Painful blows reverberated throughout her entire body, and her petite and agile body couldn’t withstand any more of it. Kashi gritted her teeth.

“How long?” she coughed out, drops of blood splattering out.

“A couple rel more,” replied the elder, her voice ever so sharp yet gentle. Her eyes remained closed, her body still, sitting on the straw mat.

A wave of nausea surged over her as her stomach was pricked by hallucinatory pins and needles, and a blow to her temple nearly toppled her over. Around a dozen rel had passed since the converging, but she could feel no change in her body; no power, no nothing. If she failed, she would be left with dire consequences: permanent injuries, or worse, dead.

“How long?” she asked again, this time desperate for more time.

“One rel,” replied the elder, as she flipped over the hourglass, signifying that the converging was reaching its end.

Anxiety was creeping up her skin, and time was soaring by. Maybe this was the end for her. Kashi had seen many other girls, girls younger than her, with the injuries. Some had lost limbs, others had lost their senses. Most of the failures, including the weak, were left to rot in the dark, slimy, tar-covered streets, and those in luck died swiftly. Others, or the unlucky, died a slow, painful death. Life was unfair; only those who were fit survived.

A burst of pure, white light erupted from the capsule she was within, and filled the room, followed by a loud, high-pitched hum. Excruciating pain crushed her insides, as energy flowed into her organs. Her neurons severed and reattached, and her bones reinforced, as a blue aura surrounded her. Everything around her was stuck in a twister, bits of debris banging against the glass, papers flying everywhere, and even the elder knocked a few feet back.

Even the capsule couldn’t withstand the pressure exerted. Cracks were forming around the glass panels, and the room seemed to spin. The elder’s voice was inaudible, but she could make out her tone: panicked. Abruptly, everything ceased, almost as if nothing had occurred. The whole room was calm and placid, and even the elder seemed bewildered. For a few seconds, she sat there dazed, unsure of what was going on. But being the collected woman she was, she brushed the dust off her tkaya, a clothing only worn by the elders who had passed the exam, and heaved herself up.

As the elder slowly to rise to her feet, a screech filled the whole room, shattering the glass of the capsule. Shards of glass were scattered around the room, but the elder, with a shaky motion of her hand, dispelled the glass. These powers, everyone would call, were magnus.

The screech ended as soon as it started. Warm, iridescent light followed suit, irradiating the small room. And then, the room was back to normal. Yet, Kashi couldn’t stop shivering. Deep within her body, she was freezing; whether it was from fear or cold, Kashi didn’t know.

The solid, iron clasps which had pinned her limbs came loose with a soft hiss. Rubbing her wrists, Kashi laid still unsure of what to do next.

“Rise,” commanded the elder as she walked up towards her. Kashi acquiesced, cautiously crawling out, avoiding the jagged, sharp pieces lying on the floor. The aura was faint, but Kashi could see it. She could feel it, alive and pulsing, as it encircled around and enveloped her, just like ocean waves blanketing the smooth sand.

Kashi walked with apprehension, afraid that she had failed. A golden or silver light signified those who were chosen; no one had told her of a blue light. Dismayed, she hung her head, waiting for the elder to call the guards, who would drag her out back into the street.

The blue aura slowly faded away, leaving Kashi’s body numb and paralyzed. The sound of bells rung inside her head, as Kashi felt a streak of light penetrating through her head, turning her lightheaded and muddled.

Tears slowly slid down her cheeks. It had only been a couple of months since she had been picked up from the filthy streets. Only a few months since she hadn’t starved. Only a few months since she got clean clothes. And now, everything had crumbled to dust.

Clenching her fists in frustration, Kashi stared at the cracked, stone floor. As the elder reached out, she flinched, bracing herself for the worst. Instead, all the elder did, was softly pat Kashi’s sweaty shoulder.

“You have done well,” she said,” Now follow me.”

Ranks of Wizards

Grand Magister (rarest)

Magister

Warlock

Enchanter/Enchantress

Hex

Golden Diviner

Silver Diviner

Diviner

Titled Mage

Mage (most common)

Marco lay on his bed, luxuriating in the silver moonlight, and enjoying the placid view of the dark academy garden. His grave, midnight eyes stared off into the Andromeda, as he rolled about his golden medallion.

“Marco,” a voice called out, followed by a series of raspy knocking.

Marco clenched his medallion, praying that the individual would leave. Yet again, the raspy knocking commenced, even more furious this time.

Sighing, Marco rolled out of bed, trudged tiredly towards the door, and with an irked tone, called,”Who is it?”

“Nélle”

“Go away”

“B-but...”

“Go away”

“You have a ro-...”

“GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE,” Marco bellowed, blasting the door open with a gush of ice from his palm. The brilliant, blue spear of ice twirled through the air, freezing the air around it as the oak door was penetrated. The ice shattered, scattering crystals of ice and solidified air all over the room.

Squinting through the mist, Marco could make out a small silhouette of a girl, coughing. Too small to be Nélle Marco thought. Ignoring her, Marco brushed the ice off his sleeves and with a mocking laugh, Marco taunted,” Nélle, where are you?”

Nélle, wisely, didn’t answer. Marco hated the girl’s way of hiding. He would never figure out her location.

“What do you want?” Marco asked, exasperated.

Nélle still didn’t answer.

“Damn you,” Marco swore,”Fine, I pledge on the honor of the prefect, that I will do no harm to Nélle Zepherys.”

As soon as he took the vow, a white, blonde figure emerged in front of him. A foot shorter than him (he was six feet tall), and a rank under him, Nélle was quite arrogant as a fellow prefect. Marco despised the way her seemingly innocent eyes always sparkled with curiosity, how she constantly nagged him, and how often she drove him into trouble.

Overwhelmed with disgust, Marco raised his hand to cast a spear of ice.

“Urmmm… are you sure about that?” Nélle asked, tilting her head,”Is Mr. Prefect really going to break his vow?

Marco gritted his teeth as his hand lowered.

“Fine, what do you want?”

“Just sending a message. You’ve got a new roommate.”

“A what?” Marco exclaimed. Only the lower and middle tiers had roommates. It was a privilege for the high tiers to have their own rooms. Marco was the best of the high tiers, and not even some teachers could withstand his blows.

“You heard me, loud and clear,” Nélle said solemnly,”You have a roommate.”

His face flushed in absolute frustration, Marco asked,” And who’s he?”

“It’s not a he, it’s a she. And she’s there.” Nélle replied, pointing at the small girl that Marco had ignored.

“That girl?” Marco scoffed,”I’m going to shatter her like ice.”

Ranks of Wizards

Grand Magister(Rarest)

Magister

Warlock

Enchanter/Enchantress

Hex

Golden Diviner

Silver Diviner

Diviner

Titled Mage

Mage(Most Common)

Kashi had never been this scared before. A slim, blue haired boy had just coated everything in ice, and was now Kashi had never been this scared before. A slim, blue haired boy had just coated everything in ice, and was now threatening to kill her. She trusted the elder when she told her that there was nothing to worry about now that she had passed the test. But now, Kashi was dubious.

The blonde girl, who was so lively when the elder introduced her, was now quiet and still. Petrified, Kashi watched as the flakes of snow began to spiral around the boy’s hand, and slowly form a spear.

“Stop,” a call rang out from the edge of the hallway. Surprised, the boy lowered his spear and whirled towards the voice.

Kashi recognized the tone immediately; but as for the boy, he didn’t. Without a second thought, he hurled his spear at the figure. Gasping as the ice grazed the elder’s right arm, she watched as a stream of flow gushed out of the wound.

“Stop?” mocked the boy as he formed another spear,”You want me, Marco, to stop?”

Laughing, Marco raised his spear again. “This time, I won’t miss. Even a hex ranked healer will have trouble curing this.”

The elder remained silent. Then, without a word, she drew up her hand, as golden sparks flew out. That was when Marco made out who the figure was. Realizing his mistake, Marco knelt, one hand across his chest.

“I sincerely apologize for this disturbance. I didn’t know ...”

“Silence,” said the elder, brushing off the apology. The sparks glided across the hall and stopped in front of Marco. The boy winced, anticipating the sparks to burn him. Instead, the sparks began to whirl around him, and with a chiming sound, they began to die out one by one. When a single spark was left, the elder stomped once, and in an instant, she and the spark had switched positions.

Marco, ashamed, stared at the blood dripping from the elder’s arm.

“Elder, I am truly…”

Again, the elder cut him off.

“No need,” she said gently, patting his shoulder,”You have grown stronger, Marco.”

Kashi simply gawked in amazement. She had never seen so much high tier magic performed in her life. Neither had she seen a person so forgiving and with so much patience. Kashi recalled the time she was alone in the streets, where no one cared for each other; everyone was egocentric. When fights broke out, everyone was a bystander. When an old lady was given a piece of bread, the children would pounce on her like famished wolves and gobble up the bread, not leaving a single crumb behind.

Snapping out of her past, Kashi watched as Nélle began to chant. It was more of a hymn, and the melody was aesthetic and soothing. As the elder closed her eyes, Nélle’s hands began to radiate, a vivid green pulsing just like a heartbeat.

Nélle slowly walked towards the elder, still chanting with her eyes closed. As she got nearer, the dripping of blood slowly ceased, while the wound began to close. It was simply a miracle. The skin began to weave itself together, and by the time Nélle touched the elder’s wound, it was just a scar.

When Nélle opened her eyes, the singing halted. The blissful music stopped, and the dreamy, cozy surrounding was no more. It was back to the cold, frozen hall of the academy where Marco had wreaked havoc.

“Thank you, Nélle Zepherys,” smiled the elder, as she rubbed her right arm,”That was nice of you.”

Kashi caught a small light resonating from the elder’s left hand while Nélle’s back was turned. When the elder removed her hand from the arm, Kashi noticed that the scar was gone. She can use healing magic, too Kashi noted.

The elder never told Kashi what magic she, herself, was capable of, and didn’t tell Kashi was she was able to do either. But as long as she didn’t have to roam the streets, Kashi didn’t mind. At the very least, she had a place to call home.

*If you like the artwork\, please follow @YutA0304y at Twitter or @yuta-34y at Instagram* Thank you!!!

Ranks of Wizards

Grand Magister(rarest)

Magister

Warlock

Enchanter/Enchantress

Hex

Golden Diviner

Silver Diviner

Diviner

Titled Mage

Mage( most common)