Trinity of Magic

Zeke strode confidently into the hall where the theoretical portion of his midterm exam was being held. The room was filled with students, all seated at long rows of desks, each with their own parchment and quill in front of them. Zeke scanned the room, easily spotting the desk with his name written on a card in front of it. He made his way to the seat, noting some of the other students glancing in his direction.

As he settled into his seat, he waited for the papers to be handed back to him by the person in front. The papers were passed down the row, and finally, they reached him. Zeke reached out and grabbed the parchment, his eyes scanning the first question. At first, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself, as he found the question to be quite simple, but then he remembered that not all students at Elementium had the benefit of a master mage personally tutoring them every single day, in addition to having memory-enhancing spells and the ability to accelerate their brain function. The realization made him considerately less smug.

With ease and precision, Zeke filled out all his exam papers in a fraction of the time allotted, carefully writing his name and signature before rising from his seat. This had truly not been a challenge for him. He left the hall, the other students still scribbling away at their parchments, and made his way outside. He found a tree to sit under, the cool shade providing a welcome relief from the warm sun. He leaned against the trunk and waited for the time to pass, his mind already moving on to the next task at hand.

As he sat there, lost in thought, a shadow fell over him. Zeke's gaze lifted, and he saw Sophia standing before him. She had tried to sneak up on him, to surprise him, but that was not possible anymore, thanks to his [Perfect Spatial Awareness] spell. Sophia grinned, and congratulated him on his victory in the arena against Martin, she had been watching. The two of them sat under the tree and chatted for a while, talking about their respective exams. Sophia was a second-year student, so her exam was different from Zeke's, but she also found it very easy.

As they spoke, Zeke couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie with Sophia. They shared the same drive and determination to succeed, and Zeke didn't forget how Sophia had been the only person to talk to him like an equal when he had been a total outcast.

As the official end of the theoretical part of the exam approached, a very bedraggled-looking Viola flew over to where Zeke and Sophia were sitting. She instantly fell onto the ground next to Zeke, curling up like a tired cat. She complained that the exams were incredibly hard, and the questions were incredibly unfair. Viola was certain that the examiner had written the paper in a way that made it extra hard for her to answer.

Zeke couldn't help but roll his eyes at Viola's complaints, and began to rub her back in an attempt to calm her down. To his surprise, Sophia and Viola seemed to know each other quite well and were talking like old friends. Sophia offered her a drink from her water bottle, and they chatted a bit more before Viola and Sophia both stood up and went on their way. Official source is novel·fire.net

As the practical exams began, Zeke found that he had a little more time before his Blood Magic exam was set to start. For the practical exams, the Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind exams took precedence over the other forms of magic. This meant that Zeke, with his affinity for Blood, Space, and Mind, had to wait for a long time before it was his turn. Still, at some point, he was called into the room for his exams.

Much like his theoretical exams in the morning, the content of the practical exams was also laughable. It was even more pronounced in these exams. How was there supposed to be a practical exam in Blood Magic if they had not learned a single spell to show off? Zeke couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration and disappointment. He had worked so hard to master his abilities, and yet, he was being held back by a system that didn't fully understand or appreciate the nuances of his craft.

As the day of the exams came to a close, Zeke finished his last exam late at night and made his way back home. Maximilian greeted him with a knowing smile but did not ask how the exams had gone. Zeke knew that his mentor already had a good idea of how he had performed.

The next morning, the results were already out, and Zeke met up with Viola to check on their scores. Viola didn't have much hope for her theoretical results, but she was certain that she had beaten Zeke in the practical department.

As they made their way through the crowded hallways of Elementium, Zeke, and Viola made their way toward the section for second-year students. The tension was palpable as they walked, both unsure of how they had performed in their exams. They arrived at the section for second years and quickly located the board with the names on it, scanning the list for Viola's score.