It came as a shock to the little elf girl when her parents told her she wasn't allowed to learn any magic.

"But why?" The girl asked, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Magic is so cool! I've seen mother use them sometimes too!"

"Rules are rules." Her father said in a heavy tone, giving a piercing glare at his wife. "It's a taboo to discuss magic in our family."

"But why?"

"Why bother talking about it if you can not use it?" Her mother said in a softer tone. "Your father, as well as anyone in the family can not cast any spells, honey."

"But I can!" The six years old girl beamed. "Light ball!" A sphere of light floated on top of her palm.

The ball soon disappeared as a loud slap landed on her cheek.

"Where did you learn that?" Her father fumed. He was breathing heavily in anger.

"Ezron, stop!" The girl's mother took her under her protection. "She probably just picked the spell up from her friends. Don't be so harsh on her." She cuddled her shivering daughter tightly.

The little girl cried loudly, hugging her mother with both of her tiny arms.

***

"You learn fast. Much faster than most of my other students." The old elf lady said. "Say, can you show me your special water slicer spell again?"

"Yes!" The dark brown haired girl summoned a magic circle. "Myera's special Water Slicer!"

The brick in front of her was sliced neatly into twenty or so pieces as a net made out of water passed through it.

"See? It would take decades for others to create something like that out of a simple Water Slicer spell." The lady smiled. "And you accomplished it at the age of nine! You're a prodigy!"

The girl grinned.

"Or so I'd like to say." Her mentor's smile vanished in a snap. She sighed. "Why did you hide your identity from me?"

Myera's heart stopped. Her shivering lips tried to utter an answer but failed to get anything out.

"Answer me."

"I..I am sorry." Is what she could only manage to say.

"So am I." Her mentor replied.

"B-but why..?" Myera seemed confused.

"You aren't allowed here from tomorrow." The elf lady deadpanned. "I found your skills extraordinary, so I went ahead and did a little background check. And then I find out you're a Goldleaf!"

"B-but.. I'm sure the curse won't affect me! Most Goldleafs lose their magical powers at eight years of age! I'm well past that age!"

"You will end up endangering not only yourself but also people close to you!" Her mentor finally raised her voice. "A Goldleaf is an excellent mage by birth but is bound to lose her powers at a very young age. You can not ignore the existence of a curse!"

"There should be a way around. There has to be!"

"You won't find the way here. I can not continue to guide a mage who is going to lose her powers anyway in near future."

The little girl cried loudly, feeling lost and helpless. She really loved magic and didn't want to give up on it. But alas, she felt like the whole world was against her.

***

"Quick Shield!" Myera protected herself from the Razorwing's Wing Blade.

A muscular guy leaped out from behind and crashed the bird with his giant hammer. "That takes care of it." He wiped off his sweat. "Girl, aren't you a bit young to be an adventurer?"

"Am I?" Myera casted Bubble Bullet on the nearby flock of Razorwings that were flying towards them, taking all of them out in a single spell. "But I'm probably the strongest in the group."

"She got a point there." A boy with a greatsword next to them commented.

"You can hold your own really good. But don't you have a home to return to?" The Hammer man asked.

"I ran away from home. I need to complete the quest to get money to pay for my rent and food."

"I have a better alternative for you. One that pays well and involves less blood, at least. How do you feel about being a traveling merchant?"

"A traveling merchant?"

"Yes. You'll be able to travel the whole kingdom and beyond, and earn money by doing business."

"But it's not as cool as this!"

"Can we focus on the monster for now?" The man with the giant sword interrupted the conversation and pointed at the Alpha Starwolf in front of them.

"Just in case you change your mind, meet me in the Merchant guild." The hammer guy told Myera.

"I got this!" Myera summoned a blue magic circle. "Water Slicer!"

Nothing happened.

"N-not again!" Myera panicked as the magic circle disappeared.

The Sword guy jumped in to cover the elf girl and landed a blow on the wolf. "Take it easy girl."

"Thanks, Daiken."

The Alpha Starwolf howled in pain. And the team noticed a bunch of starwolves peeking out from the bush.

"Shaggy, keep your guards up. Our doggy got company." Daiken took his fighting stance.

The wolves leaped at the adventurers. Myera sliced a couple of them in half with her Water Slicer. Hammer guy, or Shaggy, crushed a few more. Daiken couldn't overpower the Alpha as it lunged at him from behind. The wolf sank its claws deep in his torso.

Shaggy jumped in to protect Daiken but got cornered as well by a bunch of starwolves.

"Leave them alone!" Myera yelled, "Bubble Bullet!" But the magic circle collapsed again.

"I said.. Bubble Bullet!"

A shower of bullets shot out in all directions, poking holes in every single wolf in the vicinity, essentially killing them all.

Myera rushed to Daiken, who was wounded and bleeding profusely. "Cura!" She casted.

Nothing happened.

"Cura!"

It happened to her often these days, her spells not having effect. But this was different. She couldn't feel the mana inside her. She couldn't feel any mana even around her. She started to panic.

"N-no.. this can't be happening.. not when I need it the most.." She glanced at the unconscious body of Shaggy nearby. "Cura!"

"Cura..."

"Curaaaa!"

The little girl cried loudly. She couldn't escape her destiny afterall. At twelve years of age Myera Goldleaf had ultimately lost her magical powers.