Beginnings of the Modern Mage

The Black List

Arc: “Are you sure?”

Nao: “My goal hasn’t changed, this is just the next step. I can do it again.”

I open the door to find my sister still in bed with workout equipment all over the place.

Nao: “Really, again? I hope I won’t have to come here every day from now on.”

Nao: “Wake up!”

I rip the covers off of Alyson and I instantly blush. She’s wearing a sports outfit that barely covers her body and fits her so good. I instantly look away and place the covers back on.

Nao: “Hell no, not her.”

Alyson: “Yeah…slave…lick me…there.”

Nao: “The fuc-”

Nao: “Wake up Alyson, it’s time to go to school!”

Alyson: “Mmmmm…”

Nao: “….You good?”

Alyson: “Why aren’t you…on your knees…begging for mercy?”

Nao: “*Sigh*”

Nao: “This is reality, not whatever sick thing you were dreaming of.”

Alyson: “….*Blush*….Get out.”

Don’t need to tell me twice, I leave her, shockingly more dirty, room. The less I have to deal with her the better I’ll be.

I go downstairs to relay Alyson’s current condition.

Nell: “Something is is seriously wrong then. Go to school Nao, Alyson is staying home today.”

Nao: “Really?”

Alyson: “What?!”

Great!

Nell: “Yes, clearly you’re pushing yourself too hard. You’re never late.”

On time you mean.

Alyson: “It won’t happen again, please don’t keep at home.”

Nell: “One day won’t kill you. Get some rest and go to sleep on time.”

Alyson: “….Okay. I can work around this.”

Nell: “Good. See you later Nao.”

Nao: “Yeah, see you mom.”

I eat my breakfast and skip to school. Today seems like it will be a good day. The only thing that will make this is some missions.

8.Full Body Exercise for 1 hour and 20 minutes (+3 Points)

9. Run to School (+ 1 Point)

9. Complete School Work (+1 Point)

6. Make a Friend (+1 Point)

10. Use your spells 10 today (+2 Points)

6 is still terrible but the rest is very doable. I break into a sprint and rush to school. It’s still tiring but that workout yesterday woke the muscles up. I made it in record time, for me anyway.

*Ding*

Points: 4

I cross the gates and breath in the new day. No Alyson and…no bullies…

I reign in my sense of peace as I remember yesterday. I scan to see if anyone is looking at me or if there are cops. Actually, knowing Anton’s family, cops be wouldn’t the worst of it.

I dug this hole, I need to get stronger if I want to survive in it. I stayed alert all the way to lunch, using minor illusions to draw attention from me just in case.

A fart noise there, a bug in the class, and other small things. Easy 2 points.

Points: 6

Once the day ends and I finish my school work, I’m getting shapeshift. Despite that, I keep myself in the corner of the cafeteria. Ready for any-

???: “Hello there.”

Nao: “What?!”

As if materializing out of nowhere another kid, the same size as me appears next to me. Glasses, black hair, and short. At least he's cuter than me, no pudgy face.

Nao: “Who are you?”

Anthony: “Name’s Anthony, nice to meet you fellow Black Lister.”

Nao: “Really, you’re also on there?”

Anthony: “Of course, there’s a good amount of us. I’m…sorry you had to join us.”

Nao: “It’s fine, nothing has changed.”

Anthony: “Yeah, I heard about you. The kid who gets bullied despite not being on the black list. Brutal fuckers, I wish they’d drop dead for goodness sake.”

Nao: “!!”

Anthony: “Luckily, Anton seems to have skipped school. Knowing his family I’m sure he’ll be awhile.”

Nao: “Y-Yeah.”

Anthony: “This is a great chance for you to meet your comrades.”

Nao: “My what?”

Anthony: “The other Black Listers. Meet us in the library after eating, we’re all we got now that the school chooses to ignore our existence.”

Nao: “Sure….I’ll see in a couple of minutes.”

Anthony: “Great, I’m glad I’m not the only dwarf anymore.”

Just like that, Anthony is gone and I’m here to swallow all I just heard.

*Ding*

Points: 7

What was that for?

Arc: “Congrats on your first friend. A mage needs to know how to socialize.”

Nao: “I just met him, how can I be his friend already?”

Arc: “Even fledgling friendship counts.”

Nao: “Whatever, I’ll take shapeshift now. This time I’ll wait until I sleep.”

Arc: “Wise choice.”

Point: 0

I finish my lunch and head to the library. I push open the door to find the place clean, quiet, and filled with books on both floors. This used to be such a great place to relax before read all the interesting books.

I see Anthony waving from the second floor so I take the spiral stairs to his group. These 4 huddled at the corner table and a girl studying at the table next to it.

Anthony: “Welcome fellow brother. This is Tallow, Mat & Velo.”

Tallow: “Hi.”

Mat: “Sup.”

Velo: “Nice to meet you.”

I look over them and can tell why they were blacklisted. Tallow is a bookworm, Mat is fat and Velo is tall but lanky.

Nao: “Hello, good to be here.”

I take a seat in the last chair and settle in.

Nao: “So is this everyone, what about the girl?”

Everyone looks toward the girl deep in textbooks.

Anthony: “She’s a black Lister too but she’s not one of us. You don’t recognize her?”

Nao: “Should I?”

Tallow: “It’s Deanna the previous queen.”

Nao: “Damn, really?”

Anthony: “Yeah, she’s the bitch who put us all on the Black List. You’re actually the first one Alyson put on it. Besides Deanna of course.”

Nao: “Lucky me.”

Mat: “You are lucky. Alyson is no near as big of a bitch compared to prime Deanna and she’s way sexy. You get to live with her, any spicy stories.

So you’re the horny one of the group.

Nao: “I won’t answer that.”

Mat: “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Anthony: “Enough about Deanna. She might try to fool everyone by working hard but deep down she’s the same whore. I ask you here for a specific reason Nao.”

Nao: “It wasn’t to introduce me to these guys?”

Anthony: “Partly, I want you to join in changing this school.”

Nao: “Go on.”

Anthony: “Anton and his goons aren’t the only bullies. We all still have to deal with the torture on a near-daily basis. It’s not right!”

Anthony: “This whole damn system is fucked and we shouldn’t have to go along with it.”

Nao: “That’s good and all but how do you plan to do it.”

Anthony: “I had…ideas but I think with your unique talents I have a better plan. The main goal is to defeat Alyson and remove her as queen. You’re in a great position to do that and you already started it.”

Nao: “I’m all for bringing her down but what about the king?”

Anthony: “I have ways in making the bullies fight each other. I’ll tell you when to help with that part of the plan. But I need to know if you’re with us.”

Nao: “Sure.”

I shake Anthony’s hand while contemplating my own plans. Getting taller and more handsome is just the first step. I’m going to become a main character but that can’t happen black-listed.

Nao: “I actually have an idea on how I can help right now.”

I get up and walk towards where Deanna sits. Despite the group’s protests, this is an opportunity I can’t miss. I sit down in front of her and make my case.

Nao: “So, you’re Deanna. Never expected this from you. Is this where you’ve been hiding.

Deanna: “What do you want?”

Nao: “How would you like your position back?”

Deanna: “…Not interested.”

Nao: “Wait, what?”

Deanna: “I can hear Anthony’s tongue lashing you know. I don’t care what that twerp thinks, I’m not like that anymore.”

Nao: “What happened to the QB of Hillview, you even called Anthony by name.”

Deanna: “Alyson earned her position, leave her alone.”

Nao: “No, not after everything she’s done and let happen.”

She said nothing more and just walked out with her study books in hand.

Velo: “Did she explode? Are we dead? Can I look?”

Mat: “Dude chill, she’s not a bomb.”

Anthony: “I told you it was pointless.”

Nao: “Had to try, can never have too much help.”

Anthony: “I suppose I can agree with that. But not with monsters like them. She hasn’t answered for her crimes and helping us won’t change that. I’m glad she refused.”

Velo: “I’m glad she left without fuss.”

Tallow: “Anthony, lunch is almost over.”

Anthony: “….I see. Continue getting under Alyson’s skin, we’ll deal with the king and the other bullies.”

Nao: “Easy.”

I get up and start leaving the library until I realize they’re not moving.

Nao: “What’s wrong?”

Anthony: “We’ll…leave after you. We have…some things to do.”

Nao: “….I see. Tomorrow then.”

I fast walk out of the library, unable to look. I knew what fate awaits them. I won’t let this happen for much longer.

I finish the day without seeing the group anyway in the hallways. I hurry home to complete the rest of my missions. I need to get stronger and not just for me this time.

We all deserve to escape from the background.

*Ding*

Points: 1

Nell: “Welcome home Nao, how was your day?”

Nao: “Good for once. Happy to be home though, I made more….friends today.”

Nell: “That’s wonderful Nao, are you going to take up my offer to invite them.”

That might actually help our plans.

Nell: “Sure mom, tomorrow good?”

Nell: “Yes, I’ll be sure to get ready. But I need your help with Alyson.”

Nao: “….Why?”

Nell: “She hasn’t left her room all day. I at first thought she was just sleeping but I’ve heard sounds from her room I never heard before.”

Nao: “Why me? Just go in and ask what’s the issue.”

Nell: “Because you draw a different side of Alyson that I rarely see. It does come off as…combative but it’s better than hiding from us.”

Nao: “So you want me to mess with her so much that she chases me out here, got it.”

Nell: “Well not real-”

Nell: “annnnnd you’re gone….”

I get into comfortable clothes before going into the lion’s den…again. I really shouldn’t make this a habit.

Nao: “Hey Alyson wh-”

Before me is a sight I never wanted to see. Alyson sweaty in that same…form-fitting sports gear. Has she really been working out all day? Wow, I can even tell there’s some nice muscle there.

Get it together man…she’s your enemy.

Alyson: “You know I’m glad you’re here Nao. This is how actually work out.”

Nao: “I’ll be sure to take notes. Why are doing this?”

Alyson: “Had to be productive somehow and what better than improving myself. A subject I know is foreign to you.”

Nao: “Whatever, I might as well do my own work out then. Who knows, after applying some face-changing cream friend gave you might fall for me.”

Alyson: “Oh please. Unless you magically increase height too that won’t happen. Besides, what face cream can fix…that? ”

Nao: “No need to worry about it, you’ll see tomorrow.”

I leave the room and tell mom what Alyson has been doing. Then I begin my own full-body workout and push through for the next 1 hour and a half.

We were so engrossed in our little competition that mom couldn’t convince either one of us to come down to dinner. So like usual mom left some refueling food in our rooms.

*Ding*

Points: 4

Nao: “Next…*Munch*….*Munch*….mission.”

Arc: “You’ve done well to improve your body. Time to further increase your magic abilities.”

Nao: “Keep giving workout mission, I don’t plan to stop if Alyson doesn’t.”

Arc: “Don’t worry, I’ll make these daily now.”

Full Body Exercise for at least 1 hour and 20 minutes (+3 Points) [Daily]

Run to School (+ 1 Point) [Daily]

Complete School Work (+1 Point)[Daily]

Use your spells 10 today (+2 Points) [Daily]

Nao: “7 points daily, nice. Time to really start improving. Check status, let’s increase some stats.”

Nao’s Current Stats:

Strength: 9 (+2)

Endurance: 11

Intelligence: 11 (+1)

Charisma: 7 (+1)

Agility: 9

Magic: 8

Nao: “I’m catching up Alyson, I’ll beat you in everything your good at.”

Arc: “That’s all well and good but I have other missions for you to do. I’ll leave for tomorrow since they’ll be more…involved.”

Nao: “Whatever it is I’ll do it.”

Arc: “I’m sure you will.”

Nao: “I think I’ll go sleep now, I can’t wait for tomorrow. It’s going to be a great day.”

I finish my food, take it to the kitchen and wash up. I can still hear Alyson breathing heavily from working out. I’ll let you win for today but tomorrow will be different.

I slip under the covers and sleep with the biggest smile I can manage. I guess I have another thing that can make me happy, success.