Earth, Singapore,

Kai Burner

I feel my gut wrench and twist, my breathing hasten, and my fingers tremble. I know I'll pass the test, but trepidation starts to kick in like someone with a fear of heights about to take off on a rollercoaster ride, even though he knows he will probably survive. After a moment's hesitation, I finally touch the paper, immediately feeling something take over me. I try resisting, but it doesn't work.

Words start to scribble and form on the paper, and the first statement becomes intelligible.

I believe I am a good person

To be honest, I don't know if I am. Truna said the test would begin harmlessly, and yet it's only the first statement and I am already unsure. My fingers hover to the yes option and press it. The statement then slowly turns transparent until it disappears, and the next statement starts to form.

I believe evil denizens can learn to be good

Another interesting statement. First of all, I don't even know what the word denizens mean, but my fingers press the yes option anyway. It's good to know that this magic somehow enhances my vocabulary on its own accord, though my soul somehow knows the word but not my conscious self. The statement disappears again on contact, and another one starts to appear.

Every evil denizen should be killed

Very questionable difficulty for a third statement, I wonder what statement three hundred will be. I answer a no in my head, and much to my reassurance, my fingers touch the no option as well.

"I'm really excited to see Kai's affinities," says Syrene.

"You think he will have more than one affinity?" Questions Truna, with her delicate fingers spread around the side of her cheek.

"Definitely. I believe he's something. He could even hear us under your Vinealyze."

"Perhaps... But to even have one affinity's a one in a million chance. Two affinities would be a one in two million chance."

Syrene tremolos her reply, "I believeeeee in himmmmmmmm...!"

"Same here," says Sibilar. "I think it's because we can sense his aura, which for a beginner without aura training or a class, is quite impressive."

Syrene nods fervently.

"I wonder..." Says Mossun. "Maybe it's in the missing scripture of the lore."

"You think the missing scriptures explain why there's some magic on Earth?" Says Nagayi.

"Yes..." Mutters Mossun. "If you think about it, all scriptures of the lore were once missing, left by Ancient Ossaria a hundred thousand years ago, found by adventurers through the years, compiled, examined, and put in order by Tinkers. We know that our lore is incomplete. What if it's in the scriptures yet to be discovered?"

"That is a possibility, Mossun." Replies Truna. "But it's been five hundred years since another scripture has been discovered."

"Yet there's still a few pages missing.." Says Syrene, "I am pretty sure it is in Omkaro."

"The world of beasts?" I doubt Ancient Omkaro had anything to do with the lore scriptures.

"Don't forget, Ancient Omkaro and Ancient Ossaria were very very close."

"Ancient Ossaria and Ancient Salathus were pretty close too," Truna rebuts, "yet Ancient Salathus used only some of his powers to create Earth and its potential, ostensibly denying the rest of his magic onto it. And yet, now we're finding out that there is, in fact, magic."

"Oh this talk about the lore is giving me a headache," Syrene feigns as she closes her eyes and rotates her head in a circular motion.

I will always try to do the right thing

Statement number forty four. I fervently answer a yes in my head, but for some reason, my finger touches the no option, causing me to scream on the inside, though my outward self looks impassive, unperturbed by my inner paroxysm.

I will do the wrong thing if I think it is for the greater good

I answer a yes in my head, and I smile on the inside when my finger touches the yes option.

I will do the wrong thing for personal gain

I ardently say NO in my head, and much to my relief, my fingers touch the no option as well.

I will do the wrong thing to save the ones I love

I don't have an answer to this, but my fingers slowly manoeuvre to touch the yes option, and I react ambivalently to this.

I believe I can make a difference in the world

"Easy question," I smirk and say to myself on the inside, and watch my fingers touch the yes option.

"I never understood the lore of the Ancients," comments Syrene.

"Shall I repeat it again for the umpteenth time?" Grunted Truna.

Syrene sighs and says, "Well, you can, but no guarantee that I'll get it anyway."

"As a Supreme, your knowledge of the main lore should be something at your fingertips, Syrene. This is unacceptable. You know this."

"Yes," says Syrene as she giggles. "But I don't care."

"Only because I was your mentor back in the academy, I shall repeat the lore again for you," says Truna. "I will try to verbalise the lore verbatim as it was discovered."

"Mmmmmmkay," says Syrene perfunctorily.

"There once lived the Ancient Four in the skies high above the universe, one that's beyond capable understanding of living beings; Ossaria, Devarion, Omkara and Salathus. They existed in an era when time did not exist. In a timeless age. In an era where there were no such things as worlds. That is how long they lived. Ossaria was an Ancient that was good in nature. Devarion, an Ancient that was evil in nature. Omkaro and Salathus were neutral, exhibiting both good and bad qualities. Ossaria and Devarion had never seen eye to eye, and in the end, had gone into war with one another. Their magic caused calamities and destruction high atop the unfathomable skies. After an eternity, it was evident that although Devarion and Ossaria were adamant with their cause and beliefs, they were truly fatigued from all the fighting. With the constant war being on par without a winner in sight, and after much cajoling from Omkaro and Salathus, a deal was made between the Ancients: Every Ancient would create a world of their own choosing, spark them with life, and the war between Ossaria and Devarion would be carried out on the behalf of them, by the enchanted beings created along with the worlds. Ossaria created a magical world and named it Ossaria, imbuing his magic into it. Devarion did the exact same thing, releasing his dark magic into his world named after him, Devarion. Unbeknownst to the other Ancients, both Ossaria and Devarion had released their own form of magical scriptures left scattered around their worlds for discovery and assembly. Omkara, on the other hand, created an enchanted world filled with a plethora of magical beasts and Salathus, the most neutral and most affected by the enmity between the former two Ancients, used his magic to create a world called Earth. But since the deal stated that life was required, Salathas used some of his magic to create prehistoric beasts and then down the line, intellectual humans capable of modernity, whilst cursing the existence of magic in itself, disregarding and forsaking the rest of his magic entirely—"

Syrene starts to yawn, and that annoys and disrupts Truna's flow of storytelling, so she stops and tuts.

"If being a Supreme requires passing lore studies, you wouldn't be one."

"Thank the Ancients then," Syrene chirps as she smiles cheekily.

I will choose to have a loved one dead than ten random strangers

Statement number one hundred and twelve, which makes me contemplate Dad, Ezra and Mom. Would I allow their death to save random strangers? The statements do seem to have gotten harder, discombobulating my moral compass. I can answer a no in my head, which I do, but I know for a fact, when the rubber meets the road, it would be much harder to decide. The lives of strangers would be at stake, strangers with their own sets of loved ones, strangers who are truly loved by many among their interpersonal lives. My enchanted physical hand moves to the yes option, choosing it. I don't know how to react, knowing that I'd actually let the people I love die, to save others.

I will choose to save a loved one than five random strangers

Same statement, except constructed differently and more difficult to answer. My hand hovers to the no option, pressing it, which honestly, doesn't surprise me anymore.

I will choose to save a loved one than two random strangers

I cannot imagine saving two random strangers over someone I love. And much to my relief, my hand picks the yes option.

"Oh no, Truna..." Says Syrene all of a sudden.

"What is it, Syrene?"

"Sibilar..." She mutters. Her mouth visibly trembles as she calls his name. "Do you sense it too?"

"Yes.. Faintly," replies Sibilar. "I wasn't too sure about it, that's why I didn't mention it."

Truna speaks louder, annoyed for not being answered, "What is it?"

Syrene takes hold of Truna's hand, a sign of worry, which Truna understands immediately as she feels the coldness of her hand, the slight tremor coming off it, but the annoyance from assumptions bother her so she asks again, this time almost in a bellow,

"What is it?!"

I hear Syrene's reply, despite myself, and I cannot do anything except continue on with the initiation test.

Syrene turns her head sharply to Truna, with her eyes bulging wide open and her mouth gagged wide, "Dark magic. I sense it. SOMETHING'S COMING!"