Code of Shadows

Test 4 (Part 38)

Lunch passed with surprising ease. There were no fights, no nasty words, and not even one scowl. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. We didn't worry about social classes or the upcoming fourth test. We laughed and joked in a way that showed ease and lifted everyone's spirits.

...........................

When the bell sounded for lunch to end, the dining hall emptied, leaving a group of very confused trainees. The trainees from Grianan huddled together as the other enterprises glared at us.

The tension in the room gradually increased. No one was comfortable, and we just wanted to get the test over it.

Finally, the mentors entered the room, and positioned themselves in groups of two in front of their trainees.

They stopped, then turned around to salute to the headmistress as she came in. She walked to the center of the room.

"Welcome again! It is nice to see so many young faces this year!" she exclaimed. "I know you all have been waiting anxiously for the four test to start, so I will ease your concerns. It will be starting shortly. Now before we begin, I want to warn you. If you are not willing to try your hardest, do your best, and work till you drop dead, then you should not have come here. Additionally, if you don't enjoy practicing magic, then this is not the school for you. I would suggest that when you are discharged that you head over to Obranca Academy where you can become a night or lady," she paused. "Now, without further ado, lets start the four test." The headmistress turned on her heal and walked out of the room. Just when she reached the threshold, she turned around, made eye contact with me and winked. 

The mentors took over directly after she left the room. They organized the trainees into groups of 5. I was put into a group with four other commoners. They all shifted in nervousness, but I couldn't blame them. I was nervous too. I probably look just like them.

Groups of five started to walk out of the room and up the main staircase. All five members of the group would head up the stairs together, but only four would come down. When they came down, several of the people's faces were cast down in confusion or anger, While others were trying hard to conceal their excitement.

The dining hall was slowly empting. Groups were being picked off at a steady rate. I begin to wonder who wouldn't pass this test from our group. It could be any of us. That got me thinking. How were they deciding who would be discharged. What were they looking--

Belle cut my thought process clean off.

This test is meant to weed out all the people that aren't suppose to be here. They don't want fantasies or non-magical people. Anyway, I am going to have to leave your mind completely when the test begins. Otherwise, the Guardians will discover that I am back again. That probably won't be a very good thing... Besides, the fantasies don't want us to reveal ourselves yet. I was about to respond when she added one more thought. Remember that this will give you a headache--my mind whirled back to when I had encountered the Malacri in Windsdover and Belle had split our minds. It had been agonizingly painful to reunite our minds. When I finally came out of the daze, Belle was already gone. I felt the gaping hole in which she normally occupied. My mind reached out for her, but I stopped myself.

I opened my eyes to see that we were that last group. I saw the group in front of us disappear up the stairs. ten minutes at most and this whole thing would be over. Whatever outcome.

I was deep in my thoughts when the group came back down.

Sera approached our group at a leisure pace. The whole group went still, and we quickly followed her to the stairs where she handed us off to another mentor. That mentor then started to lead us up the stairs. I glanced down hallways to try and glimpse the smallest bit of the staff quarters. Nothing came into sight.