(OLD) The Apprentice and the Lost City

Chapter One: Every Mage Has Their Day

The professors started walking towards the door in unison. Ostrom opened the door with his off-putting smile. Atwood followed - his cheeks cherry red, despite his pale, bored expression. Finally, there was Brim who passed Emma with a stern glare and a few grumbles. They all ignored her wide-eyed expression as she processed Ostrom's words. But, when Brim closed the door behind them, it wasn't long before they heard an echoing gasp.

"W-What?"

The door to the Grand Mage's study flew open as Emma followed the three professors. Ostrom's shiny, bald head bounced down the the elongated staircase of the Grand Wizard's home while Emma quickened her pace to catch up to him. Her feet darted down the stairs two - almost three - steps at a time as she called, "Wait, please! Wait!"

Ostrom's jaw tightened at the girl's calls but continued his descent. Meanwhile, Atwood wobbled to the other end of the stairs to avoid the commotion. Brim was the one to snap a sharp, "Hey!", at Emma when she finally pushed past his rigid stance.

"T-That can't be right," she huffed at Ostrom. Her expression knitted together in confusion as she gazed up at him. "The test is supposed to last for three hours - everyone's told me so!"

Ostrom didn't hesitate with his answer. "Yes, that is the proper time frame for a mage's first exam." He grinned, tightly while pushing his large round frames up the bridge of his sharp nose. "Yet, for you, Miss Marsh, we have made an exception that comes once in...Oh, what would you say, Brim? A millennium?"

Professor Brim narrowed his gaze. His dark eyes disappeared behind even darker brows. "It does not matter how long it has been. We have seen all we needed to make our decision."

"It was only one spell though," Emma argued, offering up her wand once more. "I can do other ones!"

Brim let out a mighty roar of laughter. "Ha! If you failed to perform a basic spell, what makes you think you can cast others?"

Emma's throat tightened at the wizard's quick remark while heat rushed to her cheeks. The professors were nearing the end of the staircase, leaving Emma with no choice but to block the door. All three professors gawked at the girl as she jumped ahead of them before slumping against the thick, wooden exit. Through it, she could already hear a shameless crowd buzzing outside.

"But, you don't understand," she began, not realizing her voice had become high-pitched and desperate. "I can do it, I swear! Please, if you give me a second chance then -"

"A second chance?" Ostrom scoffed, his head shaking in disbelief. "Oh, no, no, no..."

Emma's brows rose at his anxious expression while the professor's hands clasped together. His lips thinned as he murmured. "How do I put this? Hmm..."

Behind him, Emma noticed Brim, too, shaking his head at her words while Atwood put all his focus into the last stair. Leaning onto his tall, wooden staff for stability, the old mage stated simply.

"There are no second chances."

"R-Right!" Ostrom seemed relieved to hear Atwood's shaky voice and even offered Emma another nervous grin. "There are no second chances, Miss Marsh. In fact, they are rather frowned upon. I do not know what you have learned over these last few months and I am sure you have struggled. But, you should know that - um, well for mages, there is only pass or fail. And, unfortunately, for you...Ah, well, I do hope you understand."

Emma's big, brown eyes pleaded with the professor. "But I-"

"Miss Marsh," Brim barked, a hateful growl rumbling in his throat. "I, for one, have had enough of your needless rambling. It is ungraceful and further proves what a waste of time this has been."

Emma's eyes widened. Her brows shot up as her mouth opened to defend herself. But, Brim's bite was faster. "No more! I will not have it. You wish to be a witch, then act like it! Take your failure in humble silence and reflect. That is what any self-respecting mage would do. Then again, any self-respecting mage would have passed that exam with flying colors! Now, if your mundane parents taught you any manners, then you ought to bite that tongue of yourself and respectfully step aside."

Emma's heart fell to the pit of her stomach. The word stung her ears and caused her cheeks to turn red. Never before had she felt ashamed to be human. Her pleading gaze was now replaced with a teary glare that aimed at the floor. Wiping the soot from her nose, Emma bit her tongue and respectfully stepped aside.

Professor Brim opened the door so violently that the hinges screamed out in pain. "To think," he tsked, "a human child as the heir and, now, as the apprentice of a Grand Mage." He shook his head again. "This world has truly gone mad!"

Professor Ostrom followed his furious colleague out the door, not seeming to notice that Professor Atwood had chosen to stay behind. The professor's tired eyes fell to the young girl who was still gazing down at her feet. He could see the pain on the child's face as her hands clutched her cheap wand. The wand's dry, wooden skin cracked softly from the pressure of Emma's palms, causing Atwood's old heart to ache.

Emma's gaze was directed at her worn-out leather boots when she noticed a pair of lavish purple slippers sliding toward her. She lifted her gaze to find the old professor standing before her. He leaned closer to her, using his jeweled staff to steady his shaky stance. Beneath his straight silver beard, Emma could make out a thin smile on Atwood's wrinkled face.

"Do not despair, Miss Marsh," Professor Atwood stated calmly,"Every mage has their day. Why, I like to believe that even the most powerful of mages struggled to master the mystical arts in the beginning." With a wrinkled hand, Atwood reached out and tapped his knuckle against the blue sapphire that rested on the girl's chest.

Emma glanced down at the magical gem. It had only been six months since the powerful jewel had finally revealed itself to the world and just seeing her face reflected in the beautiful blue rock caused the eleven-year-old girl to recall the day it had been bestowed upon her.

It had been the day of the Novice Ceremony where young witches and wizards faced harsh trials to be the chosen apprentice of one of the four Grand Mages. People from all over the Kingdom of Elysia gathered in the Emerald Tower to watch the amazing spells being performed. It was such a rare, mystical ceremony that occurred once every 20 years that she had refused to miss.

However, instead of being a part of the cheering crowd, Emma found herself in a room hidden at the top of the Emerald Tower. At first, she thought the room was an attic used to store old papers and house lonely spiders. Though, upon a second look, Emma was surprised to find that the dark, creepy room used to be so much more. While people watched the ceremony below, Emma had found herself entranced by all of the rare, forgotten treasures that were being kept there.

Amongst the lonely spell books and unused mystical objects, the legendary sapphire called out to her from underneath a veil of dust. The jewel beamed at her with a light she had only seen resonate from the tip of a mage's wand.

With slight hesitation, she wrapped her fingers around the stone and from that moment, Emma finally knew how it felt to have magic running through her veins. The only difference was, the magic that she now possessed was like no other and had once belonged to the miraculous wizard: Merlin Caledonsis.

Atwood continued as he drew his hand away. "You have been bestowed with a wonderful gift, Miss Marsh. One that has granted you more power than any mage could ever dream of having. Therefore, it would be a shame if it were to be taken away - especially from someone who deserves it."

A smile tugged at the end of Emma's lips. "You think I deserve it?"

The professor gave the child a solid nod in response. "Of course, as do others. Though, I do have one note for you, Miss Marsh. You see, over my many years of teaching, I have learned that using magic and understanding it are two very different things that work together splendidly. I pray that you will remember that the next time we meet. Until then, farewell."

The professor wobbled out the door where he was greeted by a rather large crowd that had filled the cobblestone streets of Sonder. Citizens quickly surrounded the three professors, demanding answers to their never-ending questions concerning the"infamous heir". They, however, ignored them and instead, turned their attention to the eccentric wizard who had parted the immense crowd with a single stride.