Every year, mages are subjected to three major tests. Those who do not survive the tests are not allowed to proceed as mages. One of those tests is to acquire a rare, powerful talisman and add it to his collection. The second is to save a life. The third is having a psychotic fall madly in love with you and expect you to be their lover forever, like a character out of Play Misty for Me, and extricate yourself from their traps.

Needless to say I am still here and I am still a mage.