For what felt like the hundredth time today, I paced in circles, waiting eagerly for my magic test.
I could hardly contain my excitement—today was the day!
If I could become a chosen one, I would earn a spot at the best magic academy of the country free of charges.
After a while, there was a light knock at the door.
Mom and I stepped aside while Dad opened it, revealing two strangers—a man and a woman. The man, with jet-black hair and equally dark eyes, was tall and powerfully built, his presence intimidating. Beside him stood a petite woman with warm green eyes and chestnut hair, looking far friendlier. The government uniforms they wore left no doubt about who they were.
The imposing man greeted my dad, a notebook in hand.
"Good afternoon. Are you Mr. Lorenz?" he asked.
“Yes, I am. Are you here for my daughter’s test? May I see your badge, please?” Dad replied, keeping his distance as he spoke.
The man nodded, pulling a badge from his pocket. A three-dimensional hologram appeared above it, showing his face in unmistakable detail, a mark of his government identity.
“I apologize sir,” Dad said, giving a slight bow. “The S-rank magic thief who showed up at the plaza recently has everyone a bit on edge.”
The man nodded, his gaze understanding. "There’s no need to apologize, Mr. Lorenz. It’s normal to be careful.”
“Please, come in. Make yourselves at home,” Dad said, stepping back to invite them inside.
“Thank you,” the pair responded politely, entering our home.
Mom, who had been standing beside me, hugged me tightly. “Don’t worry, sweetie. The result doesn’t matter, just do your best.”
As Dad turned around and saw me peeking, he gave me an encouraging grin and ruffled my hair into a messy bird nest. “You’ve got this, kiddo!”
“Dad! Stop messing up my hair!” I protested, pushing his hand away.
He chuckled, planting a kiss on my forehead. “Do it the Lorenz way—dazzle ‘em!”
“Got it!” I replied, fired up by his cheering.
Dad and Mom guided the examiners into the living room and quickly excused themselves, following the instructions we’d received in last week’s letter.
As we sat around the table, the tall man spoke up.
“Hello, young magician. As you’re aware, passing this test makes you a chosen one supported by the government.” His gaze was intense, those dark eyes piercing right through me.
His explanation was a formality. Everyone in the country knew what this test meant; every kid my age dreamed of becoming a chosen one.
As he began speaking to me, his massive build made me feel a bit uneasy. Up close, he seemed even more imposing than when he’d been talking with my father. Noticing the anxiety on my face, the woman beside him stepped in with a warm smile.
“Hi, Ryley! Are you ready for the test?” she asked, her gentle voice soothing.
“Don’t mind Max here. He looks a bit scary, but he’s actually a big softy! I’m Emily, and I’ll be the one conducting your test,” she added, with a friendly and outgoing demeanor.
Max gave a small nod, seeming to soften at her words.
“Yes, I’m ready,” I replied, taking a deep breath to calm down.
“Great! It’ll be fun. Max here will be taking some notes, nothing to worry about. Let’s start with something simple. Could you show us a magical ability?” she encouraged me, her smile reassuring.
I extended my hand, focusing to gather the mana around me. When I was done harvesting mana, I thought about the spell structure. The image formed in my mind as I shaped the mana to cast a light spell. A small, shimmering light appeared, dancing around my fingertips.
"Well done!" Emily exclaimed with enthusiasm.
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Max, still stoic, scribbled notes on his notebook.
"Light manipulation, that's a good start. Now, let's see if you can do something a bit more challenging. How about transforming an object? Do you have a toy or item you'd like to transform? When the test end I will change it back to its original form."
I looked around and spotted a small princess doll I forgot in the living room. I concentrated on it, imagining the toy changing into a different shape, casting a morph spell. Slowly, the doll morphed into a miniature dragon.
Emily and Max exchanged surprised glances, clearly impressed.
"Excellent! Now, let's try something related to the four main elements. Can you summon a small breeze, some water or mud? Whatever feels more comfortable for you," Emily suggested.
I pondered for a moment before deciding on water. Closing my eyes, I focused, gathering mana and shaping it into a water spell. A shimmering blue ball appeared above my hands.
“Well done, good mastery over water spell. Now let’s see if you can manage fire. Don’t worry, Max is here to keep things safe,” Emily continued, nodding approvingly.
I concentrated, closing my eyes to locate and gather mana around me. Then focused on my hands to cast a fire spell, while shaping the mana the right way. A small ball of fire appeared above my hands.
Emily clapped her hands, and even Max gave a small smile.
"Very impressive—mastery of two elements is quite an achievement for your age. Don’t you agree, Max?" she asked, teasingly.
Max grunted in agreement, a hint of smile lingering on his face.
Their reaction boosted my confidence. I knew I had potential—my teachers and parents had always said so—but seeing these high-ranking magicians acknowledge it was something else. I was really dazzling them, just like Dad said.
“Do you have any special abilities?” Emily asked, her tone full of curiosity.
“Yes, I do!” I replied, smiling.
“That’s wonderful! Could you show us?” she asked eagerly.
“Of course!” I said, with confidence. “Could you lend me a small object?”
Nodding, Emily reached into her pocket, pulled out a small silver coin, and handed it to me.
"What will you show us?" she asked with interest.
I grinned, anticipating her awestruck reaction, "I'll slow down time around this coin.”
I held the coin in my hand, focusing all my attention on the intricate concept of time manipulation. As I cast the “slowing time” spell, a subtle glow enveloped the coin.
When I released the coin from my hand, it almost stopped its course mid-air, falling down while rotating extremely slowly.The coin looked like it was frozen in time. The world around it continued its normal flow, unaware of the temporal anomaly I had created. After some time, I allowed time to regain its grip on the coin. The glow faded, and the suspended object began its rapid descent, clanging a few times on the ground until it stopped moving entirely.
Silence filled the room as Emily and Max stared at me like they had seen an alien, clearly amazed. After a moment, Emily spoke, eyes wide with excitement.
"That’s incredible, Ryley! Time manipulation is a rare and powerful ability. You’re very talented. Don’t you agree, Max?”
Max gave a more genuine smile this time. “Indeed, this is remarkable. With training, this skill could make a huge difference in crucial moments. This will really be an asset to our society." He replied nodding in acknowledgment.
A rush of pride filled me. They recognized my special ability! My chances of becoming a chosen went up!
After a moment of quiet discussion between themselves, Emily turned to me, her voice warm.
"Ryley, you’ve passed the test with flying colors. Congratulations—you’re officially a chosen one!"
As the weight of her words sank in, tears of joy welled in my eyes. I’d trained so hard, day after day, to master magic spells, honing my skill diligently to become a chosen one. Now, upon seeing my efforts paying off, an overwhelming wave of joy and relief swept over me, draining away years of tension and pressure until my knees gave way beneath me.
I had pictured this moment, heard these words, so many times in my dreams. But experiencing it in real life was beyond anything I’d imagined. I had done it! The dream of every kid in the country—my dream—was finally real. I was a chosen one!
“Thank you,” I whispered, tears running down my cheeks.
Max’s expression softened as he helped me to my feet.
"You’ve done well, Ryley. The government will provide for your magical education at the finest academy, and your family will receive support as well.”
“Welcome to the world of the chosen ones, young magician,” he added with a smile.
Max went to announce the good news to my parents. When they walked through the door, their eyes gleamed with happiness.
Mom pulled me into a tight hug, pride and joy in her eyes.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so proud of you! You did it!” she exclaimed, her voice choked with emotion, her fingers gently brushing the tears on my cheeks.
Dad watched us with a loving gaze. When Mom released me, he stepped forward, smiling proudly.
“You did well, kiddo,” he said, ruffling my hair affectionately.
“Dad! Stop calling me that!” I hissed cheeks burning, brushing his hand and glaring at him.
“Yes, my little one, I love you too,” he teased, sneaking a kiss on my cheek not giving me time to protest.
“Dad! You can’t do that! I hate you!” I spoke again with indignation.
Mom intervened with a laugh. “Don’t tease her to much, dear, or she’ll stop talking to you again.”
“Alright, alright,” Dad chuckled, scratching his head sheepishly. “Congratulations, Ryley. We’re so proud.”
Emily watched our family reunion with a playful smile, while Max’s expression softened at our banter.
After giving us a moment, Emily stepped forward.
“Ryley, it’s been a pleasure meeting you. Take care, and remember, this is just the beginning of your journey as a chosen one,” she said warmly.
“Thank you, Emily,” I replied, my face still wet with happy tears.
Max, the stoic giant who had been diligently taking notes, stepped forward as well. His usual stern expression softened, carried a certain warmth that hadn't been there at the beginning of the test.”
“You have a rare gift, Ryley. Make the most of it. Our country needs people like you.”
“I will. Thank you, Max,” I replied with a heartfelt smile.
As the examiners prepared to leave, my parents expressed their thanks to both of them, their voices filled with gratitude. With a final round of farewells, the door closed behind Emily and Max.