I woke up feeling really tired, like I had been running around all day, even though I didn’t remember doing that. My head was all fuzzy, and my eyes felt heavy, but I could hear voices, soft and calm. I blinked a few times, trying to see where I was. The first thing I noticed was a big, warm hand holding mine, Nina’s hand.

“She’s waking up,” I heard Nina say, her voice all soft and worried. I tried to squeeze her hand to let her know I was okay, but my fingers felt like they were made of jelly.

“Take it easy, little one,” another voice said. This one was different, a woman’s voice, but not Nina’s. It sounded like the lady who visits sometimes when we get sick. What was her name again? Oh, right, Doctor Melora.

I turned my head a little and saw her standing by the bed. She was talking to Nina, and they both looked serious. I didn’t like it when grown-ups looked serious. It usually meant something bad happened.

“Mana exhaustion,” Doctor Melora was saying, looking down at me with gentle eyes. “It’s not uncommon for young casters who push themselves too hard, BUT" she says really loud, fake angry, like Nina when we surprise her on her birthday. "It's the first time I've seen mana exhaustion in someone before they've even seen the Priests! She’s lucky it wasn’t worse. A priest is on the way to help stabilize her mana flow. We should be able to confirm her class then, but it’s almost certain she’s a magic caster.”

Magic caster. My heart did a little jump when I heard those words. I did it! I really did it! I wanted to smile, to shout and tell them how I moved the pebble, but my body didn’t want to do anything. It just felt tired, like all my energy had been drained away.

“I knew she had potential,” Nina whispered, squeezing my hand a little. I could feel how warm her hand was. “She’s always been so bright, so curious.”

“It’s a blessing,” Doctor Melora said, smiling a little. “She’ll need guidance, of course, but with the right training, she’ll grow into her powers. For now, rest is the best thing for her. And we’ll make sure the priest helps her regain her strength.”

They were talking about me like I wasn’t even there, but I didn’t mind too much. My head was spinning with all kinds of thoughts, about the pebble, about magic, and about how I was really a magic caster now! I tried to speak, to tell them my class, but all that came out was a little squeak.

Nina leaned closer. “Elyndra, sweetie,” she says, her voice all soft and worried. “You gave us quite a scare, you know that?”

“S-sorry,” I mumbled, my voice sounding all scratchy. I wanted to tell her everything, but the words wouldn’t come out right. I just wanted to sleep some more, even though I had so much to say.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Nina said, brushing some of my hair out of my face. “Just rest now. The priest will be here soon to help you feel better.”

Doctor Melora leaned over me too, checking something with a warm hand on my forehead. “You’re going to be just fine, Elyndra. Mana exhaustion can be scary, but it’s nothing we can’t handle. Just let yourself rest. You’re a strong little girl, and you’ll be up and about in no time.”

I wanted to nod again, but I was just so tired. My eyes started to close on their own, and I felt Nina’s hand holding mine tight, with Doctor Melora watching me. Her gaze made me feel safe, like everything was going to be okay. As I drifted back to sleep, I thought about what it meant to be a magic caster. I could still see the pebble floating in front of me, just for a moment, before everything went dark again.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When I woke up again, the room was quiet. It was darker now, maybe evening? I felt a little better, not so fuzzy in the head, but still kind of weak. I blinked a few times and saw Nina sitting next to me, holding a cup of something that smelled sweet.

“Here, drink this,” she said, helping me sit up a little. “It’s just some honey tea, it’ll help you feel better.”

I took a sip, the warm liquid making my throat feel nice. “Did the priest come?” I asked, my voice still a little shaky but better than before.

Nina nodded. “Yes, he came while you were sleeping. He helped smooth out your mana flow, and said you’ll be just fine with some rest. He confirmed you’re a magic caster, Elyndra.” She smiled, looking so proud. “You’re really special, you know that? So few become casters, even fewer ever access the mana of their classes, let alone use it all as soon as they wake up on their sixth birthday”

I felt a warm glow in my chest, hearing those words. “I moved the pebble,” I said quietly, remembering how it floated above my hand. “But then... I got really tired.”

Nina stroked my hair, her eyes soft. “It’s because you used your mana, sweetie. Magic takes a lot of energy, and when you’re just starting, it’s easy to use too much. But that’s why you’ll learn. You’ll get stronger, and you’ll be able to do amazing things.”

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I nodded, happy. I was going to be okay, and I was going to learn magic. Real magic!

Nina smiled at me, but then her face got a little more serious. “Elyndra, there’s something else I need to tell you,” she said gently, holding my hand a bit tighter. “The priest, well, he had to leave before you woke up, so he wasn’t able to record your class. That means he couldn’t recommend you to a school just yet.”

My heart sank a little. “But… but I’m a magic caster, right? Can’t I just go to a magic school?”

Nina nodded quickly. “Yes, sweetie, and he’s promised to refer you to a magic tower for training to help you learn how to control your mana better" Her voice was warm and encouraging, but I could tell there was more.

“But,” she continued, “That's different to the schooling you'll need. Since we don’t know your exact class yet, the priest couldn't say what kind of school would be best for you. You see, different classes need different kinds of teaching, it wouldn't make much sense for me as a Nun to study at the Magic Tower after learning to control my mana better, so I went to a convent for my main studies, where I learned to specialize my skills. So, the priest is going to find you a guide, a specialized teacher, who will help you figure out how to best train in your class and unlock your potential.”

I thought about that for a moment, trying to understand, it all sounds so much more complicated than before. “So… I have to wait to find out?”

Nina nodded, giving me a soft smile. “Just a little bit, until your class is confirmed. Then the guide will help you learn more about your magic, and once the Priest knows for sure what your class is, you’ll get to go to a place where you can learn everything you need. It might even be the magic tower itself! Isn’t that exciting?”

I tried to feel excited, but part of me just felt a little worried. I wanted to tell her what my class was right now. What if being a Pebblemancer wasn’t as magical as I hoped? But Nina’s smile made me feel better, and I took another sip of the honey tea.

“Pebblemancer” I whispered, shooting Nina a quick glance to see what her face had to say about it, she looks confused, maybe I wasn't clear enough. "That's my class Nina, Pebblemancer" I said, louder this time.

Nina’s eyebrows knitted together as she looked at me, her smile turning into a puzzled expression. “Pebblemancer?” she repeated slowly, like she was trying to figure out what it meant. She didn’t say anything for a moment, and that made me feel a little nervous. Maybe it wasn’t as good as I thought it was?

“Pebblemancer... hmm,” she said again, more to herself this time. Then she looked at me with those kind eyes of hers and gave me a reassuring smile, even though I could tell she was still thinking hard. “Well, ‘mancer’ means it’s definitely a magic class, sweetie, which the Priest has already confirmed and you've already proven without a doubt. And ‘pebble’... well, that’s referring to small stones, right? like the one that was in your hand in the garden. So maybe it has something to do with earth magic?”

Her words made me feel a bit better, I thought the same. “Earth magic,” I whispered, more confident in the future. Moving rocks and stones, making the ground shake. That would be really cool, right?

Nina nodded, like she was trying to convince herself too. “Yes, that must be it. Earth magic is very special, Elyndra. Not many humans have it, though. Most of the earth magic users I’ve heard of are Dwarves, and they’re masters at it.” She paused for a moment, her eyes growing distant as if she was trying to think of what to do next. “In our small town, there aren’t many teachers who specialize in earth magic, but there are some options.”

I sat up a little straighter, my curiosity waking up. “What options?”

“Well,” Nina began, “if it’s confirmed that your class is related to earth magic, the priest might recommend that you go to learn with the Dwarves. They have entire schools dedicated to teaching earth magics since most of them have some sort of class affinity with the element. It would mean traveling to one of their reclusive cities, but you’d be surrounded by experts who really understand your abilities and can guide you forward.”

The idea of going far away to learn with the Dwarves made me feel a little excited but also a little scared. I’d never been anywhere outside of our town, and the thought of leaving Nina and everyone else was a bit overwhelming. But learning from the Dwarves sounded amazing!

“But” Nina continued, “another option might be the Adventurers’ Guild school. They have teachers who specialize in numerous fields. It’s not as focused as the Dwarves’ schools, but it would still give you a strong foundation so you can travel around for more direct instruction when you're older, you might even find a specialist there to take you under their wing. And, it’s closer to home, so you wouldn’t have to go so far away.”

I thought about it, trying to picture what it would be like to go to either place. Learning with the Dwarves sounded like an adventure, but the Adventurers’ Guild seemed safer, like I wouldn’t have to leave everything I knew behind. But I didn’t want to decide just yet, though I got the feeling it wasn't really my choice, am I imagining that?

Nina squeezed my hand again, her smile gentle. “We’ll figure it out together, sweetie. First, we need to make sure about your clas. The priest’s guide will help with that. Once we know for sure what a Pebblemancer really means, he'll choose the best place for you to learn. Whether it’s with the Dwarves, the Adventurers’ Guild, or maybe even somewhere else, he'll make sure you get the training you need to be the best magic caster you can be.”

I nodded, feeling a little better. It was a lot to think about, but I knew Nina and the priest would help me make the right choice, I trust them. I took another sip of the honey tea, letting its warmth calm my thoughts. “Okay,” I said quietly. “I’ll wait and see.”

Nina smiled at me, a little wider this time as she let go of my hand. “That’s my brave girl. We’ll take it one step at a time. You’re going to do great things, Elyndra. I know it.”

Her words made my heart feel full, like I could do anything, she's right, so many incredible people are around me, they all went through the same steps I am. “Thanks, Nina,” I said, feeling sleepy again but happy. With Nina and the others behind me, I can do it.

I settled back into the bed, I still felt really tired, Nina tucked me in as the other kids started to make their way into the dorm, the entire day, was gone, just like that... totally worth it, I started to fall asleep.