The main takeaway from the test is that people were surely cussing out the assessment creators when they found out the truth about everything. The test was made to mess with people mentally, which is the best way to test people. Only some were adequate test takers, but at least with this format, everyone had a chance. Fake 'unprofessionalism' was showcased every year, so with some research, anyone could find out the truth. That was likely why more middle-class and working-class families students made it. The best magic high school was one for all than pay-to-play.
Seeing people name-drop thier families to prevent getting kicked out was interesting, but it didn't matter. Name-dropping was my ultimate tool to make people fall in line, but I would never use it. I liked to fight my own battles, and I'm sure it would get back to Ms.June. If they pushed me far enough to use it, I would, however, be surprised if it didn't work like for others. After all, heads of multi-billion dollar companies would suck up to my mother at events I attended with her. One guy was even bold enough to try to marry off his daughter to me.
For the practical part of the exam, I had to participate in combat. As a result, it was held in a vast indoor gym that would allow an adequate space to showcase one's physical abilities. To bring out the full effect of magic, an individual needed a minimum level of physical strength and flexibility. There were exceptions to the rule, but everyone had a physically fit body, for the most part. After the practical part, the exam results were posted within an hour of everyone finishing. All the scores got entered into a magical supercomputer that would also automatically rank everyone.
However, the practical part of the exam started with a physical examination. If one wasn't comfortable getting a physical from the school nurses, they were asked to leave. Sometimes, people switch out during the test or sneak in various magical technologies to boost their physical ability. This physical examination was also done as a record for those who made it to see the statistics of the introduction of magic on the body. The process of awakening the body to use magic was unique, so the process was weird at some points.
The physical aspect of the practical exam was that everyone had to learn at least one martial art or fighting style to an extent before they could graduate from their previous education. While some students were at a disadvantage, everyone had to learn magic due to the state of the world. Still, the best magic schools only accepted and produced the best, so they wanted people who were already decent to enter their institutions. They all fed into the magic universities that made the warriors that watched over the world.
In addition to the examiner scoring during all our spars, all our fights were recorded for further viewing. It was nerve-wracking, but I didn't let it prevent me from showcasing everything I knew. Due to my adoptive mother's teaching, I could switch between martial arts. They each had different strong suits, which helped me be very unpredictable. However, I was a 'jack of all trades, master of none.' I couldn't beat those who practice one discipline thier whole life.
From all my hard work, I got in the top one hundred out of thirty thousand in the practical exam and got the top three for the written exam. Being an overachiever and perfectionist, I was far from pleased with the result, but I had secured my spot. Looking back at that day, I could only smile. That day set me on the path to attending Vidaris Academy for the Magic Arts. I smiled as I took a deep breath, looking in the mirror today.
As I looked at myself, my uniform was neat and ready to go. Today was the day I would finally be able to use magic. Some rich kids could pay for awakening early, but Ms.June told me it was best to do it at the academy for whatever reason. She also told me Vidaris Academy had a test for new students on thier orientation day. I wasn't given any details on that, however, like the entrance exam, so I could only sigh. She wanted me to suffer at the hands of her alma mater for eating the last piece of cake. In my defense, it was from my baked goods, but I also promised her it.
While some might think the actions pressured me into a specific decision, I was still able to attend the best possible school in the city. My prospects were looking bright, and I couldn't complain. If I did, I would look like an idiot. My eyes were on the prize, and I would finally have the ability to protect myself truly. Being a celebrity's child attracted a lot of unwanted attention from fans and enemies of my father. I can even vividly remember the one group that succeeded in kidnapping me.
My mother was often on missions, and she didn't believe in hiring a butler. The self-driving car she did have, however, was in charge of taking me places and getting me to where I needed to go. If not for concern about my safety being raised by one of her associates, she would send me to ride home on public transportation because she said: "it built character." With the technology in this new age and the crime rate being deficient in the city, I could see the point of view of Ms.June. I guess my maturity didn't play in my favor in this case.
While the car was driving anyway, four cars boxed it in, preventing travel. They even anchored the car onto Ms.June's to prevent it from flying off. If it were in public, I may have likely had a chance, but it happened on a secluded road. Had my intelligence been that of an actual middle schooler who was homeschooled, I probably wouldn't have dared to try to turn off the auto drive due to being in a precarious situation. Thankfully, I knew the security override code to take the wheel from the car. I felt it was unfair to send me to eighth grade at a middle school. I knew who I was while these children were still figuring it out.
Back to the kidnap story, however, I was outclassed, but I didn't give up. As I drove like I was playing Grand Theft Auto, they were preparing to use a weapon. While I could laugh at myself now, I did realize it had only been a year since it happened. They had shot an EMP to turn off the car, and the chase ended shortly after. However, part of me expected it as I dashed into the woods. The cover of night in this city park would help me as long as I stayed off the past; however, that made it much easier to get lost.
As if they could track my location, three people surrounded me. My sixth sense shot to the max as I instantly struck out and applied my training. Thankfully, using magic within the city limits would set off an alarm, but I still had to face adults. I still hit the pressure points linked with magic while trying to fight them off. Thankfully, they didn't seem to be trained well so I could fight them off briefly, but all good things end. I was only 13, and my body wasn't fully developed due to a late growth spurt. I also was one average child versus three men who had bodies strengthed by magic.
I think the biggest thing that made me upset was probably the fact that they took out the person who was tailing me. My adoptive mother may have been strict, but she wasn't stupid. Later, I felt guilt from that thought because they had been killed in the line of duty. When the actual muscle arrived, a neck chop was all it took to take me out. It seemed the guards taking care of me were just hired thugs. That day was not a good one for me.
If I got away from what was a planned hit with magic users, it would have been by the grace of god. While the sensors detected magic usage, it was only past a certain level. Some sensors also couldn't tell if it was an animal, human, or plant. If they showed a level of magic past an extent, a little time was needed for officers to arrive. It wasn't playing in my favor from any angle I looked at.
Once I awoke from being captured, I was extremely disoriented and confused. There was also the fact I felt like I got hit by a bus, and it looked like some of the thugs hit me a few times to get back at me. All I could think about was that I was hungry and thirsty. Most would have millions of thoughts running through their head, but with the way Ms.June was, they had signed their death certificate. Nothing would change that.
Even the frigid air of the room couldn't distract me from my thoughts. However, it did make me shiver quite a bit. After all, it was summer, and I was wearing a T-shirt and shorts. Outside of the cold temperature, I noticed my arms were chained to the ceiling, and I was hanging. It seemed they thought highly of me because a chain connected my feet to the ground. The only part I could freely move was my neck.
I hung in a partly lit, three-walled cement room for a while. I was unsure of how much time had passed as all electronic devices of mine had been removed. A chair was about a meter before me, suggesting an interrogator would soon come. I may not have had any experience with how it would turn out in my last life, but from this one, Ms.June had prepared me well. Seeing a camera, I smiled at it with my pearly teeth. My pain tolerance had increased from ingesting various magical plants, so I wasn't too worried.
As for the side of the room, I couldn't see the best; I assumed the door was behind me. Dried blood, however, was in my view as well in front of me on the floor and walls. I could only unintentionally gulp. My being alive made it clear I was needed for something, but I hoped it would lead to me being tortured for too long. I still felt pain, and I'd never been purposely kidnapped and tortured. While I was outwardly calm, on the inside, I was somewhat freaking out.
I continued to hang there for hours while my stomach growled and my lips became chap. Soon, I felt the urge to go to the bathroom, so all hell broke loose if they didn't let me down. I thought it was indeed time to call upon my inner black widow. It was not long after the door opened, and someone flicked on the light switch, filling the room with even more light. A man stood before me, smiling as he held a hologram tablet.