Stepping up to the stage with inbuilt confidence, Aleron McGrath stood in the centre of all four items. Watching along with everyone else, Princess Marina smiled at the peculiar yet familiar way Aleron carried himself.
As Princess Marina and everyone else who witnessed the hunt expected, the leaf floated from the red cushion towards Aleron but once it touched his palm the leaf tripled in size and more leaves as broad and as evergreen as the one that tripled in size sprang forth. The crowd watched in awe as flowers sprung forth, as some plants grew as high as three feet while some touched the ground.
Switching their attention to the overall Dean after the incredible display, the students waited in anticipation for the Dean to announce the result that everyone was expecting.
"Blessed by the spirit of water, Aleron McGrath has completed his attunement level with a high level attunement to the spirit of water." The overall Dean said and the crowd let out a triumphant noise and clapped enthusiastically but stopped when the stamp was removed from the back of his palm and a four star mark was displayed.
"Four stars?" The students whispered at the mark.
"Isn't that higher than Esmira's rank?" The students whispered as a temple official plucked out a leaf from Aleron's palm, whispered something with his eyes closed and placed it back on the red cushion.
"The next student to be called is Aldric McGrath." said the overall Dean and everyone trained their eyes on the second twin.
"Do you think he will have the same four stars as his brother?" the students whispered amongst themselves.
"He did pull an incredible feat during the hunt." a girl whispered to her friend.
"I heard he impaled twenty black birds with the wind." a boy whispered somewhere in the auditorium.
"I heard he slayed the twenty black birds without the use of a weapon." another student whispered.
"But isn't he always behind his brother?" a boy with brown hair and sharp yellow eyes asked with a scoff.
"I witnessed the hunt and I remember Aldric sticking to Aleron like glue." said the boy with brown hair and sharp yellow eyes and students began to whisper
"Yes." said a boy with maroon coloured hair as he recalled the events of the hunt.
"And most of Aldric's points were due to Aleron." said the boy with maroon colored hair.
"Doesn't that mean he is just a free loader that pretends to be weak?" someone asked.
"He doesn't look like that kind of person." a girl said in Aldric's defense but the atmosphere was thick with disgust from several people.
Biting her tongue, Princess Marina pressed her lips together firmly so that she wouldn't make it worse for Aldric. Tightening her fists to the point that her nails were digging into her palms, Rassera Dawnspire simmered within as she tried to keep a neutral expression.
By the time Aldric got to the stage, the multiple eyes on him would have caused anyone to shiver but Aldric just showed a soft smile and put his hand before him in a cupping motion.
Flashback
"Why do you always let Cain say whatever he wants?!" Estania fumed at Gale privately.
"Forestina was right, Cain can barely hunt but always tries to usurp everything you do because he is a year older!" Estania said in frustration but when Gale didn't react, Estania pouted in annoyance.
"Say something!" Estania said as she smacked Gale's arm.
"I won't lie and say it doesn't get to me." Gale said with a chuckle.
"But if I were to dwell on just that," Gale said as he rubbed his arm.
"I fear I will waste my time thinking about things that don't matter." Gale said with a soft smile.
Flashback end
"Similar" Princess Marina thought as she watched the soft smile on Aldric's lips.
As everyone expected, the feather floated towards Aldric but once it came in contact with Aldric's palm a violent tornado shot out from nowhere and the students screamed in terror.
Activating their power immediately, the Overall Dean created a tornado in the opposite direction to cancel out Aldric's while the Dean of those blessed by the wind wrapped the students in a barrier to keep the students from flying away.
For two minutes the two tornadoes in the auditorium raged with Aldric looking confused in the midst of it all until it ceased completely.
Chucking at Aldric's expression, the overall Dean said "Well that was eventful."
"Blessed by the spirit of the wind, Aldric McGrath has completed his attunement level with a high level attunement to the spirit of the wind." the overall Dean said and a stamp was placed on the back of his palm. As the stamp was removed the four star mark on the back of his palm was clearly shown and everyone looked at Aldric with a mix of different expressions.
Some looked at him with fear, some with awe, some with jealousy but his brother on the other hand, proudly got up and clapped.