It was Thursday.

  The day passed in a blur, each hour blending into the next. No matter how hard I tried to distract myself, my thoughts kept shifting to the study session that was soon approaching.

  There was no point in denying how I felt. The thought of being tutored by Nicole filled me with immense dread. Being around someone who disliked me as much as she did felt more daunting than any test.

  I wonder if she'll be as mean as always.

  ...

  No. Probably worse.

  The walk to the library was short. Even though I'd seen the building from the outside a few times, it was my first time stepping inside.

  The library was even more impressive than I imagined. High ceilings arched overhead, and rows upon rows of bookshelves stretched before me. The scent of old books and polished wood filled the air, creating an atmosphere of quiet focus. It was a far cry from the noisy cafeteria I just came from.

  Hmm... The library seems nice. Maybe I should start coming more often.

  As I entered the study area, I spotted Nicole and Zach at one of the tables. Nicole's sharp voice cut through the silence as soon as she saw me.

  "Ahem... You're late."

  I glanced at my watch. It was exactly 6 PM.

  "Um. Didn't we agree to meet at 6?"

  "Zach and I have been here since 5:45. Isn't that right, Zach?"

  "Oh, I didn't mind waiting," Zach said quickly, giving me a small, hesitant smile. He seemed eager to avoid any confrontation.

  Nicole shook her head. "Nonsense... In the military, it's courteous to show up at least fifteen minutes before a meeting."

  "Well, good thing this isn't the military," I replied, trying to keep my voice even.

  Nicole shot me a look of exasperation.

  "Sigh... Instead of wasting my time, why don't you take a seat?"

  I slid into a chair, feeling the tension already building.

  Nicole took out a large folder from her bag and handed us two booklets. She handed one to me and the other to Zach.

  "In these booklets, you'll find a mock test I put together with questions from the three subjects we'll be tested on. I want you both to try and write the test to the best of your abilities. Based on your results, I'll be able to identify the areas where you need help. Are there any questions?"

  Zach and I shook our heads.

  Nicole glanced at her watch. "In about ten seconds, it'll be 6:03. You'll both have the next hour to write the test... Begin!"

  The moment I opened the booklet, my eyes widened in surprise. The mock test was nothing like I'd imagined. It was meticulously designed. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn it was an official exam.

  As I scanned through the questions, my initial skepticism about Nicole began to waver. It was clear she had invested a great deal of effort into creating this test. Each question was thoughtfully crafted, covering a broad range of topics. I couldn't help but be impressed by her dedication. She was taking her role seriously, and I had to respect that.

  I started answering the questions, fully aware that my performance on this test would determine how much additional work Nicole would give me. I needed a grade that was higher than my average but not so high that it would draw suspicion.

  Hmm... What grade should I aim for?

  A B+ perhaps...

  Time seemed to fly by, and before I knew it, Nicole cleared her throat.

  "Alright... Time's up! Hand in your booklets."

  I handed in my test first, feeling a mixture of relief and apprehension. Even though the test had one or two interesting questions, I didn't think it was too hard. Zach, on the other hand, seemed nervous as he returned his test. He didn't look too confident with his result.

  Without wasting another second, Nicole took out a red pen and immediately began marking our tests.

  After a few minutes, she let out a sigh. She didn't look too pleased.

  "Um, how did we do?" Zach asked, his voice tinged with anxiety. "I hope it wasn't too bad..."

  "Here. Take a look for yourself."

  Nicole shook her head and handed Zach his test back. I glanced over and was shocked to see he had only gotten 13 out of 40 questions right. Even though I was aware he wasn't the brightest student, I hadn't expected his grade to be that low.

  This isn't good...

  "You've got a lot of catching up to do if you want to pass the test next week," Nicole said bluntly. "If you're lazy for even a second, you'll fail."

  Zach lowered his head in shame. "Yeah, I know..."

  "Having said that, despite your very low grade, I think there's some hope. You got a pretty decent score in history. Out of the twelve history questions I wrote, you answered nine correctly. Well done..."

  "Yeah... I've always been a bit of a history nerd."

  "It changes nothing... You still have a lot of work to do," Nicole insisted. "A LOT..."

  Turning toward me next, Nicole handed me my test back. I had scored 31 out of 40.

  Huh... I wonder what she'll say about me?

  "You... did better than I expected," she said, a hint of surprise in her voice. "But you still have a lot of work to do. Out of the three subjects, math was your lowest mark. You only got eight of the fourteen questions right. Four of them were trigonometry questions."

  "Well, to be honest, I've never been good at math," I admitted. "Especially trig. It's my biggest weakness."

  "That's fine... I'll come up with loads of trig questions to help you study. Since we've narrowed down what you struggle with, I'm confident you'll be ready for next week."

  "What about me?" Zach asked, looking a bit desperate. "Is there anything specific I should focus on?"

  "Everything! You need to focus on everything... You'll need to study all three subjects if you want to pass."

  "Ugh..."

  Nicole tore a page from her notebook and began to write something on it. After a couple of minutes, she handed the page to Zach.

  "I've written down a list of things I want you to read and learn before tomorrow's study session. Understood?"

  Zach cleared his throat. "Um... I don't know if I can do this by tomorrow. This... is... a lot."

  Nicole's eyes flashed with impatience.

  "SIGH... Why did you even bother enrolling in this school if you're not prepared to put in the work? Did you think you could just coast by with minimal effort? If you had gone to an ordinary school, you might have been able to get away with this level of performance. But here? Here, you're just wasting everyone's time."

  Zach squirmed in his seat, his face turning red as he tried to avoid her piercing gaze. "I didn't choose to be here, you know... I enrolled because my parents forced me to."

  "Your parents forced you?! Do they think this is some sort of daycare?"

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "They thought it would be good for me," Zach responded after a moment. "They said this school would offer me good opportunities... that it would challenge and make me stronger."

  Nicole rolled her eyes. "Opportunities and challenges are only beneficial if you rise to meet them, Zach. You can't just sit there and expect success to be handed to you on a silver platter. In case you haven't noticed, this isn't an ordinary school. The expectations here are higher, and so is the workload. If you can't handle that, then maybe you're in the wrong place... Maybe you should drop out."

  "I... I can't do that," Zach said, his voice tinged with frustration and fear. "If I drop out... My dad will get angry. He'll disown me!"

  Nicole's harsh expression softened slightly as she let out a sigh. "Listen... I don't know what kind of life you've lived, but now that you're here, you have to choose for yourself. Are you going to let your circumstances overwhelm you, or will you show your parents—and yourself—that you can rise to the challenge?"

  Zach's shoulders slumped. "I... don't know if I'm capable of something like that..."

  I watched in silence, feeling a deep pang of sympathy for Zach. His situation was difficult, and the weight of his parents' expectations seemed to be crushing him.

  "Look, Zach," Nicole said, her tone gentler now. "No one expects you to be perfect. But you have to be willing to put in the effort. That's all anyone can ask of you. If you're willing to work hard, you'll see improvement. We're here to help... I'm here to help... but you need to meet us halfway."

  Zach's eyes welled up with tears as he nodded slowly. "Fine... I'll give it a shot... I'll try my best to pull this off."

  "That's all I'm asking," Nicole said, a small smile appearing on her lips. "We're all in this together. Let's make the most of it."

  I felt a jolt of shock run through me. I had never seen Nicole act this way. Her usual demeanor was one of confidence and impatience, not kindness. Yet here she was, offering Zach a lifeline.

  Zach wiped his eyes as he tried to regain his composure. "Thanks, Nicole. I... I appreciate the advice."

  "Don't worry about it. Just remember, it's not about where you start, it's about where you finish. I can help you get there, but you've got to want it. Okay?"

  "Okay!"

  "Good. Now go clean yourself up. Your face is covered in snot."

  "Hahahahaha... Fair enough."

  As Zach stood up and headed to the washroom, I noticed a newfound determination in his gaze. Despite Nicole's harsh words, she had managed to ignite a spark in Zach. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen.

  "Ahem. What are you looking at?" Nicole snapped, her voice breaking through my reverie.

  "Oh... Uh, nothing," I stammered. "I was just... thinking."

  "Thinking about what? Do I have something on my face?"

  "No, no. It's just... I wasn't expecting that to happen."

  "Expecting what!? Do you think I'm some kind of monster?"

  Even though I hadn't been specific, she knew exactly what I was referring to. She'd read me like a book.

  "No, of course not!"

  Her expression softened slightly, but her tone remained sharp. "Sometimes people need a kick to get moving. Sometimes they need a hand. Maybe both. You just have to know when to use which... That's all there is to it."

  "Oh, okay..."

  "Sigh..."

  Nicole rolled her eyes, but for some reason, she didn't seem as annoyed. Which was strange. Based on our previous interactions, just my voice was enough to irritate her. Perhaps she was starting to warm up to me?

  "Sorry for the wait, guys."

  After what felt like an eternity, Zach finally returned from the washroom. Even though his face was still a little flushed, he seemed to be in much better spirits.

  "It's getting late," Nicole said as she glanced at her watch. "Before we wrap up this study session, I have a few pointers for both of you."

  I straightened in my seat, ready to absorb whatever she had to say.

  "First," Nicole began, addressing Zach, "you need to focus on your basics. Your fundamentals are weak, and that's where you need to start. Don't try to tackle advanced topics until you have a solid grasp of the basics. The review list I wrote for you should do just that."

  "I understand. I'll work on it," Zach said.

  Nicole nodded and turned to me. "In all truth, you did okay on the mock test. Nevertheless, you still have a lot of work to do. We'll focus only on math tomorrow."

  "Sounds good to me."

  "Take this." She handed me a page from her notebook. "I've written down a list of topics I want you to review before tomorrow's session. Think you can do it?"

  I looked over the list. Although it seemed a little long, it was more than manageable.

  "Yeah, it'll be fine."

  "Good... Are there any final questions?" Nicole asked, looking between the two of us.

  Zach shook his head. "No, I'm good."

  "Same here."

  "Okay, then... We'll leave it at that for today," she said, closing her notebook.

  The three of us packed our belongings and headed out of the library.

  "Oh, wow," Zach said as soon as we stepped outside. "It got dark pretty fast."

  Over the course of the hour and a half we spent in the library, the sky outside had faded from soft gray to pitch black. The campus, usually bustling with activity, had settled into a peaceful lull. The only sounds were the distant chirping of crickets and the occasional rustle of leaves.

  The walk back to the dorms was quiet. Nobody said a word, the stillness between us almost tangible. I could sense an awkward tension in the air, a kind of heaviness that made every step feel more laborious than it should have been.

  Not wanting to be in the center of this awkwardness, I slowed my pace and walked a few feet behind them. That's when I noticed Zach was acting strange. Every couple of seconds, he was shooting glances at Nicole. He looked as though he wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words.

  I wonder what he's thinking...

  "Um, hey, Nicole," Zach finally said, breaking the silence. "Is it true that you're a 3rd Circle Mage?"

  I guess someone's been doing their research.

  Nicole nodded without turning to look at him. "Yeah... What about it?"

  "Oh, I was just curious... I think it's an incredible achievement. Reaching the third circle at our age makes you a prodigy."

  "That so?"

  "Uh, I guess."

  "Well, hate to break it to you, but I'm not a prodigy... In case you're not aware, there are two other 3rd Circle Mages in our grade."

  Zach's eyes widened in shock. "That's... astonishing. I had no idea..."

  I felt a twinge of surprise myself. This was my first time hearing of this, too. I wondered who the other two were.

  "I hope you don't mind me asking... How did you get so strong?" Zach inquired.

  "Consistent hard work... I've been training since a very early age."

  "Do you have any pointers? Tips that might help me quicken my progress. For some reason, I just can't seem to wrap my head around how to cultivate."

  Nicole glanced at him. "Are you a Sorcerer or an Augmenter?"

  "I'm an Augmenter."

  "I see... In that case, I don't think I'm the right person to ask for help. I'm a Sorcerer, after all."

  "Oh..." Zach muttered, looking a bit deflated.

  Once again, another spell of awkward silence fell over us. All I could hear was the rhythmic crunch of gravel under our feet.

  After about a minute or two, Zach turned toward me.

  "What about you, James? Are you a Sorcerer or an Augmenter?"

  "I'm a Sorcerer."

  "Great! I guess I'm the only Augmenter in the group... This sucks."

  Is being an Augmenter really that bad?

  We continued walking, and a few minutes later, we arrived at the dorms. The tall building loomed over us, its windows glowing softly in the night. As we stepped inside and approached the elevator, I suddenly came to a halt.

  "You guys go ahead. I just remembered I need to make a call," I said, waving them on.

  "Oh, okay... Well then, see you tomorrow," Zach said with a small smile.

  "See you."

  Nicole shot me a glare just before the elevator doors closed, but I brushed it off. My mind was elsewhere. As I watched the floor indicator climb past the second floor, I turned away and cleared my throat.

  "You can come out now," I called into the seemingly empty lobby.

  At first, nothing happened. Silence filled the lobby.

  Then, a boy with blonde hair and glasses emerged from behind a tree and stepped into the dim light.

  "My, oh, my... It's been a while since anyone's been able to detect my presence."

  I didn't recognize the boy. Despite this being my first encounter with him, he seemed to know who I was. Judging by his height, he seemed a couple of years older than me.

  "How long have you known I was trailing you?" he asked.

  "Just after we left the library."

  That was a lie. In truth, I had sensed his presence hours ago. He had been tailing me since the moment class ended.

  The blonde boy chuckled. "I guess he was right after all... There's no way you're a 1st Circle Mage."

  "Huh?"

  "If you were, you wouldn't have been able to detect my presence."

  I checked my watch. It was getting late. I had no intention of letting this drag on any longer.

  "I'm guessing there's something you're after... What do you want?"

  "To be honest, I'm not the one who wants something from you... My boss, on the other hand... He's developed an interest in you," the boy said, his expression turning serious.

  "You mean, Clayton?"

  The boy clapped his hands and smiled. "Very clever. You have me all figured out, don't you?"

  "Stop stalling. Just tell me what he wants."

  "All I can say is that he's looking forward to meeting you again. When the time comes, he expects you to perform."

  "Perform?"

  The boy's grin widened. "You'll find out very soon."

  With that, the blonde boy turned and walked away. As I watched him go, a small sense of unease settled in my stomach.