Chapter 1: Innocent Light ~ Layla MacKenzie-Ray

“Now then, class. Let’s remind ourselves. What are the six naturally occurring elements of Magus?”

A stuffy, middle-aged lady in a suit posed this question to her lecture hall of University students, all of whom looked completely disinterested in humouring her.

With no one willing to bite the bullet and the lecturer’s patience growing thin, she directed the question to her most reliable student. A blonde girl, her hair tied in a long ponytail, wearing a smart buttoned shirt and smart trousers, sitting up straight in the middle row. Alert and ready for anything life threw at her.

“Layla… put us out of our misery, will you?”

“Oh!” She responded. “S-sure, Mrs. Star. The six main elements are: Fire, Wind, Water, Earth, Light and Dark.”

“Thank you… Good Lord…” The teacher suddenly turned her attention to a sleepy young man sitting a few seats from Layla. “You! Bandana-Boy!”

“It’s Wes.” He answered, in a vain attempt to shake off the nickname Mrs. Star had labelled him with.

“Bandana-Boy. Which of the main elements are most commonly used by the general public?”

“U-um… Light?”

“WRONG!”

“What!? But, I thought everyone used Light and Dark Magus!”

“WRONG! Everyone has the POTENTIAL to use Light and Dark Magus! I asked what the general public ACTUALLY used.”

“O-oh… That’s like… the others… Fire, Water, Wind and Earth…”

“So, what about Light and Dark Magus?”

“Everyone POTENTIALLY has it, but only a few people can actually use it.”

“Close enough. It’s theorised that everyone has Light and Dark Magus laying dormant within them, even non-Magus users, but their usefulness is so niche that most people never awaken those powers.

Most people prefer to use Magus that can actually help them in their day-to-day lives, unless they inherited their abilities from their parents and thus choose to wield one of the other four elements instead.”

“My Dad uses Light Magus as a searchlight when he’s working security!” Cried a girl way at the back of the class.

“Congratulate him for me.” Mrs. Star facetiously replied. “Honestly… you children act like you know everything, but as soon as you’re put on the spot, all that knowledge goes out the window. Don’t get cocky! Just merely studying these past three years won’t give you a free pass to clearing your final exams.

I’m well aware you’ve spent the majority of your time training and researching your chosen Magus specialties, but this exam is more than just exemplifying your own skills. It’s about your knowledge of Magus as a whole. That includes all six elements and possibly some minor acknowledgement of a few rogue types.”

“Wait!” One student cried. “You mean this exam is covering ALL Magus elements!?”

“I’ve told you multiple times, but it seems there’s always at least one, or two, or twenty of you, who never listen.”

“Oh God! No!”

“Looks like somebody’s going to have to spend the next two weeks in solitary confinement, if they want even the slightest hope of passing. I pray my sudden questioning has revealed just how much preparation you all still need.

Luckily, the written exam only makes up half of your total score, you will also need to perform a physical demonstration of your Magus skills. You only need 75% total to pass. Don’t get anxious, but don’t get complacent, either!

Remember, one of the founding Magus researchers, Akachi Quaero, will be attending the physical exam, so try to use that as motivation to not embarrass yourselves.”

Mrs. Star gave a deep sigh, before addressing her class one last time. “This is it, I’m afraid. The finals are in two weeks. At this point all I can do now is wish you good luck. And so, for the final time: Class is dismissed.”

The students all slumped over to the exit, the weight of the finals settling on their shoulders and looming over them like a perched buzzard. While most of the students were filled with anxiety, there was one girl who was just as confident as ever, Layla.

Layla MacKenzie-Ray, one of the few Light Magus users on campus and by far the most proficient. Her tutors viewed her as a star pupil, a prodigy, destined for greatness, with untapped potential just waiting to be unlocked, however this only drew ire from her peers.

Viewed by most as a nuisance, her abilities set standards the rest felt they could never achieve. Ignored by some, but the subject of jealousy and ridicule to others. Despite this, being a Light Magus User, Layla was naturally forgiving, numbing their animosity with cheerful naiveté that bordered on obliviousness. Still, this didn’t make Layla the most popular student at Shining City University, in fact, she hadn’t made a single real friend during her three years there.

However, Layla still kept up a positive attitude. She wasn’t here to make friends, she had bigger goals in mind. To follow in her father’s footsteps.

In the center of the University courtyard stood a statue of the unknown hero. A man with long hair, jacket and sword who saved the world from the horrors of the Black Death, a creature whose presence still sent shivers down the spines of the people who knew of it an entire century after it was slain.

The year was now 2121 and in honour of the hero, this city, built in a crater in the middle of England, erected a statue of what he may have looked like, based on eye witness statements of the time period.

The hero reminded Layla of her own father, a living legend, whose Light Magus defeated a being rumoured to be the reincarnation of the Black Death. Although, due to his modesty, he requested to not have a statue built in his honour and prefers to remain out of the spotlight.

As the daughter of this great hero, Layla drove herself to become an expert Light Magus User. Even if it meant focusing her life entirely around her studies and outshining her peers, further isolating herself from them. However, she knew her studies were for a greater purpose: To master her Magus and defend the world from the next great evil, whatever it may be.

“H-hey… Layla…?”

“Oh!” She jumped. “Bandana-Boy! I-I mean, Wes.”

“Yeah… sorry to interrupt your determined staring, but can I ask a favour…?”

“S-sure, no problem.” She smiled.

“Could you… like… study with me… or something…?”

“You? W-want to study? With me?” She blushed, genuinely shocked.

“Um… yeah?”

“Of course!” She smiled again, without a hint of skepticism. “I’ve never had a study partner before!”

“Oh… cool. I’ve been having trouble studying Magus outside my own, you know? Actually, I guess you don’t, since you’re smart, and all.”

“I’m not that smart, I just love learning about Magus.” She suddenly gasped in excitement. “This means we can sit in one of those cosy cubicles in the library! I’ve always wanted to study in one of those! With their soft seats, fluffy pillows and big tables to spread your notes all over! But they’re always reserved for study groups and I’m always by myself!”

“Oh, cool. So, you wanna meet this evening, at like six, or something?”

“What!? We should go right now! The more we study now, the more knowledge we can cram in before the finals.”

“But, I was gonna hang out with my friends and-”

“No buts! We’ve only got two weeks and we’re going to need all of that time to get you up to speed!”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be fine! I know you’ve been struggling, so I’ll do everything I can to help!”

“You knew I was struggling?” Wes muttered, passive aggressively.

“Let’s go!” Layla announced, hardly listening.

Settling down in the cosy cubicle at the back of the library, Layla and Wes opened up the screens, installed on either side of the table, revealing a keyboard underneath. Ready to surf the web and take notes to refresh their minds of the material covered in their upcoming exam.

Layla put on her reading glasses and immediately typed away, leaving Wes completely clueless as to what they were doing. She didn’t explain anything, her focus and dedication to studying left him in the dark.

“Um… Layla…? Are you gonna sit there and type all day or what?”

“What? Oh! I’m sorry. I’m getting carried away.” She laughed nervously. “So… okay. Let’s start with your Magus. What are you learning exactly?”

“You knew I was struggling, yet you don’t even know what Magus I use?”

“Um… no.”

Wes sighed. “Whatever… I’m learning Wind Magus.”

Layla quickly typed away again. “Ooh, Wind Magus. Using the wind to manipulate objects, almost like you’re psychic. Of course, it’s not the same as Psychic Magus, but that’s a whole other can of worms… ”

“What the fuck is Psychic Magus?”

“Hey! This is a library! No need to swear!”

“Fine. What the heck is Psychic Magus?”

“It’s a rogue type. You know: Water, Fire, Wind, Earth, Light and Dark are the six elements people can learn naturally, but there are people out there who dedicate themselves to developing rouge types which are super rare, but super fascinating.”

“That’s not gonna be on the test, is it?”

“Kind of. Rouge types have endless variety, so the test mostly focuses on the main six, but you should probably look up a few just so you have some examples to give. Anyway, what is it about your Wind Magus that you’re struggling with?”

“Well, I’ve got the basics down, you know, lifting small objects a few feet away, carrying them around without thinking, but I can’t control stronger winds. I can summon them, but shit just goes flying all over the place.”

“Language!”

“Oh, sorry… still, even after passing all the advanced theory assignments over the past year, I’ve hit a wall when it comes to actually putting them into practise.”

“Understanding the theory is definitely important, but actually applying that theory to your own Magus usage is a different story. Everyone’s minds work differently, so the way we all wield our Magus will be different too. If following the steps exactly doesn’t work then maybe try tweaking them to better suit your own style.”

“Style?”

“Y-you don’t have your own style?”

“Do I have to?”

“W-Wes, it was one of our assignments. You know? In what unique way do you wield your Magus?”

“Oh, that? Come on, most people just bullshitted their way through that one, Layla.”

“They did…? Okay, well… I’ll put it like this: What are you trying to accomplish with your Magus?”

“Pass my exam.”

“No… Why are you studying it in the first place?”

“To get an easy job?”

“No… look, I’m studying Light Magus to follow in my Dad’s footsteps, to be a defender of the people. So, I focus a lot on using my power for combat and self defense.”

“Like a Magus Knight?”

“Exactly! So, what are you trying to do?”

“I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”

Wes’ answer filled Layla with a sense of unease. His attitude was common among the other students. The assumption that Magus was easy to learn, simply because they were born with their abilities, but never thinking about how to properly implement them. Without a clear goal in mind, learning advanced Magus and actually having those lessons stick, was extremely difficult.

“I wish I knew Wes better.” Layla thought to herself. “Then I’d have more of an idea on how to guide him. I had three years to get to know him, but I was always distracted with my own work. Trying to pry into his life at the end of our final semester, would just seem rude.”

“What are you staring at?” Wes asked.

“O-oh… nothing…” She stuttered. “Well, once you’ve figured out what you want to accomplish with your Magus, the rest will come naturally.”

“Can we stop talking about this?” He responded, aggravated.

“O-okay…”

After an awkward silence, Wes got down to business and started typing away on the desk computer. Layla took it as a sign to get back to her own studying and let the tension simmer down in the meantime.

As Layla scanned through her notes in one window, cross-referencing them with an article in another, she was interrupted by a loud: “Hey!”

“Huh?” She jumped, seeing Wes with his usual bewildered look.

“I’m leaving. Gotta eat dinner some time, you know?”

“Oh, is it that late already?”

“Yeah… thanks… for hanging out, I guess.”

“No problem. We can do this again tomorrow if you want. Gotta cram as much as we can to pass the exam.”

“Uh, sure, I guess.”

“Great! We can meet up tomorrow evening. It’ll be quieter and you can hang out with your friends, you know, since you didn’t get to this afternoon… ”

“Sure. See you around five, or something.”

“Five o’ clock, it is.”

Wes gave a half hearted wave before leaving. As soon as he was out of sight, Layla let out a huge sigh of relief.

“That was the most intense few hours I ever experienced in my life.” She thought to herself. “Why was that so scary? The way he acted, the way he spoke, it was all so… cold. Like he spent the whole time judging me with that glare.

I know everyone sees me as an anti-social, goodie-two shoes, bookworm, but after that experience, I’m starting to think their opinions are a lot more negative than I thought.”

Layla took another deep breath to calm herself. “No, that can’t be right. I’m overthinking it. He was probably just as nervous as I was. He’s just embarrassed that he’s fallen so behind on his studies. If I make him feel more comfortable next time, he’s sure to relax.”

She soon hurried home, to her single room apartment in student accommodation. At five o’ clock the next day, Layla waited for Wes in the same cubicle, relaxing with the soft, comfy pillows, until he eventually showed.

“Hi!” She called. “Fashionably late, I see.”

“Are you wearing the same outfit from yesterday?” Wes asked, confused.

“What? I like to dress smart.” She smiled, undeterred.

“Okay, let’s get this study stuff over with.”

“I think today, we should focus on other forms of Magus and save the Wind stuff for later.”

“If you say so…”

“Great, so um… need help with anything in particular?”

“Well… there is something that’s been bothering me.”

“What? I’ll do the best I can.”

“You spend all your time studying, right?”

“Studying, reading, relaxing with some TV. Oh! And I like using the VR rooms for combat training. It’s a lot safer and less nerve wracking than training with another person.”

“Shouldn’t you have this stuff memorised, already? What could you possibly have left to learn?”

“It’s not about learning, it’s about keeping my memory fresh before the exam.”

“I see… what kind of TV do you watch, anyway?”

“W-what…? Oh, just boring documentaries… Did you know the sport Water Surfing was invented in Mallorca only thirty years ago?”

“Do you do anything that isn’t Magus related? Any hobbies?”

“I don’t really have time for hobbies. When I’m not studying or training, I usually practise meditation to keep my mind calm and collected. A strong mind is very important for mastering Light Magus.”

“Light Magus, huh? What does that even do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, other forms of Magus have uses in everyday life. Wind is used for lifting. Water is used for cleaning and cooling. Fire is basically like having a lighter with you at all times and Earth is good for agriculture and nature stuff. What’s the point of Light Magus? I don’t get it.”

“Well, technically everyone has Light Magus, it’s just, only a few people actually learn how to tap into it. Since it’s so emotionally driven, it can be difficult to even unlock. But, mastery of Light Magus will reward you with a miraculous power that can bring people hope and save lives.”

“And shoot cool lasers, right?”

“Sometimes.”

“Show me.”

“Show what?”

“Show me your Light Magus.”

“I-I can’t. Magus is banned in the library.”

“Right… ever since those jackasses set the computer room on fire… then let’s go outside.”

“We should really be studying for the written exam. We can practise our Magus next week.”

“Come on. Don’t be so boring. Watching your Magus is basically like studying anyway.”

“Well… okay. We can borrow a VR room and-”

“No VR. I want to see it for real.”

“A-are you sure…? Would that really help?”

“Definitely. It’s not like there are many Light Users at Shining University to begin with.”

“But what about our seat reservations? If we leave for too long, someone might take them.”

“Jesus Christ, Layla. Pull that stick out of your ass and let’s go already.”

“O-okay…”

This sudden activity change seriously clashed with the study time Layla planned for the evening, but if demonstrating her Light Magus would benefit Wes in some way, then she was willing to sacrifice both her plans and her coveted seat reservations.

Out in the library’s courtyard, in the light of the setting Sun, the two stood alone.

“Well, come on.” Wes urged. “Show me the cool lasers, already.”

“L-lasers?”

“Yeah. Glowing light shows get boring. I want to see the cool shit.”

“I mean… I’ve practised zoning a ton, but full on lasers might be a bit much.”

“Have you ever let loose with your powers at all?”

“Let loose?”

“You know? Like this.”

A burst of wind surrounded Wes’ body. A cyclone of air circling around him, reaching into the sky. Layla held on tightly to her bag and glasses until the winds finally died down.

“Th-that was… v-very impressive.”

“Yeah, well, that’s all I can do at this level. It helps relieve stress, but I still can’t control it properly. It’s not exactly something I can let out whenever I want. You know how pissy those Knights can be.”

“Magus Knights are trained to stop people from abusing their Magus to prevent harm to others. Of course they wouldn’t appreciate you suddenly summoning cyclones out of nowhere.”

Layla laughed, not realising Wes’ displeasure at being reprimanded.

“Sure, okay… can I see the lasers now?”

“Y-yeah… let me just warm myself up first.”

Layla tucked her glasses away and took a stance. Standing up straight, her body slowly glowed in a yellow light, entering a meditative state, as she reached out her hand and gathered energy into it.

However, her body shivered and her power was unfocused as her heart rate increased. What should have been a simple task of gathering Light Magus into her hand had turned into a battle of control over her own power. Her aura quickly disappeared, along with the power she gathered, as she fell to her knees, gasping for air.

“Uhh… what happened?” Wes asked.

“I… I don’t know… that’s never happened before…”

“You… okay…?”

“Yes… just a little exhausted… I-I’m sorry, I don’t think I can shoot any lasers today…”

“Th-that’s cool. Maybe we should call it quits for now…”

“No… we can still… study…”

“I think we’re done for today, Layla. We’ll meet up tomorrow…”

“But… okay…”

Once Layla returned home she collapsed on her bed, utterly embarrassed by her performance.

“I don’t understand. That’s never happened before. Why did my Magus fail? It was just a warm-up, but I somehow choked.”

She reached out her hand, as a small orb of yellow light emanated from her palm. Everything seemed to be working fine now.

“Am I really pushing myself too much? Am I subconsciously doubting myself? Is… is this going to happen during the exam? Now that I think about it, I’ve never actually used my Magus in front of real people before. Or, maybe… I’m just anxious because I’m scared Wes doesn’t like me…?

I’ve got to stop thinking like this! I have to stay positive! That’s the Light User way! Dad wouldn’t let something like this get him down! He’d always remember what’s truly important! What makes him happy! Helping others! Saving lives! And bringing light to the world!”

Layla suddenly yawned. “But, I’ll do all that tomorrow…”

The next day, Layla and Wes met up at the library, only this time there were no Magus demonstrations, just a typical study period. Wes would ask questions on other Magus types and Layla would answer, but that was the extent of their interactions.

After what happened yesterday, Layla decided the best course of action was to simply get comfortable with having Wes around and not force any awkward exchanges, so when it came for them to practise their Magus for real, she’d feel more willing to show off her powers without fear.

As the rest of the week passed by, Layla waited in their usual spot at the library, but grew anxious. Wes was usually five minutes late, but half an hour had passed and there was still no sign of him. Today was the day they were supposed to practise for their physical exam. She glanced out the window and noticed Wes pass by the library, with a group of students.

“What is he doing?” Layla wondered. “Oh no… did he lose track of time? I don’t want to disturb him when he’s with his friends, but we’ve only got a week left. We need to practise as much as we can. I should catch up to him.”

Layla gathered her things, and made haste for the exit, seating reservations be damned. She momentarily lost sight of Wes, but quickly spotted him and his friends sitting inside a booth at a cafe.

She initially entered to talk with Wes, but after overhearing her name her nerves struck hard and she immediately dived into the booth behind them. With a wall between them, Layla could listen in on their discussion without being noticed. She didn’t like the idea of eavesdropping, but her curiosity got the better of her, plus interrupting their chat would have been just as rude.

“Why are you hanging out with that weirdo anyway?” One friend asked.

“Because she’s smart and I need all the help I can get to pass this course.” Wes answered.

“Desperate much? So, what kind of awkward shit does she do?”

“Nothing that notable, honestly she’s just kind of forgettable. All she really talks about is Magus.”

The other students chuckled to themselves.

“I thought you were joking at first, but she really does wear the same shit everyday. I’ve never seen someone so… bland.”

“Bland…?” Layla’s heart sank.

“How’d you stick it out so long?”

“I don’t know, I just felt sorry for her, I guess.”

“Don’t you think it’s a bit rude, ditching her like this?”

“Not really. Layla hasn’t hung out with anyone for the past three years, why would she care now? She doesn’t need me. She’ll pass, no problem.”

As their conversation shifted elsewhere, Layla snuck out, her heart heavy with depression. She thought she was making progress, but it turned out, Wes was only using her. She truly hoped they could have been friends. The past week suddenly felt like a complete waste of time. Once home, she fell on her bed, saddened and disappointed, with one thought still permeating her mind.

“Am I really bland?”

She sat up, examining her room. It was plain, with the exception of a bookcase with texts on Magus. She dedicated her life to mastering her Light Magus, a power that required such levels of dedication, but in doing so, she pushed away everything else life had to offer. She couldn’t help but wonder if she made the right decision.

After looking in the mirror and sorting through her wardrobe she realised she’d really had been wearing the same type of clothing for the past three years. The same trousers, shirts, even shoes. Her hair had been in the same ponytail, too. She hadn’t changed at all.

“Have I been holding myself back this whole time? Is that why my Magus failed?”

She thought long and hard and eventually came to a conclusion.

“I need a change. Tomorrow, I’m going to buy new clothes and create a new look, starting with my hair!”

She pulled out her ribbon, letting her long blonde hair fall freely around her back, reaching down to her waist.

“Oh god! Look how long it’s gotten! I look so messy and unkempt! No! That doesn’t matter! I’ll just find a new style, like a braid… yeah, I’ll braid it… how do I do that, though? Do hairdressers braid hair? I’ll have to ask them tomorrow. Wow, changing your image requires a lot more planning than I thought…”

The next day, Wes and his friends sat around the courtyard of Shining University, enjoying lunch when they were suddenly interrupted by the appearance of a strange blonde girl. Her hair long and braided, she wore baggy jeans and a sky blue button shirt. It took a moment for the students to recognise her.

“Hi, Wes.” Layla greeted. “You didn’t show up to practise yesterday. You okay?”

“Woah… Layla? Is that you?”

“Yeah? I-is there a problem?”

“No, I just… you look completely different.”

“Well, seeing as we’re nearing graduation, I thought I’d start to unwind a little.”

“What the hell is this?” Wes’ friend laughed.

“Oh, sorry to bother you. I’m just checking up on Wes.”

“Since when were you two friends?”

“Oh no, we’re just… study partners…”

Intrigued by Layla’s sudden change, the student quickly formed a plan to put her to the test.

“Really? Say, you’re pretty smart, right?”

“Pardon me?”

“I bet you know all sorts about Dark Magus, right? Or is that beneath you?”

Wes’ friend thought he had her. With no Dark Magus Users at the university and as a Light User, Layla would naturally be opposed to learning of such dark forces out of principle.

“Sure, no problem.” Layla smiled. “Dark Magus is like Light Magus, but instead of being fuelled by positive emotions, it’s fuelled by negative ones. People who use Dark Magus usually end up as criminals, abusing their destructive powers, since it’s so easy to give in to that temptation.

But… in my research, I’ve found countless forum posts from people struggling with their Dark Magus, and the stigma having such power carries. It’s… actually really sad… being cursed with an aptitude in something society views as evil…”

The student was shocked, he wasn’t expecting any answers, let alone such a detailed one.

He laughed to himself again, slapping Layla on the back. “Holy crap! You really are a nerd!”

“I-I just… do my homework.”

“Yeah, I bet you’ve never used your Magus for anything, other than homework, right?”

“Steven, what are you doing?” Wes asked.

“Something cool, just watch. Hey, Layla, if you can give us a demonstration of what your Light Magus can really do, we’ll let you hang out with us.”

“Th-that’s okay, I should probably be leaving… ”

“Oh, come on. Are you serious? You’re so boring.”

Layla stopped in her tracks. Changing her image wasn’t enough. If she wanted to win people over, she needed to be willing to take risks.

“Wh-what kind of demonstration?” She replied.

“See that guy over there?” Steven pointed to a man with short, messy white hair, holding what looked like a brochure. “That dude looks like a tourist. How about you give him a warm welcome?”

“Oh, that sounds nice.”

Layla headed off to greet the man, only for Steven to immediately pull her back. “No, you idiot! I mean, shoot him with your Magus.”

“What!? I can’t do that!”

“You don’t have to hurt him. I just want to see how Light Magus affects people. It’ll be a learning experience. Might even be on the test.”

“U-um… I guess a small shot wouldn’t be too bad. Light Magus doesn’t really hurt the physical body, it’ll be like giving his soul a little jolt.”

“Yeah, whatever. Now, hurry up, before he leaves.”

Layla wasn’t comfortable with attacking an innocent bystander, but it was only a minor demonstration, the equivalent of a pinch on the cheek. She struggled for a moment, but remembered there was more at stake than just this test, she wanted to prove she wasn’t bland.

She soon gathered a small yellow spark in her hand and fired it like a bullet towards the man. Just as it was about to hit its mark, the spark suddenly slowed to a crawl as the man moved forward, without even acknowledging the attack. Once out of harm’s way, the spark sped up again, darting passed the man, missing him completely.

Layla was the only one who seemed to notice the bizarre phenomenon as Steven and the others were too busty gloating over her pitiful aim.

“Holy shit, Wes! Her powers really do suck! She’s got the brains, but she can’t do shit with them!” Steven walked back to his friends as they all got up to leave.

Layla looked back at Wes, who was too embarrassed to look back.

“Wes, wait! I-!” But, it was too late. He was gone.

Layla stood on the edge of the courtyard, soured from her experience. She held back her tears, but one still managed to slip through. After spending all morning trying to change her look, just to make a single friend, none of it really mattered. Her reputation as the boring, anti-social, loser had already been long solidified and it was too late to change it now.

“Excuse me, young lady.”

Layla looked up, wiping away a tear. It was the tourist, who’s skin appeared much paler up close. “You were the one who fired that Magus just now, correct?”

“Oh, yeah… sorry about that. I was just being stupid.”

“Light Magus is no parlour trick. It takes exceptional talent and patience to wield it like you did. You shouldn’t waste it, trying to appease a group of children.”

Something about the man’s aura was unlike anything Layla had ever felt. His demeanor, appearance and even his Magus were a total enigma to her, borderline incomprehensible.

“Is something wrong?” The man asked, concerned.

“Your Magus is weird. Who are you?” She asked.

“Y-you can sense Magus?” The man appeared slightly shocked for a brief second, before returning to his neutral expression. “No one. I’m just a tourist.”

He immediately took his leave, but not without giving Layla one final word of advice. “Oh, before I go, let me just say one thing: Don’t waste your talent desperately trying to impress selfish people. As long as you continue to wield your powers for a just cause, great people will come to you.”

Layla returned home. She unbraided her hair, put on her usual smart clothes and tied back her ponytail. She was going to spend the rest of her time practising her Magus. Alone.

The day of the exam arrived. As expected, Layla breezed through the written portion with ease and after a lunch break, the physical exam was underway in the courtyard.

Along with Mrs. Star, there was another watching over the students as they performed their tests. The guest of honour, Akachi Quaero. An old black man, with grey five o’ clock shadow, wearing a brown jacket, a plain shirt and trousers, black fingerless gloves and a distinctive beige ascot cap to hide his bald head.

He definitely looked scruffier than everyone expected, but remained relaxed and approachable to all those he met. Not exactly a gentleman, more like an affable grandpa.

Layla didn’t have any time to converse with him as her physical exam was about to commence.

“Layla MacKenzie-Ray! You’re up next!” Mrs. Star ordered.

The courtyard was surrounded by a circle of barricades, signifying the space needed for the exam. The rules were deceptively simple. It was target practise. However, the targets were placed in strange locations around the campus. Some were out in the open, while others were hidden just out of sight, leaning over rooftops and poking around corners.

This wasn’t just about hitting the targets, but using your Magus to locate and draw them out. With fifty targets, a 10 minute time limit, a rule preventing movement and the whole class watching, the pressure quickly piled on.

Layla needed to focus. She entered her meditative state to calm her nerves and channel her Magus into her hands. She trained all week, but quickly remembered why she wanted to practise with Wes in the first place. Her stage fright reared its ugly head, creating difficulties in holding on to any Magus she charged up.

She was shaking and sweating and gasping for air. By the time she finally got a hold of herself, she had already wasted two minutes, which only intensified the pressure. She only needed to hit 25 to pass, assuming she aced the written exam.

That’s assuming she did.

“What if I made mistakes there, too?” She questioned. “I better aim for the far targets first. That way, when the timer is running low, I can snipe the easier targets.”

Her decision was costly. The targets were deceivingly smaller than they appeared, her shots weren’t even grazing them. For a moment she wondered if they were moving out of range, like the tourist, but her pondering and second guessing was only wasting more time.

She clasped her out-stretched arm with her hand, to stop it from quivering. She continually fired at the same target, poking from the side of a building, taunting her.

“I can’t hit it! Why!? Why can’t I hit it!? It’s right there! I’m aiming right at it! Why can’t I hit it!?”

Her obsession quickly gave way to frustration, as she started taking potshots at the closer targets. She hit a few, but her rapid-fire approach lacked accuracy, as most shots still slipped and swerved past their target.

“I won’t miss! And to make sure of it! I’ll hit it with everything I’ve got!”

In a final act of desperation she charged her Magus and fired a super-powered beam that completely vaporised the target in front of her, shocking the students.

Her performance was finally brought to an end by the final whistle. Her exam was over. She hit eleven targets. Even with a perfect written exam, she would only manage a score of 61%.

She failed.

Layla didn’t know how to react. She spent three years studying and training and it all came crashing down in the span of ten minutes. Nobody expected her to perform this badly, even the students who previously mocked her felt sympathetic, as they watched her silently sulk back to class.

“You’re still here, Layla?” Mrs. Star asked.

The Sun was setting and the students had all left, except Layla, who sat in her seat in the middle row, with her face in her desk.

“What the heck happened out there!?” Cried a gruff old voice.

Layla looked up at Akachi Quaero, who didn’t seem bothered by her failure induced sadness.

“I haven’t seen someone botch an exam like that since Abner himself.”

“Abner? That’s my Dad’s name.”

“Oh? So, you’re that MacKenzie-Ray? Now it all makes sense!”

“You know my Dad?”

“Everyone knows your Dad, he is a hero after all. But, I knew him personally. Th-through my brief time as a mentor here, specifically.”

“Sorry, guess I disappointed you, too. I’m a total fraud.”

“Fraud?” Akachi laughed. “Could a fraud reduce a super-reinforced target to ashes with a concentrated beam of light?”

“Yes.”

“Well… yeah, okay they probably could if they really tried, but that’s not the point. You’re no fraud, Layla. You just need to work on applying your Magus in the real world, none of this VR crap.”

“Could have used that advice a year ago.”

“Layla. Do you know why I came here today?”

“Because you got a nice paycheck?”

“Damn, this girl’s sharp. Actually, I had another reason. I came here looking to recruit Magus users and I heard there was a special Light User here, who was just itching to fight evil.”

“I’m sure Sara’s available. Did you know her Dad uses Light Magus as a searchlight? That’s pretty neat. Bet it’s more effective than mine.”

“I’m talking about you, Layla. The daughter of a living legend.” He placed a slip of paper on her desk.

Upon reading it, she found that it was an employment contract.

“A Magus Defense Agency? In Nexus City?”

“Yep.”

“But, that’s all the way in Florida.”

“You’ve heard of it?”

“Nexus City was built in the crater where the Black Death fell, kinda like Shining City, now that I think about it.”

“You’re well read. Anyway, I’d like to recruit you for my squad. What do you say?”

“But, I failed my exam… I’m not qualified.”

“Do you see any qualifications listed in that contract?”

“No?”

“Exactly. You don’t work with Magus your whole life and not see the potential of it in others. You’ve got incredible power tucked away inside you, just like your Dad. You can take all the exams you want, but nothing’s better at improving your skills than doing the real thing. Fighting crime in a city that could really use your help.”

“I don’t know. What do you think, Mrs. Star?”

“Layla, you could waste another year of your life in this tedious class, or you can get a real job and earn real life experiences.”

Layla thought for a moment, but soon realised that this was exactly the kind of opportunity she had been training her whole life for. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the fresh new start she needed, with new Magus users on her level to relate to, she might even make some real friends.

“Alright. If you really think I have what it takes. Then I’ll do it!”

“Fantastic!” Akachi was thrilled to have such a talented young lady join his agency.

“That’s two out of six, we’re a third of the way there… ”