"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, little Flower. As I was saying, my little Jirni hoped that it would make Phloria grow delicate and graceful. Instead, she resembles me a lot."
Orion had just started telling what was likely to be an embarrassing anecdote about Phloria, when one by one their names were called, transporting them into Linjos' office. Phloria had never been so happy seeing the Headmaster's long face before.
"Your task is simple." Linjos explained. "I will send you in the dungeon below the academy. All you have to do is come out alive. The test has no time limit. Whenever you feel you can't go on anymore, just tell your supervisor and he will take you back.
In such event, the exam will be considered as failed."
"Since when does the White Griffon have a dungeon?"
"What kind of creatures will we face?"
"Where is our supervisor?"
Linjos ignored all their questions, opening a Warp Steps with a wave of the hand.
One after the other, they walked through the dimensional gate, finding themselves in a closed and humid space, devoid of any source of light except for two glowing red eyes staring at them in the dark.
"You took your sweet time." Lith's voice echoed along the walls, making them jump.
Yurial used first magic, lighting the small cave they were in.
Lith squinted his eyes for a moment, but his eyes remained red. The group could see him holding a wooden staff which ended in a half moon shape, with a red gemstone floating in its middle.
He also wore several bracelets and rings they had never seen before. They were all presents the Crown had sent to him as a special thank you for his services during the plague and the exam.
- "Between all these alchemical and enchanted items, I can freely use true magic. Not even a Professor would be able to notice." He thought. –
"Lith? Are you really our supervisor?" Phloria asked.
"Yes. Your task is to get out of here alive, mine is to not let you die. I don't know how exactly the grading system works, but I guess that every time you force me to action, your score will be lowered." He shrugged.
"No, I mean you are a fourth year just like us. How is this possible?"
"Sorry, can't answer that."
Linjos' story about no supervision was all a lie. The so called fifth year students were actually elite alumni, young enough to pass for students, but with their loyalty already proven.
Phloria's group didn't need control, only support in case of need. Linjos had estimated that because of the nature of the test, and with his new equipment, Lith was skilled enough to cover for the role.
"Why the red eyes?" Quylla asked.
"A personal spell to see in the dark without becoming a beacon like you lot." Years had passed since the last time Lith had activated his Fire Vision spell. It granted him an improved version of thermal goggles, allowing him to see in the dark in a scale of colours according to the temperature of his surroundings.
Lucky for him, light magic didn't emit heat, otherwise he would have been blinded.
Meanwhile Yurial was racking his brain, trying to understand the purpose of the test. The group started moving in a single line, with Phloria on point, followed by Yurial, then Quylla and Friya in the rear.
The stone corridor was large enough to allow two people to walk side by side, but they were mages. They needed enough space to move without messing with each other.
- "Think Yurial, think." He thought. "Linjos' tests are all actually simple once you understand what he is trying to teach you. I already have all the pieces of the puzzle. Something that doesn't need a balanced team, something that a mage must learn.
"But more importantly, something that Lith already knows. That's the only possible explanation for his role. What separates him from the rest of us? There lies the answer." –
They kept walking for several minutes, the only sound beside their steps was the water dripping from the ceiling into small pools. The humidity of the place made it a perfect environment for mushrooms and mosses of every kind.
Suddenly, a small head appeared behind a corner. It looked like a deformed child, with skin made pale, almost translucent, by having spent its whole life underground. It had huge eyes, a bumpy button nose and pointy ears.
"Goblins!" Phloria yelled while unsheathing her sword.
The creature rushed forward fearlessly, holding a club between its hands, quickly followed by a dozen more creatures, all armed with rudimentary weapons.
The goblins screamed in a frenzy; they hadn't had meat in months.
"Oh f*ck me sideways!" Yurial screamed, finally solving the riddle.
"None of us has ever killed a human being!"