Chapter 1

Powerless

Magic is power and power is magic.

This was how the world was working back in those days. Those who had magic, had it all, those who didn't, well – they didn't. Kimberly Crawford had the magic, but she was not ready to pay the price, so she just chose to keep this for herself. No one had to know! Of course, there was a hand of people, who were aware of this girl's abilities and they did not understand why she'd prefer to keep them in secret. They also didn't know what she did! They didn't see it with their own eyes.

"Are you ready, Kimberly?" Leticia stood at the door of her room. When Kim looked at her mother's reflection behind her, in the mirror, she could swear she was seeing herself. They looked so much alike. They both had longish blonde hair that reached their waists, deep brown eyes that could kill just by a single glance, literally. Yes, Kim was not the only one gifted in the family. She'd got it from her mother, actually. Leticia was not sure if the magic was flowing in her daughter's blood, until this sunny day that turned out to be one of the darkest in her life.

She remembered how this boy would always torment his daughter, and Leticia wanted to step in so badly, but she knew… She knew in her heart that if she'd did that, her Kimberly would hate her. The little girl always wanted to handle everything by herself. And that was good, because she was learning how to stand up for herself. And then she regretted her decision so deeply, when Kim made him drown in his own blood, just by looking at him. She remembered her eyes turning icy blue in the process, like they were only coldness and there was nothing else to them. The warm feeling Kim possessed and attacked every single person with was gone now. Only the memory of it was stuck in the pictures, hanging on the wall in the living room.

"I believe so." Kim took one last glance at herself in the mirror, before she walked passed by her mother. A sorrow tore Leticia's heart, one more time when her daughter didn't even have the decency to look at her. She knew, Kimberly was not a hateful person, she was still nice to people… Actually, her major change was visible only to her mother. She used to help everyone, hearing their problems and trying to help. Now, she just pretended to be interested. Her cheerful smile was replaced by a fake grin and a mocking smug.

Leticia, quietly followed her daughter with her husband beside. Poor man was oblivious to everything that went on with his family. Well, he didn't really try as he was a lover of the most powerful woman in the region, while her husband was away, travelling. That was a big privilege, actually. That was his way of getting enough to put food on the table for his family. And his wife wasn't against it. Leticia was hurt, but not because her husband was sharing bed with this woman. She was hurt, because he didn't respect her as much as he used to. But with time, the blonde accepted her marriage's fate.

The square was full. People pushing each other, tripping over their own feet, hurrying to line up their children for the examination. The rarest thing was when a kid had magic, when there was no one to inherit it from. But it happened. And that was the miracle, every ordinary person was praying for. Everyone was hoping their child was special enough to be send in the royal academy, where they would be taught how to use, control and develop their powers. Those children were gold mines for their families, who automatically acquired a title, a fortune and their own castle.

Kim hated this. She wished she didn't have to do it every time, the king had decided to send his guards and do another examination. This was the only region that got examined so often. At least once a week. There were regions that didn't get examinations for months. Why was this bastard keep on insisting?

Her eyes looked through the crowd. Feeling insecure as something in her gut told her this wouldn't pass so smoothly as the other time, she felt desperate to drink the potion even if it was yet early for the test. There were at least twenty minutes left.

Her feet, slowly, started moving forward, as she was still looking around, until her body was pulled behind the near corner. There was no time for her to keep herself from panicking. That was it. The guards had her and she had no potion in her system to keep them from discovering her magic. She couldn't throw punches and kicks. They didn't work against magic. It would be silly for her even to try. For a part of the second Kimberly imagined what her life as a wizard would be like. They would probably make her kill someone as part of the training. A sorcerer had every right to kill an ordinary person and get away with it. Her family would be miserable. Not her father, of course. He found pleasure in a world full of magic. He dreamed of being one of them. That's why he preferred to be with his lover, than his own wife. If only he knew…

"Hallo, love." A bright pearl white smile flashed before her lips as she was pressed tightly to the wall. Amar. She couldn't feel relived, but pure sexual attraction towards her own magic dealer. Amar was the best looking boy in the area. The first time she noticed him was four years ago. Her stomach would shrank at the thought of him giving Kimberly her first kiss. First touch. First time. She loved him. As for Amar, he felt genuinely in love as her, even more. He just couldn't be so open about his emotions as his girlfriend. Amar's fingers reached for her blonde curls, and that was the moment when he could no longer wait and pretend. There was no one here to look at them. He pressed his lips, passionately, to hers. She, immediately, responded with the same burning activeness.

"There isn't much time, love." He spoke, heavily breathing, as she pressed his forehead down hers. It was funny how much taller he looked than Kim. No one would ever approve this relationship, not even for the way they looked together. "Drink it fast. It has a ten minute effecting period." He handed her a little bottle of blue thick liquid.

"What do you mean? That it will work for only ten minutes?" She pulled back as much as the wall allowed her, feeling utterly unsatisfied with what she was hearing.

"I mean it will take ten minutes for the magic to start affecting you." He wanted to attack her lips with another make-out session so bad. Instead, he placed a slight kiss on her forehead and stood like that for a few seconds, before he pulled away. "Be careful out there. You don't want them to catch you!" He assured her. Amar felt selfish for what he said. He knew her life would probably be hundred times better in the royal academy, than here. But he loved his little girl and he wasn't ready to give up on her.

"I know." Kimberly nodded. Her eyes searched for his and for a second, they found them. But then she knew she didn't have much time to loose, so she just walked away.

Now, the biggest part of the crowd were the guards. So many of them, today. Being precautious for any kind of violation of the codex. Like someone trying to sell magic, or someone drinking a covering potion to keep her powers in secret…. That kind of violation!

She needed to find some seclusion. Her gaze travelled around the square and she got nervous as she realized the place was even more crowded than before. Her mother was nowhere near to be seen, nor was her father, or anyone she knew. Well, except for one particular person. Madam Bordeau! The woman who possessed magic and her dad's dignity. Madam Bordeau was famous for her cruelty as she had brought many ordinary people to their death and not one of their families dared to speak up. Kimberly was disgusted. And afraid. The woman was walking towards her, starring right into her face. And Kim did not have time for this.

"Why are you still here, young lady? There are ten minutes left until your examination begins!"

"Ten?!" Pure shot of panic, attacked her mind. Ten minutes. She should've drank the potion by now.

"You know your father always…" Madam Bordeau started, but was immediately cut off by the trembling girl.

"Not now!" She shot back and walked passed by her. Kimberly had fast hands since she had started dating Amar. So sipping the potion in her bottle of water was no challenge. Neither was lifting it and drinking it all with the speed of the light. She then lined up with the rest of the girls, as she realized the time has passed and she couldn't wait more. Looking through all the girls being overexcited puzzled her. They all knew they didn't have a chance. They had all passed this test more than once, but they all hoped, oblivious of what they were praying for.

Kim stood by a little girl, probably not more than fourteen years old. She was smiling brightly, waving furiously at her mom – a woman that looked in her fifties. She was probably twenty-five, Kim thought. It was true. The ordinary people spend a lot of their years of living working hard for a sorcerer.

"It's my first examination!" The girl exclaimed, turning towards Kimberly.

"How so?"

"We used to live outside Catholia. In no one's land." She smiled, thoughtfully.

"You should've been there many years. You are old enough to…" to be a mistress, Kim would say. But she wasn't. At least she wasn't supposed to. Not that she would have any choice if a sorcerer liked her.

"To what?" The girl asked, curiously. Poor thing! She was so innocent. So fragile! Just like Kim was. But she broke. And now this little one would, too. Most likely.

One of the guards called out everyone and gave them orders to line up. Kim felt relieved because she didn't really want to finish her sentence. On the other side, she was almost certain the potion hadn't worked yet.

The same man from a few seconds ago gave everyone a speech of what an honour this was and how the person who had powers would be happy forever if they found them. It was just an act. Oh, god! They knew. They knew someone here had powers. They probably had tracking spells for people like her. That's why they were doing the examination so often here, because they knew the wizard was exactly here! And they knew this person didn't want to be found. That's why they had all the guards here in case the wizard tries to escape.

"C'mon! Work! Work!" Kim started mumbling.

"Don't worry! I honestly believe they will choose you!" The girl beside Kimberly, assured her, thinking she was helping when she was actually making it worse.

"Work! Dammit!" What, was she praying, now? To the devil or…? She could feel nothing. There was usually some feeling. Tickling, or shivers, anything…

"What was that?" The guard caught her last word. Attention not needed right now. Great. Now, she had the whole crowd, starring at her. Ten minutes hadn't passed.

"Nothing, sir!" She looked down to her feet. Never an ordinary person could look a wizard in the eyes unless they give you permission. It was scandalous and offensive according to the codex.

"I think I heard something pretty clear. What was it?" He faked thoughtfulness. They loved to screw around with the powerless. Any chance they got, they'd use it. Kimberly hated this!

"I think it was 'Dammit'!" One of the other guards called from the back.

"Now that's a rude word to say, don't you think? Especially in the presence of someone who is clearly on a higher level than you!" He tilted his head at the side with amusement in his eyes. Kim could see his smug-occupied face through his armor, but she still refused to look at him in the eyes, even though she wanted it so bad. She wanted even more… "Well, maybe she doesn't think she is on a lower level!? Maybe you believe you are a special one. A wizard?" That last announcement threw every guardian into hysterical laughter. If only they knew… Oh her blood was boiling. Kim wasn't sure if that was the potion or the anger pulsing underneath her skin right now.

"Maybe we should test her first!" One of the guardians shouted, still amused as hell.

"No, sir! I believe I have nothing to do with the person you are looking for. I've been checked more than thirteen times and no one has discovered anything special in me so far. Forgive me, but I don't think this time will be different." Kim, finally, spoke up. She had to buy herself more time. The blonde had hoped she'd be the last one to be examined. Plenty of enough time for the potion to work, but this time… Because of her stupidity there was a real chance of her being discovered.

"Why not? The results from the examination are not always accurate." The man said.

"More than thirteen times?" She had let a little of her sassiness go. Perhaps, not the best idea, but she just couldn't help it.

"Don't you want to be part of us? The high class of the community?" He, suspiciously, asked. Something was clearly off about this girl.

"I can only dream of it!" She said with the most false hope she could put in her voice.

"You know, little girl, we have been here for so long, examining every week… Some villages wait for years. What was special about this town was this light, coming out of our pendants. Enchanting pendants that can sense young magic in the region. It's more than strange that we haven't found it yet." He spoke slowly, but slow enough for Kim. She needed more time.

"Maybe your pendants are wrong." Kimberly finally lifted her gaze. Surprisingly, the man didn't mind. Or at least, he didn't say anything about it.

"Never!" He whispered more to himself, and for a second he looked lost in some old memory. "Did you all know that some wizards don't want to be found?" He shouted, turning to the crowd. They all gasped in shock. Was this possible? Not wanting this? If this happened to you, it was a miracle! You couldn't ask for more, because you already had everything! How could anyone not want this? "It's true!" The guard nodded. "They buy potions from magic dealers to cover the magic in their blood. Can you imagine? Having something so beautiful and keep it to yourself, hidden. It's selfish and pity both! We use magic to help people who don't have it. People like you! We don't just 'keep it to ourselves'! We take care of your!" Bullocks. Kim knew that truth was far away. They only cared about themselves. If they didn't know that wizards were born in ordinary families, they'd probably kill all of them.

"And those potions…" He continued. "… There is one particular give-away sign. Racing heart. Very fast! Faster than any human heart could race!" The hypocrite then turned to her. "Is your heart racing, wizard?" She couldn't hear or feel anything else. Everything she'd wished not to happen, happened. She never knew about this sign, and yet she cannot reject this opportunity as her heart was beating furiously in her chest, making her see black spots, dancing before her eyes.

In a second, she caught her breath and felt a huge wave of adrenaline, which was thankfully the reason why she felt so sure of herself and started running. The guard just stood there, enjoying the moment. Finally! Being stuck in this god-forgotten place for three whole years. He almost felt like crying from joy that he would finally be back in the palace where the luxe and expensive things never ended. This guy was a psychopath. He couldn't care less about anyone, unless they stood very high in the politics.

He twitched the corners of his mouth in a smile and raised his eyebrows in satisfaction. "Get her!" The guard said with the calmest voice he had!

The word was spoken, and his co-workers did not wait an invitation! She really had nowhere to run. The whole square was surrounded. Wherever she'd ran to, she always came back to her previous position. Two guards, reached for her arms from behind and dragged her back to the line. Her kicks and punches did not help. As she expected. Neither did her screams and protests.

Kimberly wanted to use her magic for the first time, but she didn't know how. She didn't control it. And if her powers were about to be released, she had no idea how to stop them after that. She was born as a powerless person and that's exactly how she felt now – powerless!

"Kim!" Amar threw himself through the crowd but it was impossible to reach her. Especially, when one of the guard petrified him with a spell he mumbled under his nose.

"No! Amar!" Kimberly screamed, desperately, trying to reach for him. No point at all. Her hands were tied up together behind her back with another spell. That is why she hated magic so much. If this was a fist fight, she'd at least have some chance. All of these people would stood a chance.

The last person she saw, before her mind find itself collapsed into the darkness, was her mother – Leticia. She was screaming as the guards had tied her up, too. They, already, knew she had powers too. Powers were only transmitted maternal. So they had her, too. Kim would be sent in the royal academy and only god knows where her mom would be sent to. It was then, when the petite freshly-discovered wizard realized her life was never going to be the same. Never!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kickin' it!

So yeah, I really felt like writing this down. My muse was finally back… Hopefully, not for a day! I hope you guys enjoy this. I was planning to write the first chapter 2000 words mostly, but I just couldn't fit what I had in mind in some 2000 words… Like I said, I hope you really liked it because I liked writing it and if you have any comments, reviews, opinions etc. you are more than welcome to share them with me! I tolerate personal statements, of course as long as they are not hateful or offensive in any way to me or someone else in that matter.

Have a great day or night… You know, we can never be sure about this one! xD