{Phoenix Academy}
[Vedgard Kingdom]
---
Students stood assembled in neat rows across the training grounds. They were hundreds in numbers.
All second-years preparing for the traditional assessment exam that marked the beginning of each new term.
Armor gleamed in morning sunlight. Weapons hung at sides or strapped to backs. Essence crystals pulsed with stored power. Everyone was equipped for combat, prepared for whatever the exam would throw at them.
Then, a professor stepped onto the raised platform.
He was a middle-aged man with greying beard and the weathered look of someone who'd seen real combat. His robes marked him as Combat Assessment Division.
"Students!" His voice carried across the grounds without amplification. "Welcome to your second-year assessment exam!"
Silence fell. Everyone's attention focused.
