1 Prologue

Prologue

A gust of wind blew up the sand of the streets as the magicians walked through the archway of Narune. Due to the long period of drought in the summer, the fields around the village had dried up. The people had great difficulties to nourish their families.

Animals were emergency slaughtered because they no longer had enough food, and those that remained had to be brought through the winter somehow. Therefore, the appearance of the magicians did not come at a good time. Fortunately, they did not have to have cared for them.

As they recognized the magicians, the people dropped their work and gathered in the small marketplace in the middle of the village. They knew what this move meant. The six-monthly selection was due, and most families hoped that the magic stone would respond to their eighteen-year-old children. Only then were they accepted into the Academy of Magic and Magic Stones.

A great honor and distinction, but also a relief for some, as they had fewer family members to feed. It always made the parents very proud when their children were taken in.

This semester four children had turned eighteen years old. These would be the magicians' test today.

The three men, who lined up in front of the people, nodded to them in a friendly manner. For many years they had been crossing the villages and cities of the world twice a year to welcome new candidates.

Children and adults gathered in a semicircle in the marketplace. Quite a few were nervous. Everyone hoped that one day their child would be allowed to attend the academy. It was a great honor and brought the family not only prestige but also prosperity. For many, it was the only way to escape from this life. At the same time, it also meant goodbye to the family for a while.

Like every year, the oldest magician began to speak a few words and explain the selection. That was superfluous because by now everyone knew how it went. After all, it was the same ritual over and over again.

Pushing his slightly graying hair to one side, he read out the four names of those who would be testing them this year. Only then did he nod to the magician on his right side, who handed him an inconspicuous stone. It was about the size of a hand, grey and looked as if clouds were moving around in it. Such a thing was not easy to find on the street. It had considerable value.

„Freya Delacour", cried the man loudly, his voice probably amplified with magic, as clear as it was carried across the marketplace, and an inconspicuous girl with white hair stepped forward. A very common color of hair in the Severno area, which lay north on Tir Na Magica.

Her hands modestly folded in front of her and her head lowered, she came closer. She did not want to leave her family, as her father had recently fallen ill and now every hand was needed. Even if this might get her some money.

Like the rest of the villagers, she was dressed in a linen dress that had seen better days. The village was struggling to survive the winter and new clothes were not a priority. Which only made her feel even more worthless against the magicians.

Her blue eyes were fixed on the ground when she stood in front of the three messengers. She did not dare to look at them but knew that she had to. So she forced herself to raise her head. The magician in the middle, who had called her, held the stone on his hand and nodded to her, asking but friendly. In general, the magicians were known to be helpful, friendly, and courteous. There were even traveling magicians who helped villages in need. But their village rarely lay in the path of these travelers. Since it was located very far north, they seldom confused their way here.

Hesitantly, Freya raised her hand and trembled slightly as the stone began to glow. She had never seen anything like it before and she wondered if it was no longer working.

When she placed her hand completely on the cool stone, it suddenly changed color. First, it glowed slightly reddish, then it turned blue and finally green. It looked as if the clouds inside would explode.

Surprised, Freya retreated and looked at her hand, but there was nothing to see. She had thought the stone was about to explode and her heart was pounding in her chest as she struggled to breathe.

„Please again", sounded the calm voice of the magician.

Freya raised her head and looked at him with big, unbelieving eyes. What had that been? Was that normal? Why didn't he say anything?

Once more she hesitantly reached out her hand for the stone, which again reacted in the same way and caused more fear in Freya.

She noticed that the magician seemed satisfied, but that didn't help her to control her feelings. His gaze lay on the stone and finally, he nodded before murmuring Freya's name to the man next to him.

Out of the corner of her eye, the young woman tried to make out her parents in the crowd, because she didn't dare to look directly at them as long as she stood in front of the magicians. That would be impolite. Nevertheless, she managed to locate the familiar faces.

She could see her family among the other villagers and recognized the surprise on their faces. It was as if she could hear her mother's sobbing as well. Whether from joy or sadness, Freya could not tell at the moment. She didn't know what to think of it. Was she admitted? Did the stone's reaction mean that she was magic? She just couldn't imagine it. All she felt was confusion and fear of being ripped out of her life.

Her legs felt as if they would give way under her any moment. Why had the stone struck? She could not leave her family alone now! She didn't see the possibilities that it offered her. She couldn't even guess, because she had no contact with magicians. In her village, no one had gone to the academy for ages.

Her younger brothers and sisters held on to their mother's skirt and looked at the events with big eyes.

That didn't exactly make Freya happy. Instead, her legs became soft and she began to tremble.

If she understood all this just right, then she was chosen. Wasn't she? Why didn't anyone tell her anything? It couldn't be!

Freya concentrated on the magicians again and expected that she would be allowed to go, as she had been with the other children for the last few years. However, the younger man, who had put her name on a list, asked her to join him. There he would explain everything to her while the next children were tested.

Nervous about whether something was wrong, she nested on her linen dress and was tempted to turn around and go back to her family. But that would not give the magicians the respect they expected and she didn't want that. After all, her family had taught her respect and courtesy.

The voices of the villagers did not reach her when she followed the younger magician.

He led her just a little way away from the others before he raised his voice quietly.

„Freya. For several generations you have been one of the children who carry magic within them", he said, his words sounding solemn. His cape, typically long for a magician, blew in the strong wind and the black hair fell into his eyes so that he had to wipe it off his face again and again. Together with his words, it gave him something very sublime, which only made Freya more insecure and restless. I wonder what she must look like next to him in her linen dress? Probably like a homeless woman without money. If the magicians had announced themselves, she would at least be wearing her good dress now, not this work dress.

Freya quickly lowered her gaze again and watched him only from the corners of her eyes, because she didn't dare to look directly into his eyes.

„Through this gift, you will be accepted at the Magic Academy this year", he continued and solemnly handed her a scroll. Without waiting for her reaction, he continued, so Freya had to swallow the words she wanted to say. It was impolite to interrupt someone. She also paused in her intention to grab the scroll so that he could speak. „This letter with your name on it will grant you access to the Academy. In the next few days, someone will come to pick you up", he declared in a still solemn voice.

With trembling hands, Freya now received the scroll. Until now, she had not been able to produce her words and probably would not. Even now, when she could speak, she found it difficult because everything was so unfamiliar and strange. What was said in such a situation?

Freya let all the information go through her mind again. Over the next few days ... those were pretty much the only words she understood because it meant that she would have to leave her family very soon. But she didn't want that! Still, she knew that she had no choice.

Couldn't she just stay here? Freya had nothing to take with her and could not pay for anything.

Nervously, she nested around the scroll. She moistened her dry lips several times when she was about to start speaking. And yet the words just wouldn't come out of her mouth. She just didn't feel brave enough to talk to a magician.

„I know it's disturbing for you", the man said reassuringly, and Freya lusted up to his face where she saw a reassuring smile. He even put a hand on her shoulder, which made her wince. He might have meant it as a friendly, soothing gesture, but for Freya, it was like a blow. „Talk to your parents, they'll explain what's going on", he assured calmly and not as if he felt somehow pressured by them. For Freya, however, this behavior only made her feel increasingly uncomfortable.

She should talk to her parents? Did her family know what was going on? Somehow, Freya doubted it.

The magician did not understand that there were problems that would not be solved if she left and abandoned her family. It was her father she was worried about because nobody knew how long he would live. Should he die while she was away, it would cause problems for her family. Besides, Freya wanted to be with him when the time came.

The thought of seeing her father only so sick and possibly never seeing him again afterward drove tears into her eyes. Nevertheless, she nodded obediently. She would ask her parents, but she didn't hope for much. It had been too long since anyone from this village had gone to the academy.

„Must ... have to go to the academy?" she asked in a slightly trembling voice. It would have been an honor for many, but Freya just couldn't feel it right now. There was far too much going on to be able to see things positively.

„Of course", he said in surprise. „You have magic. Anyone who has magic has to go to the Academy", he spoke sternly, and Freya felt his gaze on her, which made her swallow. „You'll do your parents some good with this", he assured her again a bit more gently. „They will receive the support of the Academy as long as you are there.

Support from the Academy? Freya didn't know what that meant, but it soothed her so much that she sighed in relief. Then hopefully they would have enough to eat, and if they were given medicine for his ailments, her father might be able to get well again.

Freya nodded with relief in her eyes, although it was scary that she was suddenly to be torn from her life. It still felt unreal and long. Her well-protected, though busy life with the people she knew would no longer exist. At the academy she would know no one, and yet there was hope that one day she would return here. Then, as a trained magician, she could help people. She would be able to support the family financially and not just be a millstone.

Maybe she should take a more positive view of the whole thing and concentrate on giving her best at the Academy. It seemed as if she had no other choice.