Chapter 4 Book 1 The Glowing Child
The air in the classroom of the Holy Hand Orphanage was thick with the scent of old paper and dust motes dancing in the morning sun. Xu Mei, now with a secret that felt heavier than any crate, sat at her desk, meticulously copying the day's lesson from the blackboard. The teacher, a quiet, kind woman named Mrs. Jia, who taught reading and writing, was patiently guiding a small boy through the intricacies of the letter 'B'. The room was quiet, save for the scratching of quills on paper and the soft murmurs of instruction.
The classes in the orphanage are not arranged by age, but everyone would study the same thing according to the time they entered the orphanage. That's why children of different ages would be in the same class. The orphans would only learn the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic. After that, they would be sent to a public school in the town to study starting at grade 4.
The room is currently composed of children aged 5 to 8. A few of these orphans are being prepared to study in public school if they pass their assessment, and one of them is Xu Mei. As she is far more intelligent for her age.
Xu Mei concentrated on the lesson, but inside her small desk, a block was standing on its side as it rotated like a top. She can do this even while in class, as she noticed that no one would look inside her desk chair while they are in class. She could freely use her telekinesis as long as it was under that small desk.
Suddenly, a gasp rippled through the room.
A boy named Ethan, a boisterous and cheerful young lad, just celebrated his eighth birthday yesterday. Suddenly, something happened today. The now eight-year-old who sat a few rows ahead of Xu Mei was glowing. A soft, incandescent light bloomed from within his small body, turning his skin and clothes into a shimmering, ethereal canvas. The glow started as a gentle pulse, then grew steadily brighter, bathing the entire room in a warm, golden hue. It was a beautiful, startling sight. The quill in his hand clattered to the floor, forgotten. His eyes were wide with a mixture of terror and awe.
"What's happening?!" a girl cried out, her voice a mix of fright and wonder.
"It's… It's a Magii awakening!" another boy, a year older, said, his voice hushed with reverence.
Mrs. Jia, a look of profound relief and joy on her face, rushed to Ethan's side. She knelt, her hands hovering, not daring to touch him. "It's alright, Ethan. Don't be afraid. You have awakened your power. You are a Magii now."
The room erupted into a cacophony of gasps and excited chatter. The children leaned forward, their faces alight with fascination. Xu Mei, however, was frozen. Her gaze was fixed on Ethan's radiant form, her mind reeling.
This… this is how they awaken.
Her own awakening had been nothing like this. There had been no bright, public display of power, no golden light bathing a room in wonder. Her awakening had been silent, secret, and terrifying. It had happened in the dead of night, a private, blinding flash of light that had seared a translucent window into her vision. A window no one else could see. A window that had been her constant, silent companion for over a year. Why was she different? Why did her power appear at six, not at the expected eight? Was it because she was the child of a lightning strike? Was her power, born of chaos, inherently different? The questions swirled in her mind, a dizzying maelstrom of confusion and fear.
Ethan, once the initial shock wore off, began to feel a surge of pure, unadulterated elation. The light pulsing from him was a tangible feeling of warmth and energy. He grinned, his small face glowing. He raised a hand, as if to cast a powerful spell he had only read about in stories. He willed the magic to come forth, to shoot a bolt of fire from his fingers or to summon a gust of wind. But nothing happened. The light around him continued to pulse, but his outstretched hand remained empty. His smile faltered, replaced by a look of bewildered frustration.
Mrs. Jia, seeing his disappointment, gently took his hand. "My dear boy, it's not so simple. You can't just wave your hand and expect spells to happen. Magic must be controlled, and you must learn the spells and incantations. And more importantly," her voice grew serious, "you must never try to cast a spell without a wand. It is far too dangerous. The mana in your body, if not properly channeled, could become chaotic. It could… well, it could cause serious harm to you… even death."
She patted his arm reassuringly. "Don't worry, you'll be given a wand soon. The Magii Order from the town will be alerted, and they will come for you to begin your training at a magii school. It will be a wonderful, life-changing moment, but it's just the beginning. The real work is in learning to control it."
Mrs. Jai explained things as if she knew everything by heart.
"How did you know this… Teacher?" asked a small girl.
"Yes… I know it because one of my relatives awakened as a magii a few years back. Now he is studying at Hallow Ground magii school," she explained.
"Oh, I wish I could be a magii too," a boy suddenly said with a pout.
"Yeah, me too!" said another child.
The rest also chimed in as the class became boisterous and excited.
The glow around Ethan began to recede, dimming until it was just a faint shimmer, a visible aura that hinted at the power now sleeping within him. The other children still crowded around, touching his shoulder and congratulating him. The class, once a place of quiet learning, had become a center of buzzing excitement.
Mrs. Jai tried to calm the children down. "Okay, children, settle down. I will inform the director of this later. Ethan, you should join the class for now."
…
After the hubbub subsided and the teachers had discussed the arrangements for Ethan, the day continued. The children moved from classroom to classroom, their lessons shifting from reading and writing to basic arithmetic with Teacher Elara. The class was quiet and focused now, the initial excitement replaced by the steady grind of numbers and figures.
Teacher Elara, a stark contrast to the gentle Mrs. Jia, was all business. Her face was set in a firm, almost grim expression. She handed out small wooden slates and chalk to the children. "The assignment is on the board. You will work on these problems for the next hour. Anyone who speaks will have their slate taken away and their lunch reduced."
The children, chastened by her stern tone, immediately bent their heads over their work. Xu Mei, with her sharp mind and knack for numbers, finished her work quickly. She looked up and saw Teacher Elara beckoning to Ethan from the front of the room. Ethan, still a little dazed by his recent transformation, looked up and pointed to himself. Teacher Elara gave a short, impatient nod. "Yes, you. Come with me."
A familiar knot of unease tightened in Xu Mei's stomach. She knew Teacher Elara's true feelings about Magii. She remembered the venom in her voice when she spoke of them. The sheer hatred. To see her take Ethan away, alone, with that cold expression on her face… it felt deeply, profoundly wrong.
"This is not good. What would Teacher Elara do?" she thought as she felt a hint of a slight panic begin in her heart.
She looked around. The other children were absorbed in their numbers, their brows furrowed in concentration. No one else seemed to notice the coldness in the teacher's tone, the subtle, dismissive way she had motioned for the boy to follow. Xu Mei felt a strange, protective impulse. She had to know what was happening. She couldn't shake the feeling that Ethan was in danger.
"As my fellow magii, I should help you…" Xu Mei said as she hardened her heart.
Though she respected Teacher Elara, she could not let something happen to Ethan.
She waited a moment, then quietly slid out of her seat and slipped out the door. The hallway was empty. She peered down the long corridor and saw the two of them disappearing around a corner, their footsteps echoing softly. Xu Mei moved a bit clumsily but was still very quiet as she had been used to sneaking since she discovered her ability. Her steps took a year of practice as she developed her secret. She considered herself as a master of silent movement, of going unnoticed.
She followed the sound of their footsteps, her heart hammering in her chest. She saw them stop at a small, disused storage room. Teacher Elara pushed the door open and motioned for Ethan to go inside.
"Why are we here, teacher?" he asked, feeling a bit afraid.
"No more questions… Just follow," she scowled.
He hesitated for a second, then, seeing the teacher's impatient scowl, he complied. Teacher Elara slipped in after him, and the door clicked shut.
Xu Mei crept closer, her ear pressed to the cool wood of the door. She could hear them inside, but their voices were too muffled to make out the words. So she leaned closer and put her ear to the wall.