"A Mirror for the Soul"
The sun had barely crested its noon arc when the candidates were herded once more — this time into a circular amphitheater made of shimmering white stone. Its walls were carved with strange glyphs that seemed to flicker with memory: eyes that blinked, mouths that whispered, swords that wept.
There were no seats. Only a glowing circle of ancient runes at the center and a single Archmage waiting beside it, cloaked in a robe that shimmered like heatwaves.
Professor Malvyn's voice once again echoed in the minds of every examinee, bypassing ears entirely.
"You will now undergo the Trial of Intent."
"This trial is unique to each of you. A magic of the soul."
"You will be drawn into an inner domain, shaped by your desires, your fears, and your potential. There is no failure in truth — only revelation."
A murmur rippled through the gathered students. Even the nobles looked nervous now.
No one could fake their way through this.
The Process Begins
One by one, students were called forward. Each stepped into the runic circle, and the moment they did, their bodies froze mid-step, as if caught in a gentle stasis — eyes glassy, limbs suspended.
To the outside world, they remained standing.
But their minds were elsewhere.
"A spiritual projection," Kieran thought, watching carefully. "A ritualized dive into the subconscious."
The System hummed beside his thoughts, feeding him continuous readings.
[Trial Analysis Active]Enchantment Type: Dream-Tier Projection Layer (Soul-Focused, Mental Reinforcement, Fail-Safe Recovery)Danger Level: Low to ModeratePersonal Trial Outcome Impacts Academy Ranking and Potential Role Designation
"Roles?" Kieran murmured internally.
[Clarification: The Magic Academy uses Role Designations to assign early affiliations — elemental divisions, combat classes, support tracks. Some designations grant early access to secret classes.]
Kieran smirked. So it's more than just getting in. It's about positioning.
Inside the Trials
We see brief flashes of what others face.
Lyra, the analytical commoner girl, stood in a hall of mirrors — each reflecting a different version of herself, some afraid, some powerful, some broken. Her challenge was to recognize which was real and break the falsehoods.
Riven found himself in a burning village — not his real past, but a symbolic trial. He had to decide whether to run toward the flames or save the scared child crying in the alley behind him. He chose the flames.
Leonhart Duskveil was placed before an ancient tome that refused to open unless he let go of his pride. He sneered and cast a spell to crack the seal instead — it worked. Barely.
Mira's domain was pure silence — a white void with nothing but herself. The longer she stayed, the louder her heartbeat became, until she controlled it like a drum. Then the world began to form from her thoughts.
Every trial was different. And each one told the Academy exactly what kind of mage the candidate was.
Kieran's Turn
Finally, his name was called.
He stepped into the circle, eyes calm. The moment his foot touched the runes, he felt the world fold inward.
The amphitheater vanished.
The wind ceased.
His body fell away like a discarded coat.
And he awoke in—
Chapter 7.5: The System's Mirror
—a void. But not black. Not cold. It was pure neutrality. A realm of perfect, balanced grey.
There were no walls. No ground. Only reflections of floating memory-fragments around him. Like broken film reels in a quiet archive.
Then, a figure appeared.
It was him — Kieran. But older. Wiser. And dressed in ornate black robes woven with starlight. His eyes glowed gold, like the System's interface. His presence was overwhelming.
The two Kierans stared at one another in silence.
"So," said the doppelgänger finally, "you want to change this world."
Kieran crossed his arms. "I intend to reshape it."
"From the shadows."
"I never liked attention."
"And yet you want control."
"I want to give power to those who were denied it."
"But only those you choose."
A pause.
Kieran's gaze didn't waver. "Yes."
The System Intervenes
Suddenly, the space pulsed.
Lines of golden code began forming around him, as if the System itself was testing him within the trial.
[Compatibility Scan Initiated…]Candidate: Kieran ValePath: Shadow SovereignTemperament: Calculated EmpathAmbition: Reconstruction Through SubversionResult: Unique Path Confirmed
The System's voice, no longer robotic, whispered — not aloud, but into the marrow of his bones:
"You are a ruler in the making, masked in the robes of a student." "Then rise… and we will show you the key."
A single door appeared in the void.
Ancient, cracked, locked by dozens of magical glyphs.
Kieran placed his hand on it — and the glyphs shattered.
Inside was not a battlefield, or a grand revelation.
Inside… was a classroom.
Empty desks. Chalkboard. Dusty air.
"What is this?" he asked.
The System replied:
"Your war will be waged here.Not with swords.But with influence.With whispers.With the trust of broken children."
And suddenly, seated at the desks were the orphans he had yet to meet — Mira, Lyra, Riven, Krell, and many others. All with wide eyes and trembling hands.
Waiting for someone to give them a reason to fight.
Exit of the Trial
When Kieran opened his eyes in the amphitheater again, only one second had passed in the real world.
But his soul had traveled years ahead.
[Trial of Intent Complete]Path Chosen: Shadow SovereignRole Designation: Unranked / Hidden ClassBonus Reward Unlocked: Strategic Recruitment InterfaceHidden System Function Unlocked: "Mark of Potential" – Tag and track viable recruits invisibly
He smiled faintly.
It had begun.