"Firstly, I would like to congratulate you all for making it here" Abigail paused and continued
"It is such a beautiful thing to be sixteen, the age were you can all awaken safely with the academy guidance and get a taste of what's it like to wield power. But the academy is not here only to give you power but to also teach you restraint and control …. Since Avalon's founding, some 500 years ago by Rian Taibot, we have pride ourselves in our ability to impact the lives of everyone who passed through this institution and we plan to make the learning experience impactful to all our new students too."
"The kind of talent you awaken will be determined based on your experiences, your willpower, you soul quality, your physique and most especially you fate".
I could hear several people draw a short breath
"Yet you must remember "Abigail continued " no talent is useless, it all depends on how you use it and the situation you find yourselves… good luck everyone."
With that two more people I hadn't noticed before stepped on the stage wearing blue robes similar to that of Abigail, they brought with them a box which they placed on a table and opened it, revealing a crystal shaped like a sphere.
"I will call your names as you have all registered with the academy and each of you is to put your hand on the crystal ball, if the crystal does not glow it means you didn't awaken, if you do not answer your names when I call I'll consider you disqualified."
With that, she began
"Maze walker!!"
From somewhere in the crowd arose a tall girl, her eyes carried bags suggesting she had not slept at all last night, she had no makeup on, either because she couldn't afford it or was just that kind of girl who didn't pay much attention to looks.
She looked very muscular for a girl, her hair was vermilion red and her powerful steps and unusual dressing indicated that she had a bold and different personality
She walked up to the stage with confident step, placed her hands on the crystal ball and it shone a white glow.
"What is your talent Maze"Abigail asked
"... Muscle manipulation"
"Alright you have awakened an S ranked talent muscle manipulation."
As soon as she said this whispers filled the hall, not many people knew the white light from the crystal meant the awakening of an S ranked talent.
Maze was definitely the lizard who could blossom into a dragon, even nobles don't always awaken such powerful talents
Maze seemed pleased with her talent grade as she strode out of the hall following the directions of students by the door who directed her elsewhere.
An S ranked talent was a fortune, anyone who awakened it and had time to develop would definitely reach the high side of society, probably get a noble tittle from the king to secure their loyalty and service. Other talent rank I have heard of are
EX — Gold
SSS — Purple
SS — Black
S — white
A — Red
B — Blue
C — green
D —yellow
E — grey
F — Brown
from order of most powerful being 'EX' to least powerful 'F'.
There were about 300 people in the hall, Abigail continued calling out the names unconcerned by the small chatter that developed.
"Crystal hart"
Another girl stepped forward, unlike maze she looked more shy than the moon during the day. Her luxury dressing sugested she was a noble. she walked to the stage lowering her head clearly affected by the gaze of the crowd.
Placing her hand on the crystal, it gave a green glow which implied a 'C' ranked talent. Looking down I noticed pee rolling down crystal's leg, I could already hear small bouts of laughter
"Shut up!!" Abigail commanded "wait your turn before you laugh at anyone, what's your talent Crystal?"
"Decay" she said in a small voice that could barely pass as a whisper
"Harold Baskin"
After Harold hand was placed on the ball, he waited. When three minutes passed and the ball still did not glow, he removed his hand and placed it, respiration cracked on his face. It still didn't glow
"Harold, you have untill the end of today to vacate the academy grounds of you will be treated like a trespasser" Abigail said emotionlessly
Harold removed his hand and placed it once more, wishing that an already confirmed truth would alternate, for black to turn white but it was impossible.
Abigail anger flayed and just as she was about to throw him off the stage aggressively, one of the two students behind her quickly drew him out more aggressive than should be but a whole less humiliating than the manner in which Abigail would have done it.
F, E, D ranks and unawakened were not allowed to register as part of the academy, they often end up as normal people while the more daring ones become adventures.
Abigail explained that the crystal was pressuring their souls causing them to loose control of bodily functions as such it was common with people with less than B rank to pee on themselves while getting tested. Yet the hall never seemed to smell 'must be some special magic or a talent ability'
The name calling continued, those who awakened F rank talents cried at their pathetic fates.
"Nog rahond
Hope Arkham
Racheal Bliss
Louie
Michael Rue
Kelly Jack"
Abigail showed no mercy on those who wanted to cry on stage, she was a woman on a mission and those who hindered her were dealt with decisively by the two students behind her before she even got a chance
As time passed I noticed more and more people urinated while checking their talent, it was at this moment I understood the market strategy of the trader at the gate. He must have experienced a lot to know this much.
"Raymond"
It was at this moment I learnt the name of the boy who followed me from the gate. He walked briskly up the gate, he still looked pale and from this angle I could appreciate the jawline to his well defined face, I could already hear some whispers from a few girls in the crowd.
No doubt Raymond did not find it hard getting girls, and somewhere within me arose a small spark of jealousy. I looked at myself again, my clothes tattered looking like I barely survived a war front, my skin clung desperately to my bone suggesting years of malnutrition, and the dead bags under my eyes did nothing to improve the ghastly look.
'sigh'
Raymond placed his hand on the crystal which glowed red afterwards.
"What's your talent"
"... Em"
" I said what's your talent" Abigail repeated, perhaps a bit more aggressive than she meant to sound
"Eer…"
One mean look from Abigail before Raymond opened up
"Judgement" he sounded heartbroken. He was probably one of those kids who dreamts of awakening a power like flight, or power, something that will look cool,not a power that even he doesn't understand. He was directed off the stage as Abigail continued calling names. As he left I couldn't help but notice his eyes on me.
It was only two hours later I heard my name, half the people have already been tested only 4 people awakened SS rank talents with no one awakening anything higher
After a while my name was finally called
"Damien" Abigail called
"..."
With no answer "Damien" she called again
That's when I finally heard her call my name
I parted from the crowd and walked with fake confidence, I ignored the looks I got for my destitute look, life really had done a number on me
Just as I was about to climb the steps of the podium, I missed a step and almost fell yet without a beat I continued walking as if nothing happened
As I stood in front of Abigail I realize she was about a head taller than me.
Still standing here, all my confidence disappeared into thin air. Her presence alone had a way of making my insignificance unexplainably profound
"Stop staring at me, hands on the crystal" She said when I just stood there gawking
Placing my hand on the crystal I waited Hoping against hope that this would be my way out, Abigail gave me a strange look after waiting 2 minutes with the crystal not giving a glow. Just as I was about to remove my hand and try again it glowed
"GOLD" I screamed
Abigail looked more shocked than me
"Wha wa.. what is your talent" For the first time, her voice sounded soft and unsure
I observed a small panel open before my very eyes, it displayed
Name: Damien
Age: 16
Talent: Resonance (The ability to sense, influence, and synchronize with the hidden frequencies within matter, energy, emotion, and fate.
"The body remembers what the mind does not, the mind remembers what the soul does not, the soul remembers what the body does not")
Talent Grade: EX
Flaw: Fate Recoil (Every use of resonance draws misfortune to you. The universe balances this debt at unpredictable moments with proportional good fortune.)
Strength: 4
Agility: 9
Stamina: 8
Perception: 3
Mana: 1
I kept smiling, my stats were poor but who cares. With an EX talent I'm never going to lay hungry or be homeless. I could finally decide what I want with my Life
Abigail repeated herself
"What's your talent" but I didn't hear her, I was in a world of my own dreaming of the world of riches and ease that was about to hit me.