The Messenger of Death

Duna responded to Alex's smile with a frown. 'I swear this kid is asking for it.' Duna fumed.

"Starting from the origin realm cultivators, you walk up to the small pillar over there." He pointed at the little pillar in front of the 7 huge pillars.

"Place your hand on it till it glows, then you wait to see which of the big pillars are going to light up and how many rings on it you make glow. There are 12 rings on each pillar, if you can make more than 6 rings glow then your affinity with the element is above average, if it is 7 then there's not much difference with that of the average person. From 8 and above is what we consider as talents."

"The elements that the pillars represent are; Water, Fire, Air, Earth, Lightning, Darkness, and Light. For the last three, it is rare to see a person that has an average level of affinity with them. Blue, Red, Green, Pink, Black, and then white – this is how you identify which elemental pillar you light up, respectively."

He turned his attention back to the crowd. "Some people might make 2-3 pillars glow. It is rare to find people that have a high affinity with multiples elements. You can come up now." Duna said to the girl that was at the front of the origin cultivators' line.

"After her, the next person will be the first from the nascent cultivators. We would follow this sequence until everyone has checked theirs." He added.

The girl fidgeted a bit then gathered her confidence as she slowly took steps that brought her closer to the little pillar. She placed her hand on it and waited for a few seconds.

One of the pillars lit up – a blue-colored glow started to dim and soon blue glowing rings started to appear. She lit up 7 rings.

"7 blue rings, an above-average water elemental user." Dune said with a disappointed tone. His words cut through the girl like a hot knife cutting through butter, she was about to cry when she heard an unfamiliar voice speak.

"You see a girl with an above-average affinity with the water element and I see a girl with a lot of potentials. Don't let what he said tarnish your determination, he's judging people from his standards." The unfamiliar voice said to the girl.

The whole crowd turned their attention to the source of the voice. It was a female in Black uniform, same as Duna's, only difference was that she had a skirt on. Her fair-long legs could be seen by the public. A lean and curvy waist, dirty blonde hair that flowed down to her shoulders, and an amazing face to back her physique. Behind her were females that wore red uniforms, they all had skirts on.

['Wooo!! Some candy for my eyes.'] Al exclaimed lewdly as Alex looked at the new bunch of people that had arrived.

"Arabella?"

He blurted out when he spotted her familiar face. Arabella stood right behind the lady in black uniform, she was searching the crowd for her brother. She spotted him when she noticed someone waving at her.

She sighed in relief, happy that her brother had made it to the finish line unscathed. Arabella heard the news that something had happened in the cave while they were taking their tests. She looked around for Alex and spotted him not too far from Camron, smiling at her.

Arabella gave a nod to acknowledge him, and nothing else.

['What's her issue, she should be happy that she can see our pretty face once more. Instead, she graces us with just a slight nod of her head.'] Only Al seemed to had taken offense from her response. Alex ignored what Al had said.

"Andrea, you are here. Looking stunning as usual." Duna complimented. "I see you are being a snub, as usual, Duna." Andrea, the girl in black uniform said in reply to Duna.

"Hahaha. Your choice of words is as random as usual too." He responded... Andrea ignored Duna and walked closer to the girl that she encouraged, she tapped her shoulder and flashed a friendly smile at her.

"I am here to hand out uniforms and badges to everyone, so after you have gotten your affinity with elements checked you can come over to my side to get your uniform. I would like to extend my apology to everyone now. Before I hand a uniform and badge to anyone, I will have to probe into your core to confirm your realm. To accurately distribute the uniforms. So, I am sorry.

Also note that you would only be given 2 sets of uniform, if it is damaged or you want more you can get it with MPs or ECs at the school's store."

Andrea said smoothly with a friendly smile still hanging on her face. She has a vibe that draws others closer to her. "I will be over there at the corner, just head there when you are done." She pointed at a shade that in the distance.

['You know that you don't need to take this test right? You know the elements you have an affinity with and I do not doubt that you would be able to at least light up 10 if not 11 rings up for the three elements you have an affinity with. If that happens then what do you think would happen?'] Xander reasoned.

['Unwanted attention. Not that I mind it, but going about it this way, I am also not okay with it. Let me try something.'] Alex stated.

"Excuse me!" Alex said out loud. His voice got the attention of everyone present. "Is it compulsory to take this test?" He asked.

"Yes, it is," Duna said sternly. "No it is not, this is just a formality," Andrea said immediately after Duna spoke.

"Just a formality? It is for their good. This will help them know what martial skills to choose." Duna argued.

"Yeah, but it is not compulsory. That was the question he asked, and unlike you, I truthfully answered." She glared at Duna as she gave him a retort. She threw her gaze at Alex.

"If you do not want to go through the test come forward and get your uniform and badge." She said to Alex. What she said got Alex smiling. Alex brought himself out of the line and started to make his way towards Andrea.

"Wait!! Why don't you want to take the test?" Duna asked. "Well because I don't want to stand under the sun for too long. Before my turn comes I would have gotten a heat stroke." Alex gave a foolish reason.

Duna didn't know whether he was serious or messing with him. The sun was already going down, it was early evening already. "Just because of that? Alright then, I will make an exception for you. You can come and take yours now." Duna insisted. For some reason, he wanted to see Alex's result and one of them was so he could mock him.

"No, that wouldn't be fair to the rest." Alex rejected. Duna spoke up. "You guys wouldn't mind right?" He asked the general populace. No one showed any sign of disagreeing, not because they were okay with it but because they didn't want to get on Duna's bad side.

"See? Everyone else is okay with it." He smirked as he said to Alex.

"Alright, I will come out clean and say the truth. The true reason why I don't want to take the test." Alex paused, leaving the whole in suspense. Even Duna listened attentively.

Alex dropped his head and sighed. "The real reason why I don't want to take the test is that…" He paused again.

"It's because I don't like touching strange rocks and that pillar is a strange rock for me." Everyone that had been listening and kept in suspense didn't know how to react to what Alex said. A few seconds later more than half of the people present burst into laughter, including Andrea and Arabella.

Duna only got more frustrated, Alex had made fun of him multiple times in an hour. He was starting to lose it. "You foolish kid, I will teach you a lesson." He said as he charged at Alex.

-Thud!!

Alex heard a loud sound in front of him with Andrea standing in front of him, holding Duna's fist in her palm. It happened too fast for him to even react – mentally and physically.

['We told you to stop stepping on his toes, why wouldn't you listen.'] Al questioned.

['I don't know why, but I have hated him since I set my eyes on him.'] Alex replied honestly.

"What do you think you are doing Duna, what if you killed him with that punch?" Andrea questioned with a stern voice as she tightened her grip on his fist that was still in her palm.

-Crack!!

The sound of bones grinding against their selves echoed out. "Relax Andrea, I know what I am doing. The punch wouldn't have been able to kill him." Duna said as he forcefully drew his hand away from her tight grip.

"Really?" she said sarcastically.