The Mistakes Of Misfits

         The morning bells rang, Rylie and I jumped out of bed. I sat up for a moment and faced my friend. Rylie was already standing and she stretched her arms out. She had a smile a mile wide as she threw her clothes on. There was no shame between us. At one point maybe we would be sheepish. Hell at one point we were even sleeping together. We were adults though we moved past all of that and seeing each other naked was nothing special.

           I threw on my robes. These clothes were clean and all in one piece. I threw the robe over myself and threw on my trousers. I joined Rylie at the door. I gave her a concerned pleading look. "You ready?" I asked her.

          She threw a small shrug my way. "No." She admitted. "Let's do it." She smiled at me. Her damn positive attitude was electric. I couldn't help but smile with her. She saw my smile and opened the door into the chaos of the university.

          Our floor was packed with seniors rushing around getting ready for the trials. I saw one latecomer running with a towel around his hip past us to his room. Even with all of the chaos around us. It... it felt like home. I was going to miss it after all this was over. Rylie led as we walked down the hall to the exit.

           "Don't you dare leave without me." Yelled a male voice behind us. We turned to see a small figure running toward us. He was about as tall as Rylie and was even scrawnier. His name was Yevalsky. We just called him Yev. A weird kid who specialized in illusion magic. He has his long hair covering one of his eyes and has his hair dyed hey back with one streak of blue. Right down the middle of it.

           Rylie held out her arms and embraced the small mage. "Yev!" She exclaimed as she hugged him. "Wouldn't dream of leaving our favorite goth." I let out a chuckle and Yev gave us both a rude gesture. We all laughed as we walked down the stairs. The entire crowd of seniors was like a wave moving towards the exit.

          As we neared the exit I saw a familiar blond weave through the crowd to my side. She looked around sheepishly. Her smooth rounded face was flushed with a red tint. "I think people heard us." She explained, almost in a whisper. She seemed embarrassed but she didn't move away from me. I didn't know if it was because she was okay with being with me or if it was because she had already been caught. I didn't really care. I wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

          "Welcome to the misfits." I told her. I pulled her in closer feeling her warmth against me. She relaxed into my touch and leaned against my chest. I smiled as we walked into the town square.

           The entire city was up in celebration. Many shops had taken small carts and made their way to the streets to sell outside of the main event. I knew only the ceremony was here. They would take us away to the trials soon enough. I looked up to see the square was adorned with all kinds of decorations. Some were the ancient dragons we believe taught us magic, some of the decorations were just random runes we had all studied for this very day. Mages from all over the massive city had made their way to the city square. They surrounded the square but did not enter the center circle where some apprentice mages were already waiting. I felt the electricity in the air as if someone was already wielding magic. It felt amazing, felt like I was part of the city instead of an outcast. Instead of a mistake.

         "Surprised you actually showed up." Said an all too familiar cocky voice behind me. I didn't even have to turn to him to picture the arrogant hazel eyes and blond hair of my torturer. Callisk was his name, and I swore he had made it his personal mission from the first day I stepped in this city to make my life a living hell. That perfectly styled blond hair came into view in front of me. His smile was like a snake. He knew he was more powerful than me. Hell, he was third in our entire class, and I was right at the bottom. He cocked his head when I didn't respond. " What's wrong Stormviel?" He asked, taunting me as he got closer. "Dad's not here to save you today."

         Yev let out a deep sigh beside me. "For fucks sake Callisk, do you have nothing better to do than fuck with us?" His words were coated in a poisonous spite. Callisk bullied him almost as much as me. He was right though. I thought today would be too important for even Callisk to mess with me.

         Callisk flexed his muscular shoulders as he turned his attention to Yev. "Don't worry, short stock. I'll be with you In a moment." His eyes studied me, as if he could read every weakness he wanted to exploit. Two men walked to his sides. Degan and... shit what was the other's name? Argus! It was Argus. They weren't nearly as powerful as Callisk but he kept them around cause they practically worshiped the ground he walked on. Callisk smiled. "I almost hoped you would go hide somewhere in the city. Surely Cowardness would be easier than being ripped apart in the arena."

        I kept my face stoic. If I gave him an inch he would use it to destroy me. I looked him dead in those hazel eyes. "I'm here for a reason, Callisk. I will prove that in the trials today."

         Callisk almost seemed to frown at my lack of emotion. He sighed. Then he looked at Ria and his features twisted into another wicked smile. "Good to see you found some companionship before you die today... too bad you picked the one that slept with half the school." I launched into an attack without even thinking. I was not going to let him talk to her like that. Lie about her like that. My hand hummed with purple arcane energy as I attempted to swing at Callisk. Callisk didn't move but before my punch could connect Rylie caught my arm.

            "He's playing you!" Screamed Rylie. "Touch him and it's all over." Rylie was right. I had almost forgotten. The one rule of the trials. All initiates are not to be harmed outside of trials, any infractions will be met with swift execution. I had almost gotten myself killed. I took a step back away from Callisk, not leaving his stare.

             Callisk chuckled. "No words for yourself Ria? Probably pretty hard with Varrins dick in your mouth." Ria tensed in my arms. I would kill him if he survived these trials.

           Rylie stepped between us. "That's enough." She said sternly. "Don't forget who you are, initiate... and who will be your superior when this is over. A small bit of fear flashed across Callisk's face. Rylie was probably the only person he actually feared. She would be above him, most likely his squad leader when our squads were made after graduation.

            Callisk smirked, putting the mask of cockiness back on. "Fine. It doesn't matter anyway. I'll watch his death today one way or another." He gave us a small wave. "I thought I would pay my respects to the dead." He gave us a sarcastic bow and disappeared back into the crowd.

           I let out a deep breath. I needed to regain my composure again. Ria tightened on my arm. "Thank you." She whispered into my ear. "I didn't expect you to stand up for me." her eyes were full of surprise and maybe a bit of confusion.

           I planted a small kiss on her forehead. I felt my body calm a bit as I felt her warm skin against my lips. "Benefits of being a misfit... we protect our own." She sent a smirk my way as we turned to the stage and waited for the ceremony to start.

             It must have been around ten minutes before he heard trumpets sound and the crowd went silent. The Magistrate appeared in a large cloud of black smoke. She was eerily majestic with her jet back dress and green jewels adorning her neck and wrists. She walked to the podium and four figures teleported behind her one by one.

            The first was named Dimitri; he was the high mage of rejuvenation magics. It was said he could regrow limbs and heal people from near death. He was the oldest of the masters. He had long gray hair and a short beard that covered most of his features.

            The second who stood to the left of the Magistrate was of course Orthis. His position as the high made of destruction magics was integral to Alexandria. He didn't even glance my way. My mentor was not there. Only the Magistrate's general was present at this ceremony.

           The two on the right side of the Magistrate were twins. A male and a female. Similar blue eyes, similar body types even both being in their late thirties. The only glaring difference other than their genders was the pink dye the female had run through her hair. The woman was Adriana, she was the master of conjuration magic. Her brother Helios, was the master of alteration magic.

           The four of them made up the Magistrate's inner circle. They led with grand minds and iron wills. It was almost daunting to be in their presence all at once. The Magistrate stepped forward and looked over the crowd of students. She flicked her wrist in a familiar motion. It was a simple thaumaturgic spell. It would enhance her voice for everyone to hear. She gave us a welcoming smile. "Welcome initiates." She greeted "Today is the most important moment of your lives. The day you've trained for the day you've suffered and bled for." She let her words sit for a moment. "Today you become a member of our great city, you become a mage."

            The crowd was silent, none daring to speak with the Magistrate present. I could feel the anticipation though, feel the anxiousness. The Magistrate continued "The trials of Tithus were established in the founding days of our great city. Magic is wild and dangerous. Only one with a keen mind and body can hope to master such a force... so each of these trials was made to ensure no one who could not control such magics would hurt their kin. The trials are one of the mind, to prove you have a mind complex enough to understand the complexity of the spells you must wield. The second is a trial of the body, to prove you wield the strength to control the wild power of magic without hurting yourself or others."

          She let her words sit for a moment. Her icy tone sounded more like a warning than encouragement. "Some of you will perish during these trials." She noted. No change in tone. It was unsettling. I guess that probably came with doing these trials every year. "Those sacrifices are necessary and the people who prevail will emerge stronger than ever. May the worthy of you prevail, and the unworthy peacefully travel to Elisium."

          As if it were a cue, we were separated into groups based on our placement. Ria was ordered into a different line. She gave me a worried look. For me or for herself I wasn't quite sure. I gave her a small smirk. "I'll find you after the ceremony." It was a promise I didn't know if I could keep but it would keep her worry down. She nodded and her face steeled. She was ready, she had to be.

           I got in my line. Undupprisinly Orthis was the high mage at the front of the line. No doubt he had set it up this way. He had a goblet between his hands  He handed it to the first student and when he drank the liquid he passed out almost immediately. I thought maybe he had failed some kind of test but student after student passed out from the liquid and were hauled away.

           Eventually I made my way to the front of the line. Orthis handed me the small ornate goblet. It was adorned with colorful gems, no doubt holding some kind of enchantment. Orthis faced me. If anyone else saw him they would think he was stoic, but I knew the man who raised me. I could see the small twitch in his eyes. He was worried for me. He took a deep breath and said the same words he did to every other initiate. "May your mind be true and your intentions clear."

          I swirled the green liquid in the goblet. It didn't have a smell but I could feel the magic aura radiating off of the cup. Whatever it was, it was powerful. I let out a deep breath and tipped the goblet, consuming the vile looking liquid. The liquid was sweet. It tasted like fine wine. It must have been mere moments before I started to sway and my vision started to fade. I fell to the ground and lost consciousness.

           It didn't feel like it had been long before I woke. I did not feel groggy. Actually, I felt better than I did before. My body felt fully rested and strong. I opened my eyes and questioned where I was. The area around me was almost entirely black. I could barely see my hand in front of my face. I summoned a small magelight and breathed with relief filled my body when it appeared. That liquid hadn't taken away my magic. The mage light floated above me but darkness flowed around me and the only thing I could see clearly was the black floor. It gave under my feet a bit, feeling more like leather than concrete. What the hell was this place?

           The floor shifted and I was raised up to a pair of growing red lights. I knelt a bit to keep my balance. As the red lights illuminated me I realized what this was. The lights were eyes... and I was standing in the palm of the giant creature. I couldn't see too much though the darkness but the creature that held me looked humanoid. Its skin was jet black like that of charcoal.

           The giant cocked its head at me. It almost seemed curious about me. "Mistake." It said, Its voice was loud and deep, just its breath was almost enough to knock me off of its hand. Did it just insult me? As I questioned the insult the giant continued. "Worthless, powerless, waste of space." I scoffed, unable to believe this was my trial. Did I just have to endure a few insults? There had to be more, had to be a reason people died from this trial.

        As if answering my suspicions, the giant's words were not spoken out loud any more. Instead they spoke directly into my head. The words hit my mind like daggers of ice one after the other. "Irritating, unworthy, mistake!" The words became a scream in my head as I went down to one knee. The pain was unbearable. I wanted it to end. I wanted to die. No! I steeled myself. I will not die here. Rylie was waiting for me. Orthis was waiting for me. I would not let them down. I had to fight it and push it out of my head.

          I focused as much magic energy as I could muster. "Out of my head!" I screamed and pushed every bit of that energy at the telekinetic force. I felt the force resist but it was thrown from my body. I fell down to one knee. That blast took a lot out of me. I prayed the giant wouldn't do it again. When the giant didn't move I smirked. "Is that it?" I asked, feeling my confidence bubble in my chest

          "These trials were always so trivial." Said a raspy voice behind me. I whipped around to see an ashy skinned version of myself standing behind me. I prepared a fireball in my hand ready for a fight.his features were masked by a thick fog of shadow that oozed around him. "Hello Varrin." He greeted me in a sinister voice.

          I kept my hand raised, a torrent of fire ready to spee at the slightest sign of danger. "Who are you?" I asked. "Are you part of my trial?" He had to be part of my trials. Perhaps the giant was just a precursor to what this shadow was going to do.

        The shadow shrugged. "Of sorts." He answered. "I'm here to offer you the deal of a lifetime." He pulled out a staff made of jagged bones.

        I sneered at the shadow. "What could you possibly offer me?" I needed to stay focused. Whatever he offered me was all falsehoods and lies.

         The shadow chucked. "You see that's the hard part. You don't want riches. You could most likely find women elsewhere. Power isn't what you seek. What you truly want... is peace." He snapped his fingers and the world spun around me. Flashes of peace and violence, light and dark flashed in front of my eyes and the giant disappeared.

          I fell to the ground, the spinning becoming too much for my body to handle. My hands didn't hit the hard hand of the giant. Instead they hit soft beautiful green grass. I looked up to see a small homely looking cottage surrounded by luscious green grass. A small boy played in the yard of this small cottage. His cheeks were round and he stared out at the word with bright blue eyes. Eyes just like my own. This was me, way younger than I remembered. "Where did you take me?" I asked the shadow. I knew where this was. I just had to hear it out loud before I would believe it.

       The shadow walked to my side. I didn't bother turning to face him. "I took you to the last time you felt true happiness. Before you became a mage. Before this lovely village..." his voice trailed off for a moment. "Before Orthis found you and made you into a weapon. A woman stepped onto the patio and looked at my younger self.

         "Varrin!" She yelled. "Come inside, it's time for dinner." She was beautiful. The same dazzling blue eyes as mine and long black hair. She held a basket full of fruit. My younger self ran inside and the woman smiled as she saw him enter the cottage.

      My heart softened as I watched her head inside. I knew very little of my parents. I was so small when they... I turned to the shadow. "Why did you bring me here?" I asked.

           The shadow stepped in front of me. His face wasn't arrogant, it wasn't devious. The shadow seemed solom. "I do not wish to deceive you. I need your body to write the wrongs of past mortals... in exchange, I offer a life of peace, a life of happiness." He snapped his fingers again and the world spun. I kept my footing this time, holding on as my legs wanted to give out.

            The image changed to the inside of a small cottage. My mother, seeming a bit older with her streak of gray and growing wrinkles, held a small baby. I stood beside her with a tall slender blond woman. The version of me was around my age, maybe a bit older. This memory never happened. It shouldn't exist... yet it feels so real. My mother looked so happy. The shadow stood behind me and my wife in this memory. "You were never given a choice on how to live your life. I could offer you a life with your family. A life where you would be truly happy.

          My hands shook. The offer was... it was perfect. A life where I didn't have to be beaten and ridiculed every day. "It wouldn't be real." I managed to get out.

            The shadow held out his ashy hand toward me. "Does it matter? You would be happy." The words hit me like a bolt of lightning. He was telling me the truth. I could feel this reality. The life I deserved. The shadows face was soft with worry about my decision. It was almost like he was worried for me.

         I started to reach for him. I was so tired. So tired of fighting and training and surviving. I wanted to rest... but. I saw the faces of Orthis, Ria, and Rylie pop up in my head. It wasn't just my life that I was holding here. They were waiting for me. They needed me. My hand stopped. "My life is... hell. I want nothing more than to leave it. But I was taught better than that, raised better than to give up!"

            I shot a bolt of arcane energy at the shadow. The attack didn't seem to hurt him but he slid back from the impact. As he slid the cottage turned into a burning heap. The screams of innocent villagers filled my ears and even though we were still inside the cottage I could see buildings burning around the small town outside of the window. The shadow lifted his head and his eyes glowed a bright green. The burnt bloody bodies of my parents laid on the floor beside the shadow.

             The shadow sneered in anger. "You really would throw away your chance at happiness? Do you want to let them die? For what? A country who doesn't love you? A world who won't remember you?"

          V I let out a deep sigh. "This world is fucked up... but its real. I will fight for the people who wait for me. I will not let them down." I pulled out my staff and faced the shadowy copy.

          The shadow stared me down for a moment. His face was taught with anger. It was a long tense moment. I waited for his attack. But his face switched to a small smirk. "Damn..." he put his staff away. "Live your life mage." He started to walk away from me.

           I raised my brow in confusion. "You're not going to kill me?" I asked, trying not to sound as scared of the confrontation as I actually was. The shadow looked over his shoulder. "I can't quite take your mind forcibly... not yet. Besides, I'm curious to see how far you go." He walked into the smoke but his voice remained. "Good luck mage. Say hi to Lyra for me."

           I had no idea what he was talking about. Was this part of the test? Who the hell was Lyra? My mind raced as my body fell unconscious once more.