The stone I had been carrying finally started to light up, meaning it was time to head to the testing area. The receptionist greeted me back at the desk, took the stone, and led me to where I would be evaluated.

  I was brought into an outside battle field, near the door were spears, swords, and other weapons. It was nerve racking to see this big area just for evaluation.

  “Are you scared?” a man spoke, making me turn to face him. He was about a foot taller than me. His hair was grey at the roots, but his arms showed hardened muscle one could only get by years of treatment.

  “I guess you are if you’re not responding.” He said.

  “I’m not scared, just…sizing up my opponent.” I responded.

  “Really? You don’t seem to be ‘sizing’ me up. Well anyways. You’re Seina right?”

  “Right.”

  “Great, I'm Ryan. We normally don’t get new applications at this time of year.”

  “That’s not a problem, right?”

  “Right! It’s just because the adventuring schools don’t graduate for another two months. That’s when they start flying in.”

  At a closer glance he didn’t have a weapon, or staff on him. So he was most likely to be a melee fighter. I knew less of the hand to hand fighting styles, giving him the advantage, which was scary in thought. But I knew he couldn’t seriously hurt me, or he would’ve been stripped of his rank and status. But that didn’t mean he would take it easy on me.

  “Now you’re sizing me up. That look can’t ever be seen as anything else.” He stopped, pointed at me, then continued. “So tell me, what have you gathered about me and how I fight?”

  Was this purposeful? Was it meant to see if our intuition was correct?

  I stood as tall as I could, trying to impose my pressure onto him.

  Not that I had any at the time.

  “You don’t have the gear on you that would indicate that you carry a weapon or magic staff on you. Leading me to the conclusion that you use your fists to fight your opponents.”

  My own voice felt off as I spoke. Like it wasn’t my own. But I had to put my best foot forward. I had to seem like I was ready, no matter what.

  “Hmm. That’s somewhat correct, so I’ll give you some marks for it.” He paused for a moment and got into a fighting stance. “Well enough talking, show me what you’re made of. Try and defeat me!”

  I followed by getting into a stance of my own.

  Instructor Ryan

  When looking at her stance, it did show that she knew the basics at the very least. But it was slightly different from the styles that I knew of.

  I wonder who her master was, and why they didn't stray too far from the basics? And why the sword, one of my colleagues said that her mana leakage was minimal despite her age. Is she like me?

  As I was lost in thought, she dashed forward, sword pointed right at my side. Her speed and precision was quite good. But it was also predictable, making it quite easy to dodge and avoid her first strike and some of the follow-ups.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  I jumped back to put space between us, and she kept trying to put pressure on me. It was clear she was wary of me, and trying not to give me an opening. It was a good tactic, if she was fighting a normal melee fighter.

  A flame wrapped around my arms.

  When I looked back at Seina, her eyes were a mixture of shock and worry.

  "Have you never seen magic used in this way?" I asked.

  After a small moment she responded, "No I haven't, only spells casted on others not on the caster."

  "Interesting..." I said blankly.

  So she's not like me, but then again, why the sword? She must've been training her mana control since the day she made the connection. What is her deal?

  I shook my head to clear my thoughts, I was there to evaluate a new adventurer, not dissect someone. But she was just so confusing, and those ruby eyes weren't helping.

  I decided to rush forward, using flames to propel myself quicker in her direction. I gave a small barrage of punches and kicks. She was able to block some of them, demonstrating she had some actual combat experience.

  In the flurry of punches I noticed a strange sensation, my mana was acting weird and felt harder to control. I knew fire magic was hard to control—especially in the way I used it. But it never felt like that.

  I was pulled out of my thoughts as Seina managed to slash at my abdomen. As I slid back I felt the fire on my arms start to burn me.

  Dammit! Why am I acting like this? This girl is making a fool of me, and I've almost mastered fire magic. But why?

  To hell with it! I'm going to show her the strength of a Melee-Mage!

  Seina Ironheart

  I was ready to follow up on the assault, but that’s when pillars of flame erupted at my feet. They were easily dodged and weaved.

  A hit to my right side. Sizzling pain spread from where I was struck.

  Ryan didn’t give me a chance to breathe.

  He kept his punches up, one after another. I tried to block what I could, even though I couldn't.

  The entire time I was being barraged by Ryan, the look in his eyes kept piercing me—and his eyes slowly became more orange.

  Oh shit.

  His last punch sent me sliding back. As he started manically laughing.

  "As I've said before, when you make the connection, you believe you are unstoppable.”

  More memories of my father’s lessons crept into my head.

  “But then there’s what’s called ‘mastery’. When a mage becomes so in tune with their chosen form of magic; That their eyes change color and then belief of being unstoppable becomes reality in most cases.”

  Back to Ryan, I went to look at eyes.

  Orange.

  He had gained ‘mastery’ over fire magic.

  I had no chance at defeating Ryan at this point. He had reached a level I could no longer look at in comparison to myself.

  Magic.

  It was the reason why I was going to lose this fight.

  It was the reason headmaster showed other kids first.

  It was the reason why those kids got adopted so quickly.

  It was the reason as to why I was abandoned.

  Magic is bullshit.

  Instructor Ryan

  I have finally done it! I have reached mastery!

  My view of the world became clear. I could see mana in the air and how it reacted to the world.

  I saw mana fuel the fire on my arms.

  I saw the mana still lingering on the ground where I am made pillars of fire.

  But I also saw the “mana” from the wannabe adventurer in front of me. It took me achieving mastery to see what my colleague saw.

  That’s not mana.

  When I was still a young adventurer, I was made aware that the way I fought would limit my potential strength.

  All because I couldn’t use what she had dormant within her.

  Aura.