Author's note: Whew it took me a while to finish this, I've been doing stuff over the summer so I haven't had time to work on it. Now that schools is in I have a lot of Sit and do nothing time because my friends can't do anything so I should be able to write a little more in less time. I hope you enjoy :)

The War of the Magi
Chapter 2: The First Mage Knight

Long lived due to the world's great medical technology, Eric Darvin has seen it all. He has seen the coming of the goddesses and the recent increasing corruption within the Kingdom. He has seen Kings and Queens come and go as the people continuously try to find the best of leadership. Eric has risen in the ranks and now is the High Advisor of the current King and Queen of Torma Although most just call it the Kingdom, Torma is the official name of the kingdom that now unites the world.

Eric looked at himself in the mirror in his room within the Great Castle. His aging skin and slightly grayed brown hair reminded him that he wasn't as young as he used to be. Eric smiled trying to forget about the past, reminded himself that the world is supposed to be perfect, and finished dressing himself. The King called an emergency secret meeting, and Eric, being the High Advisor, had to be there.

Eric made his way through the echoey halls of the Great Castle towards the Throne Room where the meeting is supposed to take place. Men and women, humans and espers, all smiled at him as they always did as he passed them. They are so caught up in their own little world of happiness. Don't they realize that the world isn't all fun and games? Don't they realize that they need to take their lives way more seriously? Don't they see how the Kingdom has gone downhill and is becoming increasingly corrupted since the goddesses came and brought war to our world? I used to be like them, all happy and carefree, until those damned goddesses came and ruined my life.... thought Eric. He smiled back at those he passes by, keeping his thoughts to himself. He reached the entrance to the Throne Room and pondered with the thought that he might be the one corrupted and not the Kingdom. He quickly dismissed that thought, reminding himself of how bad the Kings have handled things in the recent past, and went inside.

Welcome Mr. Darvin said the King of Torma.

Please take a seat, High Advisor the Queen requested.

Eric took his usual seat next to the King at the King's table which was below directly the King and Queen's thrones. On one side of the table sat Eric, the King and Queen, and some other lower ranking officials in the Kingdom and on the other side of the table sat a mix of human and esper scientists. One of the espers was on a seat rather then sitting, it looked like a big colorful bird.

Some of you probably want to know why I called this secret meeting, started the King. The Kingdom has been in a state of decline since the coming of the Goddesses. Everyone nodded, Eric rather glumly. I believe the cause of our kingdom's decline is this force called Magic' that the goddesses brought with them, continued the king. Espers can use Magic while humans can't and that has introduced an imbalance within our society. To counteract this imbalance, our scientists, working in secret, have figured out a way to give humans the power of Magic. With the power of magic we can create the greatest civilization the cosmos has ever known! Everyone nodded along with the King. The King inquired Eric, as High Advisor, I want to hear your say in this matter.

Eric's interest perked up, Really? I thought there was no way humans could use magic. I don't see anything wrong with it. How exactly do you do it?

One of the human scientists spoke up, Our methods are perfectly safe, but they must remain secret for now because if word of this got out it might cause anger among the espers and others.

Another scientist spoke up, this time an esper, Many espers view the current corruption within our government as a sign that humankind has weakened, some believe that we espers are superior to humans and that we should rule over them. We can give humans, even machines, the power of magic and help restore balance.

Not only will we restore balance but also the Kingdom, with the power of magic, will grow beyond its former glory. We will become glorious, life will become perfection! exclaimed the king. All the scientists nodded with him. You understand Eric, right? asked the king.

Eric nodded and said ...but remember what happened when.... the goddesses.... my....

Let's not think about the past, Eric, but look towards the future, the king interrupted.

The queen continued, The goddesses have minds of their own. When we let them into our world, they wrecked havoc. I'm sorry about what happened Eric but what is done is done, but magic.... magic doesn't have any mind of its own. Magic is a tool that obeys your commands, and with it we'll become powerful.

Don't you want to help us undo what the goddesses have done to the Kingdom? asked the king. The king looked to the scientists and they nodded. Eric... the real reason I asked you here isn't for your advice but because you are the person I trust most out of everybody. I want you to become the first Mage Knight!

Eric was taken aback.

Yes, I want you to be the first human to use magic! exclaimed the king.

Magic... it ruined my life... and is bringing the Kingdom down... could it really save us? thought Eric. Eric played with his thoughts and realized he had nothing to loose by accepting, he has already lost so much so why not? So I'll be like... an esper, I would have that kind of power? asked Eric.

The king, queen, and scientists all replied in unison.

We'll get started right away, hurried the king. We have no time to waste.

The procedure to infuse you with magic is simple, but i'm sorry to say you'll have to be put to sleep through it... began the esper who was perched.

Why did you choose me again? asked Eric as he was being led away by the scientists.

Because I trust you, replied the King

The king and queen both smiled, everything was going perfectly, not unlike their Kingdom they ruled over. Now it was going to be even more perfect.

I think we should have told him how exactly we get the magic... the queen told the king.

All in good time, if we told him, he might not have wanted to go through with the procedure and then who would we use? the kind replied.

So Eric Darvin, high advisor to the king of Torma became the first Mage Knight, humans who could control the power of magic.