Year 10, memory.

Based on the liquid air I'm drenched in, it was pretty typical weather for them that day. Dark, cloudy, overly humid. The foul stench of rain in the air. I wouldn't have been able to stand it. But regardless of the usual climate, it was not a normal day. After all, those monsters had finally found the place. Everybody living there was doomed to either disappear or suffer a painful death. Or worse, heh. Only the lucky few had a chance of making it out, provided they weren't weak-willed.

Jenna was one of those lucky enough, in case you were worried. It's incredible, really. She's about as weak-willed as it gets. '—Ah, no offense.' She's also a nasty liar, so I really have no idea how she wasn't turned into a Hopeless on the spot.

'...What're Hopeless? Well, you guys are, for a start. Obviously they're those black monsters that suck the life outta people. Yes, "those things the weird people with the large weapons have been killing". It's only going to get worse, ya know. Consider it an insider tip.'

'—Fine, I'll get on with the story.'

Jenna went to Travelville, the place you go if your world's been trashed. The place is constantly swapping out residents, either 'cause they leave or (more likely) the Hopeless got 'em. Town itself is pretty quiet despite the high population because of this. The border patrol was pretty elite, but you can't stop stupid.

Anyway, Jenna landed outside the main town. She was attacked almost immediately, of course. From what she told me, the only reason she didn't drop dead on the spot was 'cause she thought she was dreaming. That hope was quickly as shattered as her knee, but lucky for her, she was healed by a loony old man with a disgustingly filthy beard living in a cave.

"Oh why hello! are you ready for your next lesson, my dear?"

The old man— Merlin— had been standing over a cauldron bubbling up a foul smell the first time she met him. She went on and on about the stench but then turns around and tries to convince me to eat some if I ever met the guy. No thanks.

Anyway I've been told he lives life backwards, whatever that means, so he already knew who she was, which led to a very confusing conversation, during which he said "That explains why you've been getting worse!" which is fucking hilarious.

"It's nice to meet you, Jenna."

She's never outright said it, but it's been implied Jenna wasn't her real name. Never got it out of her parents either, so of course I'll force it out of her later.

"N-nice to meet you too. But my name is—"

"If this is your first lesson, then there's no time to waste! Let's start— Ah, after I set the stew to simmer."

She was completely inept at magic. They wasted hours just trying to get her to focus her mana. Absolutely nothing.

"How am I supposed to do this if I don't even know what magic feels like?"

"How can you not know the feel of magic? It's in every creature and thing, how could you possibly not feel it?" he sputtered, then calmed himself by stroking his messy beard. "Hmm— ah."

The filthy old man pulled a palm sized rock out of his beard and made her hold it. The rock looked like a burning red feather, light pulsing at its edges.

"That there is a blazing crystal. Imbued with the power of fire since time immemorial, if this can't awaken your latent magical potential, I fear nothing will."

The crystal barely reacted to her attempts to activate it, and the only thing keeping her going was a stray thought telling her that if he had thought she was getting worse, then she must succeed at some point.

But that wasn't enough to convince the stone to react.

Eventually Merlin gave up and made her stop so they could eat the sludge they call food. After that he dropped her off at the inn in town and gave her a pearl that would take her from her room to his cave to continue her lessons. He left her in the care of the longtime residents who gave her the rundown on her situation before letting her escape to her room. Despite the strange environment, she fell asleep pretty easily.