The Extra-Ordinary Academy

Summary

The Extra-Ordinary Academy is an elite institution where admission is based on an unpredictable test of innate talent, and despite the efforts of the wealthy and powerful, it remains a meritocracy accessible only to those with extraordinary abilities.

Abstract

The Extra-Ordinary Academy is a prestigious school that only accepts individuals who pass a spontaneous and rigorous test of talent, which cannot be prepared for in the traditional sense. Aspirants train their entire lives in anticipation of this test, driven by the desire to enter a world where societal status and wealth are irrelevant compared to the ability to perform magic and engage with fantastical creatures. The narrative suggests that the protagonist, who has trained extensively and broken records, has been waiting for this test for decades and is now ready to reveal their true power, possibly under the moniker "the Dark Lord." The author, Zane Dickens, is known for his adventurous and humorous stories, with a particular passion for his work on Microcosm.

Opinions

The Academy is revered as a place where only the truly talented can gain entry, regardless of their background or financial status.
There is a sense of frustration and wasted time among those who train extensively but are never chosen for the test.
The test itself is seen as a definitive measure of one's worthiness to join the Academy, with no second chances.
The protagonist harbors a strong sense of self-assurance and destiny, believing that their years of training have prepared them for greatness.
The narrative implies a critique of societal hierarchies, suggesting that the Academy represents a purer form of meritocracy.
The author's passion for his work is evident, particularly in his dedication to the Micro

A place where dreams are …

“Getting into the Extraordinary Academy required extraordinary effort. There were no invitations and no way to apply. No owls with letters hunting you down. No sorting hats.

Talent was simply tested. Pass or fail.

The tests came without warning; preparation in any specific sense was pointless.

So we trained our whole lives. In everything. Talented or not.

We didn’t know if we had what it took. We just knew we wanted in. And everyone knew that the test revealed the Talent anyway.

Every parent who didn’t get in wanted their child to get in.

Every sibling of an Extraordinary alum wanted in.

It wasn’t that they got the best jobs or that they were paid more. Or that society elevated them above all others. They just lived in a different world where none of that mattered. This was beyond being rich.

You couldn’t buy your way in with all the money in the world. Billionaires and sultans had tried. They got nowhere. Bezos was still pissed. He was sulking in his Moon Camp, where the normies went.

But the Academy was a world where the Science of Magic threaded through the very fibres of the halls, where Magical Science exploded and zinged in the deep basements. Where dragons were born, and portals opened.

No, I had waited my whole life for this. I trained harder than all my siblings. I set records all through school. My mentors and tutors said I was sure to get in.

But the Test never came.

I trained for decades and nothing. All that effort or that time wasted.

But today, you’ll see it hasn’t been wasted. You’ll see that it groomed me and made me into who you see before you now.

You may call me the Dark Lord, and my time has come.”

Zane Dickens’ stories go bump in the night, ka-boom in space, and roar with adventure in fabled lands. And if he can help it, there’s a streak of humour too.

But his favourite work, the one he’s most passionate about, is Microcosm.

Supernatural Schools Microfiction

The Extra-Ordinary Academy

A place where dreams are …