Once upon a time… Nah, this is too cliché for our story. While there is magic, it is not your typical story of knights in shining armor and damsels in distress. So what if I told you that there is a very different world, where this story will be given a twist to the classic tales.
It was a hot summer day, the time when different fruits grew in that place, but the most notable of that region: Apples.
A girl with long dark green hair with a white streak and red glasses was collecting some apples that seemed to be in good condition. So the girl only thought about her luck. Her brother and her mother already left for the Land of Heroes a few months ago, and the young protagonist had to stay with her father helping with the apple harvest.
"Aria! Stop rambling and come now!" the father asked. He had his daughter's dark hair, black glasses, and an imposing appearance.
The young girl with green hair quickly decided to take what she collected to her father and with the basket full of apples she went to her house. The father was holding the landline and hung up, then looked at his daughter with the basket of apples.
"Aria, you were late," her father told her.
"It was only 15 seconds since you called me," Aria commented.
"I'm not asking you why you were late, but that you were late. People are not going to wait for you to do so," her father said very seriously.
"I'm sorry, it won't happen again... Why did you call me, father?" Aria asked.
"I received a call from Mrs. Marja, your friend Epel's grandmother... It seems that her grandson received the acceptance letter from Night Raven College, the same school where your brother entered," the father commented with a hint of seriousness.
"That's good news! "Epel will be in an elite school!" Aria commented.
The father just sat down and checked some things on his computer from his job as a portal technician. His father maintains the portals and works in a factory where he is the boss.
"Dad... I would like to ask you something... Haven't you been considering... I don't know, that I study magic like Epel and Justin?" Aria asked, somewhat shy.
"And what makes you think that, Aria?" the father asked with some distrust.
"The thing is, I think I improved a little with my magic, and yes, it needs to be polished a little more, but I'm sure I can do something great, if you give me the chance…", the girl was interrupted by her father.
"You? In an elite school? Don't make fun of me, Aria. It's impossible for you to get into an elite school like Night Raven College or the Royal Sword Academy. And do you know why?, asked the father seriously.
"Why don't you give me the chance?", asked Aria.
"No, because that school is for BOYS, and you are a woman. And second, if you were lucky enough to get into a girls' academy, we both know that you would NEVER do a spell right on the first try. "You don't know anything about magic and you are certainly not like your brother Justin," the father said very seriously.
"But I…", the girl was interrupted again by her father.
"Leave it like that, Aria," said her father.
Unfortunately, Aria only had to lower her head in front of her father in complete submission and retired to watch the sunset. In every argument, it didn't matter if Aria's parents were right or wrong, they always had to be right and always came to the same conclusion as always. For her family it's "either you're good at magic or a failed apple farmer, there's no third option." Her family always asked Aria to do many things, but she always did them wrong, according to her family's terms, because she felt that just because she was "a woman" didn't mean she had to dedicate herself to being a housewife or doing something related to apples. Maybe Aria was a little lazy and saw some posts on Magicam, but she felt that there was something beyond the predetermined future that her family tried to put on her.
Aria spent her time studying the magic books that were in her brother's room, since she wanted to be the best magician like him, or at least learn to be self-taught. But her family was right about the enemy that sooner or later would take its toll on Aria: Time. The girl was 16 years old, like Epel, and she didn't receive a single acceptance letter from any mixed-sex or all-girls magic school. If the admission letter didn't arrive on time, her parents would put her to work. And Aria didn't want to resign herself to that life of failures, she wanted to show that she could be someone in life, get a degree, go to college. But how could she prove that she was worth anything if even her own family didn't support her? Was it better to resign herself to a life of selling and growing apples just because she was a woman and her magic wasn't well polished?
While the girl was immersed in those thoughts while she was about to check the time on her phone, a loud noise and neighing noises were heard. When the girl turned around, she observed that it was a carriage pulled by horses. The young woman froze when she saw the carriage and when she least expected it… Everything became dark.
On the other hand, in a hall of mirrors, a man's voice could be heard.
"Ah, my beloved. A lovely and noble evil flower. Truly, the most beautiful of all… Mirror, mirror… Tell me who it is?"
The mysterious carriage that appeared in front of Aria was crossing a gloomy forest, entering the gates of the famous school: Night Raven College.
"Those who wish to be guided by the dark mirror, take the hand that comes out of it," said the mysterious voice.
The young Aria in her subconscious, felt that she saw 22 hooded people, so she was in doubt of who to take her hand with, however while she examined those figures, she stopped at one in particular, a hooded figure that had heart-shaped highlights. Without thinking twice, the girl decided to take his hand with total firmness, from which she felt a warmth and security.
The change of scenery was evident in that dream, the 22 hooded figures faced a gray beast with blue flames, and no matter what they were doing, they were overcome by the beast. That vision scared Aria, who was not sure to continue in that dream.
"For me, for them, for you. We're running out of time. No matter what, don't let go of my hand."
The girl was confused by this dream. What was the mysterious voice trying to tell her? With these doubts in mind, she just decided to ignore this dream and rest a little longer.