There was once a time where I felt as though my life had fallen into a repeating loop. I was twenty-four and was ranked rather high in my country's magical council. Where did I get my motivation to reach this rank? Well, as the older sibling to my brother, I did anything I could to make sure he had whatever he wanted. One thing lead to another, and I was soon trying to reach the best position I could so that I could provide a good life.

During my early years, I had been raised by a powerful mage by the name of Illuri. He treated my brother and I like we were his children (which we were not), but one day, he vanished from our lives without a trace.

"Rika!" At the sound of my name, I turned to see the country's princess and my best friend, Hana, running towards me with an invitation in her hand. "Rika, Dad wants to see you in the throne room!"

"Heh," I muttered before sticking my hands into my pockets and following the animated eighteen-year-old down to the room to which I was summoned. As we entered, Hana ran up to her father and I stopped steps before his golden throne and bowed, "Your Highness." Though many were afraid of his highness, many had no idea that he was an old man about three times shorter than I; this fact made all of the rumors passed throughout the country much more comical.

"Ah, Rika!" This man was basically my second father, having helped raise me and train me for my current position. "We have received an invite from our neighboring country, with whom we have slight tension. Hana has been invited to attend a magical school there and is allowed to bring another to feel more at peace."

"And you want that person to be me?" I asked, already knowing where this was going.

Hana nodded from her position next to her father, "You're the only one we can for sure count on. Besides, I'd be lonely without you."

"Alright," I say with a small smile. I was happy to get a change of scenery. . . at least for now.

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A week from the announcement, I hung my head in annoyance. It was rather early in the morning for such a wake-up call.

The only good thing that came out of the alarming wake-up was that our destination was within range of sight.

"Are you ready, Rika?"

I nodded with a slight smile, "Yeah."

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Once we were on the road to the palace, I used my magic to change myself from my guards' clothes to those distributed to the students who weren't given an invite personally. Hana was already wearing her long blue cloak with black pants and button-up shirt. I wore the same, the only difference was that the cloak I wore was black and yellow versus Hana's blue and black cloak.

We reached the doors of the palace not long after, and I left the car first as well as escorted Hana to and through the doors.

The room we were sent to was the ballroom, and can I just say how breathtaking the architecture was?

Anyway, I held my head high as we began to enter the crowd of about twenty students who seemed to range from 18 years to my age and perhaps a few years older. How will this year turn out?

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Throughout the next few months, we learned an old, ancient language which was hardly used anymore. That was it.

I wasn't the only one who seemed to find this a waste of time, but my reasoning was probably different from all the others. I already knew this language. It was taught to me by Illuri, who - for whatever reason - was teaching the stupid class in the first place. I tried to hide my frustration and anger, I really did, but I ran into him alone at one point, and I may or may not have yelled at him. . .a lot. . .

I soon found out that he was summoned back here by my parents (who have never been apart of my life) and he didn't think that I'd want to deal with them. I mean, sure I was angry at my parents, but I was seven, SEVEN! Of course, I'd want my parents.

We haven't really been on the best terms since this revelation.

But. . . When we (the school) were attacked, Illuri and I stood side-by-side defending the school and my fellow classmates. I had decided, once the fighting was finally over, that I did know what it felt like to have parents, even when my parental figure wasn't my actual birth parent, because I was feeling the overwhelming need to prove myself and have someone to praise me.

What I had been really looking for was him, Illuri. So that I could show him how I had grown, how I had matured without his guidance. I wanted my 'parent' to be proud of me.