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(Note: Even though it is just one bordered city, it is the second largest city still standing in the reigon. So even though Maeze's house and the Academy are in the same city, they are still quite far away from each other.)

After they had checked-in to the a hotel room nearby, they finally had a chance to rest and talk.

"So, after today, I'm not going to see you for a whole school semester, huh?" Maeze's mom said. Although she was smiling, Maeze could swear that there were tiny tears at the corners of her mothers' eyes.

She pulled her mother into a hug. "Mom, I'm fourteen! I can take care of myself, plus, it's not like I'm moving out."

They pulled away, and she wiped the tears off her eyes. Then she took Maeze's hands in her own.

"I really proud of you, Maeze. No matter what happens, I'm here for you."

Then, Maeze started crying too. 

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In the early morning, after a hearty breakfast in the hotels lobby, Maeze put on her uniform for the first time. She grew up in a lesser-known village, so they never had enough budget for uniforms. This was the first time she'd ever seen and worn one. She decided that she liked it.

After getting ready, they walked together to the front of the steps that led to the Academy. With one final hug, Maeze walked up the steps, alone.

"Good luck! I love you!" Maeze's mother yelled as she walked.

"I love you too!" She called back. 

Twenty more steps, maybe? Or maybe thirty? Man, this staircase is crazy long. She thought. 

Then, when she finally reached the top, she realized something. The school already seemed large and busy enough yesterday, but today was on a whole other level. Students flooded the lobby, and the stairs; all the building's lights were on; the empty classes yesterday were now buzzing with voices. 

Panic hit her first. In her old village, she'd never seen so many people before, nevermind all in one school. Many of the other witches came with their friends. It seemed like everybody had already made their cliques and groups. I'm going to end up alone, she thought, which scared her even more. Usual Maeze would've been slightly more optimistic, like, What if I end up alone? But for some reason, Her brain seemed to have given up already. 

Then, she remembered Ms. Ren. Adrenaline hit her like a wave, and she forced herself to join the endless line in the lobby. She had plenty of time to collect her thoughts as the line moved like a snail, so she made a plan.

1. Get my schedule (which is why she is lining up)
2. Pray I have Ms. Ren for most of my classes
3. Make friends with the other light-magic users?

Before she knew it, she was already at the front of the line.

"Name?" said Mrs. Wartnose, again.

"Maeze Valencia," She said, wishing her voice hadn't cracked at the ae sound in her name.

"ID," She said.

ID? Wait, did I forget my ID? Nausea hit her first this time, then panic. Somehow, she had enough sense to dig through her shoulder bag, and sure enough, there it was. With a trembling hand, she activated it, and was amazed that she got it first try, as dizzy as she was.

Moving on auto-pilot for many minutes, she snapped out of it, and ended up in a hallway, with no memory of how she got there. She had a schedule and a map in had, and thankfully, auto-pilot Maeze was going the right direction. Her prayers were answered, and most of her classes were with Ms. Ren.

She wasn't the first in the class, but she wasn't the last, either. She smiled at Ms. Ren, and took a random seat. Once everybody arrived, she took attendance, and began to explain.

"Since today was very busy, I let everyone who was late off the hook. I won't let you slide so easily next time," She said, and then cleared her throat. "My name is Ms. Ren, and I will probably be seeing you the most this semester. Since the popularity of light classes went down, it is just me for all the advanced classes."

A murmur rose through the class, surprised like she was. Suddenly, and engraved rune circle on the wall glowed. Out came a little snake. It opened its mouth;

"Attention, please. Today, you guys have to make sure you have at least one dorm partner. You will need one by the end of the day, and if you didn't choose one, you will assingned one. It can be groups of 2-3, and they need to be same gender. Thank you!"

Then the snaked hissed and disappeared. Dorm partner? She looked arounf the room, as everyone started talking and making groups.

Ms. Ren clapped twice. "Quiet, please! You will have plently of time a recess to find a dorm partner." Then, she stood up from her seat, and put her had on a small rune circle that was engraved into the stone wall beside her. Light filled the rune, and the students were amazed as all the curtains closed simultaneously.

"There are 5 basic levels of light magic," She started. 

"First, the simple small object of light." She easily and quickly activated a rune circle on the floor, and a small cube of light popped up from it. "This is a very basic use of light magic. And," she said as she stopped the rune, "Once the rune is gone, the shape will also be gone." The cube dissolved into small flecks of light that spread out, and then vanished. "If you are here, than you should've mastered this skill as a small child.

"Second, a larger object with more detail. This is more advanced, but still simple. Everything stays put." A much larger rune circle was now on the floor, and she created a little statue of the school, made out of light. "Again, once the rune is gone, the shape will also be gone." She flicked her wrist, then the rune disappeared, and again, so did the structure.

"Third, which is one of the expectations of all the students in this class for this year." Another rune appeared on the floor. The teacher created a tree, and it slowly grew bigger and bigger. Then, as she moved her hand, the tree moved the same way. Moving her hand slowly, she demonstrated how her hand could control al the different branches on the tree. "Witches who have mastered this skill can set their object to last an extended period of time, and control their object from anywhere."

"Fourth, which is the second expectation of the light magic students to learn this year. It can be any object, but the object can last for a set period of time without its rune." She made a cube again, but this time, when the rune disappeared, the cube still stayed on the floor. She walked over, and picked it up. Then, she threw it into the air, and she caused it to explode into sparkles and vanish. 

"Fifth, a light form that is not alive, but will move by itself. This is very advanced. Witches who have mastered this skill are very powerful." 

A student raised their hand. "Can you do it?"

Ms. Ren smiled. "I have not mastered it, but I do know how to do it." She concentrated, as a small rune was being carefully made of the floor. There was a flash of light, and then a squeak. A small fox made out of light ran around and jumped onto the teachers shoulder. The students were amazed, and applauded her.

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Maeze's first day was going relatively well, only the dorm partner thing. She had made it past the first three periods with no incidents. It was finally lunchtime.

Unfortunately for her, her streak ran out as she witnessed a cliché scene. A big jock was continuously harassing a girl to 'go out' with him. The girl tried to walk past him, but he kept blocking her. Maeze originally ignored it, trying to walk past too, but then he bumped into her while the guy was block the poor girls path.

Annoyed, she decided to try a little something....

"Hey!" She yelled at him. The jocked walked over to her and towered over her. Skipping past the 'leave her alone', 'what will you do about it' bit, she punched him in the gut. The jock just flinched, that started laughing, as it did no damage.

Ubeknownst to him, he wouldn't be laughing much longer. As she dropped her first, there was a small rune circle left on him. Quickly acting, a rune appeared in her hand, and out can a long beam of light. At the end on it, she formed a ridiculously large hand, which coincided with the movements of her own. The palm of the giant hand connected to the second rune circle, and she closed her hand. The large fingers wrapped around his body, and attention was slowly being attracted to the scene.

She slowly raised her hand, and he started screaming, which attracted the attention of the teachers too. With her other hand, she made another hand and used it to pinch the back of his pants and... leave him on a floating light. In other words, she gave him the wedgie.

The girl, which she discovered was an elf (by her ears), gawked at her with her. Instead of thanking her, she looked at Maeze and said, 

"I could've handled that myself."

Then, she turned sharply on her heel and walked away.

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