"Todd, wake up and pay attention." The young man in the middle of the room shot up with his eyes open. He wasn't usually like this but the studying has really taken a turn for the worse.
Todd's father was a university professor that taught a little bit of everything. He made sure Todd was going to pass highschool and get into university, and sometimes that meant hours of lectures.
As Todd switched his focus back to the teacher he started to remember why he fell asleep. The class was on the outer wall and all its functions. Todd's father made him learn all this information years ago as it was a big part of the university's magical studies program.
The wall was a hot topic in school as it was part of everyone's life, or at least everyone from the third ring. It was 33 feet tall and 22 feet wide. It had a tower every 1100 feet with stairs to the top of the wall. Every so often a tower had a gate that lead to the outside world.
Every scientist in the nation tried to find the answer to why it was built that way. The only thing anyone ever came up with was that the math just worked out. It has been there before books started being written so the best we can do is guess.
Todd started to lose focus again so he decided he would get into his usual habit of channeling mana while he waited. He wasn't good at channeling mana yet. That should be expected though as he hasn't been officially trained. The only reason he even new how is because Todd's father allowed free access to their house library. His father was of the mentality that learning on your free time is your choice so you got to pick the topic.
After channeling mana for most of the class the bell finally brought his attention away. Todd was surprised to find that everyone including the teacher was looking his way with shock written all over their faces. He couldn't understand why, so he leaned over and asked Ron his best friend. "Why is everyone staring at me like that?"
"Dude, you're glowing. Like literally glowing… like a light bulb." Answered Ron.
Todd looked at his hands and could immediately see what he was talking about. He was glowing. A soft glow but still glowing. Although it wasn't bright it wasn't exactly the most subtle thing in the room. Todd was also almost directly in the center of the classroom so it was impossible for those behind him not to notice.
After a few minutes of excessive silence the principal came in the room. "Todd, please follow me so the school day can continue."
Todd got up and started walking away with the principal. "Do you know why I'm glowing?" Todd asked once he was confident no one could hear.
The principal looked at Todd with a glare that clearly meant hold your questions. The two started to pick up the pace and after a few more minutes the principal opened a door and motioned for Todd to enter.
Once inside Todd heard the door shut behind him. Infront of Todd was a man in a black suit seated behind a metal table. He motioned to the metal chair on Todd's side of the table and politely smiled.
Once Todd was seated the man began to speak. "Hello Todd. I will be introducing you to some very strange things today." That was odd. Todd didn't appreciate the man's bland tone. It made the statement seem menacing. "For starters I am going to sound proof the room. This is a safety precaution so that nothing you or I say while in here will be leaked to the outside."
With his next menacing statement over the man lifted his arm and snapped. A pulse of light left his fingers and expanded to every corner of the room. Now Todd was excited. He new magic very well and tons of people used it but not that smoothly. Most of the time it required incredible focus to use. That's why soldiers practiced so often. If they ingrained it in there mind they could focus on it less and still get it to work. This man though, he used magic as if he had been using it for much longer than anyone else.
Once the light had faded and the spell was in place the man looked back at Todd. "Hmm… Brown hair. Green Eyes. Light skin. I'm guessing five foot ten, maybe eleven. Not exactly a ladies man but you don't look bad either. More of a best friend type of vibe."
Todd was blown away for a second by the change. The man's voice now sounded intoxicating. It was a strong contrast to the mundane menacing voice from before. Todd couldn't quite wrap his head around it. The voice was soft and feminine. Like his mother singing him to sleep, but this was clearly a man.
"Haha" the man giggled softly as he realized what Todd was thinking. Again Todd was confused. That laugh was soft and warm. It brought out his instincts to protect this person. At the end of that thought Todd saw the arm of the man raise once more and with a snap, the body in front of Todd changed.
Across from Todd now sat a beautiful girl. Light blonde hair tied in a pony tail at the back. Eyes as blue as the summer sky and lips with the perfect shade of pink. Todd was stunned. Her gorgeous face took all of his attention. He didn't even realize he knew who this was until she started to introduce herself.
"You may know who I am already but allow me to give a proper introduction." She stood and stepped away from the table and then made a polite and elegant curtsie. "My name is Rebecca Green."