Gazing at the face of a young boy in the still waters of the river, I couldn't help but reflect on the strange turn my life had taken. Just a regular high school kid back home, I never imagined I'd end up here—in a world of real magic, where kids my age awakened to fantastical powers. I'd read about worlds like this, and maybe, in some quiet part of my mind, I'd even dreamed of them. But that infamous "truck-kun" had given me the ultimate wake-up call.
A ripple distorted my reflection, and I looked up to see Anya practicing nearby, her focus intense. She held her hand over the river, drawing up a small, trembling sphere of water. Since awakening her power a week ago, she'd been out here every day, trying to master it. They say she almost drowned in this river, her magic flaring up to split the waters and save her. Leo had been with her, pulling her to safety. Since then, she's been determined to control that moment, though so far, all she's managed are these smaller orbs.
"You should take a break," I called. "You've been at it all day."
She turned, her eyes sparking with excitement despite her exhaustion. "I'm not done yet, Raze. I still have mana left." She paused, then added, "You wouldn't get it, though… not yet, anyway." There was a flicker of pity in her gaze, one I tried to ignore.
She wasn't wrong. Leo had awakened a couple of months ago when a wolf prowling too close to the village attacked him. His body had hardened into something like steel, just long enough to fend off the beast. Now he was welcomed as a hunter, already on his way to becoming one of the village's defenders.
And me? I hadn't shown even a spark of power. In a way, it was almost like a mark of acceptance here—something that proved you were part of this world. Every day, I waited, hoping my gift would come. But the longer I went without it, the more I wondered if something had gone wrong, if I'd somehow missed my chance.
"Don't worry, I'm sure it'll happen soon," Anya said, watching me with a mix of hope and sympathy. I just gave a quick nod and looked away, not wanting to dwell on it.
The afternoon sun began to dip lower, casting the river in a warm, golden light. Finally, Anya let out a sigh, shoulders drooping. "Alright, I'm out of mana." Her voice held a note of frustration, but her relief was obvious too.
"Guess that's my cue," I muttered, standing up. Mana exhaustion hit hard—she could barely keep herself upright. I crouched down, letting her climb onto my back with a tired sigh. Her arms wrapped loosely around my shoulders, her breathing soft against my neck as we started the walk home.
The forest was quiet around us, the air thick with the scent of damp leaves and earth. For a while, we walked in silence, our footsteps muffled by the dirt path. The deeper we went, the more I felt a subtle, prickling tension settle in my gut, like something was… off.
Then, just ahead, the bushes rustled. I froze, my pulse quickening, and Anya's grip tightened instinctively around my shoulders. This area was usually calm, free from the wolves and other creatures that sometimes wandered near the village. But now…
The bushes shifted again, and a shadow moved just beyond the trees. I held my breath, my legs feeling like lead. With Anya on my back, running wasn't an option, and without any powers, I wasn't a match for the creatures of this forest.
The leaves parted, and—