Magic?

[Knock, Knock]

Astra heard a knocking at the door. "Coming," she mumbled, still half-asleep. As she slowly and reluctantly got out of bed, she wondered who could be knocking at this hour. When she finally opened the door, she was met with the sight of Faye standing there.

"Hey, Faye," Astra greeted her, her voice laden with sleepiness.

Faye raised an eyebrow, studying Astra. "Wow, you look like a mess. Are you okay?"

Astra yawned. "I noticed."

Faye grinned. "So, to help you with your troubles, I'm going to teach you how to use magic."

"Magic?" Astra asked, her drowsiness giving way to curiosity.

Faye nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, magic! Since you're clearly not from here, I'll teach you how to use it."

Astra hesitated but decided to go along with it. "Okay."

Faye motioned for Astra to follow her, and they left the room, heading to a nearby field.

[Location: Fields]

"Alright, let's start with the basics," Faye began. "In this world, there are different types of magic. The primary one is elemental magic, which includes fire, water, wind, and more. Everyone can only use two elements, and the rest are off-limits."

Astra nodded, absorbing the information.

Faye continued, "Another type is material magic. Only a chosen few can wield it, about one in a million. They can manipulate objects without being bound to a specific element."

Astra nodded again, taking it all in.

Faye sighed and moved on. "The last type is sub-magic, reserved for elite mages who combine their two chosen elements. It's complex and risky; one wrong move, and you could seriously hurt yourself."

Astra had questions. "Wait, is this magic thing biological? Do I even have a chance to do magic at all?"

Faye clarified, "It's not biological; it's more like a talent. Everyone can use magic, but not everyone excels at it."

Astra understood better now. "Oh, I get it."

"Great. Now, stretch your hands out," Faye instructed.

Astra obediently stretched out her hands.

"Take a deep breath, then let it all out," Faye continued.

Astra did as told, but to her disappointment, nothing happened.

Tears welled up in Astra's eyes. She was frustrated.

Faye comforted her. "Don't cry; it's okay. Here, try again."

With Faye's support, Astra made another attempt. This time, a small amount of water flowed from her right hand, while lightning sparked from her left.

Faye smiled at her progress. "See, it's a start. Maybe we should call it a day."

Astra agreed. "Okay."

[Location: Astra's Room]

Astra returned to her room and collapsed on her bed, repeating a mantra to herself: "Don't get discouraged, don't get discouraged," she whispered between sobs.

The next day and in the weeks that followed, Astra continued her daily jobs while dedicating herself to magic practice, primarily focusing on her water abilities. In her free time, she researched magic extensively, immersing herself in this unfamiliar world.

As time passed, her magical talents grew stronger.

[One Month Later]

Astra followed the same old man from her previous job to a roof that was dirtier than she had ever seen before. The man explained the task, left, and waited downstairs.

With determination, Astra stretched out her hand, took a deep breath, and released it. A powerful rush of water burst from her hand, cleansing the roof from all the accumulated dirt and bird droppings.

Astra couldn't believe it. "It worked! It actually worked!" she exclaimed in sheer delight.

The old man rushed back to the roof, astounded by the transformation. "What's all the ruckus up here? My God, that was fast!"

Astra grinned, proud of her newfound abilities.

She thought to herself, 'I can't wait to show Faye what I can do now.'

[The Next Day]

Astra was once again greeted by a knock on her door.

"Hey, Astra, you there?" Faye called.

But when Faye entered the room, Astra was nowhere to be found. She seemed to have disappeared entirely.

Faye searched high and low, checking every nook and cranny, inquiring with Astra's regular job contacts and clients. Still, there was no sign of her. "Where did she go?"

Eventually, Faye decided to return to the fields where they had practiced magic together.

There, she found Astra using water magic in a way that no one in this world had ever witnessed. Astra summoned rain and even pushed her abilities to create a thunderstorm, a feat she hadn't even trained for.

Astra ceased her magical display and greeted Faye with a warm smile. "Oh, hey. What took you so long?"

Faye smiled back at her and admitted, "You're one crazy kid."

With newfound magical prowess, Astra's journey in this unfamiliar world continued, filled with potential and wonder.