"Melch, Open up. Are you alive in there? Or did you finally become like one of those books you''re always gawking at?"


    Melch let out a tired sigh, rubbing his eyes. He noticed his reflection in the little mirror beside his bed, dark circles had developed under his eyes making him look haunted. Great, Just what he needed.


    He opened the door to see Leif standing there, smiling. "Whoa!Oa!! You look like you''ve been battling demons in your sleep. Wait, don''t tell me.. you lost?"


    Melch rolled his eyes. "It''s called reading, Leif. You should try it sometime with your books."


    Leif gasped theatrically. "Reading? That''s perilous. I believe I''ll be content with things that don''t make me appear like a ghost."


    Melch shook his head and took his stuff. "Come on, we''ve got magic class today."


    "Finally, Something practical." Leif said standing up and stretching.


    They walked to the academy, where the day''s class was to be held in one of the larger lecture rooms.


    Leif nudged him. "I call back row. Easy escape route."


    Before Melch could say anything, they saw that the majority of the front and back seats were occupied. That left them with the middle section.


    "Guess we''re stuck here" Melch declared as they sat down in two vacant seats.


    Edwin, who was sitting in the front row looked back at them. He made a tiny motion obviously attempting to catch their eye. Leif, being Leif, countered by making goofy faces at him. Edwin exhaled resigning himself within seconds.


    Elissa sitting next to Edwin faced them.


    Leif grunted. "Guess we''ll be quizzed on this later?"


    "Evidently."


    Melch, not particularly fussed about where he sat stood up to continue and Leif reluctantly followed behind.


    Just as they were getting settled into their seats, the classroom became quiet. The professor had arrived.


    A bearded, long-haired man strode toward the middle of the room. His brown robe was plain, yet there was something about his being that required notice.


    "I am Idor Giflyn" he replied with his deep voice smooth. "I will be teaching you about magic for the majority of your first year.


    Without hesitation, he set the book in his hand on the table in the middle.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Leif leaned in towards Melch. "Okay, that''s awesome but also kind of scary."


    Melch nodded. This was on a whole other level than the magic they had witnessed in the entrance exam.


    "You may be wondering why such measures are necessary" Professor Giflyn continued. "The study of magic is not to be taken lightly. Distractions are dangerous. The barrier ensures that your focus remains where it should be."


    Leif whispered "What if someone really has to go to the bathroom?"


    Melch smirked. "Then they better be good at breaking his spells."


    The professor’s gaze swept across the room and everyone immediately fell silent.


    "Today we start with the basis of all magic getting to know what is mana."


    At that, a few students groaned. Leif grumbled "Great, my favorite theory."


    Professor Giflyn dismissed the reaction and went on. "Several of you conceive of mana as a mere fuel something to tap into when necessary. This is a treacherous misapprehension.


    Melch listened intently. There was something in the professor''s tone of voice that convinced him that he was telling the truth.


    "As a prelude to practical training, you need first to learn about your own mana. You will all be given a my own mana measurement test. It will show you your natural mana flow, how much you can contain and to what extent you are apt.


    One after the other, the students stepped onto the platform. The professor had put a peculiar crystal orb in the middle, which glowed softly every time a student touched it. Various colors and patterns appeared, indicating their mana affinity.


    When Edwin took a step ahead, the globe glowed with a consistent golden color.


    "A balanced affinity" the professor said. "A rare trait."


    Then came Elissa''s turn and the sphere danced between blue and silver alternating as if it were torn between two powers.


    "Dual affinity. Interesting."


    Then Leif arrived.


    He laid his hand firmly on the sphere. For a moment, nothing occurred. Then the sphere flared wildly, cycling through several colors before resolving into a wild swirl of red and green.


    The professor raised an eyebrow.


    Leif smiled. "Hey, unstable sounds exciting."


    At last, it was Melch''s turn. He paused for a moment before moving forward and putting his hand on the globe.


    The response was swift.


    The sphere turned pitch black.


    The professor''s face remained the same, but Melch sensed something move in the room.


    "Interesting" Professor Giflyn whispered. "Very interesting."


    Leif leaned in to whisper. "What does gray mean? That you''re just okay at everything?"


    Melch didn''t respond. He didn''t know himself.


    Professor Giflyn proceeded calling the next student but Melch was aware that something in his result had drawn the professor''s eye and that wasn''t necessarily a positive thing.