I am Just an Average Tamer

"Did you see how she weaved triple casting with her beast's support? That was years ahead of her grade," muttered Professor Kalden, brushing his greying hair back, eyes still fixed on the fading mist in the orb.

"She handled Sevyr's pressure well. No panic, no wasted mana. That girl's shaping up to be a top-tier combat tactician," chimed in Professor Aela, adjusting her half-moon spectacles, her smile tight and pleased.

"And Sevyr," Professor Gellad added, stroking his beard, "still rough around the edges, but his elemental grasp and control are top-notch. I wouldn't be surprised if both of them end up among the top ten candidates this year."

"It's been years since we've had so many talented beast tamers and mages at once…" Aela murmured.

Kalden leaned forward, arms folded. "I can't wait to mold them. Give them a year, and they might already be ready for real field work."

But then—

A beat of silence.

Professor Gellad squinted at the orb, frowning. "Wait… what's that idiot doing?"

Kalden followed his gaze, blinking once. Then again.

"…Is he… sleeping?"

The orb zoomed slightly to the corner edge of the forest maze. And there he was.

Kai.

Snoring softly.

His back rested against the thick bark of a twisted old tree, arms folded behind his head, one leg dangling from a knotted root.

His black cloak was pushed back enough to reveal his belt of hidden throwing knives, and one of his boots had slipped halfway off.

A lazy breeze ruffled his already messy hair.

The entire forest section around him was silent.

Not a creature stirred.

Even the shadows seemed confused.

"...Has he been doing that for the past few hours?" Aela asked, deadpan.

"...Pretty much," Gellad replied slowly.

Kalden raised an eyebrow.

"He passed the second trial with perfect tactical timing. I had high hopes. Is this his idea of saving energy… or has he just given up?"

"He's conserving effort. I bet he's waiting for the final chaos to break out and pick off whoever's left," Gellad muttered, but even he sounded uncertain now.

----

Then—

Snap!

The sound echoed faintly through the underbrush.

Kai didn't move.

But someone else did.

Behind a nearby bush, a boy crouched low, half his face obscured by a jagged gray hood.

He had sharp, angular features, a scar running across his jaw, and a slightly wild look in his dark eyes.

His lean frame was wrapped in forest-camouflage gear, and at his hip hung a crude wooden totem.

His name?

Didn't matter. He wasn't anyone special.

Just another participant.

Another nobody looking for a shortcut to victory.

But his grin was sharp as he took in the sight of the snoring boy beneath the tree.

"What kind of moron falls asleep in a trial like this?" the boy muttered, lifting his hand.

A subtle shimmer glowed across his knuckles as he muttered a short chant.

The totem pulsed once, sending a ripple of red energy crawling up his arm.

A flame shot between his fingers, forming into a tight, flickering orb.

"Too easy."

He aimed directly at Kai's chest.

"Sleep tight, pretty boy."

The flame surged forward—

And that's when everything went wrong.

******

"Come, Vaendra."

The clearing dimmed momentarily.

From behind her, slithering through the pools of summoned water, emerged a Riverwake Serpent—glassy-scaled and long as a wagon, its whiskered snout gleaming with faint, magical frost.

Sevyr took a visible breath. "Okay, I admit—that's impressive."

Rashira didn't answer.

She let her serpent curl around her, its body coiling defensively as the crystal on her staff began to glow with deep aquamarine light.

"Vaendra. Mist surge."

The Riverwake Serpent let out a watery hiss. The entire clearing was suddenly swallowed in dense, magical fog.

Spectators above leaned in, their view enchanted to cut through the fog for clarity.

But Sevyr?

He saw nothing.

His smirk faltered.

A shadow blurred past him.

Then another.

He cast out flares of flame, trying to scorch the mist away—but they barely made dents.

"Kival!" Rashira's voice rang from somewhere in the fog.

The Frondwolf struck—this time from behind.

Sevyr staggered, his coat torn and a shallow cut searing on his back.

"Damn it…"

He clenched both fists, sending out a shockwave of mana, blasting a circle around him and clearing a part of the mist.

But that was what Rashira had waited for.

She stepped into the cleared zone, her staff pointed directly at him, runes swirling around her in tight orbit.

A triple-cast seal.

Sevyr's eyes widened. "You can cast three?"

"Watch me."

The runes exploded forward—

First: a blast of wind pressure, knocking him slightly off balance.

Second: an ice bolt, striking his leg and locking it briefly in place.

Third: a wave of spiraling water, which hit him square in the chest and launched him backwards.

He crashed against one of his own earth pillars, groaning.

The mist faded now, as Rashira lowered her staff, breathing hard but composed.

Kival padded up beside her, flanking her right, while Vaendra's glowing eyes peered from the still-pooling water nearby.

Sevyr coughed, but laughed as he sat up. "You got me good, Rashira."

She blinked.

"Really?" she asked, wary.

He raised a hand in surrender. "Yeah. Match's yours."

The professors murmured with evident interest.

"She's going to be one of the top cadets if she keeps this up," said Professor Kalden.

"Definitely," Thalor said. "And her teamwork with her beasts was… clean."

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, Rashira stepped forward and offered Sevyr a hand.

He looked at it, then up at her with a wry smile, and took it.

"Told you you'd fall for me," he muttered.

Rashira's cheeks flushed again.

"Shut up," she mumbled, dragging him to his feet.

But she was smiling, just a little.

******

The fireball hissed forward, licking the air with searing heat.

Then—

Thud!

Crack!

It hit something invisible mid-air, and a translucent barrier shimmered briefly around Kai's body.

A thin web of cracks spread across it like ice over a lake, then with a soft fsshh, the flames evaporated into harmless sparks.

Kai's eyes opened.

No jolt. No shock.

Just a slow tilt of the head, his sharp grey eyes drifting lazily to the boy half-hidden in the foliage.

A moment of silence.

Then—

"You done?"

The boy stiffened.

Something about that voice—it was too calm.

Not lazy, no. Confident. Like he'd already won.

The boy tried to shake it off, forced his fingers to start forming another seal.

"M-Megni Infernum!" he barked, gathering mana.

Another fireball crackled to life above his palm.

Then—

WOOOOOOOM!

A piercing sonic wave exploded from above.

The boy screamed.

He dropped to his knees, clutching his ears as the magical blast echoed inside his skull. He grit his teeth, his vision warping, balance gone.

And then… silence.

He blinked, eyes trembling, trying to refocus—

And saw a monstrous shadow looming in front of him.

A sleek beast with fur black as ink and glowing blue stripes down its back.

Its crimson eyes gleamed in the dim forest light, and its mouth curled into a grin—a mischievous, knowing grin.

Vex.

The Phantom Lynx purred deep in its throat as it approached with casual menace, each pawstep silent.

The boy tried to shuffle back, but his hands slipped in the dirt.

Then Vex leaned closer, its face inches from his.

And the boy froze then reached for back of his belt.

A dagger.

Pressed on his own chest.

Held in his own trembling hand.

His breath hitched.

Then—

Whoosh!

His vision distorted.

Everything blurred.

A pulse of shadow swept over him, and he was gone.

Vanished.

No sound.

Just the faint shimmer of displaced air.

Vex melted back into the darkness, not even leaving a footprint.

Above, in the branches, Vael fluttered down and perched on Kai's shoulder once more. The Windsight Falcon blinked slowly, its eyes calm.

Kai exhaled through his nose, leaned further into the bark, and closed his eyes again.

"Troublesome people," he muttered, voice half a breath.

And just like that, peace returned to his little corner of the forest.

[Didn't even bothering to try?]

'It doesn't matter.'

[Don't you want to collect those tokens? You won't pass unless yo do. Right?]

'We still have a full more day. Let others find them, I can just take away from them.'

[Thief.]

'No, it's tactics.'

[Whatever.]

'Just shut up and let me sleep.'

[Tch.]

And with that Kai drifted back into deep slumber.

--------X----------

Chapter End...

Yo guys What's up.

How are you all doing, I hope you guys doing well.

And first of all thanks for staying till now and reading and supporting my work.

Secondly what I want to say is that, please do tell if you guys find a miss in my writing structure.

Actually my exams are going so I wasn't able to edit and put in structure for for smoother reading, so all I want to say right now is to please bear with it.

And again thank you guys for supporting me till now.

Bye.

Enjoy.