A New Beginning

Ash opened his eyes to find himself in an unfamiliar place. The last thing he remembered was a terrorist attack, but now he was lying in a crib, staring up at a white ceiling. As his vision cleared, he saw a woman's face hovering over him. She had kind eyes and a warm smile, and he felt a sense of comfort and safety in her presence.

"You're awake, little one," she cooed. "Welcome to the world."

Ash blinked, trying to make sense of his surroundings. He realized he was in a cozy room, filled with baby toys and colorful decorations. He looked down at his hands and feet, and noticed they were small and chubby.

He was a baby.

The woman, who he assumed was his mother, picked him up and held him close. He felt her warmth and heard the steady beat of her heart. He felt a strange sense of familiarity, even though he knew he had never met this woman before.

As the first cry of the newborn echoed in the delivery room, the world turned its attention to a new life. Ash was born to a happy couple, Lily and Jack, who ran a modest restaurant in the heart of the bustling city. Lily held the baby in her arms, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. "He's so beautiful," she whispered to her husband. "Our little miracle."

The couple doted on their newborn, watching him grow with wonder and amazement. Ash was a happy baby, always cooing and giggling. He had big, bright eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of the universe. His parents would spend hours gazing into those eyes, imagining the great things their son would accomplish in life.

As Ash grew, it became apparent that he was a precocious child. He learned to crawl early and was walking by the time he was a year old. He was quick to pick up new words and phrases, and his parents were astounded by his intelligence. "He's going to be a genius," Jack would often say, ruffling his son's hair.

When Ash was five, his parents took him to a local magic show. It was there that Ash saw his first wizard, casting spells and summoning creatures with ease. He was mesmerized by the magic and begged his parents to let him learn it. Jack and Lily were hesitant at first, worried about the dangers of magic, but they eventually relented when they saw the excitement in their son's eyes.

At age 13, Ash was finally old enough to take the wizard aptitude test. The test was administered to all children in the city, and it determined their level of talent as a wizard. Ash was nervous as he sat down to take the test, but he was confident in his abilities. When the results came in, he was thrilled to learn that he had a talent rank of 4, a rare and coveted level of ability.

His best friend, Fatty Jin, who he had known since he was a child, had a talent rank of 3. Fatty's parents owned a restaurant that was famous for its delicious food. Ash and Fatty would often sneak away from the restaurant to practice their magic, dreaming of the day they would become powerful wizards.

As the day of their enrollment in the magic academy drew near, Ash felt a sense of excitement and nervousness. He had heard that the academy was a place of great learning, but also of great danger. The world of magic was fraught with peril, and only the most skilled and powerful wizards could hope to survive.