed perfect. But he was not. And Aster knew exactly how. The powers of a Saintess comprised of three parts - aura, matter and void. The powers of aura helped the Saintess see the darkness and light in people she spoke to. However, the aura would only be visible if the Saintess made physical contact with the said person. The powers of matter gave the Saintess the ability to heal wounds and illnesses. The powers of void were a defensive ability that shielded and nullified attacks on the Saintess'' body - be it physical or spiritual. While her teacher at the Temple had taught her how to control her powers extensively, Aster had always felt like her knowledge was one step away from the full picture. However, she had never bothered to learn more than she had been taught. It was the first night that Aster came to the Temple, that she encountered Remiel. Her attendant had left her in the carriage and gone inside to relay the news of her arrival. While her mode of transportation was luxurious, it turned out that it had been an elaborate ploy by the Holy Seer to avert attention from her arrival at the Temple. She discovered this when the door of the carriage opened prematurely and a young cloaked boy jumped in. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. "Elina!" the young boy exclaimed without looking at the passenger, instead bending down and wiping the dust off his trousers. "Took you long enough to return." he continued, now settling for dusting off his shoes. It was clear that Aster had been brought to her destination in the private carriage of one of the residents of the Temple. It was only then that the young boy noticed the unusually poor make of his companion''s shoes. He looked up. Aster stared at the unwelcome visitor blankly. It was clear that he had mistaken her for someone else. On seeing the face of his co-passenger, the young boy jerked back instinctively. Then uncharacteristically, Aster held out her hand. "I''m Aster." She said, omitting vital information. "Remiel", the response came and just as uncharacteristically, the usually shrewd Remiel, unthinkingly reached out and held Aster''s hand. It was a few seconds, but Aster saw Remiel''s aura - a deep purple aura that was steeped in deception and hatred. Then, enmeshed in the miasma of hate, thin whisps of a pure golden aura rose out, as if escaping from its clutch. A golden aura so pure and good, that it confused Aster and made her question everything that she had determined about Remiel. As if sensing that some magic had been used on him, Remiel pulled back his hand and moved away from Aster. Still unaware of her identity, he let out a disarming smile. Aster smiled at him. Interesting, she thought. She had never come across any one else with such duality in character. It was as if her mathematical world had encountered something a little - unpredictable. Chapter V : Heirlooms. Remiel''s probably living a better life without me, Stela thought wistfully. Her last memory of her only friend was a blur... The only thing she could be certain of was that they had fought before she died. I hope he doesn''t feel guilty about my death, her mind wandered... And Elina! Stela frowned. She couldn''t recall much of Elina, try as she might. Clearly Remiel had been close to Elina. Was she his sister? A friend? Could the three of them have been a trio? Stela crinkled her nose thoughtfully. "Stela!" A loud voice interrupted her deep reverie. She looked up from her book (Poisonous plants and where to find them - T. Belerick), to see her father looking down at her suspiciously. Martin scooped Stela into his arms deftly and set aside her book in one swift motion. "Not for children." Martin said sternly. Stela stared back at Martin innocently. "Colour.", she mumbled. Martin looked at the deadly Tome. The hefty book was leather bound and a lovely shade of emerald with gold embossing. He sighed deeply and gave the book back to her. "This colour is called emerald." He stated, slowly. My little angel is just too fond of colourful art, he thought, beaming internally. She has such mature taste for her age. He continued to think proudly. Stela smirked smugly. Piece of cake, she thought. "Why don''t you read papa''s books sweetheart?", her father asked her sweetly. Before Stela could respond a stern voice responded as her mother entered the study. "She''s too young for that Martin. If I see you try to hand her another romance novel, I''ll knock some sense into you." Martha said, entering the room. "And not this either.", she continued, taking the emerald tome away from Stela and placing it on a high shelf. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. "It''s your fifth birthday today and I''ve baked your favourite apple pie.", Martha said. "Why don''t we go have dinner now." Then turning to Martin she continued, "We have to go shopping tomorrow and pick out her uniform." Martin looked glum, "We could educate her ourselves. She doesn''t need to join that dreadful Academy." he said mournfully. "Hush Martin. You''ll dampen her spirits." Martha said. Stela wriggled around in her father''s arms, her calves were beginning to go numb... In her previous life she hadn''t gotten the opportunity to join a magic academy. She spent most of her time in the orphanage running errands. Occasionally, the nuns would doll her up for rich clients who came to "adopt" children. However, despite her angelic visage, her fowl personality put off any families that might have wanted to take her in. After some time, the nuns deemed her too "old" to be adopted and relegated her to running only chores. She felt strangely happy. Perhaps her life this time would be different. Being reborn with her old memories had thrown her preconceived notions and biases out of the window. She had a family now... Maybe she could do things differently. Maybe she could have a normal life filled with love and company... Stela let out a wide smile, "School...", she said affectionately. "Oh my, looks like our smart angel is excited to join the Academy.", Martha said proudly. "She takes after me.", Martin replied beaming. The family of three sat around the wooden dining table, digging into the little feast that Martha had prepared. Post dinner, the family of three cleared the table. Stela did her best to help, carrying the wooden spoons and forks to the sink. Then when everything had been cleaned and tidied, they perfunctorily took their places around the fireplace. Martha to the left and Martin to the right. Stela, on Martin''s lap. Martha pulled out a little box that had been hidden under the table and placed it in front of Stela. "Happy Birthday angel.", Martin said. Stela reached out for her gift in excitement. Opening the box, she found a silver bracelet inlaid with a green gem nestled on a bed of shredded paper. "It''s a magical bracelet that belonged to your grandmother." her mother said, "Our family sold most of our magical items when we came here, but your grandmother entrusted this to me and now it''s your turn." "We can tell that you have a faint aura of magic around you Stela. You were born under such an auspicious sky after all." her father continued tearing up, "You''ll be joining the Magic Academy soon. Most parents give their children dozens of magical items but we have only this bracelet to give you, our angel..." his voice trailed off. Stela felt tears well up as her mother put the bracelet on her wrist. This bracelet felt more precious to her than the magic treasures the Holy Seer''s Temple had saddled her with in her past life... "Your father and I know that you''ll make us proud, our little angel." her mother said, pulling her into a deep embrace. Her father joined in, embracing both of them. For the first time in many many years, Stela felt tears fall down her cheeks. Most magical academies required students to be boarders and prohibited external contact. She bawled loudly, realizing how much she would miss her parents once she joined the Academy. Locked in embrace, the three occupants did not notice a faint green light flickering ominously around the green gem. Chapter 6 : The pink lady. The Wanderer''s Fair was a monthly fair run by nomadic merchants that went on for 3 days in the village. It was the only large activity that the little hamlet was exposed to and was highly anticipated by all 25 or so residents. Stela ran around the market place, a straight cobblestone path lined by makeshift wooden stalls. Ornate paper lanterns were hung on tall bamboo poles that were still green. Thick red ropes that were tied to the posts of the stalls made a zig zag pattern above the path. It was Stela''s first fair in both lifetimes and though small, it was enough to fill her veins with excitement. There were stalls with toys encased in magical bubbles floating in the air that people could shoot with arrows. Another stall sold delicious candy in the shape of clouds, you could even see little bursts of lightning running through it. Variety stalls sold everything from glasses that helped you see twice as far to hats that transformed your appearance into different people, depending on the design. Stela was surprised, while some items were novelties, there were a lot of magical items there that seemed valuable - like the appearance altering hats! "Ma, are these hats common everywhere? Is this how fairs all over the country are?", Stela asked her mother curiously. "No, love.", her mother responded, "The Wanderer''s Fair only sets up shop in a few villages across the border. The nomads do not like travelling to the interiors or the capital." "Are these magical hats common?", Stela continued, putting on one and transforming into a brown haired girl. It looked like the hats altered appearances but transformed the wearer into something close to what they already looked like. Martha picked the hat off Stela''s head and placed it back on the display counter. "Not at all angel! This type of magic is forbidden in the capital." she answered absently as if something distracting had just come to mind. Then, holding Stela''s hand she made her way to a small grey building at the end of the footpath. The grey house had a wooden door with a small sign that read - "Clothes". Martha opened the door and walked in with Stela tagging along. Stela could hardly contain her surprise when she saw the interior of the grey unassuming house. The high ceiling of the parlour was shaped like a dome and tiled with various shades of blue and white that mimicked the sky. The walls of the room were white, with the exception of certain areas where the blue tiles had been placed to make it seem like the colour of the sky was running down. A single lamp attached to a long white rope dangled down in the center of the room, illuminating it. Stela had seen many beautiful architectural sites as Saintess, but she hadn''t seen any place as eccentric as this one. Looking below the lamp, her eyes fell upon a bespectacled, short plump lady dressed in pink sitting behind a table. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Stela felt her mother''s hand grip her tighter as the two walked up close to the table. "Dione, I''ll need a Sherol uniform for Stela.", Martha stated awkwardly. It was the first time Stella saw her mother look even mildly uncomfortable. "Ahhh! Martha!", a raspy sweet strawberry like voice responded. The pink lady stood up. "Finally, you come here for a uniform! It''s been so many years! Years! To think that Martin and you had a child at such an old age! Amazing what miracles and community work can do!" Community work? Stela looked at the pink lady, she was decidedly weird. The pink lady continued, "But are you sure Stela can enter the academy? There are some quali-". "She will enter the academy." Martha interrupted her. Then looking down at Stela, Martha gestured towards the pink lady and said, "This lady here is Madam Dione. She''s our Village''s finest dressmaker and outfitter. Why don''t you do a little curtsy and greet her dear?" Stella did a little curtsy, "Good day, Miss." she said. "How flattering!", Dione replied, considerably pleased that such a young child had called her ''miss''. "Well I''ll have her clothes ready in a weeks time Martha. As for her size, I''ll make it a little larger so that I don''t have to sew a new one any time soon." she stated matter-of-factly. "Thank you Dione.", Martha replied, looking a little relieved. She placed four silver coins onto a porcelain bowl that was on the desk and gave an acknowledging nod to Dione before heading towards the door. She looked back, "Well then, I''ll return in a week." she stated. Dione simply sat back in her chair and continued smiling. Stela found the woman utterly confounding and odd. Then, right before they opened the door behind them, Dione remarked "Maybe I could make you some clothes as well Martha, yours are quite short aren''t they?" Stela looked at her mother, but Martha seemed unfazed and merely opened the door and walked out. Once they were out, her mother breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness we''re done with that." she said. Stella tugged at her mother''s hand and questioned her, "Why was the lady so strange to you ma?" Martha smiled awkwardly. "She''s an old friend of your father''s." she answered. Stela could only pretend like she did not understand what that meant, but inside she was appalled that her father had dated Dione once upon a time. To think that Dione might have been her mother! Stela shivered in fear thinking of what it might''ve been like. Chapter 7 : Hrimfaxi and the evocators. A swift week later, a handwritten letter enclosed in a pink envelope, was found on the doorstep of Martha and Martin''s house. It read - "No need to come to the store, I''ve sent Hrimfaxi with the package. - Xoxo Dione." As notified, at exactly 12 o''clock the doorbell rang. Stela ran to open the door, curious about her uniform and whether it would fit her. Unfortunately, she couldn''t open it as the large and heavy oak door refused to accede to the demands of her small frame. The doorbell rang again. Martin, who had already heard the bell ring the first time, hurried over from a nearby room and opened the door. Outside, an elegant spotted Noriker mare stood obediently on the grass. On its back were two saddlebags containing what seemed to be Stela''s packages. Martin hoisted off the saddlebags from the mare as if it was the most natural thing for him to do. Then he took two sugar cubes out from his pocket and fed it to the beautiful creature. He then emptied the contents of the saddlebags onto a jute mat and placed it back on the mare. "Thank you Hrimfaxi.", Martin said to the horse and patted its back. In response the mare let out a neigh and began trotting back the way it came from. Stela looked at the beautiful horse leave in awe. Its coat was white with black spots and its eyes were an icy blue that had a faint glow to it. "You think it''ll find its way back?", she asked her father. "Of course angel.", Martin replied, "Hrimfaxi''s a contract creature. They''re highly intelligent magical beings." "Contract creature?", Stela had heard of contract creatures in her past life but had never been able to summon one. "Dione is a special type of magic wielder called an evocator." Martin explained, "Evocators can use a certain type of magic called evo magic. With evo magic you can summon magical creatures from other dimensions and form contracts with them." Stela wondered if she would be able to summon creatures in this life. In the past her teacher had simply told her that the Saintess'' affinity with holy power was too strong and repelled evo magic. Despite that, she had once tried to summon a creature, only to fail horribly. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. "Do you think our family can summon creatures papa?", she asked her father. Martin let out an awkward smile. Both he and Martha hadn''t explained to Stela that they had found her near the ruins of an old temple. "Your mother and I can''t summon any creatures angel. But we can always request any of the branches of the Holy Seer''s Temple to help test you to see if you can summon one.", Martin said gently. Stela beamed back at Martin, ecstatic. "Do magic creatures make a difference in your magical abilities papa?" she continued. Martin bent down so that he was face to face with Stela... and pinched her cheek. "Enough questions for today little tyke. Now help me carry this in.", he said, pointing to the several packages laid out on a jute mat. Stela went and obediently picked up a small package. As she made her way back indoors, she felt a slight tinge of excitement at the possibility that she might just be able to summon a magical creature. Holy powers were powerful and good, but evo magic was exciting. If it worked she wanted to summon a giant eagle or perhaps a serpent. She carried the package back to her room and placed it in a corner. Then she jumped onto her small bed, arms spread out, and began to dream. A gigantic eagle would be able to carry her across various cities... As she lay in bed fantasizing about the countless possibilities, her father walked in with the remaining packages. Her mother walked in behind him, carrying a pair of scissors and an embroidery kit. "Martin love, can you bring her a trunk please?", Martha requested Martin. Martin nodded and walked out to fetch a trunk that Stela could use. "Ma.", Stela said. "Yes dear.", Martha replied, as she busily sorted the clothes. "When can I do the evo test?", Stela asked. "When you turn ten angel.", Martha replied. "Ten!", Stela, immediately sat up, dismayed at how far off that was. "Well angel, evo magic is volatile. If the user practicing the spell doesn''t have at least their basics cemented then it could be dangerous. So most academies don''t allow it.", Martha answered. She got up and walked over to Stela''s bedside, "Our little angel is far too little to be curious about all this. Maybe we really do have a little genius in our hands.", she said, patting Stela''s hair. Stela smiled awkwardly. She had no intentions of letting her life take the same course it had in the past. She was determined to live life as ordinarily as possible. "But ma,", she said, "I don''t even know how to read well...". Then she added in a pitiful voice, "All I''m good at is looking at pictures and asking questions." On hearing this, Martha let out a guffaw and hugged Stela. Our little girl is hiding something, she thought. She was certain that Stela was smarter than she let on, and had insisted on sending her to the academy to let her grow. Though it would take Stela 5 years to complete junior academy... Chapter 8 : Phoenix. The next day, the family of three, loaded Stela''s trunk onto a wagon and set off for Greenbay, a small town east of White Bridge, located about a days ride away. Martin sat at the helm of the wagon, leading the horse. Martha and Stela sat on bundles of hay that had been piled onto the wagon as well. A picnic basket with fresh oranges, nuts, sandwiches and juice, sat in a corner. The three had wide straw hats on, held in place with ribbons, and in Martin''s case - a thin white rope. "Easy there Bella.", Martin spoke gently to the sturdy chestnut Clydesdale horse that was pulling the wagon. Stela lay on the hay, looking up at the endless blue skies and the black specks that were flying through it. Green valleys surrounded them on both sides, with wildflowers and the occasional stream decorating the scenery. The road was uneven and the ride on the wagon was bumpy. When they had to cross a forested area, she watched the tall trees block out the sun and wave their lanky branches at her. "This time...it''s really beautiful.", she inadvertently muttered. "What did you say dear?", her mother asked her, untying the ribbon on her chin and removing her hat that had begun to get crushed from being lain upon. "It''s beautiful ma.", Stela replied, closing her eyes. Suddenly, the wagon jerked to an unexpected stop. Stela sat up immediately, confused. She could see only the same peaceful scenery around them with no sign of a town in sight. She felt her mother''s arm nudge her. "Look up there angel.", her mother said, with an emotional voice, pointing at a distant corner in the horizon. Stela looked into the distance but could see - nothing. Stela looked at her father, confused, but he seemed to be looking far off in the distance as well, as if mesmerized. When she looked towards the direction he was looking at she gasped. Hidden behind the clouds, she could see a beautiful bird with flaming feathers, flying gracefully in the sky. She hadn''t seen any creature as magical as it in her past life. In fact, it was very strange... weren''t phoenixes supposed to be mythical creatures that no longer existed? "How auspicious!", Martin muttered. Martha had tears in her eyes. While the magical bird, presumably a phoenix, was stunning, Stela couldn''t quite grasp the emotional reaction her parents were having. "Erm... mum, dad?", she said, interrupting their reverie, as the phoenix disappeared in the horizon. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Martha smiled at Stela with teary eyes. "Consider yourself most lucky, my little angel.", she said, "Most mortals can live through multiple lifetimes without seeing one." Stela gave a wry smile. It was her second life, her mother had a point. "What does it mean ma?", she asked curiously. "It must mean that a new Saint is about to be found.", Martin replied, patting her head. "New...Saint?", Stela asked, confused. What did phoenixes have to do with Saints? "It is an old story, my little angel, but phoenixes are seen as companions of Saints. Almost all the Saints of the past had phoenixes as companions.", Martha continued. The confusion in Stela''s mind began to grow in light of this new information, which made no sense to her! "But what about Saintess Aster?", she asked meekly. "Aster? Saintess Aster? How do you know her name angel?", Martin replied. It was quite odd for a five year old to know the name of Saints without being informed about them specifically. "I heard someone utter her name in the Wanderer''s Fair pa.", Stela replied quickly, dispelling her father''s doubts. "Saintess Aster sacrificed her companion to save Margelia from calamity...", Martin replied softly and sadly. "Sac...sacri-ficed?", Stela couldn''t believe her ears. She had never had a companion in her past, so what on earth could her father be talking about? "Yes, my angel. I wasn''t there for it. But there was a big festival in the capital where they brought the caged phoenix and executed it.", Martin said with a sad expression. Stela listened to her father''s narration with an incredulous expression. It couldn''t be true! She had lived for a 120 years in her previous life and had never encountered such information! If what her father was saying was true, then it would mean that she had summoned an evo creature in the past. But that was impossible? She had seen personally, how the magic circle produced nothing but fumes and ashes. Ashes? Her mind began to race and a sick feeling took root in her stomach. The Holy Seer had been like her father in the past! The people at the Temple were her family... It must''ve been a mistake ... In fact, it all sounded a little exaggerated and absurd. After all, this was her life that they were discussing. Of course, she would know best. The doubts in her mind slowly began to fade away. She let out a laugh. "Oh pa, that cannot be possible!", she responded with a weak smile. "Oh, but -", Martin was interrupted by Martha who hit him on his elbow with a stick. "Enough about Saintess Aster. We were lucky to see a phoenix today. No more talk of executions okay?", Martha said firmly, ending the discussion. Stela felt relieved at the intervention. She laid back on the bed of hay. Rumours about her past were more rife than she''d imagined. Martha looked at her little girl lie back on the hay. She felt at ease seeing Stela smile at the clouds again. For a few seconds, the expression on her face had become quite dark. Beings sake Martin! Martha thought, who tells a five year old about executions! Of course her little girl would panic at the thought! And they hadn''t even had a conversation about death... "But Stela...", her mother said with a worried expression. "Yes ma?", Stela replied. "I''d like to ask you to do me favour. I''d like you to keep it a secret between us that you saw a phoenix today.", her mother spoke, with a gentle smile. Stela nodded in agreement. While it had been interesting and special experience, if her parents wanted her to keep it a secret, they perhaps had their own reasons for the same... Chapter 9 : Rising from the ashes. As Stela lay fast asleep on the wagon, the bracelet on her wrist flickered again, emitting a pale green light. However, neither Martha nor Martin noticed the light. In fact, it was as if the light was invisible to them! The wagon drove past the town gate of Greenbay and stopped in front of a small inn. Bella was unfastened from the wagon and the luggage unloaded. A young boy, aged about 12 years, came up and led Bella towards the stables. Stella woke up to see a small wooden sign which read "Faryard Inn". Martin lifted her up and held her in his arms as she blinked a few times to get accustomed to the dim light. The inn was a small white single storied wooden house with cottage windows. Vines made their way up the wooden walls of the inn, with its dead leaves and stems littering the ground. Inside, Stela could see a small bar with wooden stools and tables. A drunk crowd seemed to be having a gala time inside... Her father carried her in and took her to the counter. Martha followed suit, as another young boy aged about 14 years tagged along carrying Stela''s trunk. "Martin Elsher.", her father said, handing over a few papers to the receptionist. "Room for three eh?", the receptionist answered, looking up and analyzing the trio. Confirming that there were indeed three people, he made a few notes in a ledger and took out a key from a drawer. "Take them to Room No. 4.", he said, handing the keys to the eager 14 year old. "That''s my son, Thatcher.", he said, "Call for him if you need any assistance." Thatcher grinned at the new guests. He was a tall, lanky brown haired boy with freckles. "Nice to meet you.", he said. Then, lifting the trunk with one hand he led the family to a staircase, a little way past the counter. The old staircase creaked as the four of them walked up in silence, the red carpet was worn out and torn in places. "This is one of the oldest Inns in Greenbay.", Thatcher spoke proudly, breaking the silence. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "It''s very nice.", Martha replied politely. "You must be here to get your little girl admitted to Sherol.", the young boy continued, enthusiastically. "I studied there too.", he said cheerfully, "Though I dropped out after the third year." he added, a little wistfully. Stela listened to the young boy talk on, she found him minutely entertaining. "Well, here''s the room.", Thatcher said, stopping in front of a door. Unlocking it, he walked in and placed the trunk in a corner. Then turning to face Martha and Martin he made a small bow. "If there''s anything you need, do call me.", he said. He pointed at what looked like a narrow cylinder with an opening at the mouth, on a table. Beside it was a small bowl with white pebbles. Picking up a pebble, he inserted into the mouth. There were a few seconds of silence before Stela heard a little clang. "Just put a little stone in here when you need me.", he concluded, smiling, before turning and walking out of the room. Martha waited for Thatcher to leave the room before taking her handkerchief and placing it at the mouth of the cylinder. "Nifty feature, but I don''t want our conversations to echo below.", she added. Stela wriggled off her father''s arms and ran around the small room. In the center of the room there was a large mattress on the ground with two worn down pillows and a blanket folded and placed on top of it. A small table with two candles and the cylinder was next to the bed. A single window with the view of the gravel street below was opposite to the door. Stela had stayed in such humble places in her past life when she was an orphan, but it had been some time since she had experienced it. Even their small cottage in White Bridge was well furnished and equipped despite its rural and remote location. Stela ran towards her mother and hugged her leg. Her parents must''ve used a significant portion of their savings to send her to school. The family of three sat around the small table and shared the remaining food they had packed and brought from home. It was only a cup of cold milk and some bread, but Stela ate it with gusto. That night as Stela slept, she dreamt of a beautiful phoenix, with bright red flames. It cried out to her in agony and circled around her before disintegrating into ashes. Stela felt a sharp pain as the magnificent creature died. Then, a little while later, a small phoenix rose up from the ashes of the large phoenix. It encircled her before letting out a shriek and turning into ashes as well. This cycle of events kept repeating. It seemed like each time the phoenix died, its anger and hurt increased and its flames became hotter. Finally the feathers of the phoenix turned white and blue. This time the phoenix no longer encircled her but flew up onto the branch of a large tree. Stela felt its gaze pierce into her as she looked it. It no longer seemed lost and hurt, but rather indignant and proud. In the real world, the bracelet on Stela''s arm no longer flickered with a green light but turned an icy blue. **** Chapter 10 : The Elshers arrive. Stela awoke to the clanging of the little stones that Martin was throwing into the metal chute at a copious speed. ¡°Enough, Martin! I¡¯m sure Thatcher heard it the first time you flung in a stone.¡±, Martha admonished Martin. ¡°You must admit, this is a bit of a novelty here, this.¡±, Martin replied with a sheepish grin. Stela sat up on the mattress grinning. She wasn¡¯t sure why, but she felt cheerful and optimistic. She fiddled with her bracelet subconsciously but didn''t notice that its colour had changed. A few minutes later, a knock was heard on the door. Martha opened it to see Thatcher standing outside. ¡°Good morning Thatcher. Could we have some breakfast sent up to our room?¡±, Martha said. Thatcher gave an understanding nod and walked off. A short while later, he returned with a tray that had three bowls of porridge on it. It was humble fare but looked delicious. ¡°Hurry up and eat now.¡±, Martha said. Admissions to Sherol Academy would begin at 10am sharp, and it was already 8am. The ride to the academy would take at least one hour. Post breakfast, their bags and trunks were packed and reloaded onto their wagon. They bade a cheerful farewell to the innkeeper and set off. After dropping off Stela at the academy, Martha and Martin were to head back for White Bridge directly. In the daytime, Greenbay painted a different picture. There were visibly many more houses here than in White Bridge. Rows of brown wooden cottages lined the avenue and dotted the valley. There were various shops in the central town ¨C grocers, florists, tailors, shoemakers, blacksmiths, jewelers ¨C the list went on. It felt strange to Stela that in her past life she had never left the Temple premises. The Holy Seer¡¯s Temple had been vast and self-sustaining, perhaps that was one reason why she had never felt the urge to leave. "New shoes for the little girl?", a friendly voice called out from one of the many shops. "Ma''am perhaps some new skirts for you?", another voice called out. However, perhaps it was the visible poverty of the family making their way through town that the voices slowly came to a stop. Stolen novel; please report. An hour later, the wagon stopped at the entrance of a large gate. A watchman stood guard at the entrance, checking the passes of people that were entering its premises. Martha and Martin walked up uncertainly to the gate. "Martha and Martin Elsher. We''ve come with our daughter for admission.", Martin said rather underconfidently. The guard let out a smug smile. He had seen countless no-name families like these. It was clear that their child had no place in a magic academy as grand as Sherol, but they never gave up and always harangued him on admissions day. "I''m sorry we''ll need a pass Madam, Sir.", the guard responded curtly. Martin took the guard aside and tried to get in a word with him but it was clear that he was not interested in listening. Stela felt her cheeks turn red as she watched other families enter with ease. Some of them entered even without passes, as long as the carriage they got off from looked grand. A few children snickered at her as they entered. "I''d be embarrassed to arrive in a wagon.", a pink haired girl muttered into Stela''s ear as she walked by. Stela looked at her parents. It was clear that they were embarrassed. Regardless of whether they had material wealth, the Elshers had always lived a comfortable and dignified life. The treatment being meted out to them at the gate felt like the adding of insult to injury. After 20 minutes or so had passed by, Martin let out a deep sigh. "Martha, love, take Stela and step aside.", he said. Martha picked up Stela and stepped aside. Martin walked up to Bella and spoke to her gently. Then, before the guard realized what he was doing, he led her to the entrance of the gate, so that the wagon blocked it completely. "I want to talk to the Headmaster.", Martin said decisively. The guard began to turn red with frustration. A mere country-side farmer wanted to summon the Headmaster of the prestigious Sherol Academy! It was uncalled for! "I''m sorry I can''t possibly bother the Headmaster with such a -", he began with his refusal. However, at that moment a voice interrupted him. "What might be the cause of the blockade here?", an icy voice said. Stela looked up to see a tall man, clad in sharp black clothes walk up to them. When the guard saw him, he immediately began apologizing. "I apologize my lord, there is slight issue here, but not one so big that I, Steven, cannot handle it." The man waved aside the guard and walked up to Martin. "It seems like your wagon is obstructing the entrance to our academy. I''m sure you did not intend that.", he said in a cold voice. Stela looked at the man with irritation. It was clear that he had a higher position than the guard and had no interest in giving them passage. She began to feel frustrated at how discriminatory the academy was, it reminded her of unpleasant memories of when she was an orphan and treated horribly. "Ma, we don''t need to go to this academy -", she said softly to her mother. However, her mother did not respond. Stela looked at her and was taken aback by the look of rage in her mother''s face. Martha set Stela down on the ground gently and stepped forward towards the man in black. It was clear that she towered over him. "Martha and Martin Elsher, here with our daughter.", she said in a steely voice, emphasizing each word. Chapter 11: The qualifying exam. On hearing the name, the man in black took a step back, a look of confusion on his face. It was a little known fact that Sherol Academy had been founded by two houses in unison. The house that administered it now was the prestigious Roland Duchy of the North. And yet, a long time ago, it had been administered by another grand and revered house - the Elsher Duchy of the South. The academy had been named Elsher Roland Academy, before it took on its present title - Sherol Academy. If what this woman was saying was the truth, then he was face to face with academic legacies - the direct descendants of the founding houses. Yet, the more he looked at the poorly dressed family in front of him, the deeper his resentment grew. Sherol Academy would become a laughingstock if it was known that one of the founding houses had deteriorated to the condition that beheld him. If there was something worse than poverty to him, it was a fallen noble. Reputation was everything to him and he held it very dear. He, being, Edgar Lannis, the 23rd Headmaster of Sherol Academy. He had been personally appointed by Duke Roland and if he didn''t handle this carefully his job might be at risk. I have to find out if the two houses are still in good terms, he thought. Putting on a forced smile he gestured at the guard to let them in. He''d let them enter for now, but the admission of their mangy daughter would not be guaranteed. After all, she would still need to pass the qualifying test - legacy or not. "Headmaster Edgar Lannis.", said the man in black, introducing himself. Martha and Martin merely nodded. Their introductions had long been made. "Kindly leave that outside.", Edgar said, pointing at the wagon, a disdainful expression on his face. Then turning swiftly, he began walking towards the Academy, the disgruntled Elshers in tow. Martin had a troubled expression. He had faced the same discrimination when he''d studied in Sherol Academy 70 years ago. He would never have imagined that the same dreadful discriminatory practices were still in vogue. What a dreadful place we''re sending our little angel to, he thought sadly. If Martha hadn''t convinced him that Stela was a magic wielder and needed to be schooled, he would have never brought her here. After all, the great Duchy of Elsher had fallen to ruin as it had generation after generation of heirs who could not wield magic. In comparison, the Roland Duchy, once their ally, continued to churn out magician after magician, growing ever closer to the royal family. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Memories of Elsher house''s grandeur were few and swiftly fading. By the time Martin was born, his parents had sold off their ancestral estates and moved to the country side, choosing a life of anonymity over one of scorn and ridicule. Martin''s own admission to Sherol Academy had been an exception granted by the previous Duke of Roland. He couldn''t guarantee that they would make the same exception for Stela... *Furthermore, he was afraid that the Elsher name would evoke more negative than positive reactions from the residents of Sherol Academy. A small part of him also wished to protect the peace that anonymity had brought to them. It was for this very reason that they had chosen to keep mum about the sighting of a phoenix. While he was sure that the Holy Seer''s Temple would not have missed it, he was wary of the attention and interrogation that it would result in. Stela looked around. Sherol Academy had once been a grand school, that was clear. A winding road ran up a small hill and lead to a grand building. Morning glory vines grew like weed on both sides of the road. The white and blue buildings were constructed with thick stones that had been mined elsewhere and transported to Greenbay. Next to the school block, there was a large field where hundreds of students had gathered. Many of them seemed to be acquainted with each other already, having formed in cliques. Martha dropped off Stela near a group of children. "Stela angel, we''ll wait for you till the exam is over okay?", she said encouragingly. Martin bent down to speak to Stela at eye level, "Don''t worry about the qualifying exam my little angel.", he said, "Even if you do not pass, your mother and I will love you the same." Martha and Martin had purposely refrained from telling Stela that the only qualifying exam would be a test of magic powers. They did not want Stela to be disappointed if she did not pass the exam... after all, it had been years since any Elsher had awakened magic powers. Stela nodded, she noticed that her parents were both teary eyed. If Stela passed the exam, she would have to stay in boarding school for the next five years. She hugged her mother and father. "Mom, dad, don''t worry. I''ll do my best to make you proud.", she said emotionally. A few children close to her snickered. "It''s the country bumpkin.", they whispered amongst themselves. Chapter 12 : A room with many mirrors. Stela ignored their jabs. She knew she had powers, but recently, a thought had begun to take shape in her mind. If she used her Saintess powers, she would be forced to leave her family and relive the same life she had led in the past. Though her lack of knowledge about the test made her a little nervous, she tightened her hand into a fist. She would make sure that she got admitted as a different magic wielder. She let out a sigh. It would have helped if she had some information on the test. Her parents had placed too much faith in her, sending her off to school without informing her of what the test would be. The tall man in black, i.e., Edgar, made his way to the podium. He snapped his finger. Stela felt a sudden silence envelope the field. Sound magic! Stela thought. It looked like the shameless Headmaster was also a skilled magician. Sound magicians were rare... Edgar coughed to clear his throat. However the sound of him clearing his throat could be heard across the field loudly and clearly. "Children, parents. Welcome to Sherol Academy''s yearly admission event.", he said, in a vain and conceited manner. "Admittees, you might be.", he continued, waving a hand at the group of now nervous children, "But whether you are granted admission to our academy, that is another issue." Stela watched him, a little amused. She had to admit that Edgar had a penchant for theatrics. "You see, here at Sherol, we only accept - certain talent. Any child that wants to study here requires something.", he said. He pointed at an empty part of the field on his left. The children gathered there stared confusedly at what was clearly an empty plot of land. Edgar waved his hand again and the children gasped. A brown cottage suddenly began to take shape on what was earlier an empty plot of land. Edgar smiled, "Go ahead, walk in children.", he said, directing the children to enter the cottage. Stela squinted, there were at least a hundred children standing in the field. The cottage looked like it could house only 50 children at most. She looked around to see parents goading their children to enter the cottage. She spotted Martin and Martha standing on one side waving at her frantically to enter the cottage. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Taking a deep breath Stela walked towards the cottage and pushed open the door. At the same time that Stela took a step in, the pink haired girl she had met earlier also walked in. Stela looked around. It looked like she was in a room made of mirrors as countless reflections stared back at her. However, the pink haired girl was nowhere to be seen. A long table stood alone in the center of the room. Light from a candle burning on the table, reflected off the mirrors and lit up the entire room. Apart from the candle there were also several crystal balls placed in a row, with an opaque wooden hourglass placed inconspicuously on one corner. Stela looked at the mirrors curiously, wondering if they were a part of the test. However the reflections on the mirror looked back at her blankly. It was clear that the main test had more to do with the mysterious crystal balls. Stela continued to observe her surroundings thoughtfully. It seemed to be a simple interactive test, befitting the children who were to partake in it. She walked towards the table to pick a crystal ball. She had considered being more wary as teleportation magic could have been involved, but gauging by the wooden hourglass, that was unlikely. To the other participants it may have seemed like the hourglass had been placed in the room with the specific intention of instilling a sense of confusion and uncertainty. However, Stela recognized the object from her past life. The hourglass was an uncommon space warping item that distorted the space it was placed in. It was clear that the item served three functions in the test. The first was to confuse the participants. The second, was to warp the space. The third and most interesting function, was to weed out cheaters. If any participant being fearful of the perceived time constraint, flipped the hour glass to buy more time, the warp magic would be undone and the person would be thrown outside the magic space. Being confident that the real test lay in the crystals, Stela picked up a random crystal ball. As soon as her hand touched the ball, it began to glow and Stela felt a warmth run up her hand. As if activated by the ball, one of her reflections in a mirror suddenly moved. It conjured a chalk and began to draw a complicated spell circle on the ground. When it was seemingly done, a piercing red light ran swiftly through the outer layer of the circle making it burst out in flames. Then, as the flames subsided, Stela saw what looked like a small unidentifiable creature at the center of the circle. At this point the mirror turned dark and the crystal ball grew cold. Stela placed it back on the table. She recollected a certain memory from her past life. When she had first gone to the Holy Seer''s Temple, one of the temple acolytes had taken her to a dingy room with a tall wooden screen partition at the center. A single chair had been placed before the screen. The acolyte had brought her a box with a circular hole at the top and asked her to place her hand inside. While fearful, she had done as she was told. There seemed to have been several objects inside the box, but when she had touched what felt like a smooth stone, her hand had gotten tingly and she had withdrawn it instinctively. The acolyte had seemed strangely excited to see her reaction and asked her to place her hand back in and hold on to the "stone". When she did, hesitantly, she had seen a golden light emanate from the other side of the screen. After some time, the light had faded away and the stone had grown cold. As the room grew dark, a voice had spoken from behind the screen. Chapter 13 : Panopticon "Take her away.", the stern and authoritative voice had said. Stela recalled being taken aback on hearing the voice. She hadn''t known that there was someone else in the room... Back in the present, Stela stared at the crystal balls. She finally understood what had taken place in the past. The crystal balls were made of a particular material that detected the magical affinity of the person holding it. However, given how differently the crystal ball felt this time, it could be inferred that different materials detected different powers. Furthermore, it seemed like their magic abilities could be seen on the enchanted mirror that was connected to it. A feeling of disappointment coursed through her. It meant that the nature of her abilities had been hidden from her in the past. She suddenly grew apprehensive of the current test. It didn''t make sense that only a 5 year old would be privy to the nature and extent of their powers. There had to be a mechanism through which the invigilators could see the images that she had seen on the mirror. She slowly realized that she had been very lucky. If she had picked up the crystal ball which detected holy powers, she would have been exposed. Her body felt weak at the thought that she had almost given herself away. Instead, she had realized that she had another type of magic. Judging by the crystal balls, it looked like she could check if she possessed other types of magic. It was highly rare, but not impossible for a single person to have several magic affinities. However, she decided against it, given the dangers it presented. As her confusion died down, she suddenly felt a wave of excitement. If what she had deduced was correct, then she might have been born with evo magic in her present life. Still, it was a real pity that she couldn''t check if she had other abilities. It was too risky for her to test for other powers. Outside, in a private section of the pavilion, a few nobles and members of the faculty, sat before what appeared to be gigantic mirror. However, if one looked closely, it could be seen that the mirror was comprised of dozens of smaller parts. The individual parts of the mirror could be identified by their lack of reflections. Occasionally, a small area of the mirror would light up, inviting remarks from the interested viewers. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "A skilled water affinity wielder.", a uttered a voice from the crowd. "Skilled but common.", another replied. The qualifying examination was also a sponsorship event of sorts. Representatives of several influential houses came to recruit wielders of rare affinities. There were nine known affinities that magicians could wield. Four affinities were fairly common - fire, earth, water and air, being possessed by a majority of wielders. Two were uncommon - evo and sound. Two were special - space and psyche. Finally, the rarest affinities were those of holy and dark magic. These two affinities were extremely rare to chance upon, and users were often touted as Saints or Archfiends. It was rumored that the arrival of a Saint foretold the arrival of an Archfiend and vice versa. However, it had already been 125 years since the present Saintess Aster had been born and there had been no wielder of dark magic. As such, the rumor no longer held any significance in Margelia. Furthermore, over the past 200 years, the priests of the Holy Seer''s Temple had somehow learned how to use holy magic, though far weaker than that possessed by the Saints. This made the elusive and rare nature of holy magic diminish in the eyes of the public. Several parts of the mirror lit up simultaneously. In a small corner, Stela''s reflection could be seen drawing a complex spell circle. A few viewers watched eagerly as the circle lit up in flames. "Finally, an evocator...", a low, baritone voice muttered. "Don''t get your hopes up Lord Hwen.", another replied. "An evocator is only as strong as their evo creature, and we are yet to witness the extent of this young child''s powers." Just then, the flames burned out to reveal a small and weak looking creature at the center of the spell circle. Several disappointed sighs could be heard. "What a pity...", Lord Hwen said. "She was skilled at drawing a spell circle, but her magic affinity must be tragical for her reflection to summon such a weak creature." Chapter 14 : Choosing an apprentice. "Isn''t it hasty to come to a conclusion at this stage, Lord Hwen? After all, the real assessment of an evocator is when they turn ten.", another voice said. "I do not gamble when it comes to my people Lady Azhar.", Lord Hwen responded condescendingly. Lady Azhar let out a sigh. Let the prideful man have the last word, she thought. She was no stranger to Lord Hwen, plus, there was something familiar about the dark animal at the center of the spell circle. She would need to investigate the matter further. If it was what she thought it was, then she would do whatever it took to ensure that the black haired girl became her apprentice. Hwen and Azhar were both baronies that lay within the Roland Dukedom. The Roland dukedom in turn, exercised control over vast territories that included Greenbay and White Bridge. The Elsher duchy had once been located south of the Roland dukedom. While the Roland duchy had subsumed some of its northern territories, the lands in the south were under the control of nobles that had been allowed to retain their titles by the King. The fall of the Elsher duchy had led to a political vacuum in the south that the King of Margelia had purposely left untended. In fact, the absence of a Duke in the south meant that effectively, the Marquis of Torbay, a town at the southwest border of the former Elsher dukedom, was the de facto head. The Marquis of Torbay was a staunch ally of the King and a sore on the side of the Duke of Roland, who had initially attempted to take control of the entire area. The Hwen barony in the north was particularly close to the higher peerage in the Roland dukedom, whereas the Azhar barony in the south was on neutral terms. Their presence at Sherol Academy meant a lot to Edgar Lannis. It was common political practice for higher peerage to send their wards to Cresbel Academy at Faryard, as its patron was the royal family. This meant that parents of talented children were most attracted to admitting their wards to Cresbel Academy. Resultantly, the admissions day at Cresbel was the most sought after "sponsorship" event of sorts. Furthermore, most noble houses could take in only one or two exceptional students as apprentices, due to an imperial regulation that forbade it on the ground that each noble house was "equally deserving of access to talent". This regulation was another measure that had been imposed to indirectly prevent any one house from growing too powerful. While the lesser nobles welcomed this regulation, the bigger noble houses saw it as an obstacle to their growth. An obstacle that could nevertheless, be sidestepped through underhanded means. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. What Edgar Lannis did not know, was that Lord Hwen and Lady Azhar were present, not of their own accord, but at the behest of Duke Roland. In recent years, the barony of Hwen had grown in size and political power. In order to counter this, Duke Roland had directed Lord Hwen to recruit his new apprentices from Sherol Academy, stating that that was necessary in order to further its prestige. He had given the same command to Lady Azhar in a bid to appear egalitarian. The wily Lord Hwen knew this and had accepted it gracefully, though he secretly felt bitter about it. At that moment another part of the mirror lit up. The image of a pink haired girl appeared. She seemed to be muttering several incomprehensible words. Suddenly, her image disappeared from the screen. It reappeared a few seconds later, slightly wet and shivering. The mirror then went blank. Several viewers gasped. "Space magic!", Lord Hwen said, his voice rich with avarice. The audience looked taken aback. Edgar Lannis had a pensive expression on his face. Due to the rarity of space magic wielders, the only teachers proficient enough to instruct them thoroughly were at Cresbel... Still, he thought, the news that a space magic wielder had originated from Sherol Academy would do much good to its reputation. Furthermore, if Lord Hwen chose her as his apprentice, he would compensate the Academy handsomely in order to transfer her. The mirror lit up a few dozen more times. Several water, air, fire, earth, evo and sound magic wielders appeared and disappeared from the mirrors. However, most of the viewers in the room were still in deep thought about the pink haired girl. If the space magic wielder had not appeared, perhaps the sound magic wielder would have become the star of the exam... "Edgar.", Lord Hwen suddenly spoke.