Master Falas sat across from Tess, his expression more solemn than usual. The lenses of his thin glasses caught the dim light, but his eyes behind them remained cold and sharp.
"Alright. Let's begin," Falas said. He scanned the faded words on the old sheet of paper, then lifted his gaze. "First question. What is an Enlightened Being?"
Tess drew in a steadying breath.
"An intelligent being."
"And which living creatures are considered Enlightened Beings?" Falas asked, his calm voice somehow heavier than a raised one.
"Humans. Lightborn. Dracia. Crystia. Felinor. Vespasian. Elves. Amphibians. Avien. Evalo. And…"
Tess opened his mouth, but the rest vanished from his mind. His thoughts scattered, leaving him hanging in silence.
Falas didn't sigh, didn't scold—he simply continued, his tone unchanged.
"No need to list more. Then tell me: where do these Enlightened Beings come from? What do they look like? Are they similar? If not, how do they differ?"
The questions pressed in all at once. But this time Tess grabbed onto the answers quickly, speaking with renewed enthusiasm.
"All Enlightened Beings, except the Evalo, share one thing. They're born from higher beings. Starting with Humans—also known as the common Enlightened—they're born from various higher beings depending on their race."
A sudden clang cut him off. The tip of Master Falas's soldering iron had fallen to the floor.
"Apologies," Falas murmured, bending down to retrieve it before sitting upright again, back straight as a blade. "Continue."
"Other Enlightened Beings, aside from the Evalo, come from different higher beings," Tess said, picking up the thread. "The Lightborn and Crystia are born from the Empress of Light. The Darcia come from the Emperor of Flame. Elves and Amphibians from the Rain Lady. Felinor, Vespasian, and Avien from the Forest Queen."
He paused when he noticed Falas's unreadable expression—calm, cold, giving nothing away. Tess swallowed and finished.
"All Enlightened Beings also share something else. They're all blessed by the higher beings who created them. Their lifespans are longer, their power greater… but it depends on how devoted they are. How sincerely they worship their creator."
Tess cleared his throat and continued, doing his best to steady his voice.
"But they all look different. Humans—no matter the race—share the same basic form. Hair and eye colors change, but the body stays the same."
Falas chuckled softly, his expression momentarily warm.
"There's no need to explain humans, Tess. You and I are both human, aren't we?"
The smile faded as quickly as it came. "Continue."
Tess nodded.
"Dracia have human-shaped bodies, but they're born with horns, tails, patches of scales, and sharp claws."
His confidence grew as he spoke.
"And the Lightborn… they look human too, but their eyes are always gold. The most important trait is their halo. It's a limb born of pure light—each one has its own unique shape. Every Lightborn has one or two halos floating around them, and their position can differ from person to person."
He caught the slight smile Falas gave him—small, but enough to make his chest lighten a little.
"Felinor, Vespasian, and Avien," Tess continued, "are Enlightened Beings that look like humans mixed with different kinds of creatures. Felinor have mammal traits—fur, ears, tails. Vespasian resemble insects. And Avien have avian features, like feathers and wings."
Elves, Tess continued in his mind, were the simplest to explain.
"Elves look like humans," he said aloud, "but they have long ears. As for Amphibians… they're like frogs or toads, but with a human shape."
Falas exhaled softly.
"It's a simple explanation, but if any of them heard you say that, they'd kill you for comparing them to animals. Aside from me, don't let anyone else hear you speak like that."
"Yes, Master."
Tess straightened, unsure why Falas's eyes were still fixed on him, waiting.
"You forgot Evalo," Falas said.
The words struck him like a slap, though Tess kept his expression firm.
"My apologies, Master. Evalo look just like humans in every way. But they aren't born from any higher being, and no one knows where they came from. They're also weaker than the other Enlightened Beings and have the shortest lifespan."
"Good. That covers the main Enlightened races."
Falas glanced down again at the faded letters on the old paper. "Next question. What is the duty of a Pathfinder?"
"To protect pilgrims who travel to religious sites," Tess answered.
"That was the old duty. I want the current one."
Tess paused, organizing his thoughts.
"In wartime, they serve as soldiers. In peacetime… they're explorers who map uncharted lands."
"Correct." Falas adjusted his glasses, scanned the page once more, and continued. "What is the Pathfinder's greatest achievement?"
"Discovering the ancient Andovian Kingdom."
"Why?"
Tess swallowed, throat tightening.
"Because it's one of the strongest pieces of evidence proving the existence of a higher being."
Falas nodded, expression unreadable. "Last question. Why do you want to be a Pathfinder?"
Tess didn't need to think. He had carried the answer for as long as he could remember.
"I want to be part of history," he said quietly. "I want my name to be written in the pages of the world. I want to prove that I'm not the useless person my father said I was."
Falas didn't respond. He simply set the paper aside, removed his glasses, folded them carefully, and tucked them away.
Tess sat in silence, waiting, while Falas rubbed the bridge of his nose and released a long, weary sigh.
"To be honest," Falas began, "I was quite disappointed with this interview. But your practical test score was far superior to anyone else's. Because of that… I'm going to skip the rest of this evaluation."
Tess blinked, unsure if he had heard correctly. For a moment he couldn't understand what his master was trying to say.
Falas folded his hands on the table and spoke clearly.
"Congratulations. You pass."
For a heartbeat, Tess couldn't move. Then he stood up and bowed deeply before walking out of the room with as much composure as he could manage.
The moment the door closed behind him, he exploded into motion—jumping, fists in the air, unable to contain the joy burning through him.
"Yes!"
His dream had finally come true.