Chapter 5: Graded

“Hollis, wake up.” Kenley shook my shoulders.

Confused by the commotion and the voices, I slowly opened my eyes. “What time is it?” I croaked, rubbing sleep out of my eyes.

“It’s nearly dawn. My eardrums almost burst when the enchanted alarm went off. Didn’t you hear it?”

I was about to tell her that I didn’t hear a thing, when Kenley pulled on my foot. “Come on, get dressed. We need to go or we’ll be late.”

I quickly changed into my pants and shirt. A fresh set had appeared at the foot of my bed overnight. Then I put on some socks and slipped my feet into a pair of sturdy boots.

“Here. To put in your hair. And for good luck,” Celestria said and handed me a green silk ribbon. She handed a yellow one to Kenley.

It was so smooth it slid through my fingers with ease. “Are you sure you want me to have this?”

“It’s perfect for you,” she assured me. She put my hair up in a ponytail and fastened it with the ribbon. Then, she tied the yellow ribbon around Kenley’s wrist like a bracelet.

“I have plenty. And besides, you two are my friends, and friends share.”

We didn’t speak all the way to the arena. The sun hadn’t fully risen, and a coolness hung in the air. When we finally arrived, the stands were filled with anxious students.

“Hey.” Willow waved us over to the third row where he sat with his roommates. They had saved us spots.

“Freaked out yet?” Johnny asked.

“Yet? We haven’t stopped freaking out since Dawson addressed us at dinner last night.”

Suddenly, Master Bavol appeared in the center of the arena. I still hadn’t gotten used to people popping up out of thin air, but today I was too nervous to properly appreciate her magic skills.

Three loud pops later, Master Sinnie and two more masters who we hadn’t met yet appeared next to her.

“We’re going to get right to it,” Master Bavol said. She must’ve enhanced her voice because it carried throughout the entire arena. “Today, we’re going to be testing you to determine if you’re fit to study at Oswalda and eventually, to protect the crown and the citizens of Berwick. You’ll be retested at the end of the school year.”

“Today’s test is simple but also challenging.” Master Sinnie picked up where Master Bavol left off. “To start, you will be seated in these chairs.”

I looked down, wondering if the chairs were invisible just like the barrier had been, but then Master Sinnie flicked her wand, and a platform with two wooden chairs appeared before us.

“As we call your names, you will come down and take a seat in the chair. We will strap you in, and then we will penetrate your brain, access your magic, and try to bring it to the surface in order to evaluate it,” Master Sinnie continued. “Your powers will be graded on a scale of zero to ten. If you receive a zero, that means that you’re powerless. If that’s the case, you will be given an option to return home or to explore the option of joining the Army of Knights.”

“Get ready to pack your dirty rags and go,” Allyah whispered in my ear. I didn’t even realize that she was sitting right behind me. Celestria narrowed her eyes at her and squeezed my hand.

“If you score from one to ten, you will be officially accepted into Oswalda and we’ll pair you up with a student who receives the same grade,” Master Bavol explained. “The masters will do the brunt of the teaching, but it’s important to draw knowledge and support from your peers too.”

A male master stepped up. “The test can come with some, um, unpleasant side effects. That’s why it’s very important that you do not fight us and let us in.”

“What happens if we don’t?” someone shouted.

“Some people have gone mad from the test,” Master Bavol said, confirming our worst fears.

“But magic is about trust,” Master Sinnie said. “If you trust us to draw out your potential, nothing bad will happen to you. We will let you know your grades telepathically. You’re not competing with each other, but with yourself. That’s the only way to get stronger. Remember that.”

I wondered if those last words were meant for Allyah.

Johnny shuffled uncomfortably. “I knew we wouldn’t be having tea and cookies with the masters, but digging around our brain? That’s just crazy.”

The world around me started to spin. I already felt insecure about not having any magic. To have that fact confirmed by the masters in front of everyone, nobility and royalty included? The sheer thought made me sick to my stomach.

The other students must’ve felt the same because a quiet and heavy anticipation hung in the air.

Administrator Dawson appeared and began calling names. A girl named Faylinn and a boy named Derek got called first. They slowly rose, crossed the arena, walked up the podium, and took their seats. Without any prompting from the masters, thick belts fastened around their waists and wrists. Even from a distance, I could see the fear in their eyes. It was the same fear that burned inside of me.

Master Bavol faced Faylinn and placed her hands on her temples. Another master did the same to Derek. The masters’ lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Faylinn and Derek’s skin began to glow and their bodies started to shake.

It went on for a good five minutes. Once the masters pulled back, the students opened their eyes and were led back to the stands by staff in white coats that had been waiting at the bottom of the podium.

Then it continued. Two by two, girls and boys were being called to the podium. Some trembled like Faylinn and Derek had. Others turned red or vomited.

Some tests took a few seconds, while others took longer. By noon time, the masters had graded a little over a hundred students. Some left the arena with smiles on their faces. Others burst into tears and had to be carried out because they couldn’t stand.

Whether it was because we’d been here for hours, or because the masters needed a break from infiltrating people’s brains, breakfast was served right in the stands. We ate without talking. Then, the testing continued.

“Kenley and Willow,” the administrator shouted.

“Don’t steal my food,” Kenley said and slapped Bartley who had been eyeing her piece of chicken. Even though she was being playful, I could hear the tremble in her voice.

As nervous as they both looked when they headed for the chairs, they walked out of the arena on their own two feet, which was a good sign.

More and more names were called and the masters went to work. It was when blood started to pour out of a girl’s nose and ears that I finally saw terror in their eyes.

Something was very wrong.

Celestria stiffened and grabbed my arm. “Do you think they broke her mind?” she asked quietly.

Even though no one responded, I was pretty sure I knew what everyone was thinking.

It took a good thirty minutes before Dawson called the next two names.

“Hollis and Hunter,” he said. “Your turn.”