Finally, the glorious day has arrived. A massive crowd of soon – to – become summoners stood readily in the great hall of the Institute of War, awaiting the life altering announcement they have been working so hard for. After the years they have spent being introduced to the basic theoretical knowledge, it was finally time to move on to practical training. It meant a huge step forward, and surely, the summoners have eagerly waited this moment for a long time. Their excited chatter rang through the great hall, as they anxiously predicted for the elder to arrive and for the ceremony to begin as well.
Soon, as expected, the elder's arrival was announced. Hundreds of eager looks fixed to the entrance area , and soon, to their utmost joy, the elder was seen walking along the centre of the room, followed by two guards. The two men walked over to the podium, positioning themselves to both of its sides, as the elder stood upon it, gazing at the students who have gathered for the ceremony.
"Fellow students - today, I wish you a warm welcome to the Institute of War." the elder spoke crisply, as he scanned the audience, which seemed to soak in every word he said with great attention.
" Even though you might have spent the majority of your time here, this is the first day you will spend here, officially recognized as summoners." he continued, noticing several proud smiles spreading across the students' faces.
He was well aware of the importance this day held for each and every one of them. They would finally get the chance to prove themselves in battle and stand out. Judging by the final exam scores, a majority of them had put a lot of effort in order to get this far. With a soft smirk slowly forming on his face, the elder resumed his speech after a small pause.
"Now, I am sure you are all more than eager to receive your robes and proceed to the next phase of your training. However, before that can take place, you will all be divided into teams of five." he announced, as he motioned his hand towards the guard to his left.
The man readily nodded, before he stepped onto the podium as well, clearing his throat before he would speak to the students.
"Based on your evaluation scores, we have decided to pair you all accordingly, so that all of you would be capable of thriving to your full potential." he declared.
"Your applications regarding team roles have been taken into consideration as well. You may now examine the information board, in front of the great hall, to see the details about your newfound teams. After you've returned, we will officially start your training." he added, pointing at the exit door briefly. Moments later, just as expected, the students were rushing towards the exit door, to see the board for themselves.
Sierra Agrane was thrilled. In fact, she was thrilled even the day before the ceremony. Thoughts of her advancement briefly crossed her mind as she tried to make her way past students and quicken her arrival to the board. She was anxious to find out who her team mates were, and see if she knew them personally. The thought of making new friends seemed somewhat appealing, even though there was that slight feeling of insecurity, ever present within her. Upon completing the final exam, she applied for the support role, hoping she would get a chance to land that team position. She would gladly settle for anything else, the mere fact that she was a part of a team now filled her with pride and confidence. Yet, she felt that supporting her team was really the best path to explore, as she thoroughly enjoyed all of the healing classes she had a chance to attend. As she reached the board, Sierra hastily scanned through the lists.
"Ergh… So many names… Where is mine?" she wondered silently, as her eyes travelled down the posted papers. The moment of truth was inches away.
Although this day started off veiled with excitement for many students present, Ikaru Etene's day didn't start as joyfully. It was no secret that the ceremony was held today, yet to him, it came as a shock. Yes, it is true, he looked forward to the day when he would become a summoner, but at the same time, he feared it. Not because he thought it wasn't his true calling. Quite the contrary, Ikaru was fascinated by summoning from the moment he learned of its existence. But this day… It came too soon. He felt as if he was almost robbed of the much needed time to decide. There were so many questions left unanswered… So many fields to improve in, and yet here he was now, reaching a whole new stage. Was he even ready for this? Reluctantly looking towards the wooden board, he quickly thought of leaving. Perhaps, if he chose to leave now, his advancement would become invalid. He would have all the time he needs to truly decide what is best for him. His mind went back to all of the exams he passed. What would be the point of it all if he left now? Sighing inaudibly, the young man turned his full attention to the board, in pursuit of the letters which forged his name.
Nielli Salen didn't rush to the board with enthusiasm at all. What was the point anyway? As soon as the word 'team' reached his ears, the whole excitement about this 'new phase of training' vanished. Hasn't he spent enough time in a large group of people already? Having to endure all the way through their simple minded perspectives… The mere thought of the years behind him caused him to form a hushed, disgruntled growl. What was the point of this… Advancement? Granted, the large group of people was now made into a small one. Still, the thought brought no comfort to him. He sought individual development. A chance for him to be alone with his thoughts, with no one there to question his decisions or oppose him at any time. Sighing his disappointment away, he glanced towards the board with little interest. As he turned around, a thought occurred to him. He slowly moved further away from the crowd. What if his application was declined? First, he is forced to learn alongside four useless leaches and now… He might not be able to gain his desired role? No. No! That would be entirely unacceptable. To train with four of those incompetent fools in order to gain useful insight was worth the sacrifice. But to lose his chances of improving and still remain with the group? That would be insane! If that happens, he might as well give up on the whole thing. The sudden discovery made him want to know where he stands as far as that…. Ridiculous team goes. With a brisk pace, he moved towards the crowd, carelessly pushing through. He had to find out at once.
Mareike Dynari carefully watched the group of students moving about. Following their lead, she soon arrived to the board as well. She chose not to get too close. The constant jibber jabber, the oh's and the ah's weren't something she would be delighted or even remotely interested to hear. Staring at the papers from afar, she wondered if she really cared enough to know who she is with. It wouldn't make a big difference. It's not like she knew anyone from the earlier stages of their studies. She will get thrown into some group - that much is sure. Might as well wait for the crowd to disperse. Maybe then, she could take a look at those papers. She watched the students pushing each other around in order to get a better view on the board. What are they getting so worked up about? It's not like they gain something by this advancement. They will just keep training, only this time, instead of studying in a boring, monotonous classroom, they'll get to go outside. Big whoop. She wasn't really overly interested into her future team mates. The only thing which mattered to her was to know what her role will be. Right. Like it even mattered…
Garrett Ancotar was deep in thought. As he lazily dragged himself over to the board area, he thought about what lies ahead. He was going to get a robe? He scoffed at the thought. What about a sword? A sword sure would be nice. A sword shaped into a deadly, fascinating fang… He would wield it with great skill… Yes, oh yes! The enemies would tremble at the very sight of him, dropping their weapons and retreating as would stand with a mocking smirk on his face. And then… Then… As the last retreating figure would just be almost out of view, he would bolt after them and… And… Ooh! He almost forgot what he was here for. That's right… A list of some sort…. What would the sword be called? A hero always has a legendary sword with a unique name… Hmm… How about DeathFang? That's quite catchy… Fatal Fang? No, no… Too obvious. His eyebrows rose as he noticed his name on one of the papers. Four more names were surrounding it. Well that wasn't very useful… Who are these people? He glanced around his immediate area, trying to determine whether someone else noticed their name nearby his, but no such luck. He would find out later, certainly. His eyes lit up as he noticed that his application form was accepted. He was going to take on the AD carry role. YES! And he will finally become recognized! Yes! Him - with his DeathFang at hand! Glancing at his name once more, Garrett smiled contently, before he would walk away from the crowd, and back into the great hall.