Chapter 26: The Army of Applicants

Words : 1013 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 26: The Army of ApplicantsEvaline: My eyes flew open at the rustling noise that suddenly filled the silent room. My senses were on alert as I turned my head slightly, my gaze adjusting to the darkness. A figure just walked into the room, and the noise came from the door that they just closed behind them. For a brief moment, I tensed. But then I got a look at him. Despite the darkness, I recognized the broad shoulders, the lean frame, and the familiar mask covering his lower half of face. It was him. The man I had bumped into last night. And it turned out he’s my roommate, the one who had been missing since previous night. I watched as he moved. He didn’t make a sound as he crossed the room, keeping his footsteps light on the wooden floor. He didn’t bother turning on the light or even acknowledging my presence. Without a word, he pulled back the blanket on his bed and slid under it, turning his back to me in one fluid motion. And just like that, it was as if I didn’t exist. I stared for a few more seconds, waiting to see if he would say anything. But he didn’t. Shaking my head slightly, I lay back down and exhaled, forcing myself to relax. Tomorrow was the first test, and I needed all the rest I could get. So I ignored him and went back to sleep. - - - Once again it was the sound of movement that stirred me from sleep, and when I opened my eyes, I realized that my roommate was already awake. Just like last night, he didn’t acknowledge me. By the time I sat up, he was already heading toward the door with the mask in place. Before I could even think of saying anything, he was gone. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I quickly grabbed my toiletries and clothes before heading to the showers. About fifteen minutes later, I was in the dining hall for breakfast. Once again, Mallory and Kyros were with me, and I found myself realizing that I might have indeed found two friends. I knew that a lot of people had arrived to take the entrance exams, but it was only when we arrived at the hall where the test was going to take place, did I got to know the real numbers. A hundred and fifteen. That was way too many people. And it turned out that not even half of us were going to make through the tests considering the history of previous years. This piece of information only made me worry about myself, but I tried to not think about it and focus on the test. The atmosphere was tense, filled with hushed whispers and nervous glances. And the only thing helping me distract myself was Mallory who was practically bouncing on her feet. "Eva! Ready for the big test?" "As ready as I’ll ever be," I replied. Kyros was on my other side, looking completely calm. "It’s just a written exam. No need to panic." Mallory scoffed. "Says the guy who’s been studying for this his whole life." Kyros just sighed but said nothing. Looking at him, I just knew that he was going to ace the test. Before we could continue talking, a sudden shift in the air made everyone turn their heads. My heart skipped a beat as my eyes landed on a familiar figure making his way into the hall. His arrival changed the energy in the room. Conversations died down, and every shifter instinctively straightened. It was Alpha Kieran. He was dressed in an all black suit that made his blonde hair and deep green eyes stood out more than usual. His silky hair was styled so neatly, and as he walked, his entire persona radiated power and authority. "Oh my!" I heard Mallory gasping beside me, and she wasn’t the only one. Almost every person present in the hall was taken aback by Alpha Kieran’s appearance and aura. Once he reached the front of the room, he took his place in the center and his piercing eyes scanned the crowd, and for a brief moment, they landed on me. And then, just as quickly, he looked away. "As you all know, today marks the first round of entrance exams," he said in a calm yet authoritative voice. "Only those who prove themselves worthy will move on to the next round. Do your best." And with that being said, he turned and left the hall. Yet, his presence lingered even after he was gone. The tension in the room eased slightly, but not by much. "Well," Mallory whispered, "that was intense." "Focus," Kyros muttered as he adjusted his glasses again. It wasn’t normal for shifters to wear glasses as they always had heightened eyesight. This made me wonder if the glasses were his personal preference or something. Minutes later, the staff members overseeing the test entered the hall. There were two teachers, both older shifters with stern expressions, and a handful of senior-year students who had been assigned as exam supervisors. A teacher with graying hair cleared his throat. "The first test is a written assessment. It consists of five questions. You have one hour to complete it. Answer at least three correctly to move to the next round. The more correct answers you have, the more points you earn. The highest scorer will receive a special privilege as a first-year student at Silver Moon Academy." A murmur rippled through the crowd. There was no doubt that the special privilege reward sounded too tempting. Soon, we were guided to our seats. The long tables had answer sheets laid out, each marked with a student number. I took my assigned seat and exhaled slowly. I was as ready for this exam as I ever could. Since I hadn’t done any sort of revision, I was only depending on the knowledge I had about our world. Moments later, the test papers were handed out.

Chapter 26: The Army of Applicants

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