Chapter 23
The day began like any other, except for the lingering weight of my misgivings about standing out too much. I walked into the classroom, still half-asleep, when Teacher Talia clapped her hands, pulling everyone's attention.
"Today, we are going to play a little game, okay?" she announced cheerfully, her arms stretched out as though presenting something grand.
The room buzzed with excitement. I, on the other hand, immediately felt a lump form in my throat. A game? This couldn't be good.
Teacher Talia gestured toward the doorway, and moments later, two staff members wheeled in a large wooden target board. They placed it at the far side of the classroom and adjusted it until it stood perfectly upright.
"Now! Everyone, line up," Talia instructed, clapping her hands again. "We'll take turns aiming our magic at the target. Remember, this is a test of precision and control, not just power."
I gulped, standing at the very end of the line.
I'm completely f*cked today...
One by one, my classmates stepped up to the target, each displaying varying levels of magical ability. Most struggled to hit the board entirely, their spells fizzling out midair or missing by miles. A few managed to land a hit, but their magic barely left a dent in the sturdy wood.
They're 8 years old, after all. The bar wasn't set particularly high.
But that wasn't the problem. The problem was me.
If I held back too much, it would look suspicious. If I didn't hold back enough... Well, I'd destroy the board. Or worse, the classroom.
Mama's words echoed in my mind at the worst possible time:
"I am sure Aleena would be a great hero."
Would Mama like me if I stood out? Would she be proud?
I didn't have time to answer those questions. My turn was approaching.
---
Finally, I found myself standing before the target, the board still untouched from my classmates' weak attempts.
I raised my hand, aiming carefully. My goal was simple: punch a hole through the board. No more, no less. Just enough to stand out without drawing too much attention.
I began to channel my mana, carefully regulating the flow. The spell was ready—a tiny fireball that wouldn't cause any major damage.
But then, just as I was about to release it—
BANG!
The door slammed open, and the loud noise startled me. My focus shattered.
Before I could stop it, my fireball expanded rapidly, far larger than I'd intended. It shot forward, glowing with intense heat, and when it hit the board—
BOOM!
The explosion ripped through the room. The target board vaporized on contact, leaving behind a faint trace of ash. The shockwave knocked both Teacher Talia and me off our feet.
Principal Evora, who had been the cause of the loud bang at the door, acted quickly. He caught Talia mid-fall, saving her from hitting the ground.
Me?
I wasn't so lucky.
I flew straight into the crowd of students. But instead of catching me, as any decent person might, they dodged.
Yes, dodged.
The result? I slammed face-first into the ground.
"Well, I wasn't expecting much from kids anyway," I muttered, groaning as I pushed myself up.
---
By the time I got to my feet, I had a few scrapes and bruises. Nothing serious, though. I quickly began using water magic to heal the patches on my skin. It was a slow process compared to light magic, but it got the job done.
Before I could finish, Teacher Talia and Principal Evora rushed over to me, their faces full of worry.
"Aleena, are you okay?" Talia asked, pulling me into a tight hug.
"I'm fine," I mumbled, squirming slightly in her grasp. "Really."
Principal Evora knelt beside us, his brows furrowed in concern. "Are you hurt anywhere? Do you need to go to the infirmary?"
I shook my head. "I used water magic to heal myself," I replied matter-of-factly, brushing some dust off my uniform.
Both Talia and Evora froze.
"W-water magic..." Talia stammered, her eyes wide.
"To... heal wounds?" Evora added, his voice laced with disbelief.
Their reactions confused me. Did I say something wrong?
---
The room fell silent as the other students stared at me, their faces a mix of awe and confusion. I glanced around nervously, trying to figure out what the big deal was.
"It's not that hard," I said cautiously, hoping to diffuse the tension. "Water magic can heal minor injuries if you use it correctly."
Talia and Evora exchanged a look, their expressions unreadable.
"Aleena," Talia began carefully, "healing magic is extremely advanced. It's not something an eight-year-old should be able to do... And how does someone even use healing magic with water. Most can't even manage it with light magic."
Oh.
Oooooh.
I had messed up. Big time.
"Well..." I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly. "I, uh... I just practiced a lot."
Talia and Evora didn't look convinced, but they didn't press the matter further.
For now.
---
As I sat back down, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd just drawn more attention to myself than I ever intended.
Mama's words echoed in my mind once again:
"Aleena would be a great hero."
But at this rate, I was going to be more than that.
I was going to be a walking, talking enigma.
And I wasn't sure how I felt about that.