Cyrus Solaris
The rift exam was two days away. The academy's vibe became muted as everyone awaited the most important day of the school year.
My personal quest to find this creature consumed my thoughts and actions. If it weren't for Professor Rhondall reminding us that one of our end-of-year goals was to reach the adept stage, I would have forgotten to finish mastering my last node.
So I set out to master the final node so I could return to the central isle and continue my investigation into this creature after today's rift exam debriefing. Besides, I was going to need all the power I could get my hands on, so when I eventually do find it, there wouldn't be a repeat of last time.
I locked the door to my shabby dorm room and rested on my bed. I closed my eyes and performed my breathing technique to astral-project, then floated into my nexus.
Inside, Dox greeted me and brought me straight to the pool of reflection.
"You may begin the second part of the tidal forces resonance trial," Dox said, blinking a bright magenta.
The stardust at my feet floated up and transformed into the same box as last time.
I was confident I could pass on my first try after spending the past few weeks learning to use all of my abilities in tandem.
Remember, Cy, using a mental image of your hand won't work with this. The box is too heavy.
In the Pool of Reflection, I let the gravity waves flood my mind as I familiarized myself with the indentation in space the box created.
Last time I used a mental image of a piston to push the box forward. So, to pull it, what tool should I visualize?
A rope? Nah, not quick enough.
A tractor? No, way too big and slow.
Come on, Cy. Think.
Then inspiration struck. I recalled the mechanical puller the armament techs had been using the other day and imagined its hook sinking into the fold in space before me.
I sent a trickle of cosmic energy to my brain, giving me an extra boost. I imagined pulling the lever on the machine with a powerful yank. At first, the box slid just a bit across the floor of Stardust. Then it picked up speed, nearly skipping across the pool of reflection, headed towards me.
I stepped out of the way and watched it dematerialize as it exited the space where my resonance trial took place.
Shortly after, the pool of reflection shifted from a shiny white to magenta.
"You have passed your last resonance trial of the embryonic stage."
Hearing Dox say those words made me feel like I was finally starting to bridge the gap between Theron and me. The last time we met, I barely understood Gravity Well Minor. Now, I've mastered every node of my first stage.
I wonder what Dad would think if he could see how my abilities were developing?
Probably would have me run through some science experiment to test the real limits.
"Thank you, Dox. So, can I jump right into the Astral Trial so I can ascend? I'd like to have it done before the exam."
"Not yet."
"Why not?"
"The constellation is still in the process of deciding if you are worthy enough to be provided the chance of ascending."
"Wait, so the resonance trials weren't enough to prove that?"
"Anyone can perform actions, Cyrus. When the constellation deems you worthy, you will know." But until then, there is nothing else I can do."
"Fine," I said, my excitement quickly transforming into annoyance.
I gave Dox a farewell, left my nexus, and entered my physical body.
I can't believe it. Not worthy? That has to be a joke. Yet someone like Stravos can ascend without a problem?
His constellation must be some form of warmonger to think that, of all people, he was worthy of more power.
But I looked at my communicator, and it was time to head to class, so I hurried up, grabbed my things, and sprinted out the door.
I made it to class with a minute to spare.
Professor Rhondall showed a faint smile.
"Alright, class, today you are going to be briefed on the rift exam. Any questions before I begin?"
Not a sound.
"Alright then. So this rift exam will take place inside five dormant category two rifts, which are being suppressed from the inside thanks to some of our new astral tech. This machine has everyone's astral reflections memorized, preventing the rift from detecting foreign cosmic energy signatures.
There will be a total of 10 clusters assigned to a rift, and 2 teachers will chaperone each rift.
Inside, each cluster is tasked with finding a celestium mine and bringing back one thousand pounds of it to the academy. The ore that you bring back will be given to you to keep so that you can get a jump start on making your soul weapons once you all have reached the adept stage."
Kuru raised his hand.
"What's your question, Kuru?"
"How do you expect us to carry so much with us? We won't be able to bring our dimensional storage, since we are astro projecting."
"That's a good question. You will have to carry them and make several trips back and forth to a teacher, who will keep track and house them in their Astral Forge."
The students in the planetarium moaned.
"This should be a straightforward exam. If you have been studying and doing everything else you have been tasked to do, you should be fine. The rift exam is designed to help you get your feet wet and gain some exposure before you are sent to your internships next year.
But also let me remind you that this exam will determine if you get your provisional license, and the top performers will get to pick a relic from the vault. I expect you all to make me look good so that I can keep my job." Professor Rhondall said before he continued to rehash the basics of astronomy, as he did at the beginning of every class.
So this sounds easier than I thought it would be.
Then my communicator vibrated in my pocket. I discreetly slid it out to see what the notification was.
It was Sora, wanting to set up a cluster meeting.