Observing the dean's behavior, I tried to calm myself and recall what I had felt from the magic. But I couldn't say whether that had been another world or this one. I had only recently begun to see magic, so I had nothing to compare the fluctuations there and here to. Shaking my head while the dean waited for an answer, I began thinking of how to explain it to him.
"I can't tell you in which world we met. I don't know. It was night all around us, and there was only a campfire. Only after she accepted me as her chosen one was I able to see the fluctuations of mana." Placing a hand on my chin, I started wondering myself—in what world had we truly met? Could the ritual pierce the barrier between worlds in order to allow someone to become chosen? If so, didn't that mean it might also be possible to open a portal into that world?
"What else did she tell you? Do they plan to send more chosen ones to the other races?" the dean asked. It was clear he had begun calming down after I told him the gods had grown disappointed.
"She said they are watching the world and all of us, but she didn't reveal anything about their plans. Still, that possibility can't be ruled out." I answered while thinking about her final words—that everything depended on me. I chose not to tell the dean that part, as I had no idea how he might react.
"Do you believe her words? Do you think we still have a chance to restore the magic those greedy gods took from us?" he asked. It was obvious this question mattered greatly to him. Whether it was because the light elves had lost their light magic or for another reason, I didn't know.
"Blind faith can lead to ruin or downfall, but I would still listen to her words, Dean. Perhaps there is a chance, but like you, I have no idea what must be done." I said while looking him directly in the eyes. I couldn't tell him that, at this moment, I didn't believe the races had any real chance of restoring their former magic—they still hadn't understood what the gods had tried to teach them.
"Wise words for someone as young as you. I agree with you. So if any ideas come to mind about how we can restore magic, inform me." Ama'Lein said, nodding.
I could only smirk. The dean was trying to play on my inexperience in the world to manipulate me. Even if he knew where I came from and who I was, I doubted he could have guessed that the changes were not only external—my mind was working differently as well.
"Of course. I'll inform you if any information appears." Agreeing with him, I bowed, thinking our conversation had come to an end, but as I prepared to leave, he stopped me.
"Trey, remember—tell no one what happened here. This morning there will be an assembly of students for class assignment. After your transformation, very few will recognize you, so try not to attract unnecessary attention during lessons. Do you understand me?" the dean asked seriously.
Tilting my head, I didn't quite understand. Class assignment? But hadn't the talent evaluation already determined that I belonged with the swordsmen? And now there was yet another assignment?
"I see not everything was explained to you. The talent evaluation does not determine which class you will be placed into. The fact that many new students were temporarily assigned to classes today does not mean they cannot be transferred. The academy cultivates talented mages and swordsmen alike. Only after the class trials will assignments be fixed for the year." Seeing my confusion, the dean decided to explain.
I could only sigh deeply. My time at the academy was already beginning to feel like one enormous test, and now there would be class assignments this very morning.
"How will the assignment work? According to talent or something else?" I asked, growing even more confused.
"A talent may be exceptional, but the individual or representative of another race may still be weak and unable to demonstrate its true potential. Therefore, talent alone will not influence class placement." the dean answered. Touching his ring, he dismissed his chair. Looking at the ritual circles, he whispered something, and the floor returned to its spotless state.
"Could you explain in more detail? So far, your explanations have been extremely vague." I said, irritation slipping into my voice.
"I cannot tell you everything. Otherwise, you would gain an unfair advantage over the other students. I can only say there will be three stages." he replied, shaking his head.
My irritation deepened. I hated when things were hidden from me, though it was somewhat reassuring to know everyone else was in the same situation. At least we were all operating under the same constraints.
"You may go now. One final piece of advice—trust your instincts. Tomorrow, as one of the chosen, you may be capable of much more than you realize." the dean said after examining me once more, then headed for the door without waiting for my response.
Leaving the testing chamber, I made my way back to the dormitory, lost in thought. What exactly had the dean meant by trusting my instincts? Did he mean I should go all out? But I still didn't know what powers I possessed beyond the changes in my appearance and the enhancement of my senses.
Still, one thing was reassuring: neither my brother nor my sister would recognize me now—unless they identified me by name, though even then there could easily be others with the same one.
As I walked, I decided to inspect the vessel in my back. Closing my eyes, I focused inward, tracing my awareness toward my spine. Finding it again, I saw that the chaos energy remained at the same level as before, which made me sigh with relief. Reliving that painful transformation again after only a few hours was not something I wanted.
Then suddenly I stopped, caught by a disturbing thought.
Was I even still human?
As Ges had said, a human body could not withstand chaos energy. But then the question remained—what body could?
Elves?
Possibly, though I wasn't certain. Chaos energy was far too unstable. Watching how energy had circulated around Ama'Lein, I could say his mana resembled a calm breeze, even when irritated.
I dismissed the other races immediately. It was common knowledge that dark elves were predisposed toward dark magic, but even that was far less aggressive. Orcs and dwarves were even less likely—one excelled in forging weapons and mining metals, the other in physical combat due to their dense bodies.
Did I possess magic now?
If so, how was I supposed to explain first lacking it entirely, only for it to suddenly appear a few hours after enrolling in the academy?
As I walked, my head began aching from the endless questions with no answers. I barely noticed the surprised looks from other students—I had far more important things to think about.
Returning to my room, I unlocked the door. Before I even turned on the light, I noticed yet another change: I could see in the darkness nearly as clearly as during the day.
Locking the door behind me, I switched on the light and headed for the bathroom. There was a mirror there, and perhaps it could answer at least some of my questions.
Turning on the bathroom light, I stepped inside and looked into the mirror—nearly jumping backward in shock.
A half-elf stared back at me.
My skin had darkened enough that I could pass for a dark elf. My once-blue eyes were now black. My golden hair had turned white and grown longer, reaching my shoulders.
Removing the upper part of my uniform, I examined my body. It had become more refined, more elegant—like that of an elf.
Stepping closer to the mirror, I studied myself more carefully and noticed faint crimson streaks running through my hair.
Turning my back toward the mirror, I found Ges's seal between my shoulder blades. It was small, but if one looked closely enough, it was noticeable.
Massaging my temple in anticipation of an inevitable headache, I left the bathroom, turned off the light, and lay down to rest.
Tomorrow promised to be difficult.