"Where are we?" I asked, looking around. I could see the manor in the distance — the location fenced off. We stood in a mostly empty field, with a few trees nearby. The gentle gust of wind was a nice change from how stuffy the manor was. I really should get out more.

  "This is one of the training areas—the only training area outdoors, actually," Maverick explained while taking in the view. I wonder if it had been some time since he had last been here.

  "Let me guess — you took me out here in case... something unexpected were to happen with my magic, right?"

  He smiled at me as if I had hit the nail on the head. "Exactly."

  "Won't somebody see us?" I asked, noticing that the location wasn't exactly subtle. After all, what was to stop someone from the town passing by from seeing us?

  "We're still on the manor's property. Nobody who isn't supposed to be here can enter. But enough with the stupid questions. You're here to learn magic, right?"

  "Yes," I said seriously, preparing to focus on every word he next said.

  "Then let's start with the two types of magic. There's general magic and—"

  "Talent magic," I cut him off.

  "So, somebody's already told you," he said, looking interested. And here I was, thinking you'd be too shy to talk to anyone."

  My blood boiled at that last statement. "That assumption is irrelevant. From what I understand, I don't have Talent magic, right?"

  "Everyone has Talent magic. But considering you can't even perform basic magic, I don't expect we'll see your Talent magic any time soon."

  "What's your Talent magic?" I asked.

  "Cross-world teleportation." He crossed his arms and smirked confidently.

  "Is that why you're the one who came to get me instead of Sylvis?" I thought back to what Aidan had said about Sylvis greeting the others personally. Maybe she was simply incapable of doing so herself?

  "No, Sylvis was just busy."

  "Wait, I thought you said that was your Talent magic? Wait, does she have the same?!"

  "Sylvis is... sort of an exception." Maverick sighed. "She's our leader, so naturally her power greatly exceeds everyone else's. I'm afraid even if you ask her she won't reveal much about it." I couldn't tell whether I should fear or revere someone so strong...

  I also grew more curious about what my Talent magic could be. Gaming?— Nah, that's stupid.

  "Let's focus on general magic since that seems to be what's causing your manifestations," Maverick began again. "General magic consists of elemental, healing, teleportation, and telekinesis. The amount of ether you have and the amount of training you do determine how powerful your magic is. For example, Aqua who you ran into earlier today—"

  "You were spying on me?!" I interrupted, but he continued.

  "—Has invested all of her training into water magic so that it's nearly as strong as her Talent magic, speed. Meanwhile, that boy you were sitting with earlier... Aston, was it?"

  "Aidan," I corrected.

  "His maximum ether is so low that he's incapable of using any magic other than elemental. Even if he has Talent magic, he'll never be able to use it."

  "But... That will change as he practices, right?"

  Maverick shook his head. "Likely not. It's not like everyone needs magic anyway—"

  "How could you say that?!" I stepped forward towards him, fists clenched at my sides. "All of these people... They're here because they want to be here, aren't they? They're not like me! They chose this life! They chose to learn how to use magic! To be so close to using magic and then having that opportunity taken away from them... It's not fair!"

  "Life isn't fair, Ella. The sooner you realize it, the sooner you'll come to accept you won't be seeing your home for a long time." He stared directly into my eyes, his own that should have been so full of color, completely devoid of it.

  And I froze. He was a psychopath.

  "Maverick... Why did you come here? Why did you learn to use magic?" I could barely hear my own voice. If I spoke any louder, I felt I would completely break.

  "Same as you, really. I didn't have a choice."

  My eyes flicked up at this. He was forced here, too? Was he still forced? Was that why he hated everyone and everything?

  “Why were you—” I was immediately cut off.

  “Let’s try ice this time. I mean, your hands are already icing over. Should be easy enough.” Maverick shrugged and glanced in the direction of my hands. It was like he did a complete 180. He was back to his nonchalant self as if our previous conversation had never happened. Right. Of course he wasn’t going to answer any personal questions. And if I wanted to make it out of here in a decent amount of time, I needed to stop asking pointless, unrelated questions.

  So, I focused on my hands in front of me and… poof, the ice disappeared. “Hey! I did something!” I exclaimed.

  Maverick sighed. “You were supposed to use that ice to either make more or… I don’t know, freeze that tree over there.” I didn't even have to turn around to see that he had pointed to the tree behind me.

  “You don’t know? You don’t have a lesson plan for me?”

  “It’s not like magic is a commonly taught subject. Besides, you’re too unpredictable to follow any plan anyway.”

  “Well… I made the ice disappear! That shows I can control it, right?” I argued.

  “Beginners' luck.” He spat. “You were worried earlier. I snapped your attention to something else, and you calmed down. When the stakes are higher, I imagine it won’t be so easy. Summon more ice,” he ordered.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  I closed my eyes and tried to picture the ice enveloping them; the supernatural cold I had felt that I thought was just a coincidence until I realized my hands were literally icing over. But there was nothing. Not even a cool mist emitting from my closed palms. If anything, they were a bit sweaty. Maybe I should try fire instead…

  “Nothing?” Maverick tapped his foot impatiently.

  “Hold on! Give me a second! I just started!” I whined back, my concentration totally broken. Right, fire this time. I used the sweat in my hands to fuel the illusion that fire would just… suddenly ignite within my palms. I opened them, but nothing.

  “In that case, our lesson is over.”

  “What lesson?!” I shouted back. “You call that a lesson?! You gave me a vocabulary quiz that I already knew half of, and called it a day! If you’re going to teach me, at least give me a fair chance!”

  “If you don’t get in the water, you can’t swim, right?” Maverick narrowed his eyes at me.

  “What are you…” I paused, realizing where this allegory was going.

  “I can’t teach you magic if there’s no magic to teach. Get in the water, Elaina.” With that, he flicked his wrist and disappeared. Ugh! Didn’t even have the decency to put me back where he had found me!

  I tried making my way back into the manor but had a difficult time finding any sort of entrance. I circled the entire perimeter twice, but there wasn’t any way in! It was just stupid fences and stupid bushes. Eventually, I gave up and climbed a tree that hung outside the fence. I used it to climb over and fell into a row of bushes. It was quite dramatic.

  Of course, everyone was laughing at me as I pulled off the shrubbery that had decided to stick to my sleeves and hair. Gee! You’d think someone would maybe use their magic to help me. Note to self: when you learn to use magic, don’t be a dick.

  “Step two meters to the right,” someone’s voice caught me off guard.

  “Huh?” I turned and stared at her, dumbfounded. An acorn fell smack dab in the middle of my forehead. “Ow!”

  “I tried to warn you.” She frowned sympathetically, her dark brown hair bobbed as she made her way over to me.

  “But how did you—”

  “I can see the future. Well, glimpses of the immediate future. …Sometimes things in the distant future as well. Not like anything Rosalie can do, though,” she explained, but her explanation only left me more confused.

  “The future…?” I mumbled stupidly.

  “My name is Margene, but you can call me Marge.” She beamed as she stuck out her hand for me to shake. She was wearing blue shortalls with a red shirt underneath. A bit more casual than what I had seen everyone else here wear. Well, besides Aidan. He seemed to wear his red hoodie everywhere.

  “Elaina.” I shook it hesitantly. “You can call me Ella.”

  “You’re new around here, right? I think I saw you with Aidan earlier.”

  “Yeah, I just got here yesterday,” I said. Small talk had never been my forte, always leaving me feeling anxious and awkward.

  “Well, welcome to the manor! Have you gotten the full tour? Care for some tips?”

  “Full tour? Uh, no, unless you mean the dorms, dining hall, and office…? I'm all for the tips, though.”

  “I see. Well! It seems you’ve been to half the locations in the manor. And judging from you climbing over the fence, I’d say you were at the training area…? The entrance is further out towards the gate to Lancesten, by the way. The only other noteworthy areas would be the library, classrooms, and indoor arenas. The indoor arenas are really something, though! They hold tournament matches and even plays!” Ah, so I’d have no reason to ever go there.

  “I did go to the library, actually… I’m interested in the classrooms, though. Are there like… actual classes here to learn magic?” I asked.

  “Mhm! But they’re more like events that happen. Most of the time nobody goes to them because they’re beginner-based. Then you have Rosalie speaking in tongues giving her presentations… If you’re just starting out, it couldn’t hurt. There’s one about healing coming up. Hm… That one will probably bring in a crowd with how versatile it is…”

  “Healing, huh? That would be useful. Especially if I accidentally give someone hypothermia…”

  “What?” Marge chuckled awkwardly, and I realized how weird and out of place what I said sounded. “Honestly, your best bet when it comes to learning magic is to ask others for advice or find a book in the library. I’ll warn you, though: A lot of people here are competitive when it comes to magic. They’re gonna save the best information for themselves.”

  “Luckily for me, I’m not picky. And if I piss them off, I’ll just get to see them in action!” I said determinedly.

  Marge laughed. “That’s the spirit! Can't say I’ve seen anyone else nearly as brave. But in all seriousness, don’t piss off Maverick or Rosalie.”

  “I’m pretty sure Maverick is under direct orders from Sylvis not to hurt me but… who’s Rosalie?”

  “She’s the second most powerful magic user in Meridia. Second only to Sylvis, of course. She’s rarely around, but she can see the future. Some people have speculated she intentionally avoids Meridia because she’s foreseen some sort of apocalypse. But I don’t believe that for a second.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it would’ve happened already!” She seemed exasperated as if she had made this point a hundred times before. She probably had if she’d been talking to these theorists. “Besides, her future-seeing powers are way more specific and controlled than mine. I’ve just got a sixth sense about things. Rosalie… She can make predictions pretty spot on. Including when they happen! So, do you really think she’d disappear on and off for several decades when disaster isn’t going to strike for another several decades? No! That’s just stupid!”

  “You look up to Rosalie, don’t you?” I giggled. “You’re so passionate about her.”

  “W-Well, duh!” I could’ve sworn I saw a blush across her chestnut cheeks at this. “We have similar Talent magic. And I guess a small part of me hopes that maybe one day, my magic will be as great as hers…”

  I was about to nod and go along with her when I realized something. “Is that really what you want?”

  “Huh?” She looked at me, dumbfounded.

  “Your magic is seeing the future, right? What if… What if you saw something that you didn’t like? Your best friend’s death? Your pet’s lifespan? Some disease you were going to catch in the future?”

  “Then I’d prevent it! Duh! I want to use my magic to help people. Maybe things will be a little harder for me… But that’s okay. Because I get to change the lives of hundreds of people around me. Maybe even thousands! Who knows! Lancesten’s a small place!” She spread her arms out as if she were motioning to a big place before quickly pulling her arms back in and giving me a sheepish grin. “I appreciate the concern, though. Tell me, what’s your Talent magic?”

  “I don’t know…” I bit my lip. “I’m still trying to get my magic to manifest.”

  “Huh? Then how did you know you had magic?” She looked at me quizzically.

  “I didn’t until Sylvis told me…”

  “Ah… Good ol’ Sylvis. Don’t worry! I’m sure your magic will manifest soon. Maybe she goofed and you’re here too early. You could always come back in a few years and—”

  “I don’t get to choose where I go…” I said quietly. I was starting to sound like a broken record repeating the same conversation over and over… And it was getting tiring, too.

  “Oh… I’m sorry.” Marge grabbed my hand in hers and squeezed. The simple gesture made me feel a little better and reminded me of how Rose used to comfort me anytime I was sad. I was also happy she sensed I didn’t want to continue the conversation. “Uh, this is gonna sound really mean, but is this amount of sweat normal for you?”

  “W-What?!” I yelped, grabbing my hand back. My hands were soaking wet… That’s a new one. Was it because… I was sad?

  “That’s my magic,” I explained.

  “Wet hands?” She crinkled her eyebrows in confusion. “I thought you said you couldn’t use magic?”

  “Well, I can’t use magic in any meaningful way. Nor can I control when it happens. It just… seems to react to my emotions.”

  “Whoa! I’ve heard about this before!” Her eyes lit up. “This is the sort of thing that happens right before you lose control of your magic—”

  “Thanks,” I said flatly.

  “Sorry! I’m so sorry! It’s probably nothing, really! You’ve never used magic before, so it’s probably just a weird side effect of your magic beginning to manifest!”

  Weird side effect. Yeah right.

  "You said Maverick was under direct orders from Sylvis not to hurt you?" She raised her eyebrow at me.

  "Yeah. Apparently, they've come to the same conclusion as you that my hands icing over is a sign that my magic will go out of control and kill everyone." I shrugged halfheartedly.

  "To be fair, I never said your magic would kill anyone." Marge placed her hands up defensively and smiled at me. I couldn't help but laugh. "Man, you've gotten both Maverick's and Sylvis' attention? You must be something special."

  I wish people would stop saying that. I mean, I always wanted to be special. But I had a feeling that this "special" was something bad. Sylvis already said I wouldn't be saving any worlds. What if I was doomed to destroy one?

  "Hey, why so doom and gloom?" Marge noticed my sudden change in demeanor. "Right, you're still new here and you probably miss your home. Why don't you take some time to yourself?"

  I nodded and we exchanged our goodbyes before parting ways. Perhaps being stuck here wouldn't be too awful if I had a friend like Marge.