Wren plummeted toward a treeless patch in the forest. He chanted some arcane words and pulled his hand back behind his head. The dirt beneath him grew and morphed into a steep slope. He tumbled down the artificial hill and rolled to a stop on the forest floor.
"Whew," he said to himself, "Another happy landing." He brushed the dirt and grass off his threadbare button-up and blue jeans. His angelic eyes scanned the thick, dense trees heavy with vines. There was very little underbrush. Most of it was choked out by the girthy roots or withered away in the bare, rocky ground. Grass only grew in earthy patches. This forest clearly couldn't survive without some sort of magic. The air around him buzzed with arcane energy. Wren felt a tingle in his horns: the soft hum of free-flowing magic. Maybe that's why Sigilspear hosted its entrance exam here? Wren went over the rules of the exam in his head: find other wizards, make your way to the portal in the center of the Gorge, and survive.
Suddenly, Wren heard a scream from somewhere in the distance. A human scream.
"Alright, then," Wren said, cracking his heavily-bejeweled knuckles, "Looks like the exam's started. Question one: what the hell is going on over there?"
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Author's Note:
Alrighty, now we're getting somewhere. I'm not used to this setup, but I want to make a true attempt at writing a good, successful story on this platform. So, I have a question...
Actually, I have an idea. To increase reader engagement, I present to you, dear reader, a challenge!
There are a bunch of pop culture references hidden in this story. If you find one, leave a comment saying where it's from! I'll start us off with the reference in this chapter.
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Shadowcast
FantasyIn the world of Serna, magic is well-known and well-studied. Those who wish to bend reality to their will come to Sigilspear University, the best mage's university on Serna. Shadowcast follows Liza Hawken, an average girl from a small border town, w...
