It was my last peaceful day in the world.
The times that followed were either filled with dread or devoid of joy.
Sometimes both. More often both.
Not that the days preceding it were entirely pleasant too.
Nonetheless, that day offered me a momentary respite to prepare me for what was about to come. Not that it was very effective after looking back on the time.
I gathered my dozen of old thick books scattered opened on the wooden desk in front of me.
They were full with formulas and cryptic symbols, written by great mages ahead of my time.
Their wisdom helped me in my journey to become one of them. A journey that was not yet finished.
If only I was given more time to dwell on those writings, I would have probably succeeded, eventually.
Seeing they kept falling over my shoulders, I tied my long flowing raven dark hair up. People said my hair looked beautiful and I agreed, but sometimes I found them troublesome.
I dragged an empty leather suitcase under me closer using my feet, grabbed the books two and three at a time, depending on my strength to carry the thick-sized books, and put them neatly in the suitcase.
Though I had not succeeded in becoming the mage I aspired to be, I believed these texts would still prove beneficial for what I was about to embark on next.
As I moved the books, I noticed my snow white skin my arm displayed by my somewhat frail arms.
I had been intending to get a bit of tan since I looked too pale for my liking.
But considering I spent most of my waking hours inside the laboratory or at the library, I had long since abandoned the idea.
After making sure the books were all packed, I turned my gaze towards the shining carved stones on the desk across the one with the books.
The palm-sized rocks varied in colors and gleaming with beautiful radiance altogether as if I was looking at a rainbow.
Indeed, these were the enchantment stones I created as I was studying alchemy.
Each one's worth could feed a family of five fancy meals daily for two whole years. So I was grateful to be able to work with such precious materials.
I also created potions during my time of aspiring to become a great mage. But I had sent them all ahead of me.
I would had done the same with the enchantment stones, if only they would not become useless if I was not around.
After all, it would require someone with the skill to unleash the enchantment within the rock in order to actually use them.
I picked up another empty leather suitcase and began packing the enchantment stones. That was when I heard a knock on the door.
"Serafina, are you still here?"
An old man with long white beard cladded in fancy black robe entered.
"Headmaster! Please, come in!"
I called back to him as I undone my hair, letting the strands flowed back to my waist. No need for convenience when entertaining a guest.
I approached the old man and led him to a quaint sitting table equipped with a modest tea set and a plate of biscuits.
"I was hoping to catch you before you depart. I'm glad I'm able to do so."
The old man said as he took a seat. I joined him as well.
"You shouldn't bother, headmaster. For such an important person like you to disrupt his busy schedule just to meet me…"
"Oh but I had to, Serafina! How could I not make time to say farewell to our academy's brightest star?"
"You flatter me, headmaster."
As how our conversation suggested, this old man was the headmaster of a prestigious magic academy in the Tsatu Empire of the Dunia Continent.
And I was a student enrolled in his academy. Though I could not really agree with him about being the 'academy's brightest star.'
"Surely there are many talented graduates among my peers, headmaster."
The old man quickly shook his head.
"Oh but you're one of a kind, Serafina! Your mastery of fire elemental magic is outstanding!"
"Please, headmaster. At best I could only perform a Third Circle magic. And even then it took me forever to cast it."
The headmaster waved his hand countering my attempt to disprove him.
"The only reason for that was because you stopped practicing fire magic years ago and switched your focus to an entirely different branch of sorcery."
This time the headmaster spoke the truth. I had stopped improving my fire magic since I was 14 and shifted to supportive magic.
It had been ten years since the last time I was intensely improving my fire spell. And it was for a reason.
"I didn't intend to become an elemental mage to begin with. I only learned fire magic to ease my father's worry."
"Well it is a shame since I heard from your instructor that you were also compatible with the other elements."
"And I thanked you for keeping that fact a secret from my father. Though he managed to figure it out on his own in the end."
The headmaster then shifted his gaze toward the enchantment stones I was beginning to pack.
"Though I have to take my word back about your decision being a shame. Since you've done very well studying alchemy as well as enchantment sorcery."
"I still have a long way to go before I could reach my mother's level though."
My mother was one of the great mages I aspired to be.
She was well-known for her mastery in magic engineering, enchantment, and potion-making. Many lives were saved because of her spells.
The world suffered a loss when she lost her life trying to save a whole city from monsters.
"Nonetheless, I'm sure Lady Marla would be proud if she could see what you've achieved."
The headmaster tried to comfort me. He continued.
"If she could hear the things you've done during Count Orlo's quests, she would know you'll someday reach her heights."
The quests the headmaster was referring to were the subjugation missions in Count Orlo's territory, Taga region, where the academy resided.
Often time the count would request aid from the magic academy to help him with exterminating monsters that threatened his territory.
I was often sent to these quests as the academy's response to the count's request.
"You did incredibly well in leading the count's army to subjugate the ogres last time."
The headmaster told, referring to a recent quest I had done.
"The captain in charge was injured when we attempted our initial assault. And the vice-captain lost his life during the same endeavor."
I told the headmaster, recalling the event. I continued.
"I was the remaining personnel who was well-versed with the entire operation plan and there were obstacles in the ogres' territory which required my magic expertise to solve. I had no choice but to assume commanding position."
"Still, to be able to lead an army of a hundred knights was no easy feat. No mere mage could do that."
I promptly shook my head to the headmaster's words.
"I was simply raised in a militaristic family. I was grown accustomed to warfare tactic and army culture because I could not help but to observe my father and brothers while they were carrying their duties."
The headmaster lightly chuckled upon my effort to discredit his praise to me.
His expression turned more serious.
"Now that we're talking about your family's duties, has the situation gone that poor in your region?"
Alas, we were finally addressing this matter.
The reason why I had to pack my precious magic books and enchantment stone. As well as sending my valuable potions away.
"It is as you've heard, headmaster. Monsters have been tirelessly invading our land."