The Fortunes of Magic

Liam's life turned very interesting when he moved with his parents to a planet that had yet to become a full-fledged member of the empire. Having yet to even earn a name, there was no reason to suspect just how much his life would change. The people of Planet 663-457 were happily lodged between the Iron Age and the Machine Age. The only, and by far biggest, difference between these people and the people of Earth was the fact that they were about four times the mass of the normal Earth human.
This, however, didn't stop twelve-year-old Liam from making fast friends with three local boys and they were soon inseparable. There was one aspect about the planet and its people that Liam's parents didn't find out about until their son was irretrievably submerged in it - magic. Many people of Planet 663-457 had some modicum of magic but few were strong enough to be able to access it. Those that were strong enough were brought to the masters for testing and if they passed the test, the masters took on their training.
As soon as Liam's parents found out what had happened to their son, their response was to leave the planet. Leaving the planet, however, could not protect Liam; it was too late for that. In fact, he came to understand that his leaving put himself and others around him at extreme risk - he very much needed the training the Masters offered.