Young Writers Society

Despite walking through a small village of people, the technology, and fashion of this world confuses me. While everyone was wearing medieval styled clothes, they were refined, balanced in their color, and offered a wide variety of decorations that commoners of the time would have never enjoyed. Like they were enjoying my own worlds sense of textile, while still locked into an older sense of style.

Beyond that the building were all weird!

From what I remember from history, the common house of medieval Europe was nothing but mud and wood, dried together to keep the cold out. While that might not be true of everyone, the vast majority were limited in their comforts. But every house, every building in this small little village gave me a modern impression. They had that same style I remember seeing in so many books, but they were far more solid, cleaner, with warm insides that implied a far higher standard of living then the commoners of my own world. Wood and plaster specially smoothed to give a nice finish, insides that were laid with a warm wood finish.

If this village had a few more skin colors, and some species diversity, I would mistake this for the starting town of a rpg because of how unrealistic it is. There is too much comfort for such a medieval world. If magic could be used for convenience, I would blame it on that, but Curse said that magic could only be used for fighting.

Or maybe she only knows how to use it for that?

I don’t have enough context.

“Mist!”

“Wah?!” I jump, bumping into someone in the crowd before Curse grabs onto my arm, refocusing my vision on her.

“I thought you wanted to learn magic.”

“Of course I do!” I half yell, pulling myself out of my daze.

“Then pay attention, we’re here.” She pull my attention to the building front of me. Unlike the wood and plaster, this building was made from white stone, wood paneling decorating flat surfaces. Just to make the whole thing seem even more grand, carved marble pillars ran the edges, like the whole building was made to clash with the rest of the village as much as possible. To finalize it all, the door was more of a decorated arch. Above the arch was a metal sign reading ‘Moon’s Oath Guild Hall’, a delicate crescent moon made out of marble inlaid in the sign. While I wouldn’t call the hall busy, as nobody was going in or out, I could see quite a few people sitting around through the open door.

“Woh.” I can’t help but say.

“Now before we go in,” Curse leaned down, putting her face on my level. “I want you to prepare yourself. Reception work and magic aptitude testing is usually left to...slaves.” Without saying anything she started leading me in.

Inside was a oddly warm environment, despite being open to the elements. With lots of happy sounding people eating. This place resembling a restaurant more than the guild halls of my fantasies. As the insides were well aligned my vision was automatically drawn to the front desk. A dark grey skinned girl with a shaved head and pointed ears stood there, dressed in oddly frilly clothes, with a gentle smile. While she seemed comfortable, a large metal collar, linked to the desk with chains, betrayed her pain.

“Good afternoon, Vera.” Curse said with a smile as she lead me up to the desk.

“Hello, Curse, did you finish your hunt already?” Vera asked, bowing slightly.

“Not yet, we ran into a distraction on the way, so had to come back early.”

I didn’t mean to be a distraction!

“Oh?” She voiced surprise as she looked at me, like she had just registered I was there. Why does it feel like I am being ignored. I spent a long time planning out this appearance, at least give me a little praise.

Then again I probably look like a beggar right now.

“Then do you want me to search for missing child's report matching her description?” Vera asked.

“No, we came here for a magic aptitude test,” Curse said, shaking her head, “I don’t think you’ll find anything on her.”

How do you know? I mean I know why they wouldn’t, but if I was really a escaped slave, wouldn’t there be a bounty out on me? Oh, maybe this is a misdirection trick?

“Very well.” Vera said, “three green silver please.”

“What? It was just one when I took the test.” Curse half shouted, surprised.

“I’m the only Half-Alvear in this town, so, price jump.”

“Sorry, if it’s too much-” I start talking.

“No it’s fine,” Curse interrupts me, before turning to face Vera again, pulling out from thin air what looked like three dull green coins, calmly handing them over to Vera. “So when can we start?”

Vera tilted her head slightly and then said, “My master is coming, and will be here soon, so please head to the left, and look for a door marked with my name. I will be there shortly.”

Following her directions, me and Curse easily found the room, the room itself was absolutely empty, with a single chair that looks like it was brought in only moments ago, the rest of the room was dedicated to a complex circle pattern, sentences I could read, yet somehow not comprehend making up its bulk, with the occasional picture such as a fire drawing, or a image of a hawk filling the gaps.

This looks like something I could use outside of a fight.

“Curse, you said…”

“You’d have to spend hundreds of years studying to do anything like this.”

“Oh.”

So utility magic like this is possible but has a horrifying number of rules? Fair enough.

Since there was only one chair, Curse forced me to take it, saying I would need to rest for the test.

Magic!

Going to a new world and not learning magic is a waste!

“Curse, why do we need a Half-Alvear for the magic test?”

“There are plenty of ways to do it, but the cheapest way is to set down one of these circles, and then use someone like a battery to power it. Alvear, even half blooded ones, have a far bigger mana pool then the average species. So it’s cheaper to get a...slave to do it then pay a bunch of mages to power it.”

“Thank you for waiting.” A cold female voice abruptly said. Walking into the room was a rather bulky woman in thick leather armor, her cold face matching her voice perfectly. Like she had slept in the arctic. While her skin was quite tan, it didn’t look like she’s actually done much given how unusually smooth her features were. “So who’s the wannabe magic user?”

“Um, me.” I say, standing up fast enough that I hopped out of my seat.

“You look like something the cat dragged in.”

Rude. But you’re right about the cat part.

“Now walk to the center of the casting circle, and sit down cross legged.” The cold faced woman yanked on a chain, I didn’t notice in her hand, Vera stumbled in, steadying herself as the chain was locked onto part of the wall. “Vera here will do the rest.”

Ugh, I don’t feel right about using Vera, but I’m too weak to change anything. I can just get strong enough to get rid of the slavery system later. That’s what most heroes do right?

I quickly follow her directions, and sat down in the middle of the circle, as soon as I did, I noticed Vera’s eyes started to glow a bright blue, the magic circle lighting up under the same color. The glow kept getting brighter and brighter until I was blinded by the light. A strong suction force felt like it was draining me, drawing at my insides.

The pattern from earlier, reappeared in solid black, the rising to outline multiple silhouettes formed, outlined by those symbols, details started adding themselves. First to appear were tails and legs, followed by torsos, then wings, then finally their draconic heads. Dragons? Yes, Five dragons silhouettes appeared before me. Their forms becoming more distinct as I looked at them.

The first confused me, the dragon was half skeletal, a odd understanding of death filling me. With the other side, I saw blooming life, a overflowing vitality. The sensation of these clashing forced entranced me, but I still looked on to the next.

The next dragon felt like it lacked substance, like all I could get was a sense of noise. Sound? Vibration? I could feel energy, dance around the creature at a unstable pace. I was curious, but still was drawn away to the next.

The third dragon gave me a outstanding sense of ancient majesty, yet youth infused its nature. Like I was staring in the face of the beginning and end. A sense of wonder filled me, but I still looked to the next.

The fourth dragon was vast, as if I was looking the tiniest part of something far greater, yet at the same time, the whole thing. It made me feel small, yet grand within its prescience, a great space. Yet, I was still drawn away in the end.

The final dragon drew all of my interest and awareness. Just by looking at it I felt pressure, intense, outstanding pressure that encompassed my entire being. It’s eyes were powerful and all reaching, yet felt soft and kind. It was powerful, yet weak, all encompassing, yet distant.

Is this...gravity magic?

I felt a draw to all of them, but the... love and affection I felt from that dragon drew me in. Like I am a spoiled child who had been away from its arms for too long. As I reached out to it, I hear a pop in my mind and some...bit tune music starts playing.

“Achievement found!” A soft female voice, filled with a fake eagerness, plays in my ear, “Magic awakening. Ten achievement points have been added to your total, please find three more achievements to open the point menu.”

I almost was convinced this was a real world!

A real world wouldn’t have a achievement system or a point menu right?!

I want my tutorial!

The bit tune music abruptly stops and the dragons faded away, my mood ruined.

When the light finally faded, I couldn’t help but yelp and jump up. Vera, was gasping for air on the floor, clearly overdrawn from the spell, but not only her. Curse, and even the cold faced lady from before were all on the ground gasping.

“What happened?!” I yelled, running over to Curses side. She waved me off and I looked around, noticing that the other two had slowly relaxed.

The cold faced women pushed off the ground as soon as she was stable enough and stared me down.

Did I do something bad?

“Vera! What’s her focus?” She said, still staring at me.

“Gravity.” The cold faced woman, yanked up Curse and then pulled me and her out of the room.

“Where are we going.” I ask, scared.

“Out to get a few books.” Even when she started running, she kept glancing over at me. “Don’t worry, I’ll be buying.”

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Authors Notes: Freakin' magic~ 

So! I dunno how well I portrayed the five super magics of the story, so anyone reading, plz share your interpretations of what you think they represent. 

Now then! I hope you enjoyed my story!