My feet hit the ground. Pounding across the cobblestone streets, weaving in and out, through the throngs of people.

  I need to get there now, I thought with urgency. This is my only chance, my only opportunity for people to forget that I’m a ‘bastard’.

  I hissed as someone’s elbow jabbed me in the face. Then again as someone’s boot stepped on my bare feet, and again as some drunkard got shoved into me.

  All different but all reacted the same.

  Like they didn’t notice.

  Like they didn’t care.

  Or rather they didn’t deign to care. They wouldn’t.

  But I was used to it, so I didn’t stop to swear at them under my breath, stop to shove them back, or any of the sorts. It would only make things worse.

  Finally, I broke through the mass of people and into the open air.

  I took my first full, deep breath then. I had been half holding it the whole way here. The masses never smelled pleasant.

  Then my breath hitched again as I stepped back into the opposite crowd.

  But this crowd was different.

  They weren’t the hustle and bustle of people going about their daily lives.

  No.

  They were Tekivuna. Just like me.

  For some, they wanted to leave their past behind them and forge a future for themselves. For others, they wanted to fight back against the Tarta.

  And some want to do both.

  Me? Well, I’m in that third category.

  Someone walked through the crowd. Someone who commanded all your attention. Someone who’s been blessed with a gift. The gift of magic.

  My breath somehow managed to hitch itself even further as I felt my soul resonate like a tuning fork with every step they took.

  By the looks of it, everyone experienced the same phenomenon.

  This person was a woman. She walked through the crowd in a long blindly white robe. Her hair was tied in a beautiful braid that highlighted her angelic features.

  She was stunning.

  Absolutely stunning.

  Forcing out the breath that I was still holding I focused on what the woman was telling us.

  “My name is Mathilde Falloe I am the Head-Daucakaisausau, but it is acceptable to call me just Head-Dauca.” She gave a wide warm smile at all of us, something I hadn’t received ever.

  Even though I knew it was just pleasantries it still felt good. Really good.

  “I have a dual, exceptional affinity for light and purity. With a ruby core that’s been expanded 5 times its original size.” She stated matter-of-factually. It was clear she had given this speech many times.

  A gasp rippled through the crowd like wildfire.

  Clearly, some knew what that meant.

  To me it meant nothing.

  Did sound cool though.

  She then looked at us. Like really looked at us.

  “Some of you are criminals. Some of you are poor. Some of you have debts you can’t pay. And some of you… are bastards looking for a way out.”

  I swear her eyes drifted to me for a second. Though it could be just my imagination.

  “But all of you are here for a reason. Redemption. And a chance to leave this life behind. Far behind.” Her eyes heated as her words gained a certain vigour or vitality to them. As if they were tangible things. “But it will not be easy. There are two roads ahead of you. Failure and success. No in-between.”

  Her steely gaze turned soft suddenly, with it a visible relaxing in everyone’s shoulders.

  “Back away now if you don’t think you’re ready. Back away now if you think that your results will be disgraceful or lacking. Because if they are, there is no turning back. You get sent to the mines or the military where death rates number too high to count. Or you get sent to The Academy where you learn to become a legend, a legacy, a hero.

  This caused a pause in everyone’s thoughts. Everyone stood still and thought.

  Some - like me - concluded that we need to stay. We need this break from reality, no matter how dangerous.

  And others stood there dithering between leaving and staying.

  Some just outright walked away with shame written like a poem on their faces.

  “If you don’t know our ranking system let me explain.” My ears perked up at the chance to learn about magic. Real magic. “There are five levels of affinities and an infinite number of affinities. The order of power from weakest to strongest is, Abysmal, Weak, Moderate, High, and Exceptional.

  “As of current knowledge, there doesn’t seem to be a maximum amount of affinities one can have, generally 1 is the norm. The most ever recorded was 4 but all were in the Weak category of power.

  “Finally our cores. These hold our Ashe. Ashe is what we draw on to be able to manipulate the elements. There are six types of core sizes. Copper core, Iron core, Emerald core, Diamond core, Ruby core and Platinum core. All cores can be expanded but we categorise them as what you start with. For example, I have a ruby core but a fledgling platinum core - the step above Ruby core - would be smaller than mine.”

  I took a deep breath so as to absorb all this knowledge.

  And then it hit me.

  Two exceptional affinities? And a Ruby core? How strong is this woman?

  She suddenly spoke up again. Drawing me out of my thoughts. “If you get tested and have an Abysmal affinity or a Copper core, or if you’re one of the rare ones with nothing in either section you go straight to the mines. If you have an Emerald core and/or a High affinity you go straight to The Academy. Anything in between will go to the military and those that are a hard case will be debilitated by myself and my advisor.”

  I took a deep breath and let it out.

  I can do this. I need to get into The Academy. I need to shun my ‘sins’.

  She waited for more time, letting us process.

  In the five minutes that she waited, our group of previously 230 had fallen to 180.

  I stood there steadfast, head held high for the first time in my life.

  I was not going to back down now.

  No, I was not.

  “If you wish to continue follow me.” She whispered but everyone heard and listened.

  We followed her through the gates to where people were waiting to take us in. They took us to a room with no windows and 5 doors. A huge atrium with a small stage up at the front. There were two men and one woman standing on the stage.

  The first man had a severe sharp face, but not one that seemed malicious - just serious. He wore a deep forest green robe that covered his entire figure but seemed easy to take off in case of a fight.

  The other man wore the same type of robe but in a blindingly - slightly annoying - yellow colour. He was slightly chubby with a look that screamed ‘rich noble that’s never seen a hard day’s work’.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Finally, the woman. She truly unsettled me. She had a gorgeous face but one that has been hard at work for years. She was a true fighter. But that isn’t what unsettled me. What really did it for me was that look I was receiving.

  She was staring at me.

  Not in hatred but in that kind of intense stare like someone is trying to read my soul.

  I shifted my gaze away from her as I started to feel uncomfortable.

  But no matter where I stood her piercing gaze always somehow found me.

  It made me shiver.

  Finally, she seemed to stop staring at me as she noticed others were picking up on where she was looking.

  People started to look at me strangely, trying to figure out what this woman seemed so interested in.

  To be honest I was wondering the same.

  Slowly people started to look away and things started to revert to normal.

  And so I tried to forget it.

  I pushed it out of my mind as I thought about how for once in my entire life no one knew that my mother is a whore and my father was a traitor.

  That even the scum on the bottom of my bare feet was more valued than I.

  That is the life of the shunned.

  …

  Soon everyone had calmed down and taken their spots in the crowd.

  As soon as this occurred the Head-Dauca suddenly spoke up.

  “Now that we are here let me introduce you to these people here.” She gestured towards the people currently standing on the stage. “First we have Max Turner…” She gestured towards the slightly fat man in yellow. “Olivia Werni…” The woman that freaked me out. “And finally Samson Threwq.” The severe man in green.

  “They are all the heads of each division.” She stated. “Max Turner, the head of the mines. Samson Threwq, the head of the military. And Olivia Werni, the head of The Academy.

  “You will refer to them as Dauca-then their surname. So Max Turner would be referred to as Dauca-Turner. Dauca-Threwq and Dauca-Werni.

  “They will have the honour to test you for your potential. If you fall into the lowest category you will go into that room.” She pointed at a door on the right of the stage. “Where you will wait for all to finish then get transported to the mines. Somewhere you very well may not survive.” That sure as hell sent a shiver down my spine.

  “If you fall into the middle category you go through that door. To the military. Trust me it’s just as dangerous.”

  She paused. As if for dramatic effect.

  “And if you fall into the third category you go to The Academy.” Then her face split into a devilish grin. “That’s even more deadly. At least after graduation.”

  Uproar met that statement.

  Some must have been clinging onto the hope that maybe they could get into The Academy and have an easier time, at least in the surviving department.

  This was like a bombshell for them.

  For me, I genuinely didn’t care at all.

  Suddenly a frightening presence swept over everyone. Blanketing the world in what felt like… purity?

  “Shut up.” She commanded.

  Everyone listened.

  Silence reigned dominance very quickly.

  “I never said it would be safe in The Academy.” She pointed out. And thinking back to it she never did. “While in The Academy you will be safe… mostly. It is after or during excursions where the risk of death suddenly skyrockets.”

  The muttering that had died entirely and rekindled itself but with half the vigour displayed previously.

  “Enough!” The Head-Dauca shouted.

  Silence.

  “Today you shall be split. Some will go to the mines, others to the military and some to The Academy.”

  I fought an eye roll at the number of times she said the same thing.

  Suddenly the man in green stepped forward and announced. “The three of us shall take it in turns to test all of you. you will be escorted into that room.” He gestured behind him to one of the doors.

  “I shall start.” The man with the disgusting yellow robes stepped forward. His voice is just as I thought. Haughty and very, very, very posh.

  How will they choose who to start with? My internal pondering was answered as the man pointed at a random person in the crowd.

  “You!” He announced. “You shall have the fortune to be tested first… or the misfortune.” His grin split into a wide disgusting abomination that made my skin crawl and I wasn’t even in the line of fire.

  The poor soul who had been pointed out looked like he was shitting bricks.

  Like real bricks.

  He shakily got up and walked on wobbly knees up to the man who then directed him towards the room that was the testing room.

  He finally entered the room after about a thousand glances behind and even more bricks.

  The door slammed shut with a bang, breaking the room’s tension and making everyone flinch.

  Then we waited…

  And waited…

  And waited…

  Five minutes later the door opened slowly.

  Out came the man in yellow and the poor soul that trailed behind him was balling.

  Tears were streaming down his face in buckets.

  Poor guy. I thought. I wonder what he got to make him react like that.

  “Stand up and tell the room your results,” Dauca-Turner told the poor soul.

  I need to stop calling him ‘the poor soul’. I thought internally.

  The poor sou… the man walked up to the stage next to the Head-Dauca. “My name is Michael Ferm and I have a… I have a Copper core and… and…” He paused to breathe as if trying not to cry, “no affinity.”

  A gasp rippled across the room.

  The first one was a fluke.

  The Head-Dauca’s brows furrowed imperceptibly. This was a rarity indeed.

  “You shall go with Dauca-Turner.” The Head-Dauca said, miraculously recovering from her shock. “Go stand there,” she gestured to a spot next to one a door that led out into a long corridor. “You will watch the rest as they go through their turns.”

  Dauca-Turner again pointed out to a woman that seemed to be in her 50s then walked away without looking to see if she followed.

  The woman scrambled after him with surprising agility.

  5 minutes of intense silence passed before she came back out with a huge grin splitting her face.

  She stood up on the stage and spoke in a voice that told of a long hard life. “I have no name but they call me Faor, I have a diamond core, a high affinity in life, and a moderate affinity in purity.”

  At this the hall erupted into cheers. This was astounding. A woman at her age getting to turn her life around and maybe even thrive.

  I had heard that unlocking your affinities lengthens your life. Especially those with a life affinity! I thought, surprisingly elated for this stranger. She’ll probably stay in The Academy her whole life though, never leaving… but maybe that’s what she wants. There would be little danger and she could do some real good with her abilities.

  The Head-Dauca’s face split into a wide smile. “We welcome you to The Academy with open arms. You have a lot of potential to become an amazing healer.” She gestured to another door that the old woman went and sat down next to wait.

  She leaned back and closed her eyes in contentment, as she smiled a pure, kind smile.

  The process repeated.

  Dauca-Turner would point at someone and then test them. They would then come out and announce their results before being shown towards doors which I learned signified which division you would be placed in.

  And then it would start again.

  And again.

  And again.

  And again.

  After 30 minutes I realised we would be here for a long time, so I sat down and waited.

  And waited.

  And waited.

  And waited.

  After a while, I started doing the math and realised that if we were around 180 people and it took on average 5 minutes to get tested, we would be here for… FIFTEEN HOURS??

  “Fifteen hours? Fifteen? Ugh!!!” I noticed that the people who’d already been tested were starting to nap on the floor.

  I almost followed suit but thought of the consequences if someone pointed at me and I didn’t respond because I was asleep.

  I really hope I’m not last. I hoped.

  But as time wore on and then Dauca-Threwq started to test people. No one picked me. and so as the hours moved by slowly and few people were of any interest I waited.

  I started to space out. Not paying any attention to the results of others.

  When it was finally Dauca-Werni’s turn she almost picked me… almost.

  But she then seemed to think better of it and choose someone else.

  At this point, I had completely forgotten about the way she had looked at me when I first entered.

  Soon there were only 5 left waiting.

  Myself and 4 others.

  I had waited nearly 15 hours.

  I was so done.

  The others also looked like they were hanging on by a thread, but somehow but some miraculous ability not one of the Daucas looked tired at all.

  However, the Head-Dauca had stopped saying longer speeches at the end of a person’s testing and instead favoured a simple command on which division to go to.

  One by one the others were picked, and here I was waiting. On the cold hard floor.

  Soon there was only myself and a very very handsome man.

  The man was chosen first.

  He did get a terrible result and went to the mines but… he could at least leave to the rest.

  I had to wait.

  Finally, there was no one left but me.

  When the handsome man, finally found his place among the other soon to be miners the Head-Dauca stepped forward.

  “We have come to the last person.” She looked at me and her gaze flashed between kind and caring and predatory. That look made my spine tingle. She quickly turned to face all the rest, her back turned to me. “The last test of a certain batch always holds a deeper meaning. There is the belief that the results of the last person will determine the luck all three divisions will receive in this coming year.”

  She turned to me and smiled sweetly, too sweetly. “So you had better make it good.”

  I sensed the dismissal or the command in that as I sprang to my feet and walked over to the door with everyone’s eyes pinned on me.

  The entire time my mind was racing.

  What if it’s bad? What if I get the worst results? What if… Then another part of my brain responded. But what if it’s amazing? What if we get the best most amazing result? What if…

  This dilemma raged on in my head as my mind ping-ponged the positive and negative thoughts around my brain.

  Of all the eyes that bore into my back, the most were the eyes of Dauca-Werni. It was now that I remembered her intense interest in me at the beginning. I was so bored I forgot that it even happened.

  I stepped into the room and there I saw two crystal-clear balls with smoke swirling inside them. I was so captivated by them that I hadn’t noticed that Dauca-Werni was just watching me.

  That was until she whispered something under her breath.

  Something that she shouldn’t have known.

  A name I hadn’t heard in years.

  Something only my father called me.

  “Lukh Falrh.”

  I stiffened.

  No one knew he called me that.

  I paused and as I turned she stood there smiling in…

  Relief?

  She was happy?

  “How do you know that name?” I whispered.

  She smiled wider but didn’t answer my question.

  “Lukh Falrh son of Kral Werh,” That second one was what my dad called himself… before he killed the heir to the throne. Another name she shouldn’t know. “You must wonder why I know these names.”

  Yeah! No shit lady.

  “All will be revealed in time.” She said cryptically.

  I opened my mouth about to say… to say… I don’t know what I was going to say but I was going to say something until she continued on like nothing I said was registered.

  “Come here place your hands on the crystal balls. Your testing should take longer.” She looked up at me. “That is if you have good results. I will be very disappointed if you don’t.” She spoke to me like I was her child and needed to impress her.

  “Come now.” She said impatiently.

  “Only… only if you tell me what the hell is going on.” I started off nervous but ended firmly.

  Her eyes grew stormy as she looked at me with annoyance.

  “All will be revealed in time.” She repeated, though this time forcefully.

  I took a deep breath and decided that this was something I would get to the bottom of later. Now I had a whole atrium of people waiting for me to get my results.

  And they had better be good.