I had confined myself to my room yesterday. I was surprised that there was a light switch to turn on the light after it became dark. Come to think of it, I had seen lamps around the manor. I guess electricity existed here, too.

  Sylvis came in once to check on me and bring me dinner and some paper when I had asked, but I mostly kept to myself. I had drawn some pictures of my friends and family. I wasn't adept at art, but it would do. After all, I didn't know how long I would be here or when I'd see them again, so I didn't want to forget their faces.

  No, Elaina. You can't think like that. You just have to push yourself extra hard today! Learn magic even if Maverick won't teach you!

  Summoning all my courage this morning, I dressed myself in a white popcorn shirt and blue shorts, fixed my hair, and headed to the elevator. Maverick hadn't shown me the dining hall, but I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find.

  I rode the elevator to the first floor and sighed when it hit me that this would be harder than I thought. Taking a few steps forward, I inhaled the crisp morning air mixed with scents of flowers and trees. It was relaxing, if only for a moment.

  I turned to a group of three girls who seemed like they knew where they were going. Where were they going? To get breakfast, I hope. One of them had long, light blue hair. Huh. Were unnatural hair colors common here? I hadn't seen anyone else with hair like that here. Maybe it was a magic thing?

  I followed the group from a respectable distance, hoping I wouldn't catch their attention.

  But I did.

  One of the girls turned to me before snickering back at her blue-haired friend. "Aqua, she's following you."

  "Hm?" The blue-haired girl, whom I assumed was Aqua, turned back to me. Her hazel eyes met mine, and like everyone else I had met here, her complexion was flawless.

  "S-Sorry! I'm not trying to stalk you or anything!" I quickly put my hands up defensively, blushing as all three girls stared at me. "I was just wondering... if you knew... where the dining hall was...?"

  "Of course we know." One of the other girls narrowed her eyes at me, making me want to duck around the corner and hide.

  "You can just ask, you know." Aqua smiled at me, but I could tell it was forced. "Go straight ahead and enter the manor from the front door. Go down the hall and turn right, and then go through the first door on your right."

  "Thank you." I nodded, trying to keep her directions in mind. I sure hope this wasn't some sort of prank...

  I followed Aqua's directions to the front of the manor. From the front, it reminded me of those old Victorian mansions in England. Or a fancy college. I passed through the ornate chestnut double doors and noticed all of the walls were tan with dark chestnut lining. I wonder if the upper floors were constructed years later... The main floor also had fewer windows, which meant less light. Something about the place almost felt dreary and run-down. Such a contrast from how pristine the upper floors were. Maybe that's why Sylvis made the decision she did.

  Oh well. I'm not here to admire antiques and architecture. I need to find something to eat so I can ask Maverick to teach me!

  I poked my head into the dining hall and was immediately overwhelmed by a multitude of smells. Smells ranged from sweet to savory to even something a little bitter that caused me to cough a bit. A dozen or so tables were set up around the large room, big enough to sit six people at once. They reminded me of the dining table at Carol's house; round, wide, and stately. Could also describe their bellies after eating at it.

  Across from the tables was a giant counter with two people standing behind it, and a couple of others running around behind them through a door I imagined led to the kitchen. Everyone seemed to be dressed like maids and butlers. Strange.

  "Hi! What can I get for you?" One of the girls smiled at me as I approached the counter.

  "Um, do you have a menu?" I asked, glancing up above her as if this were some fast food restaurant. Stupid, I know.

  "Yeah, right here." She pulled out a menu from next to her and handed it to me unceremoniously.

  "Thanks..." I bit my lip and walked over to an empty table. Thankfully, pictures were printed on every page, so I didn't have to guess what a... plupett was. Was that a potato? It was next to a piece of toast, so I assumed so.

  I glanced up from my menu when I heard a faint buzzing sound from the table next to me. A plate of food had suddenly materialized in front of someone, with plates in front of their friends appearing as well. I watched in awe as they used some sort of... telekinesis magic to pull the plates towards them, and took turns filling their glasses with a pitcher of water using the same magic.

  I instantly grew envious and tried my best to get the menu to reopen itself with magic, but to no avail. Ugh! Why am I seemingly the only one who can't use magic?! It can't be that hard, can it?

  I stood up from the table to walk back over to the counter when I noticed Aidan talking to the same girl at the counter I had spoken to earlier. Maybe he could help me!

  "Hi, Aidan!" I smiled innocently enough. Unfortunately, this still startled him and caused him to jump.

  "E-Ella, right?" He smiled back. He still looked scared, but he somehow seemed more relaxed than yesterday. If only a smidge.

  "Yes. Do I order here?" I asked, gesturing to the girl before me. She cleared her throat, and I realized I had pointed right at her. Oops.

  Aidan nodded. "Then you just tell her where you're sitting. W-Was that you over there?" He pointed at the table I was sitting at before. Ah, so he had noticed me when he walked in.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  I nodded.

  "That's table twelve. You see that number hanging off the chandelier?" He pointed above the table to where I had completely failed to notice the ceiling decoration, let alone the number hanging off of it.

  I nodded again before turning to the girl. "I'll have the toast and pluppet basket at table twelve, please."

  "M-Make mine table twelve as well!" Aidan added.

  The girl nodded, seemingly annoyed, before mumbling something about it being right out.

  We made our way back to the table and waited.

  "Are you able to use magic?" I decided to ask. If he was fairly new here, did that mean he couldn't use magic yet either?

  "Everyone here can." He gave me a strange look.

  "No, I understand that everyone has magic, but can you use it?" I tried to clarify.

  "L-Like this?" He raised his palm, and a little ember ignited from within. It lit up nearly as much as my face did at the sight of magic.

  "Yes!" I exclaimed. "How long did it take you to learn how to do that?" I pulled myself back into my seat from where I had maybe too closely inched my upper body to get a better look.

  "L-Learn?" He blinked, and for a moment, I thought he didn't understand my question. "I-I wouldn't say I learned it, per se... It just sort of... happened one day."

  "Whoa! You must be really talented for something like that to happen!"

  He blushed and looked away. "N-No, far from it... My magic is the weakest here. A-And it's not because I'm new, either."

  "What do you mean?" I asked.

  "I can't use the same magic everyone else can... I can only use elemental. I don't even know what my Talent is." He sighed.

  "Talent?" I tilted my head to the side.

  "You don't know?!" His eyes widened as his jaw hung agape.

  "No, I just got here yesterday." I crossed my arms, looking away in embarrassment.

  "Everyone has magic that's exclusive to them. Or uh, mostly exclusive to them. Other people can have it, but you usually won't see more than two, maybe three with the same Talent." He discreetly turned to glance behind him before turning back to me. "That guy over there?" He motioned with his thumb over his shoulder. "He can turn invisible."

  "Really?!" I jumped in my seat. "Wait... that's terrifying! What if he stalks you?!"

  "You'd never know unless he bumped into something or made a loud noise, I guess." Aidan shrugged. "The girl behind you?" I quickly turned to glance at her before he continued. "She can replicate any item she touches."

  "Amazing!" I exclaimed.

  "And her?" He pointed to Aqua, who was sitting a few tables away. Thankfully, she hadn't caught me staring this time. "She has incredible speed!"

  "To catch me next time I accidentally stalk her... Got it."

  Aidan looked at me, confused, but continued. "What's your Talent?"

  "Uh... Does freezing hands count as a talent?" I smiled sheepishly.

  "Wait, what?" He raised an eyebrow. "I-I've never heard of something like that before! C-Can you show me?"

  "I uh, kind of can't control when it happens..." I scratched at the corner of my mouth hesitantly. "It's also the only "magic" I can really do." I used air quotes.

  "W-Wait, you can't do anything else? N-Not even a ball of fire or a bubble or anything?"

  I shook my head. "That's what Maverick is supposed to teach me—"

  "You know that asshole?!" His voice rose louder than I had ever heard it before, but considering that nobody else noticed, I think that speaks more about how quiet he normally was.

  "I see you don't like him either." I chuckled.

  "Listen, he's not going to teach you anything. He's a giant jerk who only cares about himself and the sick pleasure he derives from hurting other people!" He spoke so surely about this as if he meant every word.

  "I take it you've had a personal experience with him...?" I trailed off.

  "W-Well, not me, but... I've seen the way he treats other people. I'm nobody so he wouldn't have any reason to mess with me anyway... As long as I don't catch his attention, I'm fine. Believe me, I don't need his attention. You don't need his attention. Why did you even ask that jerkface for help with magic to begin with?"

  "I didn't. Sylvis kind of appointed him to me."

  "You spoke to Sylvis?!" Aidan's eyes widened again before he nervously laughed. "O-Of course you've talked to Sylvis. Everyone talks to her when they first get here... She appointed someone to you directly?"

  "Yeah. Is that not normal here?"

  "Uh, not that I've heard of, no. B-But I'm sure it doesn't mean anything! Or that you're really special! W-Which definitely wouldn't be a bad thing!" His words grew quicker as if he thought he had said the wrong thing.

  "It's probably just proof of how much I suck." I chuckled. "Though, it does feel like she considers me a ticking time bomb with how I'm unable to control when my magic manifests, or how it manifests..."

  "T-That's... That's actually really scary..." Aidan's face darkened, and for a moment I thought I'd scare him off. "Has something happened before?"

  "No, not really," I answered honestly. "My hands periodically freeze over when I get scared or nervous, and then Maverick kidnapped me here, and... that's basically it."

  "Kidnapped you?" Aidan raised an eyebrow. "You mean... y-you didn't come here of your own accord?"

  "Uh, no. Is that how it usually works?" I was equally as puzzled as he was, I imagine.

  "Usually Sylvis invites you here when she discovers you have magic. You have the right to refuse, of course, but most people want to learn more and end up spending a few years here. Like me. I-I guess the situation is a bit different with you if you don't even know how to control your magic or stop it from happening but... I'm surprised Sylvis didn't come to you directly."

  "Maybe it's because I'm from another world. I don't know." Oops, that totally just slipped right out, didn't it?

  "Another world?!" Aidan slammed both of his hands palm down on the table, still not loud enough to garner anyone else's attention. "Y-You're not from Etheria?!"

  "No, actually. I didn't even know other worlds existed until I got here..."

  "T-That makes both of us." Aidan chuckled nervously. "O-Or, uh, in my case right now..."

  "So this isn't common knowledge!" I exclaimed, realizing Maverick was making me look stupid.

  "I-I don't think so anyway. I'm sure people like Sylvis, Maverick, and Rosalie know... maybe even Finn by extension, but I doubt anyone else really does." Two of those names were unfamiliar. "Um, what's your world like, if you don't mind me asking?"

  "I wouldn't even know where to start..." I trailed off. "I haven't seen much of this world, so I'm not sure how much would be redundant, let alone exciting." There was something I was wondering, though. "Do you have cars or carriages or anything like that?"

  "What are those?" Aidan looked puzzled, and it became obvious I was speaking in tongues to him.

  "They're... I guess you could say devices? Kind of like the elevator- the SSETF, that help you get to your location faster. But it's used for ground transportation rather than vertical."

  "Wow! You must get to travel the whole world then!" Aidan's eyes lit up.

  "Well, uh, they're not exactly suited for the ocean. That's where boats and planes come in—"

  "Oh! We have boats!" Aidan's eyes lit up. "People use them for fishing all the time. But the only use of transportation I've heard them for is to travel across Lake Vasteroth. It's literally the only way across."

  I had so many more questions to ask but was interrupted by Maverick of all people, who casually appeared beside me in the next seat over. I accidentally flung my toast at him in shock. I liked that toast!

  "So, are you ready to learn?" He looked me in the eye. He wasn't giving me any personal space, and it made me uncomfortable.

  "Y-You're actually going to teach me now?" I forced a smile, backing up further into my chair.

  "Sylvis will have my ass if I don't. You've eaten enough, right? Let's go." He grabbed my wrist, and I felt that strange nauseous sensation again as he teleported me somewhere else. The last thing I saw was the look of disgust and... was it hurt? On Aidan's face. I'm sorry, I'll apologize to you later.