Fire. Burning. Heat. I remember the last sensations vividly.
War. Death. Destruction. I remember the sights as if they were burned into my eyes.
Corpses. Char. Rot. I remember the smells like they were forced up my nose.
Yes, I remember it all.
It shouldn't be this way.
It can't be this way.
I won't let it be this way.
This war must not be allowed.
So once more, I will rewind.
I will find another way.
Over and over until I direct us on a better path.
I will start over.
I will differ.
Rebel against time.
Bend to my will.
Rewind!
I wake up shaking violently in a cold sweat.
"What was that dream? It felt so real; the heat, the smells, the sights, the anger."
"Ryusuke, get up! You'll be late for your entrance exam."
That's right! Today is my entrance exam. I'm gonna become an apprentice. I've been storing up mana for wee- wait a minute...
"I'M DRY!!"
Not half a minute later, my mom burst through the door.
"What's wrong?! Are you ok?"
"Mom, my mana!"
"What about it?"
"It's dry!"
"What? How? I thought you'd been storing up!"
"I was, I had three weeks worth yesterday and now I'm not even generating any!"
"What the hell did you do, cast meteor in you sleep!?"
"How should I know?!"
"Well either way, you need to get going!"
"Right, I'm off."
Rushing my uniform on, and me out the door, I start on my way to Unity Tower.
"How am I supposed to pass the entrance exam of the highest ranked wizard school when I can't even make a spark?!"
Cursing at myself, I round the corner into the elaborate marble archway that marked the entrance into Unity.
Not even two steps onto the ground I run smack into a...wall?
"Ugh... Who thought it was a good idea to put a wall here?"
A slight shove forces me to realize I need to find WHO I hit, rather than what.
"What do you think you're doing here Ryu?"
Ryu? Nobody calls me that except....
"Oh god..."
I look up slowly, confirming bit by bit what I already knew but didn't want to believe.
"Hey, Kei, how ya been? You're not still, you know, mad... Are you?"
He casually put his arm over my shoulder with an overly friendly grin.
"Nah, Ryu, why would I be mad bro?"
"Well in seventh grade, you know, I- am just gonna shut up now."
I said, quickly switching gears as his show of "friendship" quickly turned into a chokehold.
"Hey I know!"
Shit.
"I'll introduce you to some of my friends!"
Oh double shit.
"Hey guys! Come here!"
Please don't come here.
"What's up Keita, who's this?"
"This is Ryusuke! The one I told you about!"
"The guy who used the school's intercom to tell the school you had a small dick in seventh grade?"
The taller of the two new meat bags stepped up.
"You have a small dick?"
Pointing my gaze to the ground I shed a single tear for him.
"So small..."
....
"...."
"...."
"...."
So. Much. Tension.
"Hey Ryu?"
"Yeah Lil'Kei?"
"Run."
"Run?"
"Or die."
Shit.
Running, running, running... are they still behind me?
"Imma fucking kill you!!!!"
Did I REALLY need to ask?
"Shit!"
Before I realized that I was in the air, my face had already landed.
"RYUSUKE!"
Thaaaaat's a different pissed off voice. I looked to my left to see seven pedestals, each of which seated an angry man or woman. A loud, audible "Tch" was heard as Kei and his goons backed away.
"You're late!"
"I'm sorry? Wait who are you again?"
The loudmouth in the middle stood up.
"I am chairman of the board of admissions, Reiki Hayafuta!"
"Uh-huh~"
"You better have something amazing up you're sleeve, just being the headmaster's daughter won't be enough to get you in!"
"..... Um"
"WHAT?!"
"Two things. First of all, and this is VERY important to your well being."
"Well? Out with it woman!"
"Just because my hair reaches my shoulder, doesn't mean I have a vagina."
"What's your point?"
"I HAVE A PENIS YOU INSOLENT FUCK!!!!"
After the board was done recoiling, a short fit of snickering and giggling inside behind the chairman.
"Enough! Now what was the second?"
"I'm dry."
"No more dicking around, perform or leave, it's your responsibility to have enough mana."
"I did last night, had been saving up for three weeks. I was gonna blow this place into the sky."
"Then try it."
"As I said, that was last night, as of now I'm dry. I'm not even generating mana."
"Bara, check him."
At his command a slender woman walked towards me from her spot behind the council.
"Pardon the intrusion."
Shaping her nails into fine blades, she jammed her fingers into my mana channel.
"Checks out, he hasn't had any mana in him for six hours."
"Are we sure he isn't just an Invalid? After all, his mother is."
Mouthy bastard.
"Screw it, toss him an amulet."
He flung a small metal chain towards me.
"A general mana amulet?"
"All the handouts you're gonna get."
"Is everyone here in at least a class four barrier?"
"Of course."
"Well then, as promised...."
I take the amulet in hand, close my eyes, and inhale deeply.
Selfdestruct!
