Sahri High

One

                                                        L E T I S HA   M A N A R I

“Finally! We’re done!” we both exhaled, after reaching the pick of our favorite hill.  We are working in downtown, running some errands to earn some money to make a living.

My best friend, Cassandra. But unlike her, I don’t have a family to feed. They died when I was ten years old, and after that, Cass’s family accepted me.

“I will surely save up as much as I can, then I’ll go to that school.” Cassandra said, this was not the first time she ever said that. From here, we can see the most prestigious school here in Serene.

“Why do you kept on dreaming to enter Sahri High? We can’t even maintain to eat three times a day, that’s an absurd dream, Cass.” I said to burst her bubbles.

“Come on, Isha. You know I can always make things possible. I’ll do everything to save up.” She said while still looking at the school, looked so enchanted by its magic.

I can’t blame her, Sahri High is not a small school, it’s one of the five most prestigious schools in the magic world. And there are variety of opportunity awaits you when you came from that school, in short, they are prioritized anywhere they go.

But that school is no joke, you have to pay five hundred thousand silver or one hundred thousand gold coins to enter in that school, and earning money when you just finished high school is so f*****g hard.

“Whatever,” I said, and grab my bag and carefully pulled out a small box, engraved a name of the famous bakeshop in town. “Hey, bitch.” She turned around only to see me, holding a small cake with a candle on top. “Happy birthday.” I greeted her.

She seemed speechless, “W-wait. This are from the bakeshop in town, how can you even afford this?” she’s looking at me in disbelief, thinking how can I actually do it.

“Oh, stop the drama just blow it.” I said before I even start crying. Today is her birthday, and no one knew except from her family and me. We rarely celebrate birthday since we consider it as a luxurious thing, and we have no time for that.

I heard her sigh, “Thank you, Isha.” I can see so much emotions from her eyes right now, then we both laugh and lie on the grass, watching the sunset. The wind was so calm, the clouds in the sky brought a different kind of peace, it looks like they are dancing to give us a moment of pleasure.

How I wish that life could be just like this.

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“What the hell! That was an easy task! Why can’t you do it right?! You useless girl!” shouted the man whom I was working for part-time. I wrestle myself, to talk back, I just stared at him, with my dead eyes, and started to pick the broken pieces of flower pot on the floor. “What are you staring at, you dimmwit! I will deduct that from your salary this month.” He said again, before leaving.

I sighed and put both of my hands to this broken pot, “Sealing magic: Replenish.” I mumbled, in just a snap, its pieces stick to each other, replenishing to its original form.

“Hey, Isha.” I lift up my head, only to see Cassandra, my best friend with a concern look in her eyes, I just smirk and shrug my shoulder, while motioning her to go back to her work.”

Sealing magic, I don’t know if god hated me so much that after I became orphan, I became orphan again, leaving me with this useless magic, I can’t even make a proper way to earn for a living.

I’m one of the remaining three-percent of population who possess either weak or useless magic, I got bully since I was a child, and it got worst when my adoptive grandparents died, when I was about ten years old. But I don’t give a damn, I’m just trying to survive a day.

“Oh, the girl who has useless magic…” I saw three bitches near the entrance of the shop I was working at. They have this bitchy aura, but I don’t actually give a f**k. They visit this store every day and that is their entrance dialogue.

I don’t know if they are coming here to look for some certain objects, or they just wanted to make fun of me, which I hated. What a f*****g way to start a day.

I hate to admit, but aside from my trashy attitude and useless magic, I got nothing in my pocket.

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It was raining hard outside my old house; I could hear the dripping raindrops from the galvanized iron holes. I woke up from the nightmare I’ve been trying to forget since I was ten years old. But I can’t help it. The nightmares are so vivid that it can actually wake me up from a deep slumber.

It’s past two o’clock in the morning when I heard a three faint knocks from my door. I wore my indoor sleepers and walk towards the door. Someone I knew has this kind of knock just in case she goes here at the middle of the night, I immediately opened the door.

“Cassandra Levi, what on earth are you doing?” I halt upon realizing how she looks right now. She was soaking wet from the heavy rain. “And why are you soaking wet? Where have you been?” I wasted no time and held her to come inside, I can feel her shivering in due to extreme cold. She must have been staying outside for hours.

I have her towel and wrap it herself. I let her sleep on the only chair I have in my house. “Isha.”

Her voice was still shaking, so I grab another towel and dried her hair, “What the hell are you thinking? You can’t get sick. You know you have a weak body.” I’m scolding her while drying her wet hair.

“Isha.” She said, and stood up. She held my hand, fear was visible in her brown eyes, she’s in the verge of crying. Worry started to crept me. “I did something I should have not done.”

“What? What did you do? It’s not illegal, right?” even my voice was trying to convince myself, that she did nothing illegal. She wouldn’t do things like that. Between the two of us, I might be the first one to make some illegal transactions or actions.

“I stole it.” She whispered, but enough for me to hear it. “I stole the crest.” She said, and carefully pulled out a shinning palm size stone with an engraved letters, S and H.

My eyes widen in so much shock. “What the f**k, Cassandra!” I can’t help but to shout at her. “What did you do! You told me you want to enter that school! But this was not the way I thought you would ever do! When did you stoop down as low as this?!”

“I’m sorry, okay! I needed to do this! I’m sorry, Isha! I don’t know what to do!” she was panicking, fear slowly creping her heart, she was easily get scared. That’s what she is. We are totally opposite to each other. I like new things. I like to experience adventures, dangerous things, but not her. She will never leave her comfort zone.

“What the f**k is this mess you brought, Cassandra.” I held my temple, thinking of ways how we can bring it back without them knowing. But I doubt that. I know, as of the moment, the whole school was gone ransack, looking for the most valuable item in their school.

I halt, the barrier I made to seal my home is now open. Someone who’s powerful enough broke the barrier I made. I seal my property using my sealing magic. I will be able to feel if someone trespass to my land.

Without thinking twice, I grab the crest in her shaking hand and put it inside the old bag she was always using. She was looking at me, confused why I am acting like this.

“I stole this crest, and not you.” I firmly said.

She cried upon realizing what I am going to do. “No, no, no. you can’t do that! You can’t own my crime! I did that because of my selfish reasons. I’m not supposed to get that, but insecurities and greed won over me!”

I put both of my hands in her arms, “I know. I know you have your reasons. I know you better than anyone else, Cass. you have a family to fed, you can’t leave them. You can’t just abandon your ill mother and your four other siblings. They need you, while me, nobody needs me here. I have no family.” I sighed deeply, “You are my only family. And I can’t lose you.”

She was crying, she has to hurry, the intense magic of the people coming towards this house is dominating, filling the whole place, they are almost here. “But, Isha. I can’t lose you too. You’re my best friend. I can’t- “

“I’m going to get my ass out there, I promise. So, stop worrying and go.” I said and gently pushed her. She can get out of here. I put my hand in her shoulder and sealed her aura. “They won’t be able to detect you. Now, go.”

She was still crying, but in my relief, she nodded. “I will get you out of that place, I promise.” I smiled as my response. “Compass magic, disperse.” And in just a snap, I’m alone.

Then I felt it. They are here, outside my door. There are 6 of them three of them possess some undeniably great power. They must all be students from Sahri High.

The door opened, there are three guards, two guys and one woman. They are wearing maroon cloak, except for the guards. “Good evening.” A man spoke, he was smiling, “We’re kinda looking for someone.”

“Is this Levi residence?” he asked again, I just nod. “We’re looking for someone who has a surname, Levi.”

“I live here alone. This was their former house, as you can see, anything here is good for one person.” I confidently said. Since this is my house, and I live here alone, that was partly true. Cassandra’s house are few houses from here.

“You must know what we are looking for.” The woman said, with her bitchy tone, while creasing her forehead.

Without any words, I pulled out the crest from the bag I was holding, they all looked at me, then to the stone, then to the guards. They nod and walk towards me. “We have to cuff you.” Said the other guard. I just nod. As soon as the cuff was locked, I felt that my power was like draining.

“It’s a specialized handcuff. It will nullify your power, so you might not be able use it, just for security.” The man who’s smiling up until now said. I didn’t say a word, and just started to walk.

“Let’s go, we have to hurry up. Save your mouth with the long talk.” A man from behind spoke. Even from a far, I can feel his dominating power, who’s this guy?

We started walking, I don’t know what will happen to me once I entered that goddamn place, but at least, Cass and her family is now safe.