Five minutes into her first exam, Emma Marsh knew she had failed.

Once the spell left her lips, the wick of the slim, white candle exploded before her very eyes. The flame she conjured engulfed the Grand Wizard's beloved oak desk with a mighty roar of laughter. Meanwhile, mischievous embers hopped by. Their sinister giggles burned the tips of her ears as they scattered around the room. 

Emma gaped at the beady sparks that fought to nibble at the curtains, bookcases, and even the dusty wallpaper of the study.

Her wand jumped from one shaky hand to the other, wondering where to go. Though, no long-winded commands came to her mind. Instead, only desperate 'please' and scolding 'shoos' were chanted as she did her best to fight off the sizzling flames.

Before she knew it, a bigger flame had come up to greet her. Amber-colored eyes beamed down at her with a wide, toothless grin. The girl stiffened at the sight causing her rebellious spell to flicker with a chuckle. 

Thick, gray clouds stomped out of the monster's lungs as it laughed, filling the air around her with its steamy breath.

Emma choked on a cough when a loud clatter caught her attention.

"Well, don't just stand there!"

Peering through the smoke, Emma's brown eyes found three mages sitting across the study. Professor Ostrom, who coughed lightly, did not seem at all surprised by the beast Emma conjured. Nor did old Professor Atwood who sat undisturbed and looked positively bored.

Professor Brim, however, had stood from his seat and tore the sleeve of his lilac robe from the teeth of a tiny ember.

"Do something," Brim hissed, "or the whole building will become nothing more than useless ash!"

"R-Right!" Emma jumped, fumbling with her wand. She fought to keep her feet planted on the floor but as the beast crackled with glee, her legs failed to steady her. Her mind raced to remember a spell - any spell - to put an end to the beast she created.

She raised her wand swiftly, hoping the act would scare the flame away. However, the thin, wooden wand she carried only shivered in the face of the bitter blaze. The room rumbled. Pieces of the Grand Mage's colorful wallpaper hissed into ashes as the flame took another mighty step forward. 

Its smile widened hungrily while blistering eyes settled on the tiny stick.

Greedy, red flames nipped at the girl's fingertips, knocking the wand from her shaky grasp. Colorful sparks fizzled from its wooden seams as the pitiful wand hit the ground. The shiny display caused the flaming beast to drool at what would surely be a tasty snack.

Emma waved the stinging pain away with a scrunched expression. When she opened her eyes again, she found the beast's flaming gaze locked onto her precious wand. Long, billowing arms scorched the Grand Mage's flowery rug while the beast struggled to kneel down. She paled as she watched the flame's mouth widen with a roar. And, without a second thought, the young girl dived into the fiery pit to save her wand.

This heroic act prompted Professor Atwood to rise from his seat. While his colleagues grumbled with disapproval, the old mage simply raised his jeweled staff in the air. A soft, purple hue illuminated from the amethyst sitting atop the well-crafted staff causing Emma's blistering flame to turn a fearful expression his way.

Emma, however, failed to notice the flicker of magic coming from the Professor.

Determined to defeat her blunder of a spell, she sealed her eyes shut before wrapping her aching fingers around her splintered wand. With no time left to think, Emma began reciting the only charm that came to mind - albeit, the wrong one.

Halfway through the loud, stuttering recitation, the girl decided to peek one eye open at her work. Her voice caught in her throat when she noticed that the room had returned to its natural state.

Everything in the Grand Mage's study was safe from harm. Including his beloved oak desk, which still held a single unlit candle. The smoke, too, vacated the room which allowed Emma to see the professors clearly. However, upon catching sight of their irritable expressions, she couldn't help but wish that the gray clouds had stuck around.

Cheeks hot and nose blackened with soot, Emma faced the three mages and offered them an awkward smile.

"So, uh...what's next?"

Professor Atwood didn't express any emotion as he plopped back down into his seat. Instead, he turned to Professor Ostrom. 

The old mage murmured something low into the wizard's ear, then, and (whatever it was) made Ostrom's thin brows rise high into his receding hairline. Professor Brim soon leaned forward to join in on their hushed conversation. Though, Emma noticed that he, too, looked displeased at whatever Atwood had to say.

Her smile faded as hushed whispers transformed into snappy bickering. Try as she might - the girl couldn't catch a single word flying between the professors before all three mages finally stood from their seats with an aggravated huff.

Professor Ostrom was the first to speak. Running a shaky hand over his head, he cleared his throat. "The exam is over, Miss Marsh," he stated with a tidy tone. "My colleagues and I have made our decision and we will be taking our leave now. We bid you good day."

Ostrom sauntered toward the door of the study with an off-putting smile. Atwood followed - his cheeks a slight shade of cherry red that glowed brightly over his long, silvery beard. Finally, there was Brim who passed Emma with a stern glare and an upturned nose.

They all ignored her wide-eyed gaze as she processed Ostrom's words. But, when Brim shut the door with a mighty 'harumph!', it wasn't long before Emma finally found the proper response.

"What?!"

The door to the Grand Mage's study flew open as Emma chased the three professors. She caught Ostrom's shiny, bald head bouncing down the elongated staircase of the Grand Wizard's home and quickened her pace to catch up to him. Her feet darted down the stairs two - almost three - steps at a time while she called. "Wait, please! Wait!"

Ostrom's jaw tightened at the girl's calls but continued his descent - albeit, a bit faster than before. 

Meanwhile, Atwood wobbled to the other end of the stairs to avoid the commotion. 

Brim, though, made sure to stand directly in the girl's path. Which led to him snapping a sharp, "Hey!", at Emma when she shoved past his rocky stance.

"T-That can't be right," she huffed at Ostrom finally. Her expression knitted together in confusion while she tugged on his velvet robe. "The test is supposed to last for three hours - everyone's told me so!"

Ostrom didn't hesitate with his answer. "Yes, that is the proper time frame for a mage's first exam." He grinned tightly while pushing large, round frames up the bridge of his sharp nose. "Yet, for you, Miss Marsh, we have made an exception that comes once in...Oh, what would you say, Brim? A millennium?"

Dark eyes disappeared behind even darker brows. "It does not matter how long it has been. We have seen all that was needed to make our decision."

"I-It was only one spell though," Emma argued, offering up her wand once more. "I can do other ones!"

Brim huffed a sound that could be mistaken as a laugh. "Spare me, child. You could not even perform the most basic of spells. What in the King's name makes you think you can cast others?"

Emma's throat tightened at the wizard's words while heat rushed to her cheeks. The professors were nearing the end of the staircase, leaving Emma with no other choice.

All three professors gawked at the girl as she jumped ahead and slumped against the thick, wooden exit. Through it, she could already hear a shameless crowd buzzing outside.

"But, you don't understand," she began, not realizing her voice had become high-pitched and desperate. "I can do it. I swear! Please, if you give me a second chance then -"

"A sec-second chance?" Ostrom choked, his head shaking at the term. "Oh, no, no, no..."

Emma's brows rose at his ghastly expression before finding the professor's gaze withering almost pitifully on her.

"Miss Marsh, uh...You see...Hm...Oh, how do I put this?"

Behind him, Emma noticed Brim, too, shaking his head at her words. And, beyond him, was Atwood - who put all his focus into the last stair. Leaning onto his tall, wooden staff for support, the old mage stated simply;

"There are no second chances."

"R-Right!" Ostrom seemed relieved to hear Atwood's shaky voice and even offered Emma another nervous grin. "There are no second chances, Miss Marsh. In fact, they are rather frowned upon among us - uh, well, you know."

Ostrom chuckled awkwardly while Emma's brows pinched together. The professor rubbed the back of his neck with one hand while offering her a sympathetic smile. "Miss Marsh, I do not know what you have learned over these last few months and I am sure you have struggled. However, you should know that - um, well for mages, there is only pass or fail. And, unfortunately, for you...Ah, I do hope you understand."

Emma's big, brown eyes withered slightly. "Professor, please, I beg you! Don't end the test just yet. I know I messed up, I do! But-"

"Miss Marsh," Brim barked, a hateful growl rumbling in his throat. He had pushed past Ostrom, his scowl deepening. "I, for one, have had enough of your needless rambling. It is ungraceful and further proves what a waste of time this has been."

"B-But, Professor Brim, I-"

"Enough, I say!" Brim bellowed. The harshness of his tone was enough to send the girl cowering. Her lips became a thin line while Brim pointed a mighty finger her way.

"That Grand Mage may excuse that loose lip of yours but I will not have it! You wish to be a witch, then act like it! Take your failure in humble silence and reflect. That is what any self-respecting Novice would do. Then again, any true Novice would have passed that exam with flying colors! Now, if your mundane parents taught you any manners, then bite that tongue of yours and respectfully step aside."

Emma's heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. The hateful word that came tumbling out of Brim's lips was laced with disgust. The sound of it stung her ears and scorched her cheeks. She gaped at the professor with surprise. Afterall, never before had she felt ashamed to be human.

She fought the quiet sob clawing at her throat. Her gaze fell to the floor before she bit down on her quivering lip. Then, wiping the soot from her nose, Emma did as Brim said and respectfully stepped aside.

The burly professor opened the door so violently that the hinges screamed out in pain. "To think," he tsked, "a human child acting as the heir and, now, the Apprentice of a Grand Mage." He shook his head again. "This world has truly gone mad!"

Professor Ostrom hastily followed his furious colleague out the door, neither seeming to notice that Professor Atwood had chosen to stay behind. The professor's tired eyes fell to the young girl who was still gazing down at her feet. He watched her hands clutch her cheap wand. The stick's dry, wooden skin cracked softly from the pressure of Emma's palms, drowning out Atwood's soft sigh.

Emma's gaze was directed at her worn-out leather boots when she noticed a pair of lavish purple slippers sliding across the oak floor. She lifted her chin to find the old professor standing before her. Beneath his long silver beard, Emma could make out a thin smile on Atwood's wrinkled face.

"Do not despair, Miss Marsh," Atwood croaked kindly. "Every mage has their day. Why, I like to believe that even the most powerful of mages struggled to master the mystical arts in the beginning." With a wrinkled hand, Atwood reached out and tapped his knuckle against the blue sapphire that rested on the girl's chest.

It had only been four months since the mystical jewel finally revealed itself to the world and, still, the magic inside glistened upon seeing her.

The sapphire thrummed a powerful beat atop Emma's chest while magic danced its way into her heart. The feeling was light and airy. Almost like the cool winds one may find in the blistering heat of Summer. However, as nice as this feeling was, Emma knew that the magic she possessed was not truly hers.

Like the gem it resided in, the magic Emma possessed was much older than her and came from a mage she had only met through stories;

Merlin Caledonsis.

"You have been bestowed with a wonderful gift, Miss Marsh." Atwood continued as he drew his hand away.  "One that has granted you more power than any mage could ever dream of having. Therefore, it would be a shame if it were to be taken away - especially from someone who deserves it."

A smile tugged at the end of Emma's lips. "You think I deserve it?"

The professor gave the child a solid nod in response. "Of course, as do others. Though, I do have one note for you, Miss Marsh. You see, over my many years of teaching, I have learned that using magic and understanding it are two vastly different things that work together splendidly. I pray that you will remember that the next time we meet. Until then, farewell."

The professor wobbled out the door where he was greeted by a rather large crowd that had filled the cobblestone streets of Sonder. 

Citizens swarmed the three professors, demanding answers to their never-ending questions concerning the "infamous heir". They, however, ignored them and instead, turned their attention to the eccentric wizard who had parted the immense crowd with a single stride.

Ozker Peridot stood tall amongst the crowd and carried himself as every mage did - with a little bit of grace and an enormous amount of pride.

Making his way to the professors, many couldn't help but turn their gaze to him in awe. Though, there were a few puzzled stares thanks to the strange rabbit peeking its head out of the wizard's tall hat.

Professor Ostrom was the first to greet Mr. Peridot - Brim being the second. Broad shoulders knocked Ostrom out of the way and, in a matter of seconds, Brim was yelling.

Emma, meanwhile, cowered behind the large oak door as the professor presented the charred end of his sleeve to her teacher. She had hoped that after taking the exam, she would've been excited to see Mr. Peridot. Instead, Emma felt terrified.

The two of them had been preparing for the exam for several weeks and Emma had thrown it all away. Now, as she sat behind the door waiting for the wizard to fuss at her, Emma feared what he might say.

Would he make classes longer and more excruciating?

Would he give her even more reading material than she already had?

Or, would the Grand Mage finally give up on the human girl and send her on her way?

Emma didn't know which fate was worse.

She found herself sitting at the foot of the staircase, knees hugged to her chest. It wasn't long until the door welcomed the Grand Wizard inside. Emma's heart pounded as she stood, trying her best to ignore the slight wobble to her knees.

The Grand Mage's head hung low. Long, quick strides struck wooden floors as the large, oak door slammed shut, silencing the crowd outside.  And, without so much as a hello, Ozker Peridot made his way upstairs.

Emma blinked in surprise.

Without turning back, Mr. Peridot tossed his black top hat in the air. Then, with a snap of his fingers, the hat bounced down two - no, three - steps at a time before twirling past Emma to rest itself on the coat hanger that stood by the door.

Emma watched as the Grand Mage, too, bounced up the staircase. She nearly gasped when a pair of long, white ears rose out of the wizard's curly, blonde hair. Though, as a familiar chitter tickled her ears, Emma couldn't help but shake her head at her pet rabbit who made a nest in Peridot's golden locks.

Mr. Peridot took a right turn, leaving Emma with no choice but to follow. The rabbit's chittering song echoed through the halls of the second floor, leading back to the Grand Wizard's study. Cautious and quiet, the girl peeked her head around the doorway where she found the tall, lanky mage hovering awkwardly over his desk.

A steady finger slid against the smooth oak and Emma shivered at the sight of black soot staining Mr. Peridot's fingertip. Though, to her surprise, the ash only seemed to bring a smile to the Grand Mage's face.

Clearing her dry throat, she finally asked, "Mr. Peridot, what're you doing?"

Peridot turned to face the girl, the movement swift and easy. Though, Emma couldn't stop herself from jumping a good three feet away.

The Grand Wizard's emerald-colored eyes were ten times bigger than usual. He blinked slowly. First, his left. Then, the right. Causing him to resemble that of a fly. 

Peridot hummed. The strange bronze goggles he wore clicked and clanked as he adjusted a knob on the side of his head. 

"Ah-ha! There you are, Emma!" The Grand Mage of Sonder beamed. The expression a bit wide, very toothy, and (albeit) a little goofy.

At the sound of her name, the rabbit that sat on Peridot's head perked up. Large, sapphire eyes landed on Emma and he, too, let out a cheerful tune. With one swish of his wispy tail, the magical critter appeared on the girl's shoulders where it seemed most at home.

Emma let out a stifled laugh as the baby Jackalope's pink nose nestled into her cheek.

"Blu and I had begun to wonder where you had gone," Mr. Peridot chuckled. The large goggles shifted back and forth awkwardly while he spoke.

"If you don't mind me asking," Emma giggled as she pointed at the odd goggles, "what's that on your face?"

Mr. Peridot beamed at the question. "Brilliant, aren't they? I call them the Incantation Revitalizer. They allow you to see spells that were once used on objects. They are perfect for checking for curses - or for everyday transfiguration!" As he talked, the wicked creation twisted oddly. "For example, it is telling me that - Oh! How about you give them a try?"

Emma and Blu jumped at the offer. The two knew all too well of the dangers the Grand Wizard's strange inventions seemed to own. Careful not to upset him, Emma gave her teacher a polite smile as she turned down his offer.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his brows frowning at her quick refusal. Both Emma and Blu nodded quickly, hoping that his large gaze wouldn't catch the panic in their eyes. "Well, alright then. Perhaps next time."

Emma sighed a breath of relief before joining Mr. Peridot in his investigation. Although to her, the blanket of ash lying over the desk was nothing more than a reminder of her utter failure.

Mr. Peridot returned to admiring the black soot on his fingertips. "Interesting," he muttered. The eagerness lacing his voice caused Emma's heart to pound nervously in her chest. "I see you were able to use the Infernious spell quite well," he continued in a pleasant tone. "Too well, I suppose. I see that the advice I had given must have slipped your mind."

Emma's cheeks turned red. Her fingers ran through her tawny, blonde ponytail while averting her gaze from the Grand Wizard's (unusually large) leering stare. She recalled his thoughtful warning of bold recitations and how he gently reminded her to be proud, but not loud. Now, she wished she had paid attention to his three-hour-long lecture on the dangers of faulty pronunciation.

Or, at least, parts of it.

"I got carried away," Emma admitted, her voice a whisper.

Mr. Peridot nodded in response. Then, in one easy movement, the wizard stood, pulled a beautifully carved wand from his coat pocket, and gave it a swift flick of the wrist.

Emma and Blu jumped when the wizard's desk shook off the remaining ash. A black ring circled the oak desk while a broom waltzed out of the closet hiding in the back of the room. The enchantment began to sweep away the hideous black dust, leaving Emma in a state of awe.

Despite spending the past six months with the Grand Wizard, Emma had not grown used to being around magic - much less, become capable of using it herself.

"It happens to the best of us, I suppose," stated the wizard as he placed his wand back into his chest pocket. Oz, then, removed his new invention from his face, revealing his normal-sized emerald eyes and his freckled nose. "I will assign more books to your weekly reading, however. Oh, and it will help if you were to read aloud."

Emma turned to Mr. Peridot with a blank expression. "You're not angry?" she asked, not sure whether she could trust her teacher's seemingly calm expression.

Mr. Peridot set his invention atop a stack of papers. He nearly laughed. "Angry? Why, of course not."

"Really?" Emma gaped. Mr. Peridot simply nodded in response and Emma took a wary step closer. "But, I failed my exam. Even after all the hard work we put in," her throat tightened but, still, she continued, "I blew it, Mr. Peridot."

"Blew it?" Mr. Peridot repeated curiously while raising a thick brow. His long strides carried him over to a short bookshelf he kept beside his apprentice's small desk.

It seemed that while Emma had not grown used to magic, Mr. Peridot had yet to grasp her use of what he (and many other mages) called, "human lingo".

"I let you down," Emma explained. Her words weighed heavily on her shoulders and even her neck as she allowed her gaze to fall. "S-So, you should be upset with me! Or...at least, I think you should."

Mr. Peridot's narrow shoulders tensed and silence echoed in the room. Moments sat between them as Emma gazed at her feet in worry of what the mage may say next.

"Hmmm," Peridot sighed, his tightly drawn shoulders easing a bit. "Now that you mention it, I am angry!"

Emma gazed up at the Grand Wizard pitifully. Her head barely rose to face him. Though, it didn't take long for her expression to harden.

"I'm serious, Mr. Peridot."

"Oh, so am I!" the mage huffed. Twirling on his heel, he pulled his brows together to feign anger but failed to hide that silly smile of his. "In fact, I am quite furious!"

Emma rolled her gaze over to Blu, hoping the little rabbit could help her convince the mage how serious she was. The rabbit, however, practically bounced on her shoulder as Mr. Peridot stomped playfully closer.

"Did you see the look on Professor Brim's face when he entered? Brute, that one is. Didn't even compliment my new tie!"

Emma did her best to fight the smile teasing her lips when Mr. Peridot patted his new striped pink tie proudly. "Mr. Peridot-"

"And Professor Ostrom - ugh!" The wizard twisted his nose in disgust at the professor's name while shuffling past his apprentice. An aggravated hand waved through the air. "The man went on forever about the Fae Rebellion happening over in Abernathy. I swear, if you put him in front of a mirror, he would be talking to himself for hours!"

A small laugh escaped from Emma's lips, her sullen face brightening. Blu swished his wispy tail at the sound. "What about Professor Atwood?" she asked, wondering what he would come up with about the composed old wizard.

Mr. Peridot looked at her, gaping at the name. "Don't even get me started on Professor Atwood," he spat and stomped.

Emma's hearty laughter filled the air causing Mr. Peridot's smile to widen. Even his emerald eyes glistened at the sound, magic shimmering inside them. He opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted by a small bell.

Turning, they noticed that a piece of rolled parchment had arrived on his desk.

Emma nearly knocked the Grand Mage out of the way. "I'll get it," she called, a smile lingering on her face.

Mr. Peridot nodded before returning to the stout bookshelf to retrieve Emma's assigned reading. "Alright, then, have at it!" He laughed loudly.

Emma beamed at his approval. She always did enjoy reading The Looking Glass. Every day at noon - whether rain or shine - the enchanted newspaper would arrive just in time. Inside its pages, were news stories from all over Elysia. Unlike its lame competitors, The Looking Glass was always filled with the recent magical mishaps that took place throughout the kingdom.

Eagerly, she tore the red ribbon and looked at the first line.

Before she could continue, Mr. Peridot snatched the paper out of the girl's grasp. A loud gasp punched the air when Emma caught her teacher rolling the newspaper tightly in his fists.

"Hey!"

"It's getting late," Mr. Peridot noted, his voice cheerful despite how his smile thinned. "I believe your mother will be expecting you soon."

Emma's brows bunched together in a plea. "I wasn't done reading it!" she exclaimed, reaching for the crumbled newspaper.

"Oh, this issue is nothing more than rubbish," Mr. Peridot huffed, tossing the rolled parchment from one hand to the other. "There will be another tomorrow - which is when I will see you again."

"But-"

"I expect you to be here for your lesson early so we can go over your pronunciation once more," he stated kindly, leading her towards the door.

"But, Mr. Peridot, I-"

"Run home, get some rest, long day tomorrow!"

"What about-"

Before she could finish, Peridot slammed the door - leaving both her and Blu in a state of shock. Sharing a single hurt glance, it didn't take long for the two to agree that they had to- no, needed to finish reading the article.

After all, if someone took the time to write about her, then shouldn't she know what was said?

Careful not to make too much noise, Emma slowly opened the door.

Inside, she found Mr. Peridot pacing his study. His brows became a narrow line while his lips mumbled every written word. His once bright emerald eyes darkened to a deep forest green as they ran over the cruel words that Professor Brim had stated.

"A fool, he says! Well, we'll see who's the fool when I speak to your superior, Mr. Brim."