Grandfol raised his staff high and slammed its base hard against the rocky ground. The impact sent a wave of energy outward, and right away a huge glowing magic circle opened beneath him. Lines of ancient writing lit up one after another, spreading far across the open space on Sigil Mountain.Everything changed the moment it appeared.The Great Sage slowly rose from his carved stone seat. His silver robes swayed gently, as if caught in a wind only he could feel. A strange, heavy silence fell over the whole mountain. The wind stopped completely. The chatter and whispers of thousands of examinees vanished. Even the tiny glowing specks of mana floating in the air seemed to freeze and tremble, like they were bowing to his presence.Every single person there turned their eyes toward him. No one dared speak or move too quickly.The sage’s calm gaze swept across the crowd, touching every face, every hopeful look, and every beating heart.“Rejoice, children of Prana. Today, mana has accepted

Six days remained before everyone had to gather at the Eastern Garrison — the place where every examinee who passed the test would finally get their class and rank assigned.The village was still fast asleep. The sun had not yet peeked over the distant mountains, and most houses stayed dark and quiet, scattered across the hills. Only one person was already awake and moving.Thud!The sharp, heavy sound of an axe split the calm morning air.Tyda pulled the blade free and swung again.Thud!Another log split cleanly in two.Sweat already soaked through his shirt, sticking cold and heavy to his skin even though the air was still cool and fresh. His shoulders burned with every movement. His palms were rough and stinging from the wooden handle and the force of each blow. His back ached too, still sore from the hard training he had pushed himself through the day before.Still, he did not stop.One more log. One more swing. One more piece added to the pile growing beside him.When the stack

Tyda walked through the huge iron gates, right beside Maya, Bren, Rona, Bram, Judy, Glendo, Bigolo, and the rest of the group from Sigil Mountain. Marco and Mary also moved into the flow of people nearby, walking with calm and confidence. The moment everyone stepped inside, the crowd slowed down, then came to a complete stop.Tyda froze where he stood. His eyes went wide and his mouth opened a little.Whoooaaa…The sight in front of him was far bigger and more impressive than anything he had ever imagined. A wide training yard stretched across the whole garrison grounds, large enough to hold an entire small town. Rows and rows of wooden training dummies stood in neat lines, while another section was filled with large target boards marked with colored rings. Right in the center stood a massive arena, its tall stone walls rising like a fortress. Everywhere he looked, soldiers in polished armor moved around, carrying weapons or stacking supplies. Groups of soldiers marched in perfect ord

Silence hung heavy over the whole training yard after General Wensel finished speaking. Hundreds of examinees stood in neat rows, and their faces showed every kind of feeling. Some looked pale and nervous, their fingers shaking a little. Others forced smiles, trying to look excited even though the tension in the air was thick. A few puffed out their chests to act confident, but their shifting eyes gave away how they really felt.General Wensel stood tall on the raised platform, his sharp eyes moving slowly across every group and studying every face. When he was sure he had everyone’s full attention, he raised his voice—deep and clear, loud enough to reach the farthest corners of the grounds.“The first trial will be a test of endurance.”A wave of confusion went through the crowd. Heads turned, eyebrows lifted, and people whispered to each other, unsure what this meant.Wensel kept his arms crossed and his expression serious.“Without proper training, you do not have the stamina you n

Tyda kept running. His speed never changed, not even a little. His breathing stayed steady and deep, following a smooth rhythm, while his feet hit the ground in a constant, even pattern. The gap between him and everyone else behind stayed wide, forcing the rest of the group to push themselves just to keep him in sight.Right on his heels, Marco and Mary moved easily. Unlike almost everyone else, neither of them used any mana to boost their bodies. They relied only on their natural strength and stamina, moving with the ease of people who had trained hard since they were small.Further back, Maya, Bren, Rona, Bigolo, Judy, Glendo, and Bram kept their own steady pace. Soft glows of different colors surrounded them—mana flowing carefully to help them move, but not so much that they used up all their energy too fast.Rona glanced over at Bigolo, who ran smoothly even though he could not see.“Bigolo, are you doing okay? Can you keep up? We’ve been going for quite a while now,” she asked, h