YP – B2:UtGoaFN – Chapter 13 (Chapter 59)

226 Days Until Justice And The Uncertain End (part 1)

So this is how they wish to crush me? Zeydar understood as he looked over his testing schedule for Superior exams. All his exams were held within hours of each other, physical, practical, written, verbal, different subjects, and of all types, stacked on to each other. Where as in the past, the exams took place over the course of days with breaks between. This examination period was over the course of a little more than seventy-two hours.

How long would it take for them to grade the tests? All too long. They’d say they needed more time to get through them all. Since they did his schedule in three days, tradition would not follow. Traditionally, the last exam was taken as the others were being completed for grading. At most, they would need five days to grade, Zeydar knew this, but he also knew they’d try to sabotage him.

“Is there something wrong?” May asked as Zeydar’s hands clenched the paper notes about his exams, the first which started in twenty minutes. Not enough time to eat slowly. 

“No.” Zeydar answered, releasing his grip and sliding the paper back into its envelope with the other documents he needed to bring to his exams. This time? He was not going to fail. Picking up his food, he began from where he and May were eating, towards the first exam on the other side of campus.

“Your first exam is this early?”

“Can you bring me snacks over the course of the day?” He’d need to capitalize on his friend, hoping she would be his friend. They had brought her there, and he had to believe in their relationship.

“Of course.” She smiled. “Just tell me where.”

Zeydar thought for a moment, on how they would try to use it against him. He couldn’t tell her the truth. Somehow he didn’t believe she’d believe him. Too many Stars saw Superiors as saints. “Do you have anything you have to do today?”

“No?”

“Then entertain me. It’s my birthday tomorrow and I feel we should start today.” He needed her to help him through this. He couldn’t do it alone. It was at times like this that he wished for Tyler.

“You want me to pamper you for two days?” May laughed.

“I plan to get all my exams done in two days.” He answered taking a deep breath and analyzing it. If he could finish the test fast, he could take a nap in the next room, waiting. But what if they changed examination rooms? Did that mean he needed to stay alert for this entire period? He’d done it before on Sweet Dreams, but this…

They wanted him to fail and he was not going to fail. He would not fail, nor would he answer incorrect. Perfect scores. It was the only way to ensure this. He had been training his whole life for this. This was his birthright. They would not take it from him. 

Eating while they walked, Zeydar had May quiz him on all the things she knew. The first exam was magic theory, one of the hardest exams and would require the most brain power. They’d plan to tire him out with it first and then history, then his first practical. 

“Ah, Zeydar. Welcome.” Zeydar heard his name and looked up towards the campus doors to where his first exam would be held. Superior Alayah stood, his first examination proctor. Superior exams were important things, and held as a tight lipped secret. Once word spread that his exams began, there would be many following trying to get a peak at what they were. Campus was closed and there was nothing they were allowed to do, so in their boredom they’d try to follow him. 

With May in tow, he entered the building beside his proctor, to find the Class 2s who were there for protection and secrecy. May was allowed in because she was one of them, one of the Military Mages. He held out hope that she would be on his side, but he did not have faith. They’d tell her to try to convince him to rest. 

The proctor opened the door, and Zeydar handed his staff to the ones who would be searching him. Magic was cast, he came back clean of cheating methods. He always did. It was not something he would risk. Papers in hand, staff left behind, Zeydar entered the room and took his seat. He watched as Superior Alayah brought out books from the desk. 

“You may review if you like.” She smiled, trying to disarm him. No. He knew the content. 

“No. Give me the exam.”

“Already?”

“I’d rather have more time to review for the next one than to spend time reviewing for this one. I am here. You are here. No one else is testing, let us begin.” He hoped that his voice sounded as powerful and demanding as any other Superior. He would not be questioned, even if he wanted to complain. The other Superior candidates were not of age or skill. This exam period was for him and only him. But this was their system, he knew that all too well. Superior Alayah began to go into some sort of speech, but he stopped her. “I have taken this exam all too many times. Please. Let us just begin it. It’ll give you more time to grade it.”

“If you are confident.”

He had been at nineteen and that was all too long ago. “Yes.”

“Then, understood.” She pulled out an envelope and the document within it. Walking to him, she placed it on the desk before him along with his writing utensils. The packet was thick. Thicker than he remembered. “You have three hours.”

Flipping it open he glanced to the first question and filled a rage grow within him. These were not standard class 1 questions. This was a test designed to make him fail, for they were Superior knowledge not the knowledge, he was to have had. Or rather, it was practical and theoretical applications of concepts he had learned taken to such an extreme and difficulty, that he was not supposed to have been prepared for. Clicking his pen he began to write the answers that he had prepared for. In all their time of keeping him back and telling him he wasn’t good enough, he had been preparing. They were designed to make him fail, but he was not going to.

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