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Maya must be amazing, thought Louisa.

Madam Viltz raised her hand, signaling the audience to calm down. After things had calmed down, Madam Viltz continued, "Before me, stand the prospective students of Spherone Academy, and perhaps future legends. It could be ...." 

Madam Viltz descended from the pulpit, passing one student at a time. 

"You ...." She pointed at the red-haired boy, then walked back. "Or you ..., it could be you." 

Until she stopped in front of Louisa. Madam Viltz looked at Louisa for a long moment, then smiled. "You."

Louisa's heart skipped a beat. Feelings of pleasure, nervousness, and shame mixed. It wasn't long, however, for Madam Viltz walked back to the pulpit and continued his speech. 

"There's still a long way to go. You have to learn. Magic and attitude. Kindness and truth. It all has to start with ...."

"Exam," Pid mumbled.

"Don't be noisy!" The black-haired female student candidate, glared at Pid.

"Hah! I'll do what I want!" Pid said, looking away.

Applause followed Madam Viltz, descending from the pulpit. The end of Madam Viltz's speech was missed, which made the black-haired girl furious at Pid. "Because of you, I missed the end of her speech!"

Pid's eyes rolled, taking a deep breath. "There's no need to hear it all the way through, it's easy to guess what she said."

"Bullshit," said the girl.

"Madam Viltz says we have to go through three tests. The Test of Intelligence, Truth and Magic."

"Exam?" asked Louisa, panicking.

Pid nodded. "We need to be able to pass those exams in order to be accepted into academy."

Louia looks worried. She's not used to all of these yet. Let alone having to go through a test which is of course related to insight, and ability in Spirit Land.

 ***

The prospective students are divided into five lines. They will be tested by an examiner. In this exam, Louisa was not in the same line as Pid. Louisa was getting more and more anxious, because no one she knew was in her line.

"Hey! Where's your noisy friend?"

Louisa turned her head, and saw the black-haired girl who had been glaring at Pid, was behind her. 

"Mmm ..., he's over there." Louisa replied, nervous.

"You don't have to be nervous talking to me. I'm not Madam Viltz." The girl smiled. "I'm Reana Zolt. You can call me Reana."

Louisa Marell," said Louisa, awkwardly.

Tapping Louisa's shoulder, Reana cast a glance forward. "Louisa, did you see that kid failed to answer all the questions?"

"I didn't pay attention, because—"

"Be careful. Just be calm when anwering the questions," interrupted Reana.

"Why?" Louisa asked.

"Of course you have to go to Gallen Flous Academy." Reana was silent for a moment, then looked around, before whispering. "Listen to me, Lou. I don't want to go there and then become a city worker. Not prestigious, and boring."

"For prospective students who still vote, will be considered disqualified!" Madam Viltz yelled from distance.

The atmosphere was suddenly quiet. None of them dared to speak. Time elapsed. One by one they had already completed the first stage of the exam. In this exam, more people pass than fail. From afar, Louisa watched Pid exclaim happily after clearing the first exam. While watching Pid, Louisa heard someone called from her line.

"Sinest Qeanz!"

All eyes were on the young man with black hair, and curls. His face is handsome, and oval. He has a pair of sapphire eyes, a flat nose, and sharp, and thin lips. Although handsome, but that's not what makes him the center of attention.

"Who's he?" Louisa asked.

"He's the only child of Arl, and Flada Qeanz," whispered Reana.

"Arl, and Flada?" asked Louisa.

"Ah, how come you don't know two of the five Spirit Shields?!"

"Mmm ..., uh, he's already in front of the examiner." Louisa tried to divert the conversation.

The examiner smiled, then greeted Sinest. "How are your parents?"

"Okay. Shall we start?" Sinest didn't seem to like small talk.

"You are like your father." The examiner smiled. "Okay, first question. Er is standing behind Jer, Jer is standing behind Er. How did that happen?"

The prospective students whispered. Some guessed the answer; some doubted he could answer; some believed he could but didn't know the reason. However, Sinest inherited the intelligence of his famous parents.

"They were standing back to back." Sinest"s answer, made the audience applaud.

"Don't be happy just yet. The first question is the easiest," said the examiner.

Furthermore, nine other questions can be answered correctly. The crowd kept applauding when Sinest passed the first test. However, Sinest paid no attention to the roar of the flattery, and returned to the line, as if nothing special.

After a few others came forward, it was Louisa's turn. When she is called, she's anxious.

"Come on. I know you can pass the test," whispered Reana.

What if the question revolves around this unfamiliar world? Or maybe about the history of Spirit Land? May I also be asked about magic?

Finally Louisa was in front of the examiner. The examiner observed Louisa for a few moments. Is she the child in the prophecy?

From a distance, a woman whispered to Madam Viltz while watching Louisa. Louisa didn't notice that. Her mind was focused on the Intelligence Test.

"Louisa Marell, are you ready?"

"Ready," Louisa answered, hesitating.

"Two men tried to cross the river in a boat that could only carry one person. However, both managed to cross the river. How did that happen?"

The question was quite difficult, so the audience whispered again. Almost all of them believed Louisa would fail, including Pid, and Reana. However, they really hope that she will pass the Intelligence Test.

"They're on different side of a river," Louisa replied.

The examiner nodded and smiling. "Right. Get ready for the next question, Louisa."

After Louisa could answer the first question, it boosted her confidence. One by one the questions can be answered perfectly. The audience, who doubted her, turned around in amazement. They applauded loudly, as Louisa returned to the line.

After the first test, there are ten percent who didn't pass. Reana was among those who managed to advance to the next exam. But the next exam will be more difficult than before.

To be continue