00:00In the shadow of jagged peaks, where mist clung like forgotten regress,
00:04a man in his forties call him Elias, though names meant little.
00:08In the grind of guilds and glory trudged, through his basic level-up exam,
00:12it was rote drudgery, ink-stained forms, a spar with a conjured dummy that barely broke a sweat.
00:17He'd swapped quill for blade at thirty, fleeing ledgers for legends,
00:21but progress crawled like a wounded snail.
00:23S-Rank loomed, mocking his late start.
00:26As the proctor stamped his pass, fate chuckled dark.
00:29From the mountain's veiled heights descended his master's not one,
00:32but all three reclusive titans who'd forged him in isolation's forge.
00:36Why now? Whispers of unrest, or simple whimsy.
00:39They materialized in a swirl of ether, cloaks billowing like storm fronts.
00:43Just as alley shadows birth trouble, punks five of them,
00:46feral strays with scarred knuckles, and stolen daggers had him cornered post-exam.
00:51Tribute their growl for his coin purse.
00:53Fresh meat, old bones, the leader spat, blade glinting,
00:56Elias tensed, hand on hilt, odds grim, then rupture.
01:00Air hummed, the masters landed like fallen stars.
01:03The white-haired one, Lyral, ethereal as moonlight on frost.
01:07Flicked a finger wind lashed, hurling to into walls with bonecrack emphasis.
01:11The golden-haired sprite, Myra the Mieet,
01:14no taller than a child's hope, drew a revolver from her sleeves.
01:18Abyss and cracked, shots that danced like fireflies.
01:21Disarming without kill, bald Broston, the ghost sage, loomed silent.
01:26His gaze alone buckled knees, a pressure that whispered yield.
01:29Weapons clattered, punks fled whimpering.
01:31City vermin, Broston rumbled, healing a stray cut on Elias' arm with a breath.
01:36We came for tea, not theater.
01:38They melted back to the heists, leaving him dazed.
01:40Certified slip-clutched, like a talisman.
01:43Results hull erupted.
01:44He'd passed, clean, round, to beckon the simulation battle.
01:47A crucible of illusions where failure scarred deeper than steel.
01:51Elias exhaled, slinging gear.
01:53Lyral at his side, her silver tresses a cascade that turned heads.
01:57Her aura of velvet blade.
01:58They wove through throngs when sleaze struck.
02:01Yellow-haired Vance prodigy poster boy.
02:03Mane-like spoiled sunlight.
02:04Eyes hungry for conquest intercepted.
02:07Entourage in tow.
02:08Milady, hused, bowing low.
02:10Your grace eclipses stars.
02:11Forsake this drab escort.
02:13Be my second consort.
02:15Empires await our union.
02:16Pick-up lines slithered.
02:18Roses wilting in his breath.
02:19Promises hollow as guild oaths.
02:21Lyral's gaze ice to lethality.
02:23Fingers twitching for spales unspoken.
02:25Elias's gut twisted.
02:27He surged forward, arms snaking her waist.
02:29Back off.
02:30She's mine girlfriend.
02:31The word hung.
02:32Lie bold as Brassvince's laugh-sly stare.
02:35Gaze dropping to Elias's badge.
02:37Girlfriend.
02:38To this relic.
02:39S rank at your age.
02:41I bloomed at 14.
02:42Level 1 of footnote.
02:43A rank by 17,000.
02:45Spell sorcerer.
02:46They call me.
02:47And tomorrow.
02:48Your examiner.
02:49Perhaps.
02:49Draw me.
02:50Fossil.
02:50And I'll etch our abyss in fire.
02:52She witnessed true power.
02:54Discard your dust for a throne.
02:55Threat laced with Lyr.
02:57Crush.
02:57Humiliate.
02:58Claim.
02:58He swirled away.
03:00Lackey snickering.
03:01Leaving Elias rooted.
03:02Venom curdling his veins.
03:03Not him.
03:04Anyone but dot dot warmth anchored him Lyral's hand in his.
03:07Grip fierce and fond.
03:09Apologies for the.
03:10Claim.
03:10He muttered.
03:11Cheeks aflame.
03:12Her smile bloomed.
03:13Soft under.
03:13Hush.
03:14You slayed the serpent with wit.
03:16Girlfriend.
03:17A title I cherish.
03:18Her lean against him scattered doubts.
03:20They parted on that spark.
03:21Unaware of ripples.
03:23Vance's manner gleamed vulgar gilded excess from spellsold fortunes.
03:27He brooded in silk when lackeys big yellow and little yellow tumbled in.
03:30Bruised echoes of exam folly.
03:32Boss.
03:33That desk drone geezer he schooled us.
03:35Humiliated.
03:36Nearly dueled us into graves.
03:38Puzzle snapped.
03:39The geezer with the siren.
03:40Elias.
03:41Vance hissed.
03:42Plotting like a spider.
03:43Tomorrow.
03:44You break.
03:44Dawn gilded the arena.
03:46Vast amphitheater of warded stone.
03:48Crowds a sea of baits and breaths.
03:50Elias paced the vaulted antechamber.
03:52Pulse award drum.
03:53Vance as foe.
03:54Visions.
03:55Spales vivisecting illusions.
03:57His novice form flayed for sport.
03:59Sweat traced spine.
04:00Then oasis.
04:01A stout uncle.
04:02Lines etched by decades.
04:03Clapped his shoulder.
04:04The 32 hero.
04:06Heard the tail clerk chain snapped for sword song.
04:08Inspiring lad.
04:10I'm harlan.
04:1044 winters.
04:12Booted at 24.
04:1320 years to be ranks mud.
04:15A rank haunts my ale dreams.
04:16But you.
04:17Ember in ash.
04:18We're kinlaid wolves howling at moons.
04:20Tales float.
04:21Botched quests.
04:22Loves lost to roads.
04:23Resilience forged in frostbites.
04:25Laughter bridged years.
04:27Elias swelled.
04:28Unbreakable.
04:28Unseen.
04:29Vance in alcove gloom.
04:31Eaves dropping.
04:31Brudge sharpening to scalpel waiting.
04:33Vaultrum tension examinees ghosts of ambition.
04:36Elias savored his draw.
04:37Fist bumping air.
04:38When herald's horn wailed doom.
04:40Examiner harlan afflicted.
04:42Withdrawn.
04:43Substitute.
04:43A rank Vance.
04:44The thousand spell sorcerer.
04:46Gasps cascaded.
04:47Elias gagged.
04:48World tilting.
04:49Murmurs woe Vance's myth.
04:50Annual sadist.
04:51Examinees his canvas for educationist spales that twisted limbs without mark.
04:56Broke wills with whispers.
04:58Noob versus nightmare.
04:59Failures toll.
05:00Brutal rest.
05:01Masters jest for regiments that remained marrow.
05:03He frayed.
05:04Pacing craters.
05:05Breath ragged.
05:06Liral ghosted in.
05:06Silver a lifeline.
05:08His words wounded.
05:09Alchemize poison to potion.
05:10Palm to cheek.
05:11Eyes galaxies of trust.
05:13I've glimpsed your forge heart adamant.
05:15Alive.
05:15You're no sprout.
05:17Your storm cloaked in calm.
05:18Shatter his illusion.
05:19Or flee it.
05:20Her faith was forge fire.
05:22He straightened.
05:22Ignited.
05:23Claimed the rune chair.
05:24Shadows slithered.
05:25Rogue specter.
05:26Cowl devouring light.
05:27Luck ebbs.
05:28Seeker.
05:28A gratis infusion.
05:30Elias norted jesters ploy dismissed with wave.
05:33Liral tensed.
05:34Ward's humming warning.
05:35Too late.
05:35Floor pulsed azure.
05:36Teleport snare.
05:37Reality folded.
05:38Gone.
05:39Lynx's plea.
05:40Fevered.
05:40Abdicate.
05:41Kin.
05:41He'll orchestrate your unmaking arcana twisted.
05:44Grace's ghosts.
05:45Elias's hush.
05:46Void.
05:46Then volcano.
05:48Wrath crested.
05:48Alchemical.
05:49He careened to Colosseum maw.
05:51Vance's perch.
05:51A predator's throne guard ruins his herald.
05:54Not Laurel's the sorcerer savored.
05:56But obliteration's opera.
05:57Coarse capitulation.
05:58Submerge the antique in nullity's sea.
06:01Despair's bouquet wilted hopes.
06:02Harvested slow.
06:04Yet Elias.
06:05No quarry.
06:05He mounted the glyph ring.
06:07Gaze forge furnace.
06:08Simulacrum kindled not assay.
06:10But apocalypse.
06:11Cantrips clashed cataclysm.
06:12Phantoms parried paradigms.
06:14Vance's arsenal.
06:15Tempests tamed.
06:16Illusions inbred.
06:18Elias's riposte.
06:19Clerk's cunning.
06:20Master's mosaic spales scavenged.
06:22Strike schooled in silence.
06:24Crowd's roar receded.
06:25Duel distilled to dyad.
06:26Vance's barrage broke barriers.
06:28But Elias danced voice.
06:30Lerol's creed his cadence.
06:32Ignite.
06:32A faint forged counter-brostens bomb.
06:34In blade form graze the prodigy.
06:36Unraveling weaves.
06:37Vance reeled.
06:38Facade fracturing.
06:39Impossible relics ruse.
06:41Elias's retort.
06:42Breathblade.
06:43Age tempers.
06:43Boy.
06:44Your bloom was brief.
06:45Mine indoors.
06:46Final gambit.
06:47Vance's thousandth spell.
06:49Maelstrom manifest.
06:50Elias met it with amalgamalus's whimsy warp.
06:53Myra's metal hymn.
06:54Lerol's light lance.
06:55Collision.
06:56Nova negation.
06:57Arena quate.
06:58Illusions imploded.
06:59Verdict etched in ether.
07:01Pass.
07:01Pyrrhic for Vance humiliation's halo.
07:03His myth marred.
07:04Elias emerged.
07:06Scarred splendor.
07:06Master's shadows proud.
07:08Lerol claimed her boyfriend's arm.
07:10Kiss a covenant.
07:11Late sparks.
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