Chapter 38 – The End of Years’

  Kaelin sat at the edge of the training field, arms crossed over her knees, watching as the other students gathered in their usual clusters. It had become a routine sight – the same groups, the same conversations, the same unspoken lines drawn between them.

  She had never truly been part of any of them, but now the divide felt wider than ever. Kana stood with her back to her, talking with another group of students. She didn’t need to turn around for Kaelin to know exactly what expression she wore – the same cold indifference she had maintained since the Thread Trials. It wasn’t outright hostility, not anymore. Kana didn’t waste energy glaring or making sharp remarks. She had simply reduced Kaelin to nothing. A presence ignored, acknowledged only when absolutely necessary.

  Kaelin supposed that was a step up from the outright venom she had faced in the weeks following the duel, but in some ways, it stung worse. Hatred was something you could fight against. Being treated like a ghost? That left her standing in the silence, alone. Not that it was anything new.

  She sighed, glancing toward the far side of the field where Zephyr and Lena were practicing their spells together.

  Zephyr’s magic pulsed in controlled bursts, threads of shimmering blue and green flickering in his grasp. Lena was laughing, arms raised as she manipulated the vines she had summoned from the ground, weaving them through Zephyr’s attacks with ease. They had always worked well together. And lately, Kaelin wasn’t sure if there was room for her in that equation.

  She wasn’t avoiding them, not exactly. It was more that every time she approached, she could feel the weight of her own presence, like an unwanted shadow stretching across something bright. Lena had always been warm, welcoming, but Kaelin couldn’t shake the thought that maybe her inclusion had been more of a courtesy than anything else.

  That maybe, now that Zephyr and Lena had grown closer, they didn’t need her lingering at the edges of their world. So, she had started keeping her distance. Just a little. Just enough to see if they would notice.

  They hadn’t. Not really.

  Kaelin exhaled sharply and pulled her gaze away, fixing her stare on the dirt at her feet. It was stupid to dwell on. She wasn’t here to make friends – she had told herself that from the beginning. She was here to prove something. To be something more than the girl everyone whispered about in passing.

  The whispers had started again. Not about Daniel this time, though that wound had yet to fade, but about something new.

  A test.

  A challenge.

  The End of Year Exam.

  The instructors had yet to confirm anything, but speculation spread like wildfire. Some claimed it would be an endurance test; others whispered about a combat trial against upperclassmen. No one knew for certain.

  Somewhere near the weapons rack, two students exchanged hushed words, glancing her way before resuming their conversation. Another pair stood beneath the shade of the willow trees, their voices just loud enough for her to catch fragments – last year’s exam was brutal… at least three failed outright… wonder if they’ll make it harder this time… Kaelin clenched her fists. It didn’t matter what the test was.

  She couldn’t fail.

  She wouldn’t fail.

  “You’ve been brooding in the same spot for twenty minutes.” Kaelin jumped at the voice, looking up to find Aric standing over her. He didn’t look down at her with pity or concern, just mild amusement, like he had seen this a hundred times before.

  “I don’t brood,” she muttered, shifting her posture slightly.

  Aric raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Sure. And I’m a baker.”

  Kaelin scowled. “What do you want?”

  “To tell you something before you sink so deep into that hole of yours that you miss it entirely.” He nodded toward the gathering students.

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  “Professor Alden’s making an announcement. Probably about the exam. You might want to be there”

  She followed his gaze, noticing for the first time that a hush had fallen over the field. The instructors were assembling, Alden at the centre, a clipboard in hand.

  The weight in the air had shifted – uncertainty thickened into anticipation, apprehension coiling in the space between each breath.

  Some students leaned forward, eager, while others stiffened, bracing themselves for whatever came next.

  Kaelin pushed herself to her feet, rolling her shoulders. Whatever this test was, it would determine her standing. And if there was one thing she knew, it was that she wouldn’t be left behind. Not again.

  Alden stepped forward, his voice cutting through the quiet buzz of the gathered students. "Listen up, everyone! The End of Year Exam is coming, and this year’s challenges will test every skill you’ve learned. Each trial will assess not only your magical abilities but your teamwork and adaptability under pressure."

  Kaelin felt her stomach tighten. They were about to find out what they would face.

  "The first trial will be a Raid," Alden continued, his tone matter-of-fact.

  "Two teams will race to the heart of an ancient ruin. At the core, an idol must be retrieved. The first team to reach it wins. But you won’t just be racing each other, no. There will be threats inside the ruins, which you lot will have to deal with. Lower-apprentice creatures, traps, and unstable structures making it all the more challenging. You’ll need to work as a team, or you’ll most definitely fail."

  A murmur of excitement and dread ran through the crowd. Kaelin felt her throat dry at the mention of monsters and traps.

  Her eyes flicked toward Kana, who stood stiffly in her group.

  They had been paired together, just as Kaelin had feared. She swallowed hard, pushing down the unease. It wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. But she had to admit, the tension between them, from the death of Daniel, made it feel like a mountain to climb.

  Alden’s gaze swept over the students before continuing, his voice lowering. "The second trial will test your survival skills. Each team will be dropped into an isolated wilderness area for three days. You’ll need to gather food, water, and resources to survive, and then make your way to an extraction point. Cooperation will be essential, and you’ll need to make smart decisions to avoid failure."

  Kaelin’s mind whirred, but her attention snapped back to Kana. Kana had her arms crossed tightly, her jaw clenched, but her eyes were focused elsewhere, deliberately avoiding Kaelin. The chill between them was undeniable, a stark contrast to the warmth that surrounded Zephyr and Lena as they listened, side by side.

  Alden’s voice rang out again. "The final test will be a Gladiator Battle – a large-scale battle royale. Last mage standing wins. You’ll face each other in combat, and this will be the ultimate test of everything you’ve learned. Much unlike the other two tests, this won’t have an affect on whether you stay in the school. This, is merely a time to show off your strength… and the winner gets 1000 Aur to spend as they please."

  Kaelin bristled at the mention of combat. She didn’t care much for the reward, though she could very well send it back home.

  Her mind raced over the implications of each trial, but the thought of facing Kana in that battle, after everything, was enough to make her stomach churn. She glanced toward her, but Kana remained indifferent, as if Kaelin didn’t exist in her world.

  Kaelin had always prided herself on being able to adapt. But this... this would take more than just skill. It would take something else. And with Kana as her teammate, there was a heavy weight to that truth.

  As the instructors dispersed and the students began to break into their groups, Kaelin took a steadying breath. She couldn’t let herself get lost in the tension. She had to confront Kana, had to at least try to bridge the divide between them before the exam truly began. If they were going to survive these trials, they'd have to function as a team.

  With reluctant resolve, Kaelin walked toward Kana, the ground beneath her feet suddenly feeling like a long distance.

  "Kana," she began, her voice softer than she meant it to be. "We need to talk."

  Kana didn't immediately respond. She kept her gaze straight ahead, as though Kaelin wasn’t even there.

  “I know you’re still angry,” Kaelin continued, fighting the lump that formed in her throat. "I remember what happened with Daniel... and I understand why you hate me."

  Kana’s body stiffened at the mention of her late friend’s name. She turned slowly, her eyes colder than Kaelin had ever seen them, but there was no anger – not exactly – just a hollow void.

  “I don’t hate you,” Kana said flatly. “I just don’t care. I don’t have the energy to waste on you. You killed him. End of story.”

  Kaelin swallowed. “I never meant for that to happen. It was a mistake. I... I didn't want him to die. I just...”

  “You don’t get it,” Kana cut her off, voice sharp. "You don’t get that he was my best friend. That I cared for him. And that– ”Her voice cracked, and she quickly composed herself. “You took that from me.”

  “I know," Kaelin whispered, feeling the weight of every word. "And I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to forgive me. But we have to work together now. The exam... the trials. I promise I’ll do whatever it takes to help us both get through it.”

  Kana’s gaze hardened again, but after a long moment, she gave a slight nod, still not meeting Kaelin’s eyes. "We’ll have to see if you can live up to that promise."

  Kaelin stood still for a moment, unsure if they had made any progress at all. But there was something in Kana’s voice that hadn’t been there before – a crack in the wall of indifference. That, at least, was a start.

  “Let’s just get this over with,” Kana muttered before turning and walking away.

  Kaelin stood there for a moment longer, the silence between them heavy. She wasn’t sure if their uneasy truce would hold, but it was something to work with. And if she was going to survive these trials, she would have to make it work.