Chapter 3: The Outcast's Discovery
Noah stood at the entrance of Silverwood Academy, a place full of magic and opportunity, but one where he felt completely out of place.
The large silver gate, covered with symbols of every magical element, closed behind him with a heavy thud. The sound didn't feel like the beginning of something new, it felt like the end, a final full stop.
The campus was big and beautiful, stretching out in every direction. Tall towers rose up proudly, and their pointed tops reached toward the sky. The buildings looked grand and impressive, making the whole place feel like a magical castle.
But to Noah, everything was a confusing mix of noises and colors, and he didn't know how to be part of it.
Young mages wore robes matching their magic, some sparked tiny flames, others bent the wind with a flick of their wrists.
He saw a girl in green robes grow a tiny tree from the ground, and another in blue robes make a small fountain dance in her hand.
Knights-in-training practiced their sword moves with wooden blades, strong and steady. Even the few students training as assassins moved with a quiet confidence that set them apart.
Noah felt like a quiet stranger, looking in on a vibrant world where he didn't fit.
His acceptance letter was just a formality, a single cold page that placed him in the "Untalented class."
This was where students who showed no magical talent were sent, seen as too weak for the main classes.
The letter told him to go to a small, out-of-the-way classroom, a clear sign he wasn't meant to be part of the academy's real world.
Noah's classroom was an old, forgotten room at the edge of the campus. It smelled like dust and old paper.
The teacher was a kind but tired old man who mostly left the students alone.
He gave them simple tasks that didn't involve magic, like sorting old scrolls, cleaning rusty armor, or organizing old books.
The other students were just as lost as Noah. There was Liam, a tall boy who was always dropping things, and Elara, a quiet girl who was always reading.
They all understood without talking what it meant to be left behind while others moved on.
One day, Liam knocked over a pile of scrolls by accident. When Noah helped him pick them up, their eyes met for a moment. It was a small connection, but it made them feel less alone.
The days that followed felt the same, long and lonely.
Noah ate his meals alone in a quiet corner of the dining hall, while groups of students laughed and talked around him.
In the training yards, he stayed on the sidelines, watching other mages practice their spells, their laughter full of magic ringing in his ears.
His mind felt empty and silent, like a library where all the books about his magical future had been burned to ashes.
One afternoon, about a week after he started at the academy, Noah was asked to clean the classroom library.
Most of the books were old and useless, filled with outdated ideas or forgotten history that no one cared about anymore. The pages were yellowed and fragile, and many of the words seemed to belong to a time long past.
But then, on a high, dusty shelf, Noah's eyes caught something different.
It was a book with a worn, dark leather cover, rough to the touch from years of neglect.
The title was written in faded silver letters that still shimmered faintly: "The Book of Professions".
He carefully pulled the book down and opened it, feeling the weight of the thick, heavy pages beneath his fingers.
As he read, his heart grew heavier with each page.
He learned about the Knights, strong and brave warriors clad in unbreakable armor, standing firm against any enemy.
He read about the Mages, masters of the elements, who could summon fire, shape the wind, and bend the world to their will.
He read about the Assassins, silent and deadly, their movements a precise, graceful dance that struck fear into their targets.
And he read about the Druids, so deeply connected to nature that they could awaken the forests, commanding trees and animals alike.
Each page was a reminder of the life he could never have. It was a clear, painful list of everything he was missing, a world full of vibrant colors where he felt like a blank, empty space, a forgotten story left unwritten.
Just as he was about to close the book, feeling the weight of his sadness, a page stuck to his thumb.
He opened it, and the faded title at the top shocked him.
"The Beast Tamers"
He read that most Beast Tamers had an affinity for the magic, using their mana to form a bond with a creature.
But as he read on, his breath caught in his throat. There, in a small, almost unreadable paragraph at the very bottom of the page, was a description of an ancient, forgotten type of Beast Tamer.
The page said: "...a rare few, with no magic of their own, have a special mark. This mark, coming from a powerful and mysterious source, lets them connect with the smallest, most overlooked animals, creatures many ignore but that hold their own kind of strength..."
Noah kept reading, his eyes soaking in every word.
The book explained that the bond between a Tamer and their beast was special, they grew stronger together, their powers linked as one.
It was a partnership, a journey of learning and growing side by side.
The thought that not having magic wasn't the end, but the start of a different kind of power, gave him a rush of excitement.
For the first time in months, he felt a small spark of hope and purpose.
But the next page was missing. A rough tear ran down the spine of the book, like someone had purposely ripped it out, taking away all the details about the special mark.
A cold wave of disappointment hit Noah, but it was soon replaced by a stronger feeling: suspicion.
Someone wanted to keep this information secret. The mark on his hand, once just a sign of failure, now felt like a dangerous, hidden secret.
He wasn't just magicless, he was part of something bigger, a mystery someone had tried to erase.