A woman approached the pillar, her white wings glowing softly, giving her an almost legendary appearance. On closer inspection, Asher noticed feathers along her hands and shoulders, marking her as part beastkin, likely of the bird type.
She wore a long, flowing robe of soft silver that shimred whenever she moved.
Her hair fell in soft waves of white, blending with the glow of her wings. It matched her face perfectly. Her eyes were a deep, intense orange .
The crowd stared at the woman in awe. Judging by their reactions, she was very well-known.
"Do you know who she is?" Asher whispered to Lucia.
Lucia gave a slight nod.
"Yes. She's Talira Skyshade, a powerful sorcerer from Zaryth, the capital of Storm. They say she was one of the strongest there. She's especially dangerous if she has enough space and ti to cast her most powerful spells."
Asher nodded in understanding, his gaze narrowing as he studied Talira closely. His eyes moved over her waist, noting the subtle way she held herself. He realized that she, too, had sothing in place to prevent others from sensing her true power directly.
The mont her hand made contact, the pillar lit up. First, one star glowed, then four, then five.
The stars kept lighting up faster and faster. People in the crowd started whispering as the pillar reached eight stars, then ten, and finally, it stopped at thirteen.
The entire place went quiet. Thirteen stars. That was the highest anyone had seen so far, and it left everyone amazed.
Asher watched the woman carefully. Her calm expression didn't change, even as everyone around her stared in disbelief. She had just set a new record, and she did not even show any hint of satisfaction.
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Lucia whispered, "Thirteen stars... I didn't think anyone could get that close to sixteen other than you. "
He turned to Lucia and asked, "How many stars do you think I can light up?"
She thought for a mont, considering his abilities, then replied, "Fourteen."
"Just fourteen?" He raised an eyebrow. "And how strong are those nad sages?"
"They're power can't be asured by this pillar," she explained. "But if it's based on stars, it could be around twenty after they got their legacy."
He couldn't help but feel that Lucia was overestimating the nad sages and underestimating him.
But he couldn't bla her. After all, she had never seen the full extent of his power, and he had no intention of revealing it just to make a point. He would only use more if soone was skilled enough to force him into a corner.
As more people took their turn, the crowd watched intently. Several managed to hit twelve stars, and a rare few reached thirteen. The high numbers made it clear just how strong the participants were.
However—
Having a massive amount of energy didn't guarantee victory.
There were plenty of cases where soone with only 8 stars managed to defeat a participant with a higher score.
The difference wasn't always about quantity; it often ca down to how efficiently they used their spells. Power alone wasn't enough to win—strategy and skill played a huge role.
When it was his turn, all eyes turned to him, partly because of the mask he wore. But he paid them no mind. He reached out and casually touched the glass pillar.
Imdiately, the stars began to light up, faster than anyone had seen before.
But then, the light suddenly paused at 8-mark. It was a pass, but still disappointing, especially considering how quickly the stars had lit up.
Most of the sorcerers sneered in disdain, finding his attempt pathetic despite passing.
"Eight stars? Pathetic," one sorcerer scoffed. "I thought he'd be sothing more."
"He almost fooled us," another added with a smirk.
But for those with a keen eye, it was obvious he was holding back.
Talira, waiting for her companions to finish, couldn't help but smile.
'It seems I'm not the only one trying to hide my power. To think he could really stop at exactly where he wanted—his control is impressive.'
She then turned her attention to the other sorcerers she was wary of. They noticed her gaze and, in return, regarded her with similar caution. All of them were now wondering if another unknown dark horse had entered the tournant.
Back on the platform, the insults kept coming—but Asher ignored them. Their words had no effect on him; in the grand sche of things, they were irrelevant.
With a calm step, he walked towards a male facilitator. As he approached, he pulled out his emblem and presented it without hesitation.
The facilitator glanced at him and smiled, fully aware that Asher was stronger than he let on.
"Do you have an alias you'd like to use for the tournant?" the facilitator asked.
Asher didn't need to think long. It ca to him instantly.
"Ash,".
It was fitting—soone who had already died, turned to ash, and then resurrected. In a way, he couldn't shake the feeling that his na was so kind of foreshadowing .
The facilitator nodded, recorded his alias, and assigned him the number 517. He was then instructed to wait in the corner.
Those who passed began talking among themselves, trying to make connections. They were preparing for the possibility that the next qualification test might require a group just like last ti.
They imdiately gathered around those who had lit up 10 to 13 stars, drawn to them like moths to a fla.
Asher, on the other hand, kept to himself.
anwhile, Lucia stayed on the sidelines, not taking the test, and just watched.
As Asher savored the quiet and peace around him, the hum of distant conversations faded into the background.
He closed his eyes for a mont. But then, a voice broke through his silence.
"Nice eting you, "
Opening his eyes, he saw Talira standing in front of him. She raised her hand toward him, her fingers extended in a casual offer of a handshake.
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