“Ah, fuck” I grumbled as the house of cards on my desk was toppled by a gust of wind from the open window beside me. “It’s so boring!”

Today was a weekend and I, Alice Mayers, was inside my bedroom in my apartment, it was a costly apartment consisting of a small kitchen, bedroom, dining room and comfort room. The dining room doubled as the living room, since it was just at the front of the door and it had a TV across the table.

I stood up from my desk, lunged into the bed, and checked my holo-phone for the umpteenth time. I opened a browser app and tried to open a website, only to have it show a ‘No network connection’ notification. “Ughh…” Turning the phone off, I grunted. I rolled back and forth on the bed.

Oh this is quite fun. I grinned at nothing in particular and continued rolling; only stopping due to nausea. I lied still on the bed face down and started to think about my next course of action.

What can I do… I’m gonna die of boredom if this continues… Maybe I could go to a friend’s house? Oh, wait I don’t have one…

I laughed dryly at the thought, still facing down of course. I had never really considered having one, and neither did I feel lonely without them, I still do think about it from time to time.

I turned over and looked at the white plastered ceiling. Should I… no, that’s too troublesome… I’ll just go to the library for now.

Having decided something to do, I leaped out of the bed and went to my closet. It was a little bit underwhelming… it was full of hoodies, T-shirts and different kinds of shorts or jeans. I’m not necessarily a rich girl; I barely even have enough money to live in this apartment, which also explains why I’ve been leeching internet from my neighbors.

Usually, the connection would be stable and enough for streaming videos and reading online books. However, today, it just went haywire and that brings us to the current situation.

Well, I could figure out what happened. But guess what, I need internet for that! Hurray, me.

Shaking out my own sarcastic thoughts, I picked up a blue hoodie, boyfriend shorts (Why are they called like that???) and a pair of sneakers. I also grabbed my pink backpack that was hanging at the back of the chair. I NEVER leave without a backpack, I don’t know why but it gives me a sense of security. Which is really odd due to my… nature.

Anyway, I stuffed it with stuff like a water canister, a small umbrella, a modified molecular knife, an extra hoodie and a book in case I got bored.

Wait… I placed something weird thing in my bag. I shuffled the bag a little bit and took out the book. I set it back neatly in shelf above the desk. Why would I need a book if I’m going to the library?

I shrugged at my own mistake and proceeded to go out of the door.

The corridors of the apartment building were white and holograms appear every five or so rooms I pass by. The carpets alternated between red and yellow and were giving off a rather luxurious feel to the corridor.

As I traversed the halls, with only a small amount of turns, I reached and entered the elevator. It overlooked the already bustling city through its reinforced glass walls, colossal skyscrapers and heavily trafficked roads dominated most of the view of the ‘skyline’.

The elevator descended until a high pitched ‘Ding’ resounded in the cabin. It prompted me to look towards a newcomer. It was a man, a ‘regular salary man’ if you would. He was wearing a black suit with a red neck tie, black pants and similarly colored shoes.

Ah, another corporate slave, huh. What a pity. This man was probably working hard for his family, working at 9 in the morning to do paper works in the office, then go home at 7 in the evening to come home to his wife having already cooked a meal, then he plays with his children a little bit or watches the news on a holo-screen, lastly he sleeps and the cycle continues. A really sorrowful story, I truly pity him.

‘Do you really?’ My inner self asked me.

‘Nope, not at all.’ Came my reply.

I returned to looking at the scenery when the high pitched ‘Ding’ resounded again, signaling the closing of the doors.

[3rd Person POV]

In a great distance away, a storm is brewing. The Elders have arranged a meeting and every magician felt the heavy fluctuations in the Ether.

They have agreed to meet in the ‘Meeting Place’. A place designed to contain and dampen the powers of all of these Elders so as to not create another magical disaster. The amount of power that all of the seven Elders had were creating a literal storm in their meeting place. Alongside an inferno, a void, a flash flood, a star show, and other unfathomable things.

The ‘Meeting Place’ was magical, top of line from the most skilled magical architects. It was a dome shaped area with a circle in the center and seven podiums around it, each with different colors and each for different Elders.

“Ignis,” A white robed Elder called a red robed one, “Why have you gathered us all? This has to be something of great importance to call upon all of the Elders.”

The other Elders visibly nodded to their question.

“Do not worry, Michael, “ Ignis looked towards the white robed Elder, Michael, and said haughtily ”I do have something of great importance to say.”

“Then state your business. Do not beat around the bush, Ignis. “ Another Elder, a black robed one this time, reprimanded Ignis.

“Then so be it, “Ignis’ face visibly darkened and his voice became rather grave, “I bring grave news to all of you. Science, as we all know it, is rapidly progressing, slowly but steadily reaching singularity.”

Ignis paused and looked towards the other Elders, they merely nodded and Ignis continued.

“We do not necessarily object to this, rather, their discoveries might even help us with our own goals. Science has given us better understanding of the world and, though indirectly, of magic. However, the government and especially Helios Tech. has been found colluding with powerful mages of unknown origins.”

At this moment, everyone in the room was surprised, but not by much. All of them had already predicted that this would happen, in fact, it had already happened some 10 years ago.

They also knew what Helios Tech. was, it was the world’s leading manufacturer of holo-phones and Nano processors. Or at least that’s the cover story.

“They have created a ‘Mana Inhibitory Field’ as they call it, “ Ignis continued, “It disrupts the flow of mana while allowing Ether to pass through normally. My insider had reported that it was still at the creation procedure but we can’t rule out the possibility of being double crossed or some planted information.

“They have been experimenting with humans and mages alike. If this project or partnership is continued, the incident of 10 years ago can and will repeat itself. With technology very much ahead than 10 years ago, more mages and civilians will be affected by this. We need to stop this at all costs. If they set up MIF’s everywhere, we would essentially be weak and useless. Perfect for capturing and allowing experiments to be done to us, which will further advance their goals, repeating a vicious cycle.”

The Elders were now deep in their own thoughts, thinking of strategies and solutions to their new predicament.

“Everyone, “ Ignis clapped his hands, “Think this through and with utmost care and importance. We will hold another meeting here after five days.”

They nodded and each stepped out of their podiums and into the exits, still locked in thought.