Ascension of the Nephilim

Tykor-Forge slowly approached Mackerel.

"The legendary eye that can see magic..."

"I do not dare claim that I have legendary eyes. But I have eyes that can see through magic, as Master Pedagog guessed..." Mackerel bowed.

"To see that the flowing magic is not a circle... not even one-star experts can see that up there. You know that the general knowledge and level of what is here above is three steps? A first-year up there would equal a third-year here. That\'s the general consensus; even the experts here are rated similarly. You could be great. I can take you as a direct disciple." Pedagog Ilevas offered.

Everyone who heard it, teacher or student, felt envious of such an offer. They also saw Mackerel differently.

Mackerel was also shocked at the offer. He took a few deep breaths and answered without even turning to Emeros.

"Master Pedagog, I am very honored, but I have to decline. I wish to stay with Teacher Emeros."

Ilevas did not seem offended and only smiled.

"Fair enough. Your teacher is quite amazing. But I won\'t be second to him if we talk solely on eyes."

Emeros nodded and didn\'t argue. He knew that Ilevas was telling the truth. The magical formation Ilevas created was impressive, given this place\'s limited knowledge and lack of foundation.

"Forgive me, Pedagog, but I disagree."

"Hm? You disagree?" Ilevas frowned.

"You guessed my ability correctly. And I do not underestimate that. I kept this a secret. And you found it instantly. Teacher Emeros also did. But you missed out on one other thing. I was not the only person who discovered this. The class perfected different exams because another among us had a keen understanding of such things. You have seen that student\'s exam and haven\'t seen through this student\'s ability. Teacher Emeros has. And this is why I would humbly ask to stay in his tutelage."

 "Another student?!" Ilevas glanced back to the screen and couldn\'t tell.

"You mean to say... there is another among you who took the test for the first time and completed it at such speed?!" Ilevas asked.

"Yes, Pedagog."

Ilevas was amazed. He glanced around and carefully observed the other three potential candidates. Yet he could not see which one it was!

Finally, Ilevas turned to Emeros. He had seen their conversation and knew that none of the students had told him specific details about how they had passed the test.

"Who did it?" Ilevas asked.

"That would be, Joe."

"Joe?! Who is Joe?!" Ilevas returned to the screen and read through Emeros\'s list of students.

Many others did the same thing."

"Joe mama. Hahaha."

Nobody laughed.

"Er... Sorry. I just.. that was the perfect time to... erm... it was obviously Anna."

"Anna?" Ilevas turned to the woman.

"You... You discovered it?" Ilevas asked.

"Erm... Yes. I felt that... Teacher Emeros... Could you explain it to me? Could you explain how it felt?"

Everyone was surprised at the absurd request. Why was Anna asking Emeros what she felt?!

"You felt another road. Like there was a leak. The truth is, your approach seemed similar, but it was different. You only told the students that there seemed to be \'another\' path because you felt it, didn\'t you? Your magic spread through the circle and found the gaps that common knowledge wouldn\'t find. Mackerel knew there was no beginning and knew it would create a backflow. You felt a gap since this formation still needed to be a circle and that there were pathways which normal mana can\'t slip through." Emeros explained.

"Ye-yes. That\'s right! There were... odd gaps that were so small. But I did feel it." Anna found the confidence to claim the once unbelievable sensation that she wouldn\'t dare bring up.

"Gap? What gaps?!" Ilevas was surprised.

"It\'s almost impossible to sense it. But her unique magic affinity allowed her to feel it. Mackerel saw, she felt. You see, this formation has no circle. The ones in the exam also have the same thing. But, because of the strain of being used in exams, the constant mana being sent in had to go somewhere. It would do the phenomenon of Circle Mackerel and even Anna unknowingly taught students to \'breakthrough\' the beginning 14:43

and get to the end. But Anna did so differently. This is because she can wield fire as if it Tunneling. The magic would seek the center no matter what. That is the nature of the Circle and why it should be created as a circle. This is another weakness of this kind of formation. No circle, no flow, and if I were to guess, these examination formations would have to be repaired every fifty or so tests, correct? "

The teachers and senior teachers who were responsible for handling the exams nodded.

"I believe the ones my students used had to be replaced after about a dozen tests... Mackerel and even Anna unknowingly taught students to \'breakthrough\' the beginning and get to the end. But Anna did so differently. This is because she can wield fire as if it were water. And that water easily found the gaps, the backflows, everything. She completed the exam by passing through these small gaps that mana would not ordinarily pass through unless they became so small that the wielder couldn\'t sense it. But if you can wield it like water, that\'s a different story."

"Fire like... water?!" Ilevas was amazed at the concept he heard.

"Yes. You could get another Energy Conversion circle like the ones they used to take the test. It should work as long as these boards are used at least ten times. Anna could complete it in five seconds- three if an older formation is used at the high forties." Emeros explained.

"A circle... It starts where it ends, and ends where it starts..." Senior Teacher Vlasious muttered.

But as Emeros explained, his heart was pounding hard.

"A Circle. A cycle... Beginning and End. To bring the End back to the Beginning. Opportune Time... Kyros. Noxus, which is Night. And I, Emeros. The Day. A cycle..." Emeros tried to hide the flashing insights in his head.

"But... something is off... Fire like water? Impossible!" Ilevas frowned.

"It\'s the same thing why the others passed." Emeros chuckled.

"You...! You can\'t mean...!" Tykor-Forge was also shocked.

Emeros only smiled.

"...I believe this proves that Emeros won by skill. Continue with this ceremony. Unless you think that our judgment is insufficient, you would have to look at every one of Emeros\'s tests?" Ilevas challenged.