Some time later, two men nobody knew were secretly studying a magic circle inside the palace.
A crowd of students had gathered in the temple of the Arcanist Academy. When Louis came in with his new neighbour he said, "So this is what the goddess of this world looks like."
There was a statue there, and the teacher announced that they should behold the great creator, the goddess Gaia.
Long ago the goddess Gaia created a world in which humans and monsters could exist together. But over time the monsters began to harness their colossal natural power. Dragons ruled the skies. Giants dominated the land, and krakens commanded the sea. A brutal struggle for power between these mighty monsters drenched the world in blood. Countless people perished in the chaos that followed, and the goddess Gaia flew into a rage.
She bestowed her blessing on those who lacked magical power, and so humanity came to understand the essence of water, earth, wind and fire — the four elements of this world. In the end they developed battle magic. Surviving fierce battles, human beings became the new rulers of the world.
And now, like their predecessors, they would receive the goddess's blessing and have revealed to them the true nature of this world: magical power.
Louis noted that there was still no mention of the first hero. Cara turned to look at him.
At that moment a teacher came up to them and said that the two of them needed to go over there. They should follow him.
The teacher told them to sit here. If they had a talent for magic, they would be able to sense the elements. But if they were just trash who could not feel anything at all, then the academy had no further use for them.
Louis looked sharply into his eyes, and the teacher said that the ritual would begin shortly, and asked everyone to take their seats.
Louis was surprised. Did the man hate him, or something?
Earth, fire, wind and water: the four great elements, the foundation of the world. The teacher said that under the goddess's blessing they should clear their minds and reach out to them as feelings. The goddess dwelt in the heavens, and they prayed to her and asked her to bless them.
A moment later a bright beam of light struck the wall. A fiery flame, and a blue tint. Magical powers of various shades appeared around the goddess's staff, and her eyes glowed brightly. The light filled the whole room. The boys cried out in fear and surprise, and a moment later everything was shining with small lights of many different colours.
They were astonished. Were these the elements? How beautiful they were. One of them had gained the element of fire, another water. Some would have to reconsider their path.
And at that moment one of them gained two elements.
It was Neil who received several magical powers at once, and people were amazed. This commoner had got both earth and fire. How could he control his magic so easily? Was he really a genius?
Neil laughed fiercely and shouted that yes, this was what he was talking about. Fire, earth, anything else — they would obey him.
Then he turned to Louis, who sat in silence and produced nothing at all. He said that someone who could not even awaken would never become his opponent. So Louis had better not disappoint him.
The students around him did not understand. Was he here too? But there were no elements around him at all.
Louis was thinking, and he did not understand it either. Why could he not feel anything? Was it because he was not from this world?
No. When he fought Cain he had thought he felt some strange power — but now it was as if his mind were sunk in fog.
He grew angry and spoke up, telling them to know his will, and that it would not be broken so easily. At that moment a bright blue magical force erupted from his body, and everything around him began to shine with a brilliant light.
The people there were stunned, and Louis saw four different colours above him. Were these the elements?
The teacher himself did not understand what was happening. He had set up a magic circle to cut this boy's mind off from the outside world. How had he done it?
Louis stretched out his hand and was stunned. He felt the energy, and asked why he could feel it and yet could not touch it.
He began to strain violently and grew angry that nothing was working.
The teacher chuckled at him and thought that if he imagined he could awaken simply by breaking out of mental isolation, he was deeply mistaken. The isolation circle was a special magic circle that blocked the flow between spirit and element. A sphere that blocked magic. A magical item that weakened a person's connection with the elements.
There were people who wanted to destroy him at any cost. Let him blame only himself for making so many enemies. And since he had already accepted a small gift, he could not back out now. Let the boy sit there alone and cry until the ritual was over.
After some time Louis was still sitting in silence with his neighbour. The students laughed that they were still trying, so he really was a dud. Neil was the only one worth keeping an eye on. They had thought this one was a genius. What a disappointment.
Cara looked at him and frowned, then took his hand and pointed toward his leg.
"What is it?" Louis asked. "Something with the floor? A trap?"
Louis frowned and jumped abruptly up from his seat, then slammed his fist down on the floor and shouted, "What is this?"
There was a magical instrument there in the form of a seal.
Cara said that it was an item, and that he needed to act quickly.
Louis thanked him, and did not understand. But why was it here? Was it some kind of coincidence? Or had someone set him up on purpose?
The teacher went on watching what was happening, and Louis said that he did not care. Now everything was really starting.
He began to concentrate, and a moment later all the colours appeared around him.
The surrounding students screamed. This strange vortex was exactly the same as Neil's. What was happening to these commoners?
The teacher exclaimed in his thoughts. How could he have awakened? Even a master should not be able to break through an isolation circle inside a magic-blocking sphere.
At that moment Aronian came up to him and took him by the shoulder. He was frightened and asked, "Headmaster?"
Aronian told him to stay where he was, and the man bowed to him.
The students wondered why the headmaster was here. Perhaps he had come to check on the commoner who could not awaken. Did they share some secret? Who knew?
The teacher was angry that he had come, and did not understand why he had come now. Their plan had very nearly been discovered.
He went on standing there alone. Then that night he went to Jess and told him that the plan had failed. He did not need any trouble, so he should stay away from him.
Jess replied that he understood everything, and that he would take care of the rest himself. He thought: he was lucky, that worthless commoner.
Aronian asked Kylie to keep an eye on Sid. Outsiders could not be allowed to wreak havoc at the academy. He had removed all the obstacles, and now it was up to the boy.