When it came to rules, the academy was very strict or else it would be total chaos. The mayor mentioning the rules was a huge card he hard up with which showed he was not just arrogant but there was a reason he was the mayor.
He was witty.
Kaelen looked at Sera who had narrowed eyes and he realized that she actually did seem to care but he was on the verge of laughing because he of all people knew just how big of a commoner Lyren was but to have someone call him young master especially in public was very amusing and he had to purse his lips.
James and the spearman were equally surprised not because of the status but because he had come with a girl who was fawning over him. Had he not already taken Sera? They somehow looked at each other but quickly turned away because they were in separate factions.
Claire clutched onto his shoulders tightly and watched Lyren wondering how he was going to react to this setback. It was his fault for not waking up in the first place. She had done her part in bringing him here and it was up to him to find a way for himself. She looked at him and his smile shocked her just as it shocked everybody who could see it.
"Rules this rules that. I am being stopped from taking the entrance exams because the rules dictate that once the name of a new arrival has been ruled out as absent, they cannot. It is not my fault that I am not a new arrival but I am an inner disciple who is supposed to be accepted by the academy today.
"I wonder if the rules allow inner disciples who have been accepted already to partake the entrance exam. If so, I would like to partake the exam," Lyren said with a bow as he connected who was the mayor and who was the headmaster. His hands were clasped forward and he did not look at the headmaster directly.
The headmaster's smile started small, then wide, then wider until it had turned to a grin. He could not stop himself from having a hearty laugh as he nodded his head mid laugh. This was exactly the type of kid who was worthy of him to announce as a core disciple in public.
Sera's eyes changed and the crowd was confused by the kid's words and the fact that he had spoken to the headmaster before he was asked a question left them admiring his courage. He had even gone ahead and challenged the academy's rules and even created a loophole they had not thought about at all.
The elders were also nodding because such a loophole actually existed. Everyone knew that the headmaster had accepted a boy as an inner disciple but not many actually believed that it was the kid standing before them all. Claire was laughing in the inside. Lyren was actually witty when he put that brain of his into use.
The mayor was seething. He shook in anger because he did not know much about the rules and even if he did, that loophole had no counter because the kid was already a student. He looked at the kid who was bowing and his rage boiled once again. He was going to end those two assassins who had cost him his dignity.
"Of course you are right. Our rules definitely allow inner disciples who have been accepted through unofficial means to partake the exam in order to show the world that we did not do any favoritism. You are an inner disciple accepted during the market day and you have every right to partake the exam.
"You can step forward and do hat everyone else has been doing. Us adults will stay away until the testing is over," the headmaster spoke and he pressed the mayor's shoulder before letting go as the mayor followed him. The headmaster appeared behind Lyren and placed his hand on Claire's shoulder and she was no longer behind him but seated next to the mayor at the teaching staff section of the amphitheater which was at one end of the student's section.
Claire shivered when she realized her position. She could barely move especially with the looming headmaster who kept smiling at her and she could only smile back. She watched the mayor go back to his seat under the scrutiny of everyone. Still, it was hard to believe that Lyren had pulled it off. There were whispers all over the stadium because this was exactly how one loses face. The mayor had declared himself victor instead of letting others crown him.
The two on the platform were urged by the headmaster to continue with a nod and after the murmurs died down, it was Sera who spoke.
"We were confused at first but now it is clear. Inner disciple Lyren. Step forward and undertake the test," she said as neutral as she could but there was sort of enthusiasm as he had pulled it off.
Lyren stood straight and walked towards the platform and quickly reached the lectern. He was guided on how to go about it and he hesitated. He was having a bad feeling about this. He raised his hand and paused midway before looking at Sera who was expectantly waiting. She nodded and he looked at Kaelen who too nodded.
"What's wrong?"
"He didn't develop cold feet at this crucial moment, right?"
"That could be the greatest joke I heard."
Lyren's hesitation quickly drew attention especially with the anticipation building up around him. He took a deep breath and placed his hand on the orb and waited just as instructed. The orb was unresponsive and even after thirty seconds, there was nothing. He too was confused and the crowd started talking again.
"Just a dog with no teeth and here we thought we were in for a climax."
"Fuck you for raising my hopes up!"
"Just go back to your bed and continue sleeping."
"…"
Insults were thrown one at a time and Lyren was confused. Sera was even more confused. Claire and the headmaster were clenching their fists because they had just climbed up a peak and kicked off the mayor and they were about to trip on themselves.
"Is this what inner disciples of the academy looks like?" The mayor asked out loudly specifically to no one and it drew some laughter from the guests. He was going to enjoy spitting on the academy after this fall and make them pay.
Maybe Lyren was the most confused. He could feel the invasion in his palm but it did not succeed. This left him wondering why it was like this but it was then it dawned to him and he chuckled shocking everyone. He retracted his hand shocking everyone to silence before they broke out into another uproar.
"You dare give up?"
"Don't ruin the status of inner disciples!"
Lyren ignored all those remarks as his left hand reached for the orb. It was obvious the reason the probe did not take place was because of the palm pattern. He should have thought of this in the first place before placing his right hand. A smile plastered on his face as the probe was successful and it seemed to reach the core and reminded him when he had the first channel created. It was familiar and only not painful.
The core started glowing a red shade that was very dim but as it got brighter, it started seeping through his fingers onto his face and sideways. The probe from the orb seemed to have triggered something as his minds eye jerked open and when it glared at the orb, a bright red light that for an instant shone over the amphitheater taking over from the sun blinded everyone.
For a second, they were looking with half closed eyes and in the next, they were forced to close fully and what came next sounded like a loud breaking glass as the orb shattered into too many pieces that it turned into dust. The crack was deafening and everyone opened their eyes instantly and the fiery light had disappeared and so was the orb.
Lyren was left with his hand floating in the air as disbelief colored his feature. What had happened?