First Phase

It’s the day of the final selection. Master told me to pay attention to details and as much as possible, avoid using my mana if it’s not needed.

“I’ll be dropping you off to Allegria.” He suggested.

“You can’t!” I disagreed because I might be bullied later if they found out that I lived with him.

“Why though?” He asked me while playing Riri.

“If you want me to pass the final selection in peace, just act like you don’t know me.” I insisted. I saw him frown when I said that. Then, he handed me a pair of clothes.

“What’s this?” I asked but I still accepted it.

“It’s your robe.” He said.

Master made me wear a black long off-shoulder dress paired with a huge witch’s hat.

***

“Hey, is that her?” I can hear them gossiping about me. “Yeah, Sir Eisen made her his disciple. How daring!” I just listened to their bickering.

“I can’t absolutely tell them that I lived with him. They’re going to kill me.” I felt the pressure of keeping it a secret.

Allegria was not a normal school. When Master told me that cannot even enter the grounds in my current state, it really was true. If you don’t master your mana control, you won’t be able to find Allegria. It was invisible to the eye of normal people and the place could be anywhere of the enchanted forest. You just have to have the power to see it.

The school had enormous towers. Right at the center, there seemed a fountain covered in magical flowers and protected by a white mist. It didn’t have any flowing water on it; instead it’s overflowing with mana. It’s mesmerizing to see.

Many new witches and wizard filled the grounds of Allegria. When I arrived here, I was not worthy of stepping on it. I trained hard just to enter this school. I will do my best not to disappoint my master and so that he won’t lose face.

“Hey!” Someone approached me. I saw man around my age, with his rosy long hair and bluish gray-colored eyes. At first, I mistook him for a girl because of his appearance.

“I heard that Sir Eisen trained you himself. Is that true?” He directly asked.

“Shouldn’t you introduce yourself first before asking a question?” I scowled at him.

“I have no name to give to a noble.” He reacted.

Oh? Nobles were being persecuted by witches and wizards.

“Then, I don’t have any obligation to answer your question either.” I turned my back on him.

“Hey! You—!” He called me again.

Before he could start arguing with me, the organizer of the selection appeared.

“Young witches and wizard, we welcome you to the Final Selection!” The one who welcomed us was a witch in a form of a young girl. She had black hair that barely came down to her shoulders, and illuminating green eyes. All of the teachers in Allegria wore white robes with ornate silver designs, like runes or magic symbols.

“That young girl was the Witch Queen, Hecate?” I whispered to myself. She looked so young. Could magic do this too?

“I am pleased to see many aspiring witches and wizard. You have my heart.” She touched her chest.

Among the teachers, I saw someone familiar. I was distracted by his white hair paired with his golden eyes, wearing eyeglasses, as if he became another person. It was my master who was holding Riri that time. On his side, I saw the witch called Winona I have met before.

“Now, you will undergo three phases of the final selection. After winning the last phase, you will earn the right to stay here in the enchanted forest and continue your training in Allegria.” Hecate, the Witch Queen, explained.

“They say the final selection are different every year. Nobody knows what kind of phases will we encounter.” I could hear other witches whispering.

I had butterflies on my stomach and swallowed my saliva.

“For your first test, you will be divided into groups, composing of three members.” Hecate, the witch queen, explained. “Each member of your group will absorb a mana orb, that supports the forest. You have to reach the boundary of the forest without using the mana orb.” She further explained.

“What? If we absorb the mana orb, we can’t use our magic.” I could hear the others talking to each other.

“You’re telling us that we have to cross the forest without using mana?” The one, who has rosy long hair and bluish gray-colored eyes, reacted. He was beside me so I could say he’s a bit flustered.

“As you can see, the forest is now different from what it used to be. Because of the growing number of witches and wizards here, the mana of the forest is already deteriorating. The mana orb that you’ll be carrying could either help or destroy the whole forest.” She made a very disturbing face.

After hearing her explaining, they already handed us our orbs. The one who handed me my orb was my master, Eisen.

“Why are you handing me my orb? Can’t someone else do it?” I whispered to him.

“Why are so prickly?” He wonderingly asked.

Most of my fellow young witches were staring at us. Handsome men are really handful.

After receiving my mana orb, I kept looking at it. It’s just like a small transparent ball with flowing mana inside. It just fits my palm. For the groups, they let us draw tree twigs. They said that my group mates had the same color of tree twigs. Mine had a teal color. After some time of looking for them, I found the one, who has rosy long hair and bluish gray-colored eyes, with the same group as mine.

“You again?” I questioned with disgust on my face.

“How dare you—!” He was about to say something but he was cut off by our third member.

“Fighting will not do good for us.” She humbly uttered. She had an olive green-colored short hair and plum-colored eyes. She's just as tall as me.

She seemed like a good person.

“Hello. My name is Tabitha.” She introduced herself and was asking for a handshake from me.

“Likewise. I am Valkyrie.” I accepted her handshake.

“This man here is Dion. He came from the lineage of famous wizards and witches.” She introduced him just like that.

“Tabitha, mind your own business!” He argued with her.

“We have to work together. Stop acting like a child, Dion.” They seemed like they’re close to each other.

“Lovers?” I asked.

“No!” They both reacted at the same time.

“We were childhood friends.” Tabitha explained. She was so flustered. I guess she liked him since they were children.

Everything was all ready.

“Now, off to your first phase! You have until sundown. Don’t disappoint me.” Hecate smiled as she officially started the final selection.

All three of us, Tabitha, Dion and I, absorbed the mana orb by holding it closely to our chest.

“Alright, let’s avoid using mana.” Tabitha instructed. She guided us like a true leader; I didn’t have any complaints.

As we walked away from the starting line, I saw the other groups doing the same. While walking away, I saw my master, Eisen, smile at me.

“Stupid Master, I told you to act like you don’t know me.” I murmured to myself.