The days in kindergarten passed fast. Leila is now five and will now go through a test of aptitude. Their teachers had told them repeatedly to prepare for it since a week ago.
The test of aptitude is a compulsory requirement for all children of the country for them to keep track of the talents they will be nurturing. This will also determine what schools they can be enrolled with for their elementary schools and subsequent educational paths. A cruel test that filters children to classes and distinctions, dooming most of them unable to be of norm.
Passing or even showing potential is great and all. But if it could be helped, it would be good not to end up with mana potential at all. The country has special [Privileges] and [Duties] that a young susceptible child will only realize when it's all too late.
Deliah knows better than anyone about the pain of being patronized and sheep herded to what a child doesn't want to be. Her life was turned upside down more than once just because Mana came into her life. It brought more pain than happy ones.
When the memo of the upcoming test of aptitudes came down, the mother had a breakdown. It was like a nightmare had descended unto her again. And cruel as it sounds, she hoped that Leila won't have any affinity with any mana. Maybe...just maybe her own child will escape this cruel cycle she was in.
Leila is ignorant of what is the big deal of it. Her days passed by normally. Only in passing moments did she hear the excited words of her fellow classmates about the upcoming test. And how they can't wait to find out if they can use magic.
Their rumblings made the former goddess curious all about it. She could have asked Brian about it, but the boy was no longer in kindergarten a year ago. Last she heard about him was that he was taken to some city to continue his studies.
Before he left he spent more time with her than he normally does. When he finally announced his upcoming departure, he declared that he really enjoyed the former goddess' company more than anyone he had ever met.
Cheeky little boy he was, he said that he'll find her again years later. And at that time they won't be separated ever again, he promised so solemnly. As much as Leila wanted to refute the statement, the boy's golden eyes were so sure of its owner's words. He will definitely do it.
And that was the last time she saw the boy. He left her a pendant for keepsake, after that she heard nothing about him.
So to know what this test really is, on one Sunday morning, she asked her mother what it was.
"Mama what is a test of aptitude?" Leila asked her mother what the test entails. Fully fed up with no knowing what it was.
"My dearest child the test of aptitude is a test that will examine if you have mana potential—a person who can use magic." Deliah explained as she fixed her daughter's hair. She was making a braid on her child's black hair.
Satisfied, she tied the ends of the braid and continued explaining what is magic. A child does not know much after all, and as a mother she had the responsibility of teaching her own about what she knows. She was looking forward to whatever questions she will be asked, so much when she was pregnant she actually reviewed her past subjects just in case and actually went to get experience in teaching.
But sadly for her, the child she bore was very precocious. Almost never asking and is very independent, the mother was very down with that little fact. Other children were a handful, but hers was so behaved that she's wondering if she gave birth to a genuine baby.
So for the first time her child actively asked about something, she aimed to do her best. She had to prove she's a competent mother somehow. Even if she really doesn't like the subject matter.
"Look here this is magic." Deliah said as she demonstrated a series of simple sets of magics. She expected a look of awe, but her child was only seeing it all on what it was. Impassive if she were to describe the look her child wore as she watched all of the little show of magic.
This made Deliah disappointed. It's just simple magic and not at all impressive. But compared to the reactions that other children have when shown similar tricks, her daughter is just too lacking. It really dampens one's excitement to teach.
Even if Deliah doesn't look like it and doesn't like magic much, she was an excellent woman of her generation. She had won honors before and still strives to be even better on the field she wasn't fond of. A sought after practitioner who striked fear to her batchmates and some upper years that even until now turned into another direction when they saw her. Nevertheless, it made her more than proud of her own accomplishments.
She wanted to make herself an idol in the eyes of her child. A model of sorts if she could. But her child is really dull at this matter. She can't even brag about her accomplishments without somehow feeling embarrassed of herself when she talked about it to her child. It was as if her child could ridicule her if she told as much.
Hiding her wounded pride, she carried on her explanation. "The test will determine if you can do this kind of thing. And if you did pass, it will also show your strongest element. Mine was Water as you can see with how at ease I am with such elements."
As she said that a small water dragon was formed and made to tease Leila. It jumped around Leila and charged towards the child's face, but when it got close it disappeared and showed itself in another area. Then the dragon changed shape into a little butterfly then into a little stallion.
Leila was amused with the little show and imitated her mother. Calling upon the surrounding water mana to do the gathering to her, she formed her own little horse to race with the other. It's an easy thing for her. She only needed to give her will and it was done. And more importantly the surrounding mana was more than happy to follow her will.
Feeling that it's too lonely with only the two of them, she then made another and another. Only when she made a total of three little horses, all in different colors and properties did she feel it's enough. But somehow she felt dissatisfied with only one shape, leaving only the red colored horse she made the other colored Mana into something else.
After she was done she turned to her mother to tell her to join with her in doing other shapes with the shaping magic. But the said woman was petrified with the display of her child. She just didn't process everything she just saw as real. It was only the call of her child did she snap out of that frozen state.
She laughed warily and said that her child is a genius. She hugged Leila and showered the child with kisses, almost as if comforting herself and her child. After she was comforted enough, she called her husband to share the moment with him.
Harold, who was in the kitchen, immediately came running to the living room, thinking that something bad had happened. Instead of danger what he saw was an unbelievable sight of shaped manas. Mana of three different colors vividly molded into various animals. Like his wife moments before, he was momentarily speechless.
Just to be sure, he asked his wife who made the horses and other shapes. Because he cannot believe the conjuncture he had in mind. It's impossible for a five year old to do that okay, no one will blame him for his doubts.
Deliah could only nod. Confirming that their child has made all that, despite her own misgivings.
Leila was upset that her father didn't believe she did that. So she made another set of little animals prove herself, of course in other colors. She doesn't like repetition and replication after all, so does the Mana itself.
But what she didn't expect was that her parents were horrified by her making another one. Her father directly fainted and her mother was somehow a little spaced out. With their state it's impossible for them to play with her, so she went and played by herself.
Should have been worried about them, especially so with her fainted father. But she was too enthusiastic with her new findings. They can take care of themselves even without her anyway. Adults pride themselves to be able to do that more than a child she is currently.
It took awhile for the adults to get out of it. Leila had added a few more shapes in all sorts of available colors of mana when their souls came back in their bodies. Stiffly, the couple carried the child in their arms and took her to the bedroom. As they were walking to the room, the parents asked Leila to let go of the Mana and let it be back to its natural state. Which Leila obediently followed and released the mana from her control.
Leila observed the fear that her parents are showing in their faces. She didn't understand why they were afraid. Isn't it just a simple manipulation of Mana? Showing this much potential, it should be more than enough reason to celebrate with.
In Reilas such a thing is rare to begin with. Mana manipulation is not easy. One wrong move and they could die without a complete body in the worst case.
Only on the total submission of Mana did they have a chance to do anything like this and it is furthermore permanent. After its formation, it will only appear in that shape they were first molded to be. Subtle manipulation afterwards was possible, but they can no longer make something so solid as the first one they had made..
Leila was very happy to know that in this world, she can do something like this. She never tried to do something similar back then as a goddess as she is more on the creation side than the manipulation side. So she went ahead with a little observation, her own tiny shaped mana was born.
But she just didn't expect the forlorn expressions her parents made. She wanted to make them proud. Hearing talks about magics with her peers made her assume that in this aspect, Reilas and Earth are the same. It seems that she read it wrong this time around.
Placing her on the bed, her mother was pacing back and forth. Her father on the other hand tried to distract her from the unusual actions of her mother. Their actions cause more confusion to the child.
Her mother went out of the room without a word after she shot a sad pair of eyes at her daughter. She is in a very chaotic mood and her head is a real mess, that even if Leila cannot read minds could see it at a glance.
Telling Leila to play by herself and behave in the room, Harold followed Deliah to comfort his wife's mood.
Deliah was taking a glass of water in the kitchen when Harold saw her, attempting to return to her usual calm. She smiled wearily to apologize for her actions, she doesn't want to worry him and their sensible daughter.
Silence reigns in the kitchen. Harold waited patiently for her to talk.
"Leila is alike to my little brother Harold, only much more versatile." Deliah finally spoke. A sore topic she once talked about, but never elaborated much before. It was a bad memory for everyone in the family when that fact was known.
Closing her eyes to hide the pain, Deliah continued.
"He was taken from us after his aptitude test. There were four colors in his report signifying four different elements. Afterwards we have only seen him fifteen years later. He no longer recognized us and insisted he is no child of our family. Our Leila is much more than him, she just demonstrated almost all elements known to man. If this comes out, our daughter will be taken away from us and we'll lose her forever." Like my little brother was left unsaid.
Deliah's state of mind was in shambles at the moment. She doesn't want that to happen to her daughter. She doesn't want the family she just formed to crumble just like that.
"But what can we do my dear?" Harold said as he took a hold of the now trembling hands of his wife. "We can not make her avoid taking the test. The country will ensure that all had been tested by the fixed date."
"I don't know!" Deliah is very agitated now. Tears are now forming and staining her cheeks. "All I wanted was a complete family of ours. But why is everything falling apart just when everything is starting to turn for the better? Blasted mana and laws! Why can't they just left us be?"
Harold held her in his arms as he cast calming magic on her. Not his expertise, but his wife needed it more than anything else now. He then whispered reassurances and promises, that her family is still complete and will not be apart.
Unknown to the distressed couple, their daughter heard all of it. She was still in her room, but the Mana sensed her worry for her parents so they let her see and know what was happening.
Leila didn't like the tears flowing from her usually smiling mother, nor the desperation of her father in being an anchor to his wife. She doesn't know the full story, but she knows she is in trouble with her abilities.
This made her understand that unlike in Reilas, where the unique and powerful is respected, here on this world a divergence from the norm is a herald of tragedies. Although the society recognized them, they are actually in for more untold pressures than being unrestrained and liberated than most.
And from the little the former goddess heard and knows, things work complicatedly. And her parents wish not to subject her to such matters.
Reaching out, she said to the floating images of her parents. "Worry not, your child heard it all. A normal and complete family you wish, I'll provide it."
Editing progress: 4/42 chapters
Edited: 12/31/20 18:10