There's no magic shop in FFVIII. Basically, normal people cannot use magic, but Garden graduates are exceptional and can.

A much harder goal than passing the graduation exam is to become a member of SeeD. SeeD is a special force like the Green Beret or French Foreign Legion. Highly capable trainees have a chance to try out for SeeD. Squall is hoping to become a member of the squad.

At a glance, this world is peaceful. But in the closet it hides many small problems, carrying a situation where war can break through at any time. The Garden was created in such a world. A private school of soldiers created to quiet down the disputes. Located all around the world, but not working under any country. By sending the soldiers of the Garden around the world, the seeds of world war were being destroyed and the military powers, balanced. At first glance, this world was peaceful. Until the legendary witch awoke from the long silence

When Squall is inducted into SeeD, the elite mercenary force of Garden, he attends a dinner party for the new recruits, during which he meets Rinoa. Although they do not reveal their identies at the party, Squall encounters Rinoa later, and discovers she is the leader of the Forest Owls, a rebel organization fighting against the nation of Galbaldia.

The Forest Owls are not very effective in their battles against Galbaldia, despite being assissted by SeeD. All the members of Forest Owls appear to have little concern about the consequences of their actions.

After meeting Rinoa, Squall has a very strange dream, in which he is Laguna Loire, a Galbaldia soldier who would rather be a journalist. In the dream, Laguna is on a mission with Ward and Kiros.

Meanwhile, the nation of Galbaldia has annexed neighboring Dole, and has declared war on the rest of the world. The president of Galbaldia was assisted by the witch Edea. Because it is suspected that Edea is behind the recent Galbaldian actions, Squall is sent on a mission to assassinate her.

Complicating matters is the appearance of Seifer, Squall's long time rival, at Edea's side. Seifer has two loyal bodyguards, Raijin and Fuujin who will also make Squall's mission harder.

Edea has an image of a witch in the occidental culture. She is an enemy for Squall and his fellows. But what does her existence in the world, where Squall and his friends live, mean? Fundementally witches have been the only women that have powerful magics. Though they have existed since ancient time, the reason why they exist is unknown. They are not immortal but have the fatal thread like humans. A witch can pass her power as a witch on to the person she chooses. It is said that witch's power does not run in the blood, so a person chosen by a witch suddenly gets a tremendous magical power, and sometimes such a person's life would be changed dramatically.

So some witches made best use of their magical power and conquered people, and some hated their own power and lived a solitary lives. Some evil witches were beside themselves with the tremendous magical power and even controlled a government at that time. People feared all the witches as evil ones, and they have been trying to get rid of them from their society. And now(in the time of FF8), the existence of witches have become unknown to ordinary people. For young people, including Squall, witches are just what exist only in legends. Adding to this, many of them have forgotten that some witches are evil. There Edea appeared in public. Looking at these pictures, people seem to adore her as if she were a god. As she appeared as an enemy for Squall, does he have to antagonize these people who adore Edea?