Stars of Destiny

The Hall of Plants

Zara continued her story. She described a planet bathed in a gentle light with a warm and humid climate.

As a result, the entire planet was covered by a tropical rainforest. This forest was home to a rich biocenosis. One could observe unique plants and animals that had nothing to do with those found on Earth.

She saw a rabbit with a horn that seemed to be surrounded by electrical energy, a jet-black eagle that used the power of the wind to soar into the air, and trees that were hundreds of meters tall.

But the most visible element of the landscape was undeniably a tree whose height could not even be calculated, as it extended beyond the clouds.

Without really understanding why, Zara became mesmerized by this tree and gradually moved closer to it. She couldn't even focus on the other apprentices around her. If she had taken the time to do so, she would have noticed that they were all moving towards the tree.

Zara eventually arrived in front of it, feeling an irresistible urge to touch its bark. She already knew that her understanding of the plant element allowed her to commune with nature. She had done it before on Earth.

As she placed her hand on the tree, an enormous flow of information surged into her, and she fainted.

Just as she was about to hit the ground, a tree branch moved to catch Zara as if the tree itself were conscious.

Zara, like all the other students touching the tree, was lifted above the celestial canopy. Even after passing through the clouds, she continued to ascend until she finally reached the top of the tree.

A few minutes later, she woke up. Suddenly, she was on guard, as she didn't recognize the place. Despite being an apothecary, it should be remembered that Zara lived in a time of constant conflict. She had therefore learned to defend herself.

Nevertheless, what she saw took her breath away. In her vision lay an unparalleled view of the infinite forest on this moon. This view was something she had never seen before. After all, for her, life had been composed only of the sand of the Agafay desert.

In this infinite expanse, there was one element that stood out. On the canopy of the tree, in a place far from any civilization, there was a simple little wooden cabin.

In front of it, there was an old woman savoring tea while quietly reading a book. As if this breathtaking view no longer impressed her.

The old woman looked up from her book and smiled at Zara and the other students who had already awakened. "Welcome, young magicians," she said in a gentle and soothing voice. "I am the Ancient Guardian of this tree. Here, you will learn the voice of the plants."

Zara, still a bit disoriented, cautiously approached and dared to ask a question that many were probably thinking. "Why am I here?" she asked.

The Ancient Guardian put down her book and slowly stood up. "This tree is the heart of our world. It contains secrets and ancient knowledge. Those who are able to touch it and receive its messages are destined to play a crucial role in the protection of the universe."

"How are we considered capable?" asked a young girl with wavy green hair.

"It's very simple, you just need to have an affinity with the plant element," replied the Ancient Guardian with a slight smile.

Without giving the students time to ask further questions, she continued directly: "My name is Maelis, and I will be in charge of your class. Here, I will teach you how to commune with the world. The test you will undergo here is very different from those you might face in other elemental halls."

"After thousands of years of magical civilization, it has become clear that apprentices with an affinity for nature evolve more quickly when they are connected to another form of life. You will need to create a bond between yourself and another being through a magical contract. During the next hour, you will be in meditation with the world tree of our planet to learn the magical contract."

"Take your meditation positions; learning this technique quickly will depend solely on you."

In her mind, a small tree appeared, radiating a warm and protective ambiance.

Zara closed her eyes and focused on the image of the tree in her mind. She felt a gentle, soothing energy envelop her, as if the tree was guiding her in her meditation. The other students around her did the same, each seeking to establish a connection with the world tree.

Within this gentle energy, traces of an ancient spell could be discerned, seemingly linking souls together.

However, despite her efforts, Zara struggled to fully understand the spell. She could feel the presence of the tree and the energy surrounding it, but something eluded her. The spell was far more complicated than those she had learned in the training hall. Nonetheless, she felt a slight twist in her magical power.

She opened her eyes and saw a small rabbit with an electric horn, similar to the one she had observed earlier. The rabbit looked at her with curiosity, its eyes shining with intelligence.

"Hello, little friend," Zara murmured. "Do you want to form a bond with me?" The rabbit responded with a small cry and seemed to move closer.

"The animals here seem more intelligent than those found on Earth," Zara thought. She didn't notice, but the rabbit seemed to smile when she thought those words.

She tried to use the spell she barely understood to see its possible effects. After all, she grasped its main aspects; it might work.

She focused on her new spell. It was called Mother Earth's Contract. It was a rank 1 spell, but of the highest level of difficulty. It required practitioners to have completed their initial understanding of their element or, for some, to have reached the intermediate stage of understanding.

As she constructed the spell in her mind, a circle with verdant runic inscriptions formed in front of the rabbit.

But as the runes were halfway complete, the construction collapsed on itself, and a wave of pain engulfed her.

After several minutes of vague thoughts, she realized she was moving too quickly in her magical approach.

Apologizing to the rabbit, she continued to focus on the spell. After some time, her concentration weakened, and she awakened.

"Your training hour is over. All those who have successfully formed a bond with a living being have already left. I will now give you some advice," said Maelis.

After a few moments, it was finally Zara's turn. "Your problem is that you are too impulsive. You started your contract too quickly. Fortunately, I reacted quickly enough, or you could have been permanently injured."

"Focus on understanding the spell; the rabbit already wants you. You only have one more step to take."

With that, Zara returned to the Academy.

[Zara Ibn Malik]

[Rank 1: Initiate]

[Magic Power: 17]

[Combat Power: 10]

[Nature initial stage - completed - awaiting a breakthrough]

[Water initial stage - completed - awaiting a breakthrough]

[Spiritual Origin: B-]

[Magical Control: D+]

[Lineage: ???]

[Talent: ???]

[Nature Rank 1 Spell: Mother Earth's Contract: 35% comprehension]

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"Wow, it's so amazing to have a lifelong companion like that," said Miki, eyes wide with admiration. "I hope we get the chance to have something like that too. It must be incredible to share such a deep bond."

"I'll introduce you to him once I finally understand the spell to make him my lifelong companion," Zara replied with a smile. "He's truly unique. Now, all that's left is Kibi's story."

As the attention turned to Kibi, he seemed uncomfortable, shifting in his seat. "I need to warn you about something," he began, his voice serious. "The academy, despite its promises of grandeur, isn't fair to everyone."

"What do you mean?" asked Freya, perplexed. "I didn't have to pass any tests when I arrived at the Hall of Metal. They accepted me as an apprentice right away."

Kibi took a deep breath before continuing. "I mean that not all students are treated the same way. When I arrived at the Hall of Metal, they accepted me as an apprentice without any tests. But some of my peers had to prove their worth before being admitted. This creates an inequality from the start, and it's really disheartening for those who have to struggle more."

Freya frowned, puzzled and concerned. "That's unfair. Why would they do that? It doesn't make sense to treat students differently."

Kibi answered concisely: "Unlike you, I had already reached the intermediate stage in my element. This meant they offered me two additional hours of training compared to the standard one hour for regular students. It's like they're rewarding those who've already achieved more, but it just widens the gap between students."

Phaistos spoke up, his expression thoughtful. "Indeed, it seems the academy offers more resources the higher the talent level. Could you explain everything you experienced so we can get a comprehensive idea of what happened to students like you within our own training halls? It might give us insights on how to navigate this system."

Kibi responded: "Of course, this should help you improve, as I received special information about how the learning process works here. Knowing what to expect can make a huge difference in how we approach our training and maximize our opportunities."

The group listened intently, eager to absorb every bit of knowledge that could aid their journey in the academy.