September 6 arrived at last, bringing students to the school. Older students took their belongings to their rooms, while newer students went through a series of magic assessments. The tests took place each day until school began the following week, allowing the students to try connecting with their magic multiple times if it failed to show up the first day.

Zyn stared at the sky as several birds flew by. They were too far to see any distinct colors, but the sight of the feathered creatures swooping about lightened Zyn’s heart. The sun shone brightly overhead, the heat of summer gradually fading as autumn arrived. Everything felt perfect.

Today’s the day, they thought. Today, I get my magic!

Zyn would be facing the magic assessments once more. They dreaded the tests their first year. Even now, as they stood in the Courtyard and listened to Ak-tu talking to the new students about the assessments, they could feel their heart picking up speed. What if they didn’t pass again? What if their magic still had yet to show?

It won’t come to that, Zyn thought firmly. I’m fifteen. Magic comes in by then. And now that I’ve been on testosterone over a month, I can connect to my magic since I’m not as dysphoric….

They focused on the four mighty cauldrons lined up behind Ak-tu, just in front of the wide pond: red, yellow, green, and blue. They each held their respective elements within; Zyn could make out the flickering flames over the rim of the red cauldron. 

I have air or fire, Zyn told themself, but that might not be entirely true. My birth chart could be off with my moon sign. I might be water or earth instead. I need to try every cauldron. I must get my magic!

Ak-tu clapped his hands together, startling Zyn out of their trance. “Who would like to go first?” he asked.

Zyn darted forward. “Me!” Let’s just get this over with!

Ak-tu nodded. “Zynivus Caihong! The rest of you, follow Mr. Jihan to the garden behind you.”

As the rest of the new students shuffled after Khurshid to the northern garden, Ak-tu placed a hand on Zyn’s shoulder.

“Are you ready?” he asked in a low voice.

“I hope so,” Zyn muttered, keeping their eyes on their pointed shoes.

Ak-tu nodded. “The first test is to move your whole body and think of pushing your magic out of you.”

Zyn sighed. “I’ve been trying that every day, but nothing’s happened.”

“Do it again,” Ak-tu encouraged.

Zyn nodded. They were soon bounding about, doing martial arts strikes and kicks as they imagined shooting fire from their fingertips or throwing waves of air about. 

After a while, Ak-tu stopped them. “Move to the second test with the cauldrons.”

Zyn nodded and approached them slowly, coming to a stop in front of the yellow “Air” cauldron. They looked inside the cauldron, though it was, of course, empty. Air wasn’t visible, unless an air magician was powerful enough to make it so. 

They took a step back and closed their eyes, trying to imagine creating a strong wind from the cauldron. Using their martial arts knowledge to their advantage, Zyn shot one knee up into a high crane stance while their other leg remained rooted to the ground. They pushed their arms above their head like two upward blocks. Opening their eyes, they hoped to see—or at least feel—something. But there was nothing.

Don’t give up yet. So it’s not air. Big deal.

Zyn therefore moved to the next cauldron they believed their magic to be. The fire lapped at the air hungrily in front of them. They came to a halt before the red cauldron, then sunk in a square stance. 

If I have fire magic, I’d be like a…a tiger! Powerful and ferocious and aggressive! So a tiger claw should do it!

Zyn turned their waist rapidly until they were in a left bow stance, their right hand thrusting in front of them. They curled their fingers at the end of their strike unconsciously, having drilled it so often that they didn’t need to think of the movement. They had instead focused on pushing the fire back, commanding it to move in time with their palm.

Did the fire flicker? Zyn’s eyes widened in disbelief. I have to try that again!

They therefore turned to the other side, thrusting a left tiger claw instead. They kept their mismatched eyes on the flames the entire time, and—

“What are you doing?”

Zyn lost all concentration at the sound of that annoying voice. They glanced up to see C3 standing several feet away, rolling a suitcase behind him as he clearly made for his room in the student quarters. Zyn hadn’t seen him since the hover boat fiasco, and they didn’t care to see the boy now. He was dressed in his typical black suit robe, the left sleeve tucked in the gold-painted ring at his elbow. He straightened his red tie as he observed Zyn coldly.

“What do you mean?” Zyn grumbled, not in the mood to put up with him.

“You already have magic, so why are you doing the magic assessments again?” C3 sneered. “Or have my theories been correct, and you’ve never had magic in the first place—hormonal blocking potions or not?”

Ak-tu hurriedly stepped to Zyn’s defense. “Zyn is seeing if they have another magic,” he said.

C3 narrowed his eyes—one blue and one green—in suspicion. But he walked away with his up-turned nose in the air without another word, the suitcase clicking along the stone behind him.

Zyn looked at their father nervously. “But I don’t have air magic… How am I ever supposed to explain that?”

“I suggest you try the air cauldron again,” Ak-tu said softly. “Try all the others too.”

Zyn nodded, returning to the “Fire” cauldron. They were sure they’d seen the blaze flickering when they’d done their strike—more than normal, at least. But before they could try to connect with the element, Ren arrived from the direction of the Tai Chi Studio.

“Ooh, are we allowed to see if we have a second magic?” she asked Ak-tu eagerly.

“I don’t see why not,” he replied. “But you’ll have to wait your turn.”

Zyn scowled over their shoulder at their family, then faced forward again. Yet now they could barely concentrate on the flames, and when they did a strike, nothing happened.

Sighing, they went to the “Earth” cauldron next. But they weren’t able to make a connection there, either. They tried water and air again, but to no avail. The frustration built up inside them. They still had no magic!

“Let’s try the third test,” Ak-tu offered. “The medita—”

“I’m done!” Zyn snapped. “It’s hopeless!”

They turned on the balls of their feet and hurried away from the group, humiliated and hurting.