My hands are shaking, and my body sweats from overexertion. I can barely concentrate while being pierced by the judgmental stares of my classmates. It's been five minutes since I started focusing. It's smoldering, slightly at least. I can't... I can't fail. If I can't do at least this much, then this whole year means nothing.

I breathe in deeply, one last time, I feel like the veins in my head are going to pop, but finally the matchstick lights, it's light only a small balm to the migraine I induced on myself. You'd think I would be more relieved. But in truth, this was a small trick, barely a spell, and yet it was my end-year presentation. The school has at the end of the year a "final trial" of sorts, all the students must prepare a demonstration, that shows their progress and the most impressive magical feat they can muster, just before me a girl turned water vapor into a small thrall for a short period, as you might imagine, lighting a match(and almost passing out in the process) is very far from impressive, matter of factually, such a trick is one of the first "magical potential" tests they have you go through when you enroll, one I took a year ago, and failed... That's where my name came from, "Match". A cruel nickname baptized upon me by my classmates, i ended up adopting it though since before I came here I had no name of my own. That's why I thought of doing this as my presentation, lighting the thing, would show that I have at least made progress since the beginning of the year, that my magical power had grown if only enough to perform the simplest of spells.

Finally, I realized I had been standing for far too long in front of the class, the teacher's death stare a good indicator that I should sit down or I would be removed from the classroom. I move, my body weak and wobbling in a pathetic manner, as I walk slowly to my desk, collapsing onto it, head down, but looking forwards still, afraid the teacher would reprimand me if I didn't pay attention to my fellow students as they succeed in what I can only dream,  I was used to being humiliated at this point, the look, the stares, they started to mean less and less... yet, today, it's worse then usual, it's the end of the year, my last chance, and the only thing I could do is light an object, which is peer design easily lit...

I wish I could sleep, as exhausted as I am I could probably do it with my eyes open, maybe even fool the teacher, but this room is bewitched with a charm, that makes it so you aren't able to go unconscious, quite clever, quite the clever trick from the staff. So, since I can't bail out I look around trying to get my mind off things, I meet eyes with Sabrina. Ah yes, she truly is something, sadistic, sharp-tongued, and full of wit, you can imagine how good she did as a bully this year, she was smiling currently, but there was no warmth behind it, only the joy of watching me prove her accusations of weakness and incompetence correct once again...

After what feels like an eternity, finally, the school day ends, I drag myself through the halls to the dormitory, I had a room to myself, normally there are two students per room but this year there's an odd number of learners, and since nobody wanted to be in the same room as the school's sad and sick joke, I got to be alone, I don't mind it, even like it, but I do wonder if I would have made at least one friends if that hadn't been the case. Either way, there's no point dwelling on it now, so I just let my face hit the pillow and soon I am washed into a dreamless sleep.

I wake up. My body still hurts so does my head, but I didn't let that stop me before, i get ready for whatever might come today... As if on cue I hear a knock at my door as soon as I finish dressing up, I open to see a familiar face, with an unsettling smile that always puts me on edge, Sabrina...

-Can I... help you Sabrina?-I say, nervous at the rare situation

-Greetings match~ - Mockery taints her tone as she speaks- The school's committee has just been informed, all the Students passed without further process- She smiles- Except you~ you are to report to the masters, for further details

-...I see, I will go then... thank you- it's hard to be polite to her, however, I don't want to sink to her level, and even if I was willing to do so, she likely would make sure I regretted it

As I exit my room, she remains smiling at me, her eyes boring into my school with sadistic pleasure, I am sure she eagerly volunteered herself to be the one delivering the news to me, probably eager to shake me, I won't let her get to me though, both because I don't want to give her the pleasure of doing so, and because I need to be as right-minded as possible now, I knew that I probably wouldn't easily be approved, but I think I might have a chance, of talking my way into one more year of school, convince them that, even though I wasn't able to be on par with my colleagues, I did show significant improvement over the beginning of the year, maybe if I am convincing enough they will let me stay, and try again next year.

As I reach the door to the masters' room, I gulp, knowing that one wrong world could cost me dearly, before I come in I steady myself as much as I can, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes before opening the door adorned in runes and symbols, I step forward, looking up at the tree figures, standing on ground elevated far beyond my own, both physically, socially, and in matters of sheer power. They look down upon me.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

-Match...is what they call you... correct?- Merum speaks, the leader of the trio, even though they theoretically share equal authority, he is clearly the dominant force among them- Answer me boy- he says in a higher volume as I take a little too long to answer his call.

-Y-yes, I don't officially have a name... I was never baptized and I am parentless, but ever since I enrolled they call me Match...

A nameless peasant, no wonder he lacks potential- Guilda comments, she is perhaps the most ruthless, her stern nature is behind the equally strict school environment, and to some extent I admire her...

-Perhaps...we should take measures in the future to ensure that more like him can't waste our educator's time, there's no point in trying to teach fish to walk- Próspero spoke in turn, he was the one that handled most of the school's finances, I heard he was a very rich mage, and this school was his most exuberant endeavor.

-That is handled by the entry fee already- Merum replies , the other two mages settling back more quietly- tell me boy, how did someone of your standing came to possess that much gold?

-I-i worked sir, from age 8 to 15...- I reply sheepish, normally I wouldn't shy from taking pride in doing so, but with these powerful figures in front of me, any sense of accomplishment I could feel is thoroughly dwarfed into nothingness.

- I see...- Merum displays a thoughtful expression for a second - if that is true, it's an admirable feat, yet, you must see now this is a fruit-less endeavor for you, your biggest feat was to light a single toothpick-covered in sulfur...

-... I understand master, but you must see, I haven't stagnated throughout the year, I studied! Learned! I tried with all that I had within me when I first got here... there wasn't a sliver of mana within me, but now, I-i can do magic! i-its small, and... it isn't impressive... B-but I improved...

-and yet it is far from enough- he speaks somber-, not everyone has what it takes to be a wizard, Match, understand that you are simply too weak in this regard, you are a hard-working peasant, you should concern yourself in matters that fit your capability, you could be a blacksmith, a librarian perhaps, since you have spent a good part of the last year reading, or some other profession that surely would bring you more fulfillment than simply hitting your head against the wall to force yourself to be something you are not.

His words hit me like a sledge hammer, it isn't the first time I heard this line of thought, yet hearing it from him, the master of the school, the one who decides my fate, the one who is supposed to be the wisest and most right-minded, is a new kind of sting, one that even Sabrina couldn't achieve, my eyes lock onto the floor as I am left speechless.

-I believe you understand, you will not be getting a wizard's badge- he spoke, leaning back onto his chair, more resembling a throne with its intricate design that only served to elevate his authority further.

-I don't need one- I say, my voice trembling - but please... I want to remain... study magic...it's the only thing I ever wanted

-No- He speaks sure and precise- you may not, you are not a wizard Match, and I cannot have you in this school, you are to leave as soon as you can, however, I will allow you to keep your robes and your general studies book, you might do as you wish with them, the school has no use for used articles, but... We can't have a powerless mage carrying our insignia

The three masters stand, their presence alone makes me stumble back they point their staffs at me. My blood feels cold in my veins, it would be no less threatening to have three cannons pointing at me. Their spell hits me with perfect synchrony my robe and my book are stripped of their insignias, and even though they seemed embedded thoroughly into them, their spell leaves no sign the symbol was ever there. As my hand moves to my chest where once there was an insignia, my eyes prickle with tears.

-please don't- I beg once last time before they levitate me out of the room as a simple annoyance.

The door slams shut its magical lock making sure I can't disturb them anymore.

In the corridor, my knees feel weak and soon they crumble under the mess of emotions going through my head, I fall, back against the wall, for the first time since I got here. Tears and snot were freely running down from my expression. After a few minutes, I realize my exposed estate, not being able to bear the idea of being ridiculed again by my tormentors I run through the halls, my expression covered as I make my way out of the huge school, where I spend most of my time studying so with little exercise I shouldn't be able to run this much, but if my legs were hurting or my heart was about to give, I didn't feel it.

Soon I stood at the bridge that connects the school with the forest, I looked back to see its majesty again, but it wasn't the same vision I saw when I first walked on this traverse, a whole year ago, now it was tainted with the experiences I had within the confines of the institution.

As if to complement my misery, it's raining, so much so that halfway through running across the bridge I slip, hurt physically, mentally, perhaps even spiritually, and now soaked in dirty water, I wep on the floor, thankful there's no one to witness this humiliating sight.

My head rises I see the bridge's stone guardrail, it adds to its robust look, with a meter in width... My mind is blank, with pain, with sorrow... My body seems to move on its own as I climb onto it, slowly standing up, feeling the rain against my skin seeing and hearing the lightning strikes, some closer, others further away, the wind itself could knock me down if I am not careful, but I don't seem to care anymore.

"If I just jump here... Is it better?" I question, the thought of giving up so tantalizing, all the things the others said to me run through my head, yet I can't find within my mind a single time when I was praised, when I was encouraged, when a single soul believed in me... I look down, it's a deadly fall, there's no doubt about it... my foot raises from the ground as if readying itself to step off... I pull it back, "coward" my mind belittles me, but I push the thought away as I slowly back from the edge and get down from the guard rail...

-Not today, not like this, it might be a futile effort, but I won't give up, if I am to die, I'd rather die trying...

I say to myself, out loud, needing to hear in my ears the affirmation of my decision, I walk in the direction of the forest, without having a destination in mind, "I still have my robe and book... I will make the best of them" my first hopeful thought since the morning sparks, as I promise myself to keep on walking, even if I have nowhere to go.