Extra's Ascent

After filtering out the less capable candidates, the remaining group found themselves standing on the shores of the island.

The view before them was one of serene beauty—stretching sand beneath their feet and towering, vibrant trees that rose in the distance, casting their long shadows under the bright sun.

They stood in a singular queue, straight and long, and at the head of the queue stood Stella and Dion, prepared to attend to the candidates, one by one.

"Finally!" one of the candidates exclaimed. "I can see the end of this exhausting program!"

Aldrich and Trevor, however, were stuck at the back of the line.

They hadn't fought to secure spots at the front like some of the others, who were eager to be attended to first.

In the end, it was their quiet patience that left them at the very back of the group.

Dante stood at the very end, followed by Aldrich and then Trevor.

Fiona, however, had managed to worm her way to the front.

Aldrich found himself wondering if she had fought for that spot because she, too, was in a rush.

There was another thought that nagged at him—a feeling that she didn't want to spend any more time in his company.

It seemed as if Fiona, after their time together, had begun to avoid him.

Aldrich was quick to dismiss the thought as paranoia.

After all, they'd gotten along well, even managing to fend off a Kraken together.

He told himself it was just his mind running wild.

Still, his discomfort grew, especially after Fiona hadn't bothered to visit him in the hospital, despite providing exceptional healing that had him back on his feet in less than a day.

He had to admit it stung—she hadn't even checked in on him.

Was there more to it than just his overthinking?

"I don't see why she would want to start avoiding me now," he mused.

Their bond hadn't been romantic, but it had been strong enough to consider them friends.

They'd clicked during their time at the event, and Aldrich had genuinely looked forward to more shared moments with her.

Stella's voice rang through his thoughts as she addressed the group, standing in front of the line with a tone that carried over the entire crowd, reaching even those at the back.

"You have passed every test thrown at you, conquered every challenge to prove yourselves to us—and most importantly—to yourselves," she declared.

"The Institute has witnessed your valour and determination. Your hard work has been recognized, and you have earned your place at Eldora Institute."

The speech continued, full of the usual well-meaning yet overly formal words of encouragement.

Many candidates wished the words would hurry up so they could escape the relentless sun and find shelter beneath the shade.

As Stella's speech went on, Dion, standing off to the side, began preparing a small display of items.

He extended his hand into the air, drawing out a long desk from the ether, along with two sets of chairs.

On the desk were several crates, each holding palm-sized white eggs, neatly arranged.

To the side were large quantities of simple, unadorned bracelets, each waiting to be handed out.

Stella finished her speech and began explaining the items laid out before them.

"What you see before you are the necessary accessories granted to every candidate accepted into the Eldora Institute," she explained.

"As newly admitted students, you will each be given one of these items."

Her first point of explanation was the bracelet.

She described its function, highlighting that it was a crucial item for every Eldora student.

"Once you wear this bracelet, it will bond with you, becoming your personal possession. Through it, you will be able to display your student profile—details such as your class rank, your mana level, the Art you've mastered, and your resource points."

Aldrich listened carefully, but he was distracted by the thought of the eggs.

A sense of curiosity grew in him, despite himself.

"Resource points are a form of currency valid only within the confines of the Institute," Stella continued. "They can be used for purchases or exchanges within the island. You'll soon learn how valuable they are."

Then, Stella gestured to the crates of white eggs, each the size of a human fist.

The eggs were called familiar eggs, and their purpose was to allow students the opportunity to bond with a familiar—a creature that would eventually become a companion and guide in their journey.

"The familiar egg is an important part of your journey," Stella explained. "It contains a lifeform that will grow and bond with you. Once hatched, this creature will form a contract with you, and through that bond, you will be able to grow beyond the limitations of your elemental Art."

Aldrich raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the concept.

The more Stella spoke, the more he realized how important this was for his future at Eldora.

Stella continued her explanation, diving into the finer details of elemental Arts.

She spoke of primary and secondary elemental Arts, explaining the difference between Owners and Holders—those born with primary Arts and those who had to learn them.

"Owners of multiple primary Arts are extremely rare," Stella said. "And even rarer are those who can combine them into a single, stronger Art through fusion. However, for those with only one primary Art, achieving this fusion is nearly impossible. That's where the familiar comes in."

The familiar, as Stella explained, was often born with its own primary Art or a deviant Art? An Art entirely out of the scope of primary or any known Art.

The bond between the mystic and the familiar could lead to the possibility of fusing their Arts together, creating a new, powerful secondary Art.

However, achieving this was no simple task; it required a high level of synchronization between the mystic and the familiar.

"By raising your familiar egg with care, you will give yourself a chance to form that bond. If you succeed, you'll be greatly rewarded when it hatches and matures," Stella said with emphasis.

This outcome was devised to give the singular primary Art owners a chance to wield secondary Art as multiple primary Art owners could.

Though it came with heavy reliance on familiarity level with the familiar, some ended in failure and only a slim rate of success.

Regardless, it was better than nothing.

Once she concluded her explanation, she and Dion began attending to the candidates, starting with the front of the line.

The first candidate received a bracelet and carefully took his familiar egg, holding it gently as if it were fragile.

Dion, with a casual gesture, summoned a portal from thin air, warping space and time effortlessly to transport the group from one side to the other.

The act seemed so casual as if he had done it countless times before.

It was clear to Aldrich that Dion was no ordinary mystic.

With such a mastery of spatial manipulation, he was likely an assistant professor at Eldora Institute—if not more.

The day was far from over, but with the promise of these new items, Aldrich couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation building within him.

This was just the beginning of their journey.

He only hoped that whatever came next would help him find the answers he sought about Fiona... and himself.