Taking the Exam 1

On our journey we ran into beasts and bandits who we used to slowly train our senergy as a team. It was very easy except for one fight against a pride of crystal lions.

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"Tommy you need to hurry with that amplification formation!" I screamed out while fighting the head lion and two elites. one of the elites took advantage of my distraction to slash out at me. I tried to dodge but it still sliced deep into my thigh harming my mobility.

Tania and Kuruk were buried underground by Kurt after they were knocked. They would be fine as long as we could win the fight in the next 30 minutes.

Kurt was in his giant golem form, but do to his low mana he's been reduced to using melee attacks.

Isabel was already bloodied after fighting 1 elite and three normal crystal lions. Luckily she killed the other elite before getting surrounded or she might have already died.

James had dragged 3 elites and 8 normal lions off and was kiting them through the surrounding hills. He was safe with his speed. Nizhoni was killing the ones who got separated.

Sarah had the Phantom Fiendgod body , and was using it to void walk around the outer area to make sure no one else decided to come take advantage of the situation.

Tommy was setting up a formation to amplify my magic power, using it I should be able to cast "Heavens and Hell Clash" which is an area of effect that turns the ground into flames while lightning falls from above.

"I am almost done. Get over here and give me some blood so I can bind the formation to you" Tommy yelled back at me.

Doing a large horizontal slash to push my enemies back I turn to run to Tommy's side. The leader jumps trying to bite my head after only a couple of steps. Moving my head out of the way it's jaws clamp around my left forearm, causing the bones to crack and break. I slam my glaive's blade into the lion's eye killing it as I rush over to my brother. durring the whole exchange I never stoped moving.

"Here hook me into the formation." I shout giving him some of my essence blood. "Are you sure the backlash my kill you" Tommy asked just like he did at the beginning. Directly hooking into this kind of formation can cause you to explode from all the mana rushing into you, that's why this type of formation only showed up in a mage tower were the practitioner can use the tower crystal as a middle man to bare the burden.

"We don't have time just do it." I scream. There was a flash of gold, and I was flooded with more power than I had ever felt. My body began to expand my skin cracking and blood pouring out.

Wasting no time I quickly cast the spell the land scape turned into a seen from a nightmare; but this was a nightmare I found extremly beautiful. I began to feel enlightened about something but I couldn't figure out what it was. As the enlightenment hit I began having an easier time controlling the spell and keeping my followers safe.

After the last lion died I cast a thunderbolt at a corner of the formation marked red for that purpose putting as much mana as I could into it. Once the formation was shattered I stop receiving mana, my mana pool completely spent and my body aching a sweating blood. My brother pulls a soft chair out of his void ring so I can sit.

I open my eyes about an hour later and notice Nizhoni taking care of my injuries. I saw a bandage across her right arm and cannot help but ask, " Are you ok? does your arm hurt?"

She Looks at me like I'm some strange unidentified creature she cannot understand . "I have a one small gash on my arm, while look at yourself. You should be asking if you are a cripple or how you are still breathing."

Looking down I realize I'm completely naked but you can't see the smallest bit of skin from my toes to my neck because of all the bandages. All I could do was laugh in embarrassment realizing she is right. " Is everyone else ok?" guess I don't learn lol.

Shaking her head in helplessness she responds, "Yes everyone else is ok. James has a broken arm from saving me. he was really cryptic, saying that I absolutely have to be ok or else something bad would happen. " Not understanding James myself most times, I had no way to help her understand.

"James probably sensed something, just ignore it for now. If it's important, you will find it out later" I said.

Nodding her head she leaves to go harvest the lion corpses. After gathering the materials we pack up and head out.

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Do to a few inconvenient encounters we arrived at the exam location with only 6 hours to spare. So as soon as we pull up I quickly go to register my faction.

"Name of of faction leader, faction and badges of the required professionals." the bored official asked.

"Jason Kovar, faction White Tiger Brigade. We have one member over the age to compet but already at tier 5 in his proffesion at the age of 11." I said while my members all put their badges on the table.

"Accepted. The eleven year old will need to wait on the side during the exam. If your faction passes the inner school test he will be tested on his proffesion and if he passes you all will be excepted into the Academy. " the official said in a strict tone.

" What is the inner school test? I thought we were joining the outer hall?" I asked in confusion.

Looking at me with disdain for being a country bumpkin, he stated "the test is scored. If all members of your faction receive over a thousand points they will become inner hall students. Only inner hall students may form a faction. To pass as an outer hall student you only need 500 points. If you become outer hall students the eleven year old will be barred from joining the Academy at all. I would be surprised if someone from such a weak area can even pass the outer hall test. "

Hearing his words my team gets angry but before the hotheaded Tania could curse him I said, "Would you be willing to wager with me? I have 4 mana stones here if you would like. "

Hearing me his eyes turn green with greed, " hahaha easy moneyb. Wait here, in 15 minutes I can close. Then we can go to the Betting Hall. There we can place whatever bets we like."

Hearing this we smile.

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Before entering the hall I pass a ring with all my possessions that have value besides my glaive to James . Go bet this on credit for us to become inner disciples. You should get a value of 6 to 8 mana stones from this. I heard the odds are two to one so at a minimum you should win 12 mana stones."

Me and the official went to a room to set up a private bet. Each one passing over the 4 mana stones. Mine was a farewell gift from my mom while the devil rhinos my group rode here on where gifts from my father.

After leaving I met up with everybody else and asked if James had any issues.

"No issues. Me and the others added our wealth to the pot giving us 15 mana stones worth of wealth. Also apparently the official is a core disciple who is seldom wrong so the Betting Hall changenged the odds on us. Now it is ten to one against us. this means if we manage to win we will get 150 mana stones!" James said excitedly.