Magic was originally gifted to women for healing and protecting their families during the dark times while the men were away.
...Until a boy emerged, able to preform the arts. Resenting the women for refusing to teach him, he decided to steal the k...
"What's the meaning of this?" West demanded, jumping out of his seat. "A pop quiz?! That's so unlike you, Professor Sed." Professor Seddik groomed his silver mustache, ignoring West's lamenting.
"Those who fail will be eliminated." The teacher responds robotically, making Saiyah tense.
"Eliminated? What the hell are you talking about? This is a school, not a damn contest!" The student beside Saiyah, who's name was Senya, shouted. Professor Seddik brushed off the complaints, passing out examination booklets. Saiyah took a deep breath, whatever they were being eliminated for, she didn't want to find out. She worked too hard to get into this school, she needed to pass.
She just hoped her friends Romelle and West succeeded too.
The questions on the test were far too advanced for Saiyah's liking. As the Professor announced the results, she fidgeted restlessly in her seat. Her legs jogged in place, her fingers drummed on the desk, and her teeth began to chatter. She didn't care for the annoyed glares the people around her shot her. "Zadro; pass. Tsudan; pass. Varga; pass. Dericko; pass. Antonyn; pass. Taleen; pass...."
Saiyah held her breath. Zadro, Xev, and Romelle passed. Hopefully she would too.
"Burns; pass." A relieved groan sounded behind her. She turned her seat to give West a congratulatory smile. It was actually surprising to see that he passed, but Saiyah was proud of him.
Professor Seddik stopped reading the list. Saiyah's shoulders drooped. She felt as if she was neck deep in quicksand. She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't blink.
She failed.
"Oh, and no last name, you pass."
Saiyah cried out, why did he scare her like that! Across the room, Romelle squealed. "The rest of you, dismissed." The Professor waved his hand half-heartedly.
Senya stood up. "But–"
"Goodbye."
The failing students, which was nearly half of the class, exited the classroom with their heads down.
Saiyah raised her hand. "Yes?" Professor Seddik peered down at her over his glasses.
"Why are you kicking out students?"
"This school admits only the best of the best. It is about time we wiped away all of the untalented." His dark eyes land on West at the last word.
West shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Does that mean no more pop quizzes?" He called.
The teacher nodded, "Practicals are next." Most of the remnants of the class stiffened. Saiyah's heart fell into her stomach, the world crumbled around her. Would she be forced to display her power? What if she lost control?
"What do you mean by 'practicals'?" Judius Taleen asked. She was one of the few females at the school and was the smartest in the class. But she wasn't a powerful magiker.
"We're testing your magic ability next."
Saiyah's head fell onto her desk in resignation. "That's absurd!" Yelled Markus Antonyn.
"We just started using our magic last week!" Romelle added, almost a plea. Saiyah turned around in her seat once more. West hung his head down in defeat.
The teacher shook his head. "I'm doing as I was told."
Saiyah made her way to Headmaster Banthikaar's office. Whatever he was doing, it was unjust and ridiculous. Everyone had a right to attend the academy. It was the only place where magikers felt safe. She knocked on the door.
"Come in," a voice called. She gingerly twisted the door knob and walked in. The office had been renovated after her "entrance exam episode". Banthikaar was sitting at his desk, reviewing a stack of papers. An anchor beard now covered the bottom half of his face. His eyes glanced at her briefly. "Can I help you?"
"Why are you eliminating students?" Saiyah asked.
"I don't believe that's any of your business." He snapped, not looking up at her. The lack of interest and eye contact infuriated Saiyah. He wasn't taking her seriously.
She slammed her palm onto his desk, harder than she intended. The action startled him. "Oh, you bet it's my business. And it's everyone else's. We're being impacted by your plans. We have a right to know."
"You think you're so special that you deserve to be included in my plans?" He looked up at her. His golden eyes burned into hers. Saiyah's gaze traveled to the scar she left him with, guilt and disgust filled her being.
"That's not what I—"
He stood up. Saiyah shrank away, afraid she'd pushed him too far. "Just because you were allowed into this establishment under....special circumstance, you deserve to remain here with the elite?" He scoffed. "You can't even control yourself." His long fingers instinctively went to his mutilated eye. He might as well have slapped her.
I have nowhere else to go. No family, no home to go to. She wanted to shout, but tears threatened her eyes. She bolted out of the room, afraid that if she stayed any longer she'd break into a sob.
She saw the way he looked at her with hatred and fear and pity. She ran around the corner and leaned against the wall. Tears slithered down her cheeks as her nose began to run. She sank to the floor and hugged her knees, wiping her nose on her pants.
She shouldn't be crying over something someone said.
The Headmaster didn't even know her, he had no right to accuse her of such things. She didn't think she deserved anything.
She was a monster after all.
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