The sun was still climbing when the instructors gathered the remaining examinees outside the academy’s lower courtyard.

  Kael stood among the crowd of students, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

  Apparently the academy believed in something called “early combat readiness.”

  Kael personally believed in something called sleep.

  Unfortunately, Aetherion Magic Academy seemed to prefer the former.

  At the front of the courtyard stood a tall woman wearing dark academy robes.

  Her long dark hair was tied neatly behind her back, and thin silver runes were stitched along the sleeves of her uniform.

  Her sharp gray eyes calmly scanned the group.

  “Good morning,” she said.

  Her voice was calm but carried easily across the courtyard.

  “I am Professor Selene Arkwright.”

  Several students straightened immediately.

  Even Lyra Valencrest looked more attentive.

  Kael blinked.

  “…Well,” he muttered quietly, “she seems terrifying.”

  The student next to him nodded nervously.

  Professor Arkwright continued.

  “The final stage of your entrance exam is a practical combat trial.”

  She gestured toward a large stone structure behind her.

  Massive reinforced doors stood at its entrance, carved with ancient magical symbols.

  “The academy dungeon.”

  A murmur spread through the students.

  Arkwright folded her hands behind her back.

  “You will be placed into small groups and sent inside.”

  She paused.

  “You will defeat one controlled monster and return safely.”

  Kael raised his hand.

  Professor Arkwright looked at him.

  “Yes?”

  Kael cleared his throat.

  “Hypothetically… if someone only has one spell—”

  “I am aware.”

  “…Right.”

  She continued calmly.

  “Combat trials are designed to measure more than magical power.”

  Her gaze briefly lingered on Kael.

  “Adaptability is also important.”

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Kael blinked.

  “…That sounded encouraging.”

  The Teams

  Students were quickly divided into groups.

  Kael’s team included:

  Lyra Valencrest

  Mira Elowen

  And two other students he didn’t recognize.

  Mira waved cheerfully when she saw him.

  “Hi! You’re the Echo guy!”

  Kael sighed.

  “…I'm hoping that won't become a title.”

  Lyra crossed her arms nearby.

  “I’m still confused how someone with one spell passed the earlier exams.”

  Kael nodded thoughtfully.

  “I’m also confused.”

  Mira giggled.

  Lyra stared at him.

  “…You’re strange.”

  Entering the Dungeon

  The heavy stone doors slowly opened.

  Cold air drifted out from the darkness beyond.

  Torches flickered along the dungeon walls as groups of students entered one by one.

  Kael stepped inside with his team.

  The stone corridors stretched ahead in several directions.

  Arkwright’s voice echoed from behind them.

  “Your objective is simple.”

  “Defeat the target monster and return.”

  The doors shut behind them.

  Kael looked around.

  “…Simple, she says.”

  The Monster

  They had barely walked two corridors when a low growl echoed through the dungeon.

  Something moved in the shadows ahead.

  A creature stepped into the torchlight.

  It was roughly the size of a wolf, but its body was covered in dark stone-like plates.

  Glowing red cracks ran through its armor.

  Lyra’s eyes sharpened.

  “A Stone Hound.”

  One of the other students panicked.

  “Those things are fast!”

  Mira stepped forward beside Lyra, raising both hands.

  “Bloom Thread!”

  Thin strands of glowing green energy shot forward and wrapped briefly around the Stone Hound’s front legs. The creature snarled as the vines tightened for a moment before snapping apart under its strength.

  “Okay!” Mira said quickly. “Maybe not strong enough to hold it!”

  The creature lunged.

  Lyra reacted instantly.

  “Lightning Strike!”

  A bolt of lightning shot forward and slammed into the monster.

  The Stone Hound staggered—but didn’t fall.

  Kael noticed something immediately.

  “The armor’s absorbing some of the energy,” he said.

  Lyra frowned.

  “I can see that.”

  The creature lunged again.

  Mira flicked her hand again.

  “Bloom Thread!”

  Another set of glowing vines burst from the stone floor, tangling briefly around the monster’s hind legs and slowing its charge just enough for Kael to move.

  “Go!” Mira shouted.

  Kael stepped forward.

  “Echo.”

  A pulse of magic burst outward.

  The shockwave disrupted the monster’s charge just long enough.

  Kael drew his sword.

  Lyra blinked.

  “…You brought a sword?”

  Kael rushed forward.

  The Stone Hound snapped its jaws toward him.

  He sidestepped and slashed across the creature’s glowing crack.

  The blade struck cleanly.

  The monster stumbled.

  Lyra’s eyes widened slightly.

  “He’s actually fighting it.”

  Kael ducked under another attack.

  “Little help would be great!”

  Lyra snapped back to attention.

  “Lightning Spear!”

  Another bolt of lightning struck the weakened spot.

  The Stone Hound collapsed with a heavy crash.

  Mira exhaled and dropped her hands.

  “Okay,” she said, brushing dust off her sleeves. “That thing was way stronger than the practice beasts back home.”

  She looked between Kael and Lyra with a grin.

  “But hey, teamwork!”

  Silence returned to the corridor.

  Kael slowly lowered his sword.

  “…Well,” he said, breathing out.

  “That could’ve gone worse.”

  Lyra’s Surprise

  Lyra stared at him.

  “You’re a mage.”

  “Technically.”

  “Mages don’t normally fight monsters with swords.”

  Kael shrugged.

  “When you only have one spell, you improvise.”

  Mira clapped excitedly.

  “That was amazing teamwork!”

  Lyra crossed her arms again.

  “…Your swordsmanship isn’t bad.”

  Kael smiled slightly.

  “My dad’s a blacksmith.”

  “That explains it.”

  Watching From Above

  High above the dungeon corridors, magical observation crystals projected images of the trials to the instructors.

  Professor Arkwright stood quietly, watching one particular projection.

  Kael’s Echo pulse replayed in the crystal.

  The spell ripple expanded outward.

  But the magical pattern…

  Shifted slightly.

  Arkwright narrowed her eyes.

  “That structure…” she murmured.

  One instructor beside her spoke.

  “Just a weak pulse spell.”

  Arkwright didn’t respond.

  Because she had noticed something unusual.

  The spell had slightly changed shape after interacting with the monster’s magic.

  Almost like it had…

  Learned something.

  Her gaze returned to Kael’s image.

  “…Interesting.”

  Back in the Dungeon

  Kael wiped his blade clean.

  Lyra still looked thoughtful.

  “You said your spell was called Echo.”

  “Yep.”

  “What exactly does it do?”

  Kael thought for a moment.

  “…Honestly?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m still figuring that out.”

  Lyra stared at him again.

  Then sighed.

  “You’re impossible.”

  Kael sheathed his sword.

  “Probably.”

  But deep within his mind, Echo pulsed again.

  Faintly.

  As if something inside the spell had just taken its first step forward.