Descend Chapter-2

OPENING CEREMONY

Walking inside with the rest of the crowd. The first thing he saw was a gigantic black castle adorned with golden embroidery, looking like the realm of a god. On either side of it were lush gardens, ancient trees, and monuments dedicated to great figures from history.

He walked on, eyes scanning the statues and their descriptions.
"Grand Mage Roseion Greyjoy, 1702–1755," one plaque read. "He led the conquest of the Australian Empire, winning twelve major battles. For his service, was awarded the greatest treasure of the Britannian Empire. He met a heroic death in the Battle of the Zealand Mountains, fighting against monstrous and savage native tribes."
On another plaque was Archknight Samuel II, 1697–1743. "General of the Xiangiang Province. He united the thirty-three princely states of the China region, maintained peace, and initiated programs to help China's backward societies stand on their own feet. He was granted the title 'Blessed of Heaven' by the Britannian Empire. His life ended tragically during an uprising of native Chinese rebels. He fought to protect the innocent there until his last breath."

A few meters further, his gaze fell upon a bronze statue of an 'Arcane Knight.' He stopped, looking at the statue with a cold expression as he read its description.
"Merlin Cristic, 1711–1745. One of the few powerhouses of the empire, the conqueror of the 'Land of Gods,' and the one who killed the evil king, Rao of Jansi. He destroyed twenty-three rebel organizations in the Indian subcontinent. Known as 'The Destroyer of Evil,' he died last year from black magic cast by an Indian rebel organization during his visit to Horgon University."

He muttered in a low, pissed-off tone, "Liars."

Nearby, he saw a woman with blonde hair, clad in black armor with a yellow cape, gazing at Merlin's statue. Her friend, dressed in a black mage's cloak, approached her.

"Sheron, why are you staring at this statue for so long? Let's get to the auditorium, or we'll get the last seats. The crowd is getting bigger."
"He saved me once, when I was ten," Sheron replied, her eyes still on the statue. "I admire him. I want to become an Arcane Knight just like him."

Her friend laughed. "Yeah, and I want to become the queen of this empire," she said jokingly. "Arcane Knights are at the top of the Empire's ranks. You have to master both swordsmanship and all five elemental magic styles to even be considered. With Sir Merlin's tragic death, there are only twenty-four left in the entire empire. But you're good with a sword, and I'm good with magic. If we work hard, we could become a Deacon Knight and a Deacon Mage in fifteen to twenty years. Now let's go grab a seat."
The truth in her friend's words struck Sheron like a bolt of lightning. "Okay, let's go," she said, her shoulders slumping slightly.

Shyne, having overheard their conversation, commented inwardly, "The youth of this generation are passionate and have a mindset for growth. She was cute, though, back when I saved her. Hey, stop it, you pervert! I'm old enough to be her father. "

He continued at a normal pace into the auditorium. He spotted the two familiar young women sitting in the second row. There weren't many seats left, so he found one in the eighth row.

Three figures walked onto the main stage. On the right was a middle-aged knight in silver armor with blue hair and a scar running from his left eye to his lip. On the left stood an old, white-haired mage in a red cloak, holding a golden wand with black inlays. In the center was a charming man who looked to be in his thirties. He had long blonde hair and wore a poetic white shirt and white pants, covered by a crimson mage's cloak. A sword with a golden hilt rested in the scabbard at his right hip.
When he reached the center of the stage, he spoke in an amusing and friendly manner.
"Hello to this year's pool of talent! You have all gone through a difficult exam and screening process to sit in this university, defeating millions of candidates. I, Jenes Souron, one of the twenty-four Arcane Knights and Grand Dean of Horgon University, along with Archmage Shaman Greyjoy, our Dean of the Magic Department, and Archknight Shillion Steen, our Dean of the Knight Department, welcome you all to the opening ceremony for the 1746 batch of Horgon University!"

"We will begin with this year's highest scorers in the entrance exam. Then, we will discuss the structure of Horgon, and we will end the ceremony by giving you the opportunity to bond with a magical creature."

Archmage Shaman stepped forward to announce the highest scorers. He looked at the students with a smile. "You are all chosen ones, and you have the potential to achieve heights no one has seen. There are some talents among you that outshine the stars themselves. This year's highest scorer in the mage exam is Curolion Lavini! He has achieved mastery in three of the five major elements and possesses a mana level of 400—the highest we have ever seen from a first-year student in the history of Horgon. He will be the class leader for this year's mage batch and will get a seat on the upper student council."

All eyes turned to a student in the front row with blue eyes, silver hair, and the mage cloak of Horgon. Some were surprised, some wanted to befriend him, and some were jealous. He, however, was just chilling, offering everyone a melancholic smile.
Shyne looked at him and thought, What a weird guy. He's just showing off with that smile.

The Archmage continued, "And the highest scorer in the knight entrance exam is Biles Moralis! He is a master of swordsmanship, defeated a Deacon-level knight examiner in his duel, and has a power level of 367. He will be the class leader for this year's knight batch and will also get a seat on the upper student council. Now, I will ask Sir Shillion to explain the structure of Horgon to our students."

A student in armor ignored the crowd's gaze, his eyes half-closed as if to show his indifference. Whispers broke out among the students. "Hey, isn't Moralis the surname of the royal family of the Vinland continent? Do you think he's royalty?"

Shyne was surprised and inwardly mused, "The Vinland continent is allied with the Britannian Kingdom, so that's why he's here. He's a bit rude, but what can you expect? He's a royal. They're born with that attitude."

Sir Shillion stepped forward and said in a calm tone, "As the Archmage said, I will introduce you to Horgon's academic structure. We have two departments: Magic and Knights. Each year, a cohort of fifty candidates forms a class for each department, and each class has a leader who represents class matters and maintains order. We also have an upper student council that manages all student affairs and is in direct contact with the faculty and the university's upper echelon. Class leaders automatically get a seat on the council. Other members are chosen through annual competitions where you will compete against your classmates and even senior students for a position."
"Your classes will begin after you have chosen a magical creature. Each has different abilities, but you do not choose one—it chooses you. If no creature chooses you, you may select a weapon or wand imbued with the power of a magical creature. Your weekly schedule will consist of two theoretical classes—one for your core domain of swordsmanship or magic, and one for history, geography, and current world affairs. You will also have one practical class to learn spells or sword techniques from Deacon-level instructors. Monthly competitions will determine your semester score and allow you to earn points toward a seat on the upper student council. You will receive two years of training, spanning four semesters, to become excellent knights and mages who will spread the glory of the Empire to the world. TO THE GLORY OF THE EMPIRE!"

The crowd rose to their feet, their arms held out stiffly. "TO THE GLORY OF THE EMPIRE!" they roared in unison.

Jenes's voice boomed with excitement. "All students of the Knight Department, follow Sir Shillion to the east garden to meet your magical creatures! All students of the Mage Department, go with Archmage Shaman to the west garden!"