"We have a new student joining us today. Her name is Layla Darian, she is a mage from the Winol region." The professor spoke.
The classroom, though it would better be described as a lecture hall, was quite large. Though, despite that size, Layla was only able to discern any reasonable strength from two people in the classroom. A younger, gray-haired boy, who was most likely a year younger than her, and a brown-haired one, who looked around two years older than her. Both wore their standard Academy uniforms, though the brown-haired boy did wear it with a bit more confidence than the gray-haired boy. Though, confidence wasn't the right word, as it seemed that despite the age gap between the two, the gray-haired boy was equal to, if not nigh-surpassing, the brown-haired boy. What was more surprising, however, was the blond that sat near said gray-haired boy. He had bright, blond hair and a jacket on, entirely violating the Academy's uniform. Not only was this individual clearly brash, but from Layla's own estimates, he had one of, if not the lowest, amounts of mana in the class. Personally, if she were the teacher, she'd never let such a person sit next to a true talent.
"You'll sit next to Joseph." The professor pointed at the empty seat next to the blond.
Layla smiled, "Alright!"
Layla was used to this song and dance. She had been made aware of it by her parents when she was younger. Her mother had always been the boss of the family, with her outstanding mana capabilities, especially compared to her father. Layla couldn't remember a single moment in which those dynamics changed and could not point out a time in which her father wasn't a pathetic pushover, constantly falling to her mother's demands. It was depressing to come home to, and watching him frantically try to wrap up the daylong chores before her mother got home reminded Layla of a dog running to the door when it heard it open. Eventually, this charade must've even tired her mother out, as about a year before now, when Layla had just turned 14, her mother up and left. Her father cried, and although it crushed Layla, she couldn't deny that it wasn't surprising. Ever since then, one idea had been settled in Layla's mind. She didn't believe in it absolutely, and it didn't particularly affect her daily life, but it was a belief she held onto nonetheless. The belief being, those who are weak naturally deserve less than others. It was that same belief then that made this particular situation so irritating.
"So, you're the new kid, eh?" Joseph said.
Layla had to use every ounce of strength in her body to stop any reaction, even preventing an eye twitch.
"Mhm! You are Joseph, correct?" Layla kindly said.
Joseph smirked, "The one and only."
Layla tilted her head, looking at the gray-haired boy. "Your friend?"
The gray-haired boy, who had previously been either staring at or through the professor, slowly turned his attention to the conversation.
Joseph said, nudging the gray-haired boy in the side, "That's Michael."
Michael fully turned his gaze to Layla and did a small wave with his hand, saying, "Hello. I look forward to working with you."
Then, in an instant, they both began a conversation and immediately cut Layla out, which gave her a chance to ruminate on this information. First, it seems like Michael doesn't have the greatest social skills, which places the brown-haired boy on the top of the mental totem pole. Second, Joseph and Michael spoke. Even more, they seemed like lovely friends.
Layla silently gritted her teeth while listening to the lecture. How could someone as powerful as Michael not only speak so easily to one as weak as Joseph, as opposed to how he spoke to her? Even more, how could one as powerful as Michael see someone like Joseph as an equal, someone who could be squashed like a bug? Perhaps there was something missing here, some sort of hidden skill? Joseph could have rich parents? Why would someone take pity like that?
Before long, it was lunchtime. Layla walked out of the line with her lunch and wandered a bit, trying to find a quieter place to sit.
Joseph yelled, "Yo! Sit with us, Layla!"
Layla looked over, and there she saw Joseph, sitting with Michael and that brown-haired boy. It was almost comical, him sitting with those who combined equal nearly eight times anything he could readily do at any moment. Though, it was now intriguing enough that Layla would humor this request.
She walked over to the table and sat her tray down.
"So, what's your name?" She asked the brown-haired boy.
"It's Ken, nice to meet you." Ken said with a warm smile.
"So, Ken, what's your specialization? I see you have quite a lot of mana in you." Layla returned Ken's smile.
Ken jokingly put a finger in front of his mouth, hushing Layla, "It's a secret!"
Joseph audibly groaned, "He's been saying that forever, I'm beginning to think that he's just lying to us."
Layla turned to Michael. "And you?"
Michael said, "I use Fire Magic."
Layla replied, "Ooh! Who's your teacher?"
Michael scratched his head a bit. "I don't really have a teacher, I kind of just taught myself. You?"
Layla replied. "I just learned from what was around me. It's Barrier Magic, by the way."
Ken snapped his fingers. "Barrier Magic! That stuff is awesome!"
Layla blushed a little bit. "I guess it is!"
Though she did love Barrier Magic, it hurt to do so. It was the only thing that she willfully took from her father, being the same magic type he would use to lessen the blows from her mother. It sickened Layla that, despite her own views, she was using such weak, defensive magic. Maybe, by the time that she returned home, her father may have learned such an offensive ability himself and stopped being such a doormat.
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A few months later, Layla was on break, a rarity in the Academy. It felt like forever since she had been home, and she was nervous as she walked up to the apartment where her dad lived. Ever since that day, Layla slowly came to terms with her previous ideals. Even thinking about them made her cringe. She had met the first group of people that she could truly call friends, and with that new group of people was able to understand how flawed her worldview was. She hoped that her dad was doing well, which it seemed he was judging from the mail she'd received. Then, after she checked up on him, Joseph said that he'd come and pick Layla up so that they can meet up with the rest of the group.
She knocked on the door and said, "I'm home, Dad!"
A man opened the door. He had on glasses of his own, a polo shirt, and khaki pants. He had short, brown hair.
He smiled brightly. "Heya, sweetie!" Layla nearly knocked him over as they both hugged each other.
"I'm sorry for not writing in a while, school's just been really busy." Layla said, with her eyes slightly watering.
Her dad smiled, "It's ok! I've been there before! I had some food getting ready, shouldn't be long before it's ready. Come in, we can talk more!"
The house seemed much brighter and filled with more pictures of Layla and her dad. It seemed healthier in general, her dad included in that. They went to go sit at the dinner table, and Layla talked with her father while he cooked.
"So, Dad, how's life been recently?" Layla asked.
Her dad responded, "Well, I've been able to get into some trades again and even learned some new magic!"
Layla said, "Really? Can I see?"
Her dad smiled, "Sure."
He grabbed a piece of metal and was able to quickly reform it into a small mirror, holding a piece of Barrier Magic inside, which acted as the mirror.
Layla excitedly said, "Wow! That's actually pretty cool, how you combined those two!"
Her dad beamed, "That means a lot, especially since you're actually in the Academy now."
Her dad then leaned back, "Things have been so much better ever since she left. Honestly, looking back on it, I think it's the best thing that could've happened then."
As he finished his sentence, the doorbell rang.
Layla said, "I guess you have to go check that."
Her dad walked over to the living room, while jokingly ruffling Layla's hair as he walked by, "It could even be that friend of yours!"
Layla sat there and just enjoyed the peace and quiet for a bit. It was nice to finally move past it all. To finally be free from it all. Though, she had been told that usually, people like her mom don't like it when they don't have control over their victims' lives. Maybe, when her mom comes back, she'll be ready.
Then, a gunshot rang out. A second goes by, and another rings out.
She ran to the living room and saw a ghastly sight. The light fixture in the room was shattered, and her father was sprawled out on the ground, a bullet in his chest. Standing in the open doorway was a woman. She had long, black hair, a sullen expression, and ragged clothes. Unfortunately, no amount of changes could definitively alter the situation. It was her mother.
Layla quickly dropped down, trying to stop the bleeding by creating miniature barriers in her dad.
Her mother spoke, "Even after all this time, still weak."
Layla screamed at her while working on her dad, "Why the hell can't you just leave us alone? Wasn't fourteen years of torture enough?"
Her mother spun the revolver she held. "I simply wanted to check in."
Layla said, "Bullshit! You just wanted to continue this!"
Her mother glared into Layla's soul. "And if I am? I thought you agreed with me, where's this change of heart coming from? Did your father finally turn you weak too?"
Her mother sighed, "I suppose it cannot be bothered. When you have such a weak man's DNA in your body, there's no other way about it."
Layla, after stabilizing her father, got up and faced her mother, who said, "I mean, what are you really? The people I talk to don't even refer to you by name, just the "Barrier Mage". How embarrassing can it be being a tool, and a weak, defensive one at that."
Layla said, "Everyone's strong in their own way! You're just too dense to see it!"
Her mother laughed. "Who told you that? Some goody-two-shoes school friends!"
Her mother then pointed the gun at her dad's head and said, "You're weak. I bet I could just kill him r-"
In that moment, Layla realized something. Barrier Magic is not a defensive mana type.
Layla reached for the gun, which prompted her mother to try and slap her. However, this did not affect Layla. The amount of Mana in her mother's body was barely enough to force her own mana to fluctuate.
It was an offensive mana type.
She grabbed her mother by the throat and raised her in the air. Then, Layla forcefully created hundreds of barriers, which almost acted like extremely sharp, long, and wide blades. They grew out of her mother's neck, and in almost a second, her mother's head flew off. Blood shot out like a geyser, covering the dark room in it.
Layla did not stop here, though.
She grabbed her mother's corpse by the limbs and began to rip them off in the same way that she did unto her neck. In a minute, her mother's body was reduced to scraps, almost atomized. Layla relished in this, in the strength that it brought her. She relished in the weakness that her mother had. She relished in this so much that she did not notice Joseph standing at the door.