Morning light spilled across the quiet street as Kate walked, her footsteps soft and unhurried. This world still felt unreal to her—so quiet compared to the storm-forged lands she had grown up. No magic roared through the air here. No heroes patrolled ancient ruins. No evil trying to corrupt anything.

  Just a normal town.

  A normal school.

  Normal people.

  Kate was now walking on earth.

  The bracelet around her wrist shimmered in a slow cycle of hues, nine colors pulsing as if sensing her wandering thoughts. Nine colors, nine moods, nine different defence magic that was inside her.

  Beside her, the Nine-Colored Deer walked calmly, its light-blue translucent body shimmering like morning frost catching sunlight. Its antlers glowed faintly with drifting particles—beautiful in a way no normal creature could ever be. This was a magical familiar, Kate's familiar.

  (Familiars are often connected to artifacts magic of the user)

  “You’re thinking too loud again,” the deer said lazily into her mind.

  Its voice always carried a teasing lilt, like someone deeply amused by everything she did.

  “You’ll scare the mundanes if your bracelet keeps changing colors like that. They’ll think you’re a walking mood lamp.”

  Kate shot it a slightly annoyed look.

  “I’m not nervous.”

  A warm golden flicker crossed the bracelet—betraying her.

  The deer snorted. “Uh-huh. Totally calm. Your bracelet looks like it’s trying to start a rainbow riot.”

  “Stop watching it so closely.”

  “I can’t help it. Your emotions are literally glowing. And you glow a lot when you’re trying to pretend you’re normal.”

  Kate sighed and hugged her bag closer.

  “It’s just… master said I need to learn to socialize. To blend in. To meet potential talents. I know my role.”

  “Of course you know your role. You know everything he taught you,” the deer said, nuzzling her hand affectionately. “But knowing isn’t the same as living it. You’ve trained since birth. You’ve memorized every prophecy, every story about the heroes who sealed the corruption. You’re prepared for battle but not…”

  It gestured with its snout toward the school building far ahead.

  “…school.”

  Kate exhaled.. “It can’t be that bad.”

  “Oh, it can be worse than shadow beasts,” the deer said solemnly. “Teenagers have unpredictable magic too. It’s just emotional instead of explosive.”

  Kate chuckled under her breath. “I’m serious. I need to do this right. If there really are new talents hidden in this world, like master said, I have to find them..”

  The deer’s expression softened.

  “Yes, little one. I know.”

  Its voice carried a rare warmth. “And you will. Your heart is strong. Your path is bright. But don’t forget to live a little while you’re at it.”

  Kate paused, letting the morning breeze brush past her.

  Her master’s last words echoed clearly:

  “You must walk among them. Not as a warrior. Not as a chosen hero. But as a girl who can understand the world she’s meant to protect.”

  She exhaled slowly.

  “I’m trying.”

  “I can see that,” the deer said.

  “But try quieter, please. Your anxiety is giving me headaches.”

  She shot it a flat look.

  “You don’t even have a physical brain.”

  “Spiritual headaches still count.”

  They continued walking. The closer they got to the school, the louder the street became—students gathering, laughing, shouting, slamming locker doors. The deer observed them with mild curiosity and mild judgment.

  “So many humans in one place,” the deer muttered. “No proper training. No magical stabilization. Well, no magic at all.“

  “Don’t say things like that,” Kate whispered sharply.

  “I’m just saying,” it shrugged with its shimmering shoulders, “you’re entering a building with hundreds of unpredictably emotional creatures. You should be afraid. Very afraid.”

  Kate rolled her eyes.

  Her bracelet flickered green for irritation, then shifted to a calmer blue.

  The deer noticed. “Better. See? You’re adapting already.”

  She reached the gates. Dozens of students poured through, chatting loudly, bumping into one another without a care in the world.

  Kate froze for half a breath.

  The deer stopped beside her, ears lifting.

  “…There,” it whispered, but not loud, not alarmed—more curious.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Kate felt it too.

  A thread of energy.

  Faint, distant.

  Underdeveloped but potent.

  A power not awakened… yet connected to something ancient, like hers.

  “Another user?“ she murmured

  “Yes, but the magic is sleeping.. still it's powerful just by the feeling.“ the deer answered. “Something that this world can't train properly.“

  Its eyes glowed faintly.

  “Dangerous if uncontrolled. Interesting if guided.”

  Kate steadied her breath.

  Maybe this was her purpose coming here.

  “Should I follow it?” Kate asked.

  “No. Not yet,” the deer said, voice calm but alert. “Observe. The source is inside. Someone in that school carries power—even if they don’t know it.”

  Kate nodded slowly.

  The deer nudged her forward.

  “Come on. Don’t stand here like a suspicious statue. You’ll make people stare.”

  “They’re already staring.”

  “Yes, but you’re making it worse.”

  With a final hesitant step, Kate crossed the threshold into the school building.

  The noise hit first—laughter, quick footsteps, lockers slamming, conversations weaving over one another like an uncontrolled choir. Kate kept her expression calm, but the deer beside her snorted.

  “So loud,” it grumbled. “Even shadow beasts had better manners.”

  “Please behave,” Kate whispered.

  “I am behaving. This is me being polite.”

  Her bracelet shimmered a soft yellow—a nervous flutter—before shifting back to a neutral pale silver. She kept her gaze forward, trying to blend into the flow of students, but people slowed to stare at her.

  Some looked curious.

  Others whispered.

  A few simply stared at her bracelet, confused by its shifting colors.

  A sudden BEEEEEEP rang overhead as the bell screeched.

  The hallway emptied fast—students scattering into classrooms. Within seconds, it was almost silent, just stray footsteps and a few murmured conversations.

  A woman with warm eyes and a stack of papers approached her.

  “You must be Katherine, right?” she asked kindly. “I’m Ms. Hale. Your homeroom teacher. You’re in Class 2-B with me. Come along, dear.”

  Kate nodded politely and followed.

  As they walked, the deer whispered:

  “It’s closer. Very close. In that classroom.”

  The deer’s ears twitched. “But listen. Don’t react. We’re observing.”

  They reached the door. Ms. Hale pushed it open, cheerful voice filling the room.

  “Good morning, everyone! Before we begin, we have a new student joining us. Please be welcoming.”

  Kate felt it instantly. The magic.

  Every head turned toward her.

  Except one.

  A girl in the back corner, resting her chin on her hand, staring calmly at her notebook as if the world didn’t concern her.

  The deer’s voice curled into Kate’s mind, soft and steady:

  “…There.”

  Kate didn’t know why she felt her heart skip. That girl didn’t look extraordinary. Not flashy. Not loud. Her hair was tied loosely. Her uniform neat but simple. But around her neck—

  A necklace.

  Red cord.

  Silver frame.

  A gem shaped In a circle.

  Kate froze.

  The magic artifact.

  “Sit anywhere you like, Katherine,” Ms. Hale said, smiling.

  Kate scanned the room. Only one empty seat remained.

  The one beside her.

  She walked toward it, every step tiny sparks running through her wrist. The deer walked beside her, lowering its head slightly.

  When Kate reached the desk, she cleared her throat quietly.

  “Um… is this seat taken?”

  For the first time, the girl looked up.

  Her black eyes were steady, cool, assessing—not unkind, but unreadable.

  “…Do as you want,” she murmured.

  And just like that, she looked away again.

  But in the moment her gaze lifted—

  She saw the deer.

  Her eyes widened—not dramatically, but sharply, like someone recognizing something impossible.

  The deer met her gaze.

  For a breath, the world went still between them.

  Her pupils dilated.

  The deer straightened—not frightened, but startled.

  Kate felt it—a ripple through the bond.

  “A spark,” the deer whispered inside her head.

  “She—she looked right at me.”

  “What does that mean?” Kate asked mentally.

  “Im not sure,you have to be at least rank 4 to see bonded familiars, but her magic clearly is not that powerful."

  Ms. Hale began the lesson. Pens scratched paper. Pages turned. Life moved as if nothing extraordinary had happened.

  But Kate couldn’t focus.

  The deer lingered close, shimmering faintly as it watched the quiet girl beside her.

  “There is something inside her,” the deer murmured. “Something sealed. Something sleeping."

  Kate breathed slowly, trying to steady the flutter in her chest.

  She didn’t speak to the girl again.

  The girl didn’t look her way again.

  But the tension between them—quiet, invisible, powerful.

  When the final bell rang, the classroom burst back into noise—chairs scraping, students chattering, the usual stampede toward the hallway. Kate packed her things slowly, deliberately, while sneaking glances at the girl with the necklace.

  She moved with a calmness that felt unnatural for someone her age—silent, controlled, as if every motion was measured. She slipped her notebook into her bag, stood, and left the room without looking at anyone.

  But Kate felt the air shift the moment the girl stepped into the hallway.

  The deer flicked its ear. “She’s leaving.”

  “I know.”

  “Then go,” it urged. “If she is what I think she is, you cannot lose her.”

  Kate hesitated only a second before stepping into the hall.

  Students flooded around her, but she could still see the girl ahead—brown hair brushing her shoulders, steps steady, gaze fixed forward. She walked not like a student going home… but like someone who had long since stopped expecting anything good from the world.

  Kate followed.

  Not too close.

  Not too far.

  Just enough that she wouldn't lose sight of her.

  The deer snorted. “Your emotions are showing.”

  “What? No they’re not.”

  “Your bracelet is pink.”

  Kate looked down—

  It was pink. A soft rosy glow.

  “Embarrassment,” the deer sang teasingly. “Or fascination~”

  She nearly tripped. “Stop it!”

  The deer only laughed, hooves tapping lightly on the ground even though no one else could see or hear it.

  Asha turned a corner.

  And without lifting her head, she spoke.

  “Why,” she said softly, “are you following me?”

  Kate froze.

  The girl didn’t stop walking. Didn’t turn. Didn’t raise her voice.

  But her words sliced through the hallway like a blade of ice.

  The deer tensed.

  “She sensed you immediately.”

  Kate hurried to catch up. “W–wait, I just—”

  The girl stoped.

  Slowly, she turned her head, her expression calm but her eyes cold enough to make Kate swallow.

  “From the moment you entered the classroom,” the girl said, “your emotions has been… loud.”

  Kate blinked. “my emotions?”

  “And that thing behind you.” the girl's eyes flicked to the deer—quiet, curious, not frightened. “It’s staring at me.”

  The deer straightened, startled.

  “You—she can see me. She really can.”

  Kate regained her breath and tried to smile politely.

  “I—um. This is my familiar. The Nine-Colored Deer.”

  The girl looked at it again and then at Kate.

  "You also have magic, don't you, or it's just that thing is magic itself".

  --

  Yes. The Kate replied with gentle tone, almost fascinating that someone from here can see it all. "My bracelet, it's also an magic artifact just like your necklace".

  Kate looked at the necklace.

  "I suspect it's also an ancient one, more powerful then the rest."

  The girl's fingers brushed the pendant instinctively.

  “It was a gift,” she said simply. “Nothing more.”

  You don't understand. If it chose you it's not just a gift. You are the owner, and whatever is inside you.. it's strong, and dangerous.

  The girl's expression cracked—only slightly. A flicker of uncertainty.

  Then she regained her calm.

  “And what does that have to do with you following me?”

  Kate hesitated.

  The deer nudged her mind gently. “Tell her. Carefully.”

  “When an artifact chooses you,” she began, voice low but firm, “it’s not just a gift. It’s not decoration. It means you already possess the power within it. The moment it picked you… you became more than normal. You became… its master.”

  The girl's eyes flicked to the necklace again, subtle but precise, like she was measuring the weight of Kate’s words.

  Kate continued carefully, keeping her tone gentle. “And that power… it’s strong. Dangerous if uncontrolled. But also… capable of amazing things. You don’t have to be afraid of it—but you can’t ignore it either.”

  “You’re already aware of your magic, yes,” Kate said, “but you didn't trained enough to know how to control it.

  The girl's lips pressed into a thin line, the faintest sign of tension crossing her otherwise calm expression.

  Kate leaned slightly closer, lowering her voice just enough so only Asha could hear. “When an artifact chooses someone, it doesn’t just sit there. It responds to its master, strengthens them, challenges them, and sometimes… protects them. You are no longer just a girl with magic—you are someone extraordinary. And whatever is inside you… it can help the world”

  “You’re not alone,” Kate finished, her heart beating fast but steady. “And you don’t have to face what’s coming by yourself. I’m here to help, if you let me.”

  The girl gaze lingered on Kate for a long moment, assessing, weighing, unflinching. Finally, she exhaled, slow and deliberate, her expression softening just enough to allow Kate a small glimmer of hope.

  “…I see,” she said quietly. “I can feel you’re telling the truth, so I have no reason not to trust you.”

  Her voice was steady. Not warm. Not open. Just… accepting.

  A moment passed between the?—still, tense.

  She glanced forward again, then back at kate.

  “My name is Asha.”

  The deer’s ears twitched.

  “She told you her name,” it whispered in kate's mind. “That’s more than she gives most.”

  _kate's pov_

  I swallowed, keeping my expression calm even though my heart fluttered with a strange relief.

  “I’m Kate,” I said gently. “It’s… nice to meet you.”

  Asha nodded once, a short, graceful motion. Precise. Controlled. She wasn’t smiling. She wasn’t softening. She wasn’t suddenly friendly.

  But she had given me her name.

  And for someone like her—someone with sealed magic, someone who had carried this weight alone—that was a lot.

  She began walking again, and I followed, just a step behind. The deer floated beside me, its light-blue form shimmering like moonlight on water.

  “Since you know so much… tell me something else.” Asha turned her head

  Her fingers brushed the necklace lightly. “How much time do I have before whatever’s inside this… wakes up?”

  I inhaled quietly, meeting her gaze. “You need to learn how to unlock it. How to become stronger. When you reach Rank 2, your familiar will show itself.”

  “Was that the time your familiar showed itself?” Asha asked, her voice calm, measured—but curious.

  I nodded. “Yes. But it’s not the same for everyone. Some awaken sooner, some later. Some… need guidance to even notice it.”

  Asha stopped mid-step and looked at me directly, the corner of her mouth almost imperceptibly tightening. “There are more people with magic, aren’t there?”

  I smiled—a real one this time, warm but tinged with excitement. “Yes. And a whole different world. A world where magic isn’t hidden, where people like us train, protect, and grow.

  She said nothing, just tilted her head slightly, processing.

  The deer snorted softly beside me. “Yes… she’s starting to see it. The fire inside her stirs.”