Radiance - The Alight Archives Book #1

22. Question of Resolve

Now that the test had officially begun—his students having disintegrated into fine violet ash—the classroom had descended into undisturbed silence. Good, he liked it that way. Less noise meant fewer distractions, creating an ideal environment for a structured seminar or perhaps a moment of contemplative reading. However, Allan couldn't indulge in such inviting alternatives. As a professor, he was tasked with delivering results, with transforming these rookies into Professional Sorcerers.

Allan's darkened eyes scanned the array of violet-colored, translucent screens of magical energy hovering in front of him. Each screen—a magiscreen—displayed a live feed showcasing a different student navigating the terrain of the Sunken Labyrinth, and there were a total of twenty-three to monitor. A decent number, he supposed, considering the unpredictable nature of their placements.

Most of the students hadn't advanced beyond their starting points yet—the sectors where they had materialized were entirely random, enigmatic in their design. Not even Allan himself had the foresight to know exactly where they would manifest. They would need to take decisive action soon, however, unless they wanted to cement their fate as failures. He noted that several of the more adept students, those with quicker magical prowess, had already begun their explorations.

His gaze settled on Adeline Griffith on a bottom magiscreen to his left. She had conducted a swift yet thorough investigation of her surroundings, her head spinning in a rapid whirl as she assessed the daunting labyrinthine walls. After a fleeting moment of contemplation, she confidently chose her path ahead. That Ice Magic of hers, while potent, was in desperate need of refinement, but Allan was confident in the capabilities of the Glacial Girl.

It was her tenacity and talent that had earned her such an admirable reputation, far from being just a run-of-the-mill beginner sorcerer. Yet, he understood the limitations of his own Observation Magic. His powers were not all-encompassing; there were certain angles, hidden behind the labyrinth's twisting corridors, that would remain shrouded from his view. As such, Allan resigned himself to the reality that a handful of his students would inevitably slip through his watchful gaze. This would complicate the task of assessing their performances later on, but what could he do? Magic couldn't solve all the world's dilemmas, even in a realm dedicated to the arcane.

Abigail Bovine had disappeared from him entirely, but the ill-mannered girl did specialize in Earth Magic. Perhaps she had procured a method of burrowing underneath the labyrinth itself or concealing herself within its constructions. She might be blunt and rather hostile, but so it appeared she possessed a certain level of ingenuity when it came to casting magic. Then, some preferred a more direct approach. Jack Durge had chosen to face off with one of the "obstacles" Allan had captured as a part of the test.

What did he specialize in again? he thought to himself. Ah, yes, that's right. Never would have imagined such a magic suited someone as abrasive as him.

Allan could acknowledge that he wasn't the best at remembering each of his students' names and faces, a habit he remained optimistic would improve as the semester progressed. He was committed to making an effort, consciously observing their interactions and checking in with his fellow professors to gather insights on how their first days had unfolded. Yet, even now, he found himself struggling to accurately account for each one of them, their distinctive personalities beginning to blur in his memory. The situation was compounded by the fact that he hadn't dedicated much time to assessing the students who had participated in the Entrance Exam; that responsibility rested squarely on the shoulders of the Exam Coordinators.

However, he couldn't help but notice Jack's impressive display of skill during the practical evaluation. The young sorcerer seemed to be in command of his magical abilities, conjuring a tremendous wave of murky water that surged forward with a fierce intensity, threatening to overwhelm and displace his opponent with a violent torrent.