Chapter Ninety: Awards

  With the assistance of Professor Tanner Frost, Professor Orion Blackwood, Professor Dranice Thorne, and Brutus Ironclad, Archmage Theon Laviette began calling students to the massive stage, one group at a time.

  The star rankings were called in order. First came those who had achieved Bronze One, stepping up with a mix of nerves and pride. Then, the Bronze Twos followed, each group a little more confident, a little more seasoned.

  Each time, the Archmage reached up to the night sky above them, as though plucking something tangible from the heavens. His fingers closed around a shimmer, and he drew forth bronze stars, placing them gently onto their lapels, where they glowed softly, as if still touched by the light of the cosmos.

  As Jace’s turn approached, a familiar knot of anxiety tightened in his chest. He took a breath, but before he could let it out, he felt Alice’s hand slip into his. He wasn’t sure if she did it to steady him or herself, but it didn’t matter—it worked.

  “Bronze Threes!” Professor Blackwood’s voice rang out, clear and commanding.

  Jace, Alice, Dex, Ell, Molly, and Marcus all stepped forward, joining the procession as they made their way onto the stage. Jace stood there, his friends beside him, the weight of the moment settling on his shoulders. The lights shone down, and for that brief moment, it felt like the entire world had narrowed down to just this—their group, standing together, united.

  They all stood in line, a cohort of achievement, each of them having earned their Third Bronze this year. The gathered students and professors looked up at them with varying degrees of admiration, envy, and respect. Jace couldn’t help but feel the swell of pride, mixed with the vulnerability that comes with standing before so many eyes, all focused on this shared moment of recognition.

  The one person missing, though Jace wasn’t sure he’d have been able to spot him if he was there, was Thistle.

  The Archmage raised his hands. He spoke in a voice that was commanding yet gentle, echoing around the stone colonnades.

  “This night, we celebrate those who have shown resilience, who have faced challenge after challenge, and emerged stronger. Tonight, they stand before us, bearers of the Third Bronze. A testament to their growth, to their courage.”

  He gestured to the students on the stage, the air around him shifting, swirling as if alive. His eyes glowed with a soft amber light as he lifted his hands higher, and Jace felt the air crackle with anticipation, the energy palpable and heavy with possibility.

  A moment later, the Archmage began to speak words of magic—ancient, potent syllables that thrummed deep in Jace’s bones. The sky above them seemed to respond, darkening for an instant before erupting with bronze light. Stars—countless, shimmering bronze stars—exploded above them, shooting across the heavens like fiery comets. The entire amphitheater gasped as the stars danced, arcing and weaving in intricate patterns that trailed bronze light like streaks of fire.

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  Jace tilted his head back, his eyes wide, feeling a rush of awe as the stars moved with precision, gathering above them in a constellation before diving down, each star shooting towards its intended student. He held his breath as one of those stars approached, its light illuminating his face.

  The star slowed, its brilliant bronze glow softening as it hovered before his chest, then gently descended onto his collar. He felt a soft warmth spread through him as the star settled, transforming into a lapel pin—a bronze emblem, glowing softly, three stars etched with delicate precision.

  Jace looked down at his collar, seeing the three bronze stars shine against the dark fabric. He turned his head slightly to see Alice, who was staring at her own stars, a smile slowly spreading across her face. Dex caught his eye and winked, his stars shining as if in response, while Ell practically beamed, her pride evident in the way she straightened her back.

  Even Marcus allowed himself a small smile, the bronze stars reflecting in his eyes.

  The crowd erupted into applause, cheers echoing off the stone walls. It was a thunderous, joyful sound that seemed to shake the very ground beneath them. Jace took a breath, feeling a mixture of pride, humility, and a hint of disbelief. The stars on his collar were light, but their meaning was anything but. This was a milestone—a testament to how far they’d all come, each of them in their own way.

  The Archmage lowered his hands, the glow fading from his eyes, and with a warm smile, he spoke again. “May these stars remind you of your strength, of the journey you have embarked upon, and the challenges still ahead. Let them be a beacon, a symbol of hope for those who follow.”

  Jace exchanged glances with Alice, then Dex and Ell. He saw it in all their eyes—the unspoken promise that this was just the beginning. The stars on their collars weren’t a finish line; they were a marker along the way, a reminder of what they were capable of, of what still awaited them beyond the amphitheater, beyond the walls of the academy.

  The night sky was alive with light, and under it, they stood—bronze stars shining, a promise of what was still to come.

  As they returned to their seats, Jace barely noticed the procession of names being called, the steady stream of students making their way to the stage. It all seemed to blur together—until the final names rang out, clear and resonant.

  These were the ones who had reached Bronze Six or higher. The graduating class.

  Jace’s attention sharpened, his gaze focusing as the students began stepping forward. Among them was Demi, her expression one of quiet confidence, her movements smooth and deliberate. A few others joined her, faces Jace recognized only in passing—figures he had seen around campus but never truly known.

  The Archmage spoke, his voice carrying over the hall, acknowledging their achievement. “These students have passed the Graduation Trials. A trial open to any who dare to take it, at any time—though none have ever succeeded before Bronze Five.”

  Jace watched as they stood, lined up before the entire assembly, and for a moment, they looked larger than life. Demi, her head held high, eyes blazing with determination. The others, too, carried themselves with an unmistakable sense of purpose. They looked like heroes—figures out of legend, embodying the kind of power and grace that seemed almost untouchable.

  The Archmage handed each of them a rolled scroll and a pin—a golden emblem of the Phoenix, the proud symbol of M.O.U. The fiery bird shimmered, wings spread wide, a symbol of rebirth and resilience. As each pin was fastened to their lapels, the Phoenix moved, its wings giving a graceful flap before settling, as if alive and ready to take flight at a moment’s notice.

  “Go forth into the world,” the Archmage intoned, his voice resonant, echoing through the hushed hall. “Face the next phase of your Hero’s Journey with courage and conviction.”

  And for the first time, Jace felt it—an ache, a desire gnawing at his chest. He wanted to be that. To stand up there with them, not just as a bystander, but as someone who mattered, someone who had earned his place.