Saryu's Hidden Stories

Chapter 1: Rumors (No.01)

"Feeling good about the
upcoming test?”

I turned to see my best friend
running up behind me as I
hurried to the arcane-
experiments room. His hair
was as unruly as ever,
shooting out and away from
his head as if it desired to
enter orbit.

"Are you really asking me
that question? As I recall,
I scored much higher than
you on the last one."

"Yeah, yeah. But I'm going
to make up for it this time!"

"You'd better, because this
is just getting embarrassing."

We had bantered like this
since the first day we met
in the hallowed halls of the
magick academy. Each
semester we challenged
each other to see who
could score higher on the
endless series of tests we
were given, and each
semester he somehow
managed to keep up with me.

I always found this fact
supremely annoying, because
I didn't see how he could
possibly pull off such high
scores while also being
a complete slacker.

This semester's contest was
currently deadlocked at five
wins each, and I'd sworn to
study even harder so I could
pull away from him before
things came to a close.

Fortunately, the next test
was in my best subject,
so I felt confident I would
be able to seal the deal.

When I reached the
experiments room, I found
my classmates buzzing about
in preparation for the practical
exam. Our test today was all
about transmutation: changing
a thing of one substance into
another. It was a tricky
problem that required a number
of delicate, subtle skills;
students who simply attacked
it with raw magickal strength
would quickly find their efforts
ending in failure.

As the other students pulled
out their various ores and
plants, I slowly reached into
my bag and removed a
sleepy frog. I knew it was
a risky move—frogs are
notoriously hard to
transmute—but if I could
pull it off, I'd certainly have
the final win I was looking for.

I set the frog on my desk
and began casting my spell.
Light flowed from my staff
and swirled around the
animal, who seemed merely
bored by the proceedings.
As I worked, I began to form
an image of the transmuted
shape I was aiming for,
being careful not to add too
much or too little magick.
I felt good. Confident.
Almost cocky.

But then everything went
wrong.

The magick I thought I'd
conquered suddenly yanked
against the reins, and the
slow trickle of power became
a surging waterfall. A million
different colors of light blazed
across the walls as my staff
began to shake in my hands.

"Let go!” cried my professor
as she ran toward my station.
When I hesitated a fraction of
a second, she slammed her
hands on the desk and
screamed again. "NOW!”

The moment I released my
grip on the staff, the other
classmates begin to scream.
The staff floated higher into
the air, whirling like a
maddened dervish as it poured
more and more magick into the
now very-much-concerned frog.
The poor creature began to grow,
swelling into the size of a
watermelon, then a small dog,
then a human. Skin stretched.
Eyes bulged. Screams rang
out anew.

And then...it exploded.

That was three days ago,
and needless to say,
I did not win the grade contest
with my best friend. But honestly,
I have much bigger issues on my
mind right now—like the fact I've
suddenly lost the ability to
control even the smallest
magickal spell.

As I hurry toward my room with
my head hanging low, I hear
students whispering behind me
in the stairwell.

"Hey, did you hear about the
exploding frog thing?”

"I know—it's SO disgusting!
Apparently they were cleaning
gunk off the walls for hours.”

"Yeah, but do you know who's
responsible?”

I hear a giggle, then a whisper
that sounds suspiciously
like my name, and I suddenly
want nothing more than to find
a nice, warm hole to crawl into
and live in forever.

"So sad—she used to be
pretty talented. Hey, do you think
it's that Omen thing? The one that
makes you unable to use magic?"

"I dunno, but I heard one of the
older kids say that same thing."

I knew exactly what they were
talking about—we all did.
Rumors of the Omen had been
swirling around the school since
the day we arrived:

A magick user's power is never
more unstable than in the days
leading up to their tenth birthday.

And if they cannot gain control
over it before the full moon rises
in the sky, they will never be
able to use their power again.

I laughed it off when I first heard
about it—we all did. But right
now, laughing was the furthest
thing from my mind. Because
I'd celebrated my tenth birthday
just a few days ago, and now
there was only a week left
until the next full moon.

Chapter 2: The Library's Keeper (No.02)

Five days until the full moon...

The thought of losing my
magic terrifies me. But as
I sit motionless in the
classroom and try not to
consider this possibility,
my best friend wanders
over and begins our
usual banter.

"Aw, you look down.
Did losing to me make
you that sad?"

Usually, I'd let such snarky
comments go. But this time,
I get up and storm off
without a word—because
I know he’ll just laugh if
I tell him what I’m thinking.

Eventually, I make my way
to the library and take a
moment to breathe in the
atmosphere. Bookshelves
scrape the ceiling, while
haphazard shelf placement
makes it less organized than
an ancient maze. If I’m going
to find a clue—if there’s
some way to undo the curse
that haunts me—I’m going
to find it here.

Not this one.
This is no good
Nope. Not this one either.

I’m concentrating so hard on
finding my book, I don’t even
realize that I’m lost. And when
I finally recognize that fact,
I’m so startled that I take an
involuntary step backward and
collide with a bookshelf—which
immediately spins on its axis
and sends me crashing
through a revolving door.

I am floating.

Slowly, I force my eyes open
and see that several of the
tomes which had fallen from
the shelf are drifting gently
in front of me.

Somehow—some way—the
books and I are slowly falling
down, down, down an endless
hallway lined as far as the eye
can see with shelves.

I don’t know if there is a bottom.
Or a top. Heck, maybe I’ll just
float like this until thirst and
starvation take me.

But then, someone speaks.

"TELL ME THY NAME."

"Sorry, but where are you?
And, um, who are you?"
I try to put some force into my
voice to hide my fear, but it all
falls apart at the end.

"I AM THE KEEPER OF
THE LIBRARY."

"Oh. That’s, um...I’ve never
heard of you."

"THOU HAST INTRUDED UPON
MY DOMAIN, AND NOW MUST
ANSWER THREE QUESTIONS
TRUE. IF THINE ANSWERS
SATISFY ME, I SHALL GRANT
THY MOST CHERISED DESIRE."

I have to be careful here—
incredibly careful. The first
thing they teach you when you
arrive at the academy is to be
wary of powerful mages.
There’s strength in their
questions, you see...and penalties
if you lie. But I also know this is
my best—and maybe only—chance
to find the answers I need.

"All right, then. Ask away."

"WHAT STRIKES THE GREATEST
FEAR IN THY HEART?"

"My greatest fear? Um, well,
I suppose I'm afraid of
disappointing my teachers."

Sort of a boring answer,
but also very much true.

"IN WHAT DOST THOU PLACE
THE MOST TRUST?"

"My own power."

I mean, I came to a floating
hallway to keep it, so I’d better
trust it.

"THY FINAL QUESTION COMES."

I try to swallow, but my throat
might as well be made of sand.

"WHAT IS MOST PRECIOUS
TO THEE?"

"Most precious? That'd be my..."

"Magick" is what I want to say.
Magick. I mean, of course it’s
my magick. But for some reason my
mind decides this is a great time
to go running off on its own,
and I hear myself say:

"My family."

Oh god. Oh no. I’m in real trouble
now. I feel my body come to
a halt and reverse direction,
meaning I’m now floating UP.
Expecting some kind of horrible
punishment, I squeeze myself
into the smallest ball I can and
shut my eyes tight. But then...

"THAT ANSWER HAS SAVED
THY LIFE."

The next thing I know, I’m
standing in the library entrance.
At my feet is a book I'd never
seen, flipped open to a page
for a potion that enhances
a person’s magickal ability.

Was I dreaming?
Am I dreaming?

A weird feeling settles over me
as I look around at the library.
I expect something strange—
something higher—but all
I see before me is the same,
quiet space I have so come
to love.

Chapter 3: The Stone Giant (No.04)

Two days until the full moon.

I've been busy collecting
ingredients for my magick-
enhancement elixir ever since
I found that tome in the
library. I feel myself losing
strength by the day, and I'm
panicking. I have to do
whatever it takes to secure
the ingredients by the night
of the full moon.

Currently, I'm slogging my way
through a dark forest ripe
with magick, collecting the
various items I need. When my
satchel is finally filled to
bursting with a supply of
herbs, I turn to leave and
notice a little butterfly
hovering around me.

Have I seen this
butterfly before?

The front side of its gray
wings glow faintly. I count
one butterfly, then another,
then another. Soon the
creatures blanket my entire
vision, so I swipe my hand
through them to clear a path.

"Ow!"

The sudden voice makes me
jump, and I whirl around in
an attempt to find the source.

"Pffft! This kid has no idea
who's talking."

"Yeah, she seems like a real
dum-dum, all right!"

Laughter ripples out before
me in waves, and I suddenly
realize the source of the
voices are the butterflies
themselves. At that moment,
I remember where I'd seen
them: a textbook I was
glancing at back at school.
These are no normal insects,
but instead beautiful, cruel
creatures that feed on the
darkest parts of the human
heart. And if you inhale
their scales, you are
subjected to an increasingly
horrible series of illusions.

"This isn't a place for
a loser like you."

"Aww, did that make you feel
bad? It's true, though,
you useless little witch."

After a theatric series of
insults, the butterflies
gather in one spot, almost as
if they are a single organism.
They then take the shape of a
human—one I know all too well.

"I'm disappointed in you.
A witch without magick has no
value to anyone."

It's my alchemy professor,
and while I know it isn't
real, it looks and sounds
exactly like the actual thing.
As I stare in horror, the
insects transform into
classmates, villagers, and
friends, each one pelting me
with horrible statements.

And then...

"What's got you looking
so miserable?"

It's the boy—my best friend.

"No... Not this..."

"You've always been ugly,
you know that? Plus, you're
always arguing with me over
one thing or another. Still,
you've got good grades, which
is why I keep pretending to
be your friend."

My eyes fill up with tears.
He would never say something
like this to me. Never.
And yet, what if he's been
thinking such things all this
time and never told me?

"But without magick? Useless.
Just another dumb little
witch. So...bye."

I let out a strangled cry and
reach for him, then stop
myself. This isn't real—these
are just creatures taking his
form in an attempt to eat my
heart. And even if he did
think such things...

"I won't lose to you!"

I grip my staff and attempt
to launch a fireball, but am
rewarded with a tiny poof and
a pathetic spark instead.
Was this actually happening?
Was my magick really so weak?
My best friend cackles madly
at my shocked expression,
then slowly dissolves into a
mass of swarming butterflies.
But just before he fades
completely, he gives one last
twist of the knife:

"There's no place for you here.
There's no place anywhere."

Chapter 4: The Stone Giant (No.04)

Tonight is the first night of
the full moon since my 10th
birthday—the last chance to
get my magick back before I
lose it forever.

Warm rays of sunset light beam
through the window, guiding me
as I walk through the dusty
corridor. Suddenly, I hear the
horrible sound of stone
scraping on stone behind me,
and realize I've found what I
came for.

Got you.

The potion recipe in my book
said I needed to secure the
heart of a massive stone golem
before nightfall, and I'd come
to this crumbling manor to
find one. Suppressing my
overwhelming desire to run,
I reach into one of the hidden
pockets of my robe and withdraw
a small arcane pearl I'd
created for this very moment.

"I'll see you in hell, buddy!"
I scream as I hurl the object
into the oncoming creature.
There is a bright flash of
light, followed by a deep
rumble that echoes throughout
the manor. But then...

"Oh. That's not good at all."

When the smoke clears, the
golem is unharmed—my precious
pearl didn't even slow it
down. As my legs begin to
tremble, it presses me up
against a wall with its
massive bulk. Its eyes peer
down at me from the ceiling,
questioning, unblinking.
Then it raises one enormous
hand and prepares to bring it
down, ending my life as a tiny
little splat on the floor that
no one will even recognize
come the morning.

"This way!"

As a familiar voice cries out,
a bolt of lightning knocks the
golem's killing blow aside.
I turn in wonderment to see
the boy standing there—my best
friend. As I dash past the
grumbling golem and to his
side, he casts another powerful
spell at my enemy.

"I'm barely slowing this
damn thing down!"

I know that, just as I know
there's only one way out of
this: I'll tell him to run and
save himself while I distract
the creature. But before I can
speak this plan aloud, he holds
his staff out and blesses me
with a familiar crooked smile.

"Here," he says in a low voice.
"Hold my staff. We'll hit this
jerk with a combined spell
like we learned in class!"

"No! I can't! I can't use
magick anymore!"

No sense in trying to hide it
anymore; the cat is not only
out of the bag, it's running
off down the road. I expect
him to turn and leave in a
cloud of disgust when I say
this, but to my astonishment,
his smile just grows wider.

"Wrong! You're an amazing
spellcaster! You just have to
trust in yourself. Now get
ready, because that ugly
thing's coming right for us!"

His voice sparks a mad sense
of encouragement in me, and
almost without realizing it,
I reach out and grip the
staff. Moments later, a
whirlpool of light spills out
of his weapon. A gust of wind
whips up, threatening to blow
me away. And as I stand in the
swirling light, I feel my body
being filled with magick.

Oh my god...
This is incredible!

This is our magick; our powers
intermingling to make a storm
of unimaginable ferocity.
The roof detaches and soars
away. Walls crumble. Pillars
explode. And at the end of it
all, the once-mighty golem is
nothing but a heap of rocks
on the floor.

"How did you know I was here?"
I ask as I dust myself off.

"You'd been acting weird
lately, so I peeked at your
notes and saw something about
creating an elixir, as well
as the location of this
place." He pauses for a moment
to dislodge a small pebble
from his shoulder, then looks
at me again. "Say, do you
remember what our professor
said about mages and witches
having really unstable magick
at the age of ten?"

"What?"

"Yeah, that whole thing about
us 'losing our magick' is just
a superstition, but it's based
around the fact stuff tends to
run amok at this age."

As his words settle over me,
I realize my magick worked
perfectly fine when we cast
the combined spell. "So,
um... You knew I was upset
about all of this?"

"Yeah, and I was worried."

His voice is both gentle and
warm, and I have to resist a
sudden urge to burst into
tears as I hear it. Shame
rises in my heart as I realize
how stupid it was to think
this friend might have
abandoned me if I lost my
magick, when the whole time
he was more concerned about
me than I ever imagined.

"Um, thanks," I manage as I
pull my hat low over my eyes.
I don't want him to see me
like this, but he just bursts
out laughing.

"Hey, of course!
You're family, after all."

Family. Though I'm happy to
hear him use that word, I'm
not exactly sure how to feel
about it.

"Hey, so let's get out of
here, yeah?"

"Yes. Let's."

As we walk home beneath a
shimmering full moon,
I deliberately take slower
steps than necessary, all so
the moment might last just
a little bit longer.

Chapter 5: The Fledgling Witch (No.05)

She's such a hardworking girl.

She was raised in a school for budding magick users,
and ended up with top marks in her class. It sounds like
her friends relied on her a lot to make sure they passed
all their various tests.

And yes, she's stubborn and a sore loser—and also seems
cursed with unusually poor luck. But she's a good kid
on the inside, so people like her.

I mean, she works with people to help set up festivals,
sends cookies to folks on their birthdays, and even
sneaks off school grounds on occasion. Also, I hear
there's one friend in particular who is slowly becoming
very special to her. Ooo la la!

Ah, school life. It almost makes me want to go back and
experience it all over again. Still, I have to wonder why
earnest and hardworking kids like her always seem to
end up with the most tragic fates...

Chapter 6: To the Crybaby (No.06)

Look. When I said yesterday
that the legendary mage's
staff wasn't right for you,
I wasn't trying to be cruel.
You ran off before I could say
more, but I was going to tell
you about another staff that
would suit you way better!

You're kind of mean, you know
that? You never listen to what
I have to say, and you're always
bursting into tears at the
slightest thing—yet you think I'm
the mean one, and I just want
to ask...why? I mean, we've
been together for so long, you
know? I thought we were closer
than all of that.

But maybe I'm just not wording
things right. So, if you're
okay with it, then...

Well, I guess I wouldn't mind
going with you on your monster
patrol tomorrow.

Chapter 7: Note in a Remote Mansion (No.07)

The day I've long dreaded
has finally arrived.
I have been drafted.

They must be desperate for
bodies indeed if they are
turning to me. In the three
years since my husband died,
people have spread no end of
slander about me and my child,
claiming we use forbidden
magicks. Their cruel gossip
has turned us into pariahs,
and if I leave for the front
I fear my sickly child will
not survive. But the draft is
absolute, and I cannot go
against the academy's
teachings. All I can hope for
now is come back alive and
healthy so I might reclaim
our old life.

Ah, but listen to me go on!
What power can a mere war hold
over us, anyway? I can imbue
a doll with magick so my child
is never lonely, and summon a
golem to protect the house so
no evil can come inside.

Just wait for me, my darling.
I shall be with you soon.

Chapter 8: Dorothea, the Little Mage: Ch. 6 (No.08)

――――
As their path of vows neared,
the two fell silent.

My heart is beating so loudly
in my ears. I wish Kyle would
say something!

Dorothea glanced over,
stealing a glimpse at the
childhood friend who had now
grown so tall. It was hard to
imagine he was the same rough,
mischievous boy from all those
years ago. Instead, she saw
the attractive profile of a
young man brimming with both
stubbornness and kindness.

I can't believe we'll be
making our promises now!

An odd feeling overcame her,
as though the magnitude of
what was occurring had finally
dawned on her. She could feel
the hairs standing on end,
and it was delightful.

Brilliant flowers stood in
bloom, waiting for Dorothea
and Kyle.

Almost as if they were the
only people in the world.
――――

Chapter 9: Dorothea, the Little Mage: Ch. 9 (No.09)

――――
The next thing Dorothea knew,
the hand holding the envelope
was shaking.

This didn't feel real. But the
stupid, overly ostentatious
design on the summons from the
school was a horrible reminder
that the war was no longer a
distant matter.

The first person Dorothea
thought of was little newborn
Lou, followed closely by her
sickly husband. The front
lines were far away, and that
was precisely where a powerful
witch like herself would be
sent. The chances of returning
alive were so small she didn't
even want to consider them.

Despite the tears welling in
her eyes, she signed the
summons and threw it into the
sky, where it turned into a
butterfly and soared away.

Images of a town burning to
the ground in a previous war
flashed before her eyes.
In that moment, she decided
she would do anything to keep
the city in which her family
lived safe.

Anything.
――――

Chapter 10: Butterfly-Shaped Letter (No.10)

Greetings,

We are contacting you in the hopes you write a story which will
be loved and cherished by schoolchildren everywhere.

Our ideal mage has desire to improve, has fulfilled and upheld
the vows, and is ready to use their magicks to assist others.
We believe you fit this description perfectly, so we would like
you to write about your journey to becoming an excellent mage.

We need a passage the children can empathize with⁠—one that
demonstrates hesitation and fear, yet also contains the courage
to stand up and face destiny⁠. Naturally, we hope this will have
the children wanting to emulate you!

We will contact you with more details at a later date.
For now, we eagerly await your favorable reply.

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