Ascal stared at the tall columns, the colosseum-esqe structure that he dreamed of visiting. His parents studied at the temple, serving Asteria while practicing their magic. His mother had been gifted in divination, astrology, tea reading. His father was a leading expert in herbology, alchemy. Some of his potions were groundbreaking and were now circulating shelves in pharmacies or supplied to hospitals.

When his mother and father had met, they were a match made in heaven. Disciples of Asteria and serving in Her temple, they feel in love day by day. When it was finally time to leave behind the temple and move on, his parents were intent on making a product of their love. A child, with a stone imbued with their love and powerful magic. The product of the crystal was expected to be one of the greatest magic wielders, with amass power and the gift of quick learning. A natural born magic user.

When the crystal was awaken and they were able to cradle their infant, they named him Ascal. Their dreams and hopes for him sailed past their clouds. Letters of congratulations flowed into their inbox, as well as prospective schools and offers being extended to the child of the two prodigies.

When Ascal was old enough to attend the academy, the hard truth was realized.

Ascal was infertile, or practically. Only a few drops of magic ran through his blood. The product of the two prodigies love had been someone who could not even make a small flame flicker without some great deal of difficulty.

This was kept a secret, however. There was too much expectation, too much hope in the small freshling. However, as the boy grew, it became more obvious. Not a sign of magic, where most would have shown something by then. Those who could sense of the magic in each person sensed nothing from him. Unless they were particularly skilled in the sense, and then they would be able to feel only a sliver.

Once Ascal was a junior, he became bitter and angry. What had he done wrong? Had he displeased the beloved Goddess Asteria? Or had his parents? That wasn’t possible… they worshipped the Goddess. Their holidays revolved around her, with symbols and holy artifacts representing her decorating their house. Ascal grew to be spiteful of the goddess, feeling cursed, feeling shunned. Why had his parents been so gifted and he possess so little? His parents loved him regardless, told him it was alright. That they were sorry. That wasn’t what he wanted to hear, however. And it infuriated him.

His bitterness grew through his senior year and, once graduating, he decided to confront the cause of his pain. Asteria. And so, he took his trip to her temple, where she would be closest, and he would confront her.

And now he was there, staring at the columns, at the majestic architecture, his hate swelling in his heart. Why couldn’t he belong to this temple? Why couldn’t he perform magic? What was wrong with him? What had he done? The questions swirled in his head, making his heart race, his vision tunnel. He was there in front of the temple, with all the things he wanted to demand and scream. But he couldn’t take a step in.

”Are you alright?” someone asked next to him. Ascal jumped, looking at the person. It was… a priest. His eyes narrowed, a snarl pulling his expression. He shoved his hands in his pockets, ready to turn and leave. But his feet were glued. ”Were you going to come inside?” the priest asked with a tilt of his head.

Ascal opened his mouth, before snapping it closed, glaring at the concrete pathway beneath his feet. ”I don’t have magic,” he muttered, wings tucked close as he tried to bend into himself slightly. Self-conscious and ashamed. Why did he have to be ashamed?! It wasn’t his fault!

The priest just stared, before smiling gently. ”You have enough,” he said simply, before humming and focusing his eyes to the temple. ”It’s not how much you have. It’s how you use it, how you harness it. You’re young and untrained. You’re stubborn against accepting the possibility to improving. But you could learn. You could perform big feats with even a little,” the priest told him before grinning. ”We’re accepting students. If you want to learn, come find me.” And then, the priest was gone.

And Ascal couldn’t stop staring. He… could learn? He had enough? The fallen was confused but… a flame had ignited in his heart. He hadn’t wanted to hear “sorry”. He hadn’t wanted to hear it was alright. He could do it. He could use magic. If he just learned.

Skepticism raced through him, battling with the hope. He would just be disappointed, in the end. There was no way he could do great things. He wasn’t great himself. He didn’t have enough power. This was an impossible task. Sighing, he went to turn away. And his ears caught the words of someone whispering nearby. ”I heard that priest is almost infertile…”

Ascal froze, unsure. The priest… the priest that had been talking to him? He was almost infertile? And yet, he was there, an official priest? That wasn’t possible… that couldn’t be possible. Asteria wouldn’t let a hope like that happened… would she?

While still doubting himself, his feet moved on their own, running, darting. He threw open the heavy temple doors, breath ragged over the hope, over the running, over the quickened heartbeat. ”I want to learn!” he blurted out desperately in a shout, listening to his voice bounce off the walls. ”I want to use magic!” he cried out. He missed the small smile from the priest. He didn’t know how his relationship with Asteria would improve… but he wanted to learn. He wanted to do the thing he so desperately wanted to do ever since he was a freshling. He wanted to be a disciple. He wanted to use magic, to become something more than... than what he currently was.

w.c.: 1011