Tamai High School. From the outside, Tamai High School looks like a normal, elite, private high school. In fact, most people from the outside think that the students are being spoiled rotten. There are rooms for students; students don't have to go home everyday. Although there are only 3 types of students (Freshmen, Sophomores, and Seniors), colleges and universities still count it as four years of high school education; that is why many try to enter. It's located in California, despite its Japanese-like name.
However, there's an important difference: magic. Students learn and use magic in the school in addition to their normal, scholastic studies. Magic can only be used in magical zones around the world. Theses zones have strong magical fields, which allows "magical phenomena". Holy lands and spiritual mountains from early eras are usually magical zones. Magic is simply a technique to control the "magical phenomenon" that occurs in these special zones. However, magic puts a strain on a person's mind; excessive use can lead to a premature death.
Why bother studying magic then? A wish. At graduation, each student is given a wish in proportion to the magic level (like Silver or Gold)they've gained.
This takes place in the early 21st century.
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It is October 1st, 2009, 12:30 PM and school is in session. Itâs been a month since Tamai Private High Schoolâs (Tamai High for short) entrance examination took place. Itâs mandatory for those who wish to enter. A man slowly walks up the slope where Tamai High is located. His name is Sam Park; however, he has already failed the examination. He mumbles to himself,
âI must have looked like a fool. If only that girl wasnât thereâĻShitâĻ That must have been the keyâĻ I know for sure that I aced the written examâĻ ARGH! Itâs that girlâs fault! I donât remember anything after thatâĻâ Sam says as he approaches the fence that surrounds the school.
An explanation. Tamai Highâs entrance examination contains an interview. The question that the interviewer asked Sam was, âIf you could use magic, what would you do with it?â To which Tom responded, âC-c-conquer the world.â At that moment, a girl (also applying for Tamai) burst out laughing.
âOh myâĻ ConqueringâĻ Just like a little kidâĻ HahahahaâĻ I canât breatheâĻ
Sam turned to the girl and angrily said, âY-you, are you making fun of me!?â
â!!!... IâĻ Iâm sorry.â
âYou think you can get away with this just by apologizing!?â
âNo, thatâs not what I meantâĻ It justâĻ Really hit the spotâĻ Oh myâĻ Of course youâd get angry.â
She came close to him and held his hands; Sam looked a bit surprised when she did this. She looked at him straight in the eyes and said,
âIâve done something terribly wrongâĻ Iâm really sorry.â
At that moment, Samâs brain went blank. He doesnât remember anything about what he answered on the interview afterwards.
âSince then, that woman has never left my mind. So to release this stress, I need to see that woman again and tell her real good. I loveâĻ NO! Iâve gotta tell her to give me back my passing grade!â Sam says as he starts to climb over the fence.
âHey you. What are you doing there?â A man asks Sam from the other side of the fence.
From the looks of his outfit, he seems to be a teacher. Everything seems normal except for one thing: he is floating in mid-air.
Sam is momentarily stunned. The teacher asks him another question.
âI donât remember seeing your faceâĻ You must be a freshman. Are you leaving early?â
Sam hesitates for a moment, and then responds.
âAh! Yes. I am. Now please excuse me.â As Sam prepares to run away, the teacher asks him yet another question.
âDid you properly notify your homeroom teacher?â
âY-yesâĻâ
The teacher grabs Tom by his collar.
âThen why are you exiting this way! Suspicious; come with me!â
The teacher attempts to pull Sam into the school, but Sam is repelled by some invisible force. The teacher, still holding Sam by the collar, pulls out a plate from his pocket. The plate looks as if it was made out of gold and has a capital âGâ on it. The teacher shows it to Sam.
âHey, what happened to your magic plate? Even if youâre a freshman, you should know very well that you canât go through the barrier around the school perimeter without thisâĻ I know. I bet you threw it away just now so that you canât be taken back in. Even more suspicious.â
âWai-what are you talking about!?â
âDonât make a fool out of a magic teacher!â
The gold plate melts into his hand. With that same hand, he grabs Samâs open palm and swiftly pulls him into the school. They both fall onto the ground.
âOwâĻ What are youâĻ AHH!â
Sam notices that their hands are fused together.
âOnce weâve united our bodies, I can force you to come insideâĻ Magic Out.â
The plate comes out of their fused hands (the hands are then separated) and comes back to the teacherâs now-unfused hand.
âWAH!!!â Sam says as starts running.
âStill trying to run away? No point!â the teacher exclaims while putting some nuts and bolts (from his pocket) on his plate and sending it straight towards Sam. The plate hits Sam square in the neck. Momentarily stunned, the teacher catches up and slaps Sam on the face. This makes Samâs head fly off of his body and land on the ground. Sam sees his headless body and screams,
âWAHHHHH! What is this! What is this!â
âItâs synthetic magic. âYouâ and the âboltsâ were synthesized. Itâs nothing special; youâll learn this magic by sophomore yearâĻâ the teacher says to Samâs head. He then turns to Samâs body.
âHmm? Now that I look at you carefully, your clothes are different from Tamaiâs uniformâĻ Well, not like youâre required to wear a uniform, but stillâĻ Are you really a student of TamaiâĻ?â
He turns to Samâs head once again. ThenâĻ BAM! The teacher is hit square in the back of the head by Samâs body. He crumples to the ground. Samâs body picks up his head and screws it back on. Body and head are now whole. Sam then proceeds to run away.
âAHHHHH! Whatâs going on here?! I have to escape!â
Sam runs pretty deep into the school; he sees students all around him. Unfortunately for him, an announcement from the loudspeakers of Tamai starts to say,
âThis is Thomas, the chairman of magic. Currently, there is an intruder on campus. Please notify me immediately or hold him down if you find him. Students who cooperate in this will receive extra magic points. I sent a picture of his face to each of your plates.â
Sam becomes aware of the numerous stares surrounding him. He sees a chance to escape on his left. He runs before anyone can react. The chase begins.