NameLess

Trials (2/5)

In truth, the redhead felt a tad nervous, but when his name was called, he sucked it up and made his way forward, moving towards the stage with calm and collected steps. Jak had never been one to back down from a challenge and he didn't plan on starting either as he firmly planted himself in front of the full length mirror, of which was quite a bit taller then he was.

There were many things running through the youths mind as he reached out to touch the surface of the mirror with the tips of his fingers. Every workout he underwent alone, every sparring match with Mako, every lesson with Hadok, and every story his parents had ever told him ran through his head on repeat as he placed his full palm on the clear glass. All of his hard work and time spent, readying himself for this day, was about to be tested as he closed his eyes and let his magic course through him, something he had only recently learned to do. A bright white light lit up the room almost immediately, washing over everything and causing Jak to squeeze his eyes tighter so as to not get blinded by the brilliant flash.

The light only lasted for a few seconds though before once again dying back down until it vanished entirely, leaving the young redhead standing there with his hand against the glass. Following that, without hesitation, Jak opened his eyes and quickly looked up at the space slightly above him, waiting for the number that would decide his fate. Time seemed to stand still for him, seconds feeling like hours as the youth continued to stare, holding his breath as he prayed for a good verdict.

An eternity passed.

Then the numbers appeared, numbers designed to crush the youths hopes as he stared at them, mouth agape.

"Jak Yanda, no affinity. Score is 1697," Akino said, rapidly writing down the information on her clipboard. "Due to the examinee being younger then the designated age, the minimum requirement is 1,800. Therefore, examinee Jak Yanda has failed the first trial."

Those that had passed began to mutter amongst themselves, others in glee while some held forms of sympathy or disappointment. The group that had failed also held mixed looks, though one of them decided to help the youth by walking over to console him before leading the redhead over to the failed section. Whether or not the youth had the heart to go on wasn't a question as the trials would go on regardless of what happened to him. Jak himself was already aware that the majority only cared about whether they themselves passed or not, and he was no different.

As the last three examinees walked up and finished their trial, Jak attempted to recollect himself. His confidence had taken a massive hit, but he knew what needed to be done and, though losing the first trial had made it much harder on him, there were still two more that needed his full attention. He NEEDED to bring his A-game lest he fail and allow Mako to overtake him and become an adventurer before he himself did.

From downtrodden and defeated to standing and confident, Jak needed to do something drastic in order to get himself back in the running, to get back into the mindset of a true Elemental Rookie.

Standing up straight, the young redhead looked around, mainly towards the two receptionists who were overseeing the trials. After insuring that they weren't looking in his general direction, Jak nudged the same adventurer who had lead him over to that spot and poked him in the side.

"Oi, I need you to hit me."
--------------------------------------

The first trial was designed to test ones magical capabilities, measuring the overall strength and capacity of ones magic before dishing out a number from 1 to 3000, numbers that were set prior to the start of each overall exam. If the examinee didnt have the desired amount, they would fail it without question.

Akino Aubree knew the rules, had gone over them hundreds of times when she had first landed her job as a WGC worker, rereading them again and again without fail. She was aware of how the system worked and even why each test was essential for determining if one was qualified to become an adventurer. The Elven woman even agreed with the current status quo, believing that those unqualified would just hurt themselves and or others the moment they entered the Rifts.