The stares of the other students leave Michael uneasy. Despite his original hunch of everyone here being man eating monsters being proven wrong, Michael can't help but feel they almost all despite him. Scy is one of the minority in that he doesn't look distraught by Michael's presence.

"So I guess this explains why you're afraid of demon birds, huh?" Scy whispers dryly.

"Yeah..." Michael replies in a hushed voice.

The two of them keep quiet as Professor King's eyes land on them, and they breath out in relief when he looks back at his clip board. The mood of the entrance ceremony has shifted ever since Michael was measured for the worse.

"Scy Walker." Professor King reads out.

Scy takes a quick look at Michael before walking up to the stage. The boy's dark eyes avoid Professor King as he moves to the magi-measurer, and places his hand onto the domes top of the machine.

Name: Scy Walker

Magic: 57 / 58 mgl

Michael isn't sure whether Scy's magic level is high, but he gives him a smile nonetheless. Scy returns, and nudges Michael softly as Professor King calls upon the next student.

"How's that? I'm fifty eight times stronger than you." Scy whispers sarcastically.

"Very funny. We'll see who wins a fight without magic." Michael jabs back.

Scy gives Michael's thin arms a glance before shaking his head, and turning his gaze back up to the stage. The girl getting measured has emerald green hair, and her pupils are narrow like a reptile's. She looks confident as she places her hand onto the magi-measurer.

Name: Miranda Slynth

Magic: 63 / 75 mgl

Several people in the crowd look surprised upon seeing the girl's information. Michael isn't sure if her magic level is impressive, but even Scy is wide eyed.

"How much magic is a lot?" Michael whispers to Scy.

"Oh, well fifty is about average for someone our age." Scy replies quietly.

Professor King continues the ceremony, and Michael tries his best to pay attention to the numbers and names. If he doesn't get kicked out or killed by the end of today then he'll need to know who his classmates are.

Name: Jamie Schneider

Magic: 45 / 59 mgl

"Oh I know that guy... Not sure why I didn't see him on the bus." Scy whispers to Michael.

Michael nods without replying, and watches the strange looking boy walk off stage. His arm is partially skeletal, yet it moves as if nothing is out of order. Michael turns his attention back to the stage, and watches several slightly less noteworthy students use the magi-measurer.

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Eventually a rather cocky looking boy with goat horns growing from his head steps up onto the stage. He places his hand onto the machine's domed top, and smirks as it displays his magic.

Name: David Nibuk

Magic: 65 / 79 mgl

Michael is curious as to why certain people look so strange, but he's afraid of asking Scy in fear of offending his only friend in this strange place. Whether they're mages or monsters they all look a bit odd to Michael.

Other students are measured, yet none stand out to Michael as he daydreams about returning to his parents, and hanging out with his friends back home. He's yearning for normalcy when Professor King approaches him; The ceremony has ended, and everyone else is heading to their dorm rooms. Scy gives Michael a little wave as he walks with Jamie.

"Walk with me, Michael." Professor King growls.

~

Professor King's imposing stature dwarfs Michael's lithe body. The two of them are walking down one of the academy's halls while an awkward silence pervades. Michael isn't sure what to say, and so he just silently walks alongside the professor.

"Michael, I want you to know we don't wish you any harm." Professor King suddenly says.

The words coming from the lion's mouth are a surprise to Michael. He saw Professor King as a relatively strict person, yet here he was trying to assuage Michael's worries.

"I... I'm glad to hear that." Michael replies quietly.

Professor King shakes his head, and breaths out a long sigh as he stops walking. Michael promptly stops walking, and looks at Prof. King with uncertainty.

"Let me make things clear for you, Michael. We're not monsters or demons. We are mages." Professor King explains.

"Then why do you look like a lion man hybrid?" Michael asks flatly.

Professor King laughs as he holds a hand over his face. The man clears his throat before replying to Michael's pointed question.

"Well when a mage uses a certain amount of magic there's a unique side effect called a manifest. My manifest happens to turn me into this lion creature, while increasing my overall size." Professor King explains with a slight smile.

Michael blinks as he finally connects the dots, and understanding dawns on him. Jamie isn't a monster, he just used some magic and happens to look like a skeleton when he uses too much. This mystery being demystified eases some of Michael's worries, but not all of them.

"Ok, then why am I here? I'm not a mage." Michael asks.

Professor king nods slowly in understanding before thinking of a good answer.

"It was likely an accident. Your parents enrolled you here, that is for certain, but I doubt they meant to enroll you in a mage school. Perhaps technology is not their strong suit, and through dumb luck they managed to access our school website?" Professor King explains at length.

This answer leaves a sour taste in Michael's mouth, but he admits his mother and father aren't too apt when it comes to computers.

"So what happens now then? Do I get sent back home?" Michael asks softly.

"Oh, no. You'll attend the academy like normal. Of course you'll need this..." Professor King replies, reaching out his hand.

Michael is confused as Professor King's hand lands on his head. There's a faint warmth on his scalp, and then nothing else happens. Prof. King pulls his hand away and gives Michael a quick look up and down whilst his eyes glow a strange gold hue.

"There. I used some magic on you, just heated you up a little." Professor King says.

"Will that make me able to use magic, then?" Michael asks with a raised brow.

"It's not quite that simple. Magic is infectious, and once a living thing has magic inside it, that magic will grow and become part of the living thing." Professor King calmly replies.

The fading warmth on his scalp gives Michael pause as he realizes how Prof. King described magic as a disease or parasite. Michael opens his mouth to ask more questions, but Professor King shuts him up by placing a printed map in his hands.

"That's your dormitory, and these are your classes. I've got things to do, so you'll have to run along." Professor King explains quickly.

Michael is dumbfounded as the lion headed professor vanishes in a shower of gold sparks.