Cedric led Kael through the cacophony and color of Darkenshire's bustling streets, gesturing towards prominent landmarks as they navigated the crowds.
The city was a revelation, utterly unlike the familiar simplicity of Kael's village. Towering structures of grey stone clawed at the sky, their surfaces adorned with intricate carvings. Knights in gleaming armor, polished to a blinding sheen, moved with an air of practiced authority. Even the street vendors, their voices a symphony of shouts and calls, displayed wares that shimmered with an otherworldly vigor – magical trinkets that pulsed with faint energies. Kael felt a wave of overwhelming awe crash over him, a sensation so potent it threatened to buckle his knees.
Compared to the quiet intimacy of his village, a place where life unfolded within the comforting embrace of a couple of dozen straw-roofed huts, this city was a dizzying, sprawling behemoth. It felt as though he'd been a babe confined to the dim stillness of a house for far too long, only to suddenly burst into the vibrant chaos of the real world. Yet, a carefully constructed mask of neutrality remained plastered on his face, a conscious effort to conceal the raw wonder that threatened to spill forth.
He really felt like a country bumpkin.
'This getting really embarrassing,' he thought, a flicker of self-consciousness beneath his feigned indifference.
Still, Cedric, with the keen eye of someone accustomed to such sights, caught Kael's gaze lingering a fraction too long on a floating lantern, its soft glow illuminating the surrounding faces in an ethereal light. A chuckle rumbled in Cedric's chest.
"Lost in thought there?" Cedric asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.
Kael quickly cleared his throat, the sound a little too sharp in the surrounding noise, and abruptly shifted his gaze to a weathered stone wall. "Yeah, just… processing things."
"Processing how you've apparently never encountered the marvel of a simple floating lantern before?" Cedric's tone was light, teasing.
Kael offered a deliberately casual shrug, hoping it conveyed nonchalance. "I've seen lanterns before."
"But not one that floats right?"
Kael remained silent this time.
I mean you couldn't blame him. He'd never witnessed true magic firsthand, never laid eyes on a genuine magical artifact. The closest he'd come was watching his mother's practical chore magic – a gentle hum that coaxed the broom to sweep or the water to heat. Their lives were anchored in simplicity, a quiet existence with barely a ripple from the outside world.
Cedric chuckled but didn't press the further.
They continued their tour, pointing out a majestic fountain where water danced in intricate patterns and a bustling marketplace overflowing with exotic goods. Eventually, they halted before a grand building, its façade imposing, with an elegant crest – a stylized griffon rampant – carved in meticulous detail above its arched entrance. "This," Cedric announced with a touch of pride, "is the Darkenshire branch of the Academy's registration office."
Kael raised a brow, keeping his expression neutral. "Academy?"
He recalled the Archive mentioning something about being admitted there.
Cedric folded his arms, raising a brow. "You don't know about the academy? I thought at least that much would be common knowledge, even in… well, wherever you're from."
Kael hesitated for a fleeting second, then smoothly played it off. "My father… mentioned it once or twice, in passing. Never really explained what it entailed."
With a sigh, Cedric elaborated. "It's the most prestigious learning institution in the entire realm. Only the brightest minds and most promising talents receive invitations. Every kingdom sends their future leaders there – generals with strategic brilliance, scholars with insatiable curiosity, mages with formidable power. A graduation from the Royal Academy practically guarantees a life of influence and opportunity."
A genuine spark of interest flickered in Kael's eyes, though he kept his voice deliberately even. "Sounds… interesting. So, what's the entry process?"
Cedric gave him a knowing look, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "Well, as I said, invitation only. Either you're born into the right lineage – nobility, that is – or you demonstrate exceptional talent, something that catches the eye of those who matter. So, unless you're harboring some extraordinary hidden ability, a latent psychic gift, or a noteworthy bloodline, it's not exactly an easy door to open."
Kael, still diligently maintaining his neutral façade, offered a simple, "I see."
But he couldn't help feeling a little disheartened.
Cedric, however, noticed the fleeting dip in Kael's usual guarded expression. A smile touched his lips. "Actually," he added, a hint of playfulness in his voice, "there is another way – a personal recommendation from a high-ranking noble to the academy itself."
A flicker of renewed hope ignited within Kael, chasing away the brief disappointment.
"Oh? High-ranking nobles? Who exactly are they? And… do you happen to know any?"
Cedric could no longer contain himself. A burst of laughter erupted from him, echoing slightly in the bustling street.
Kael's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's so amusing?"
Cedric, still crackling, tried to compose himself. "I'm sorry, don't get offended, but you're genuinely the most… unacquainted person I've ever encountered when it comes to basic knowledge." He dabbed at a tear that had escaped his eye, a wide grin still plastered on his face. "The owner of the rather comfortable house you graced with your presence last night? He happens to be a very high-ranking noble."
Kael blinked. "You mean… your father? He's… nobility?"
Cedric shook his head slowly, a mixture of amusement and disbelief in his eyes. "Wow. You really do live in a bubble, don't you? I suppose that's another compelling reason why you absolutely must experience the enlightening teachings of the academy."
Kael gave a casual shrug.
Cedric sighed, a fond exasperation in his tone. "Come on, let's head back. If you actually voiced your interest to my father, he might genuinely consider recommending you. He seems to have taken a peculiar liking to you."
Kael nodded, keeping his excitement under control as they turned back toward the mansion.
He had been wondering what he was supposed to do with his life now that there was no one to direct him or push him in the right direction.
His parents were gone. He had surprisingly come to terms with that quite easily, and now he had to start thinking for himself.
He had to find a way to survive, and that was by getting stronger.
Not to talk of the impossible tasks the Archive had giving him to complete in six months....
He didn't know if he would really die or lose his eyes if he failed to complete them, and honestly speaking he didn't really care, but there no harm in trying..... Right?
'And the first step is by getting into the Academy.'
But then he realized something.
"Wait a minute. If your father is a noble, doesn't that automatically grant you access to the academy, even without a recommendation? So… are you also planning on attending?"
"Ohh, look at that! The gears are actually turning in there." Cedric shot back, his tone playfully sarcastic.
Kael simply sighed, shaking his head slowly. He was beginning to decipher the layers of Cedric's personality, recognizing that the teasing wasn't malicious, and knew he wasn't really looking down on him so he wasn't offended.
Cedric, noticing Kael's lack of reaction, clicked his annoyed. "Well, the truth is, I haven't yet established my connection to the Archive. I'm only fifteen, you see, and only those who have bonded with their Archive are eligible to enter the academy."
Kael nodded, the explanation making logical sense.
But then, another significant realization dawned on him.
"Hold on. Did you just say you're only fifteen? Doesn't that mean… I'm older than you?"
Cedric merely offered a sly, knowing smile, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking."
With that, he spun on his heel and broke into a run towards the direction of his father's mansion, his laughter echoing in the afternoon air.
"Stop right there, you little…" Kael started, a genuine smile finally breaking through his carefully maintained neutrality.
...
Meanwhile, back in the opulent lounge of the mansion, Erick and his wife, Helena, sat comfortably, the gentle clinking of porcelain accompanying their quiet conversation over steaming cups of coffee.
Helena glanced at her husband with narrowed eyes.
"Alright, out with it. What is so uniquely compelling about this boy that compelled you to bring him home? You've always hated having guest over."
Erick just smiled and leaned back into his chair. "Just instinct, I suppose."
Helena rolled her eyes. "Sometimes you act like a mysterious old monk, you know that?"
Before Erick could offer a witty retort, the lounge door swung open, revealing Cedric and Kael.
"Oh, done with your tour already?"
Cedric nodded, a touch of eagerness in his voice. "Yeah, I already showed him all the important stuff. And Kael had something to ask Dad, so we hurried back."
Erick shifted his attention to Kael. "You have something to ask me?"
Kael hesitated for a moment, a flicker of nervousness in his eyes, before nodding. "Cedric… explained a little about the Academy. It sounds like a really interesting place, and… I would really like to go there. However," he paused, taking a steadying breath, "he mentioned that entry is primarily through invitation or… a recommendation. And he said that you… possess the ability to offer such a recommendation. So," he concluded, his voice a little more direct now, "I was hoping… if you would consider recommending me?"
Erick raised a brow, surprise clearly written on his face, Then suddenly burst into a fit of laughter, causing both Helena and Cedric to exchange bewildered glances.
"Hahahaha! Forgive me, forgive me!" Erick finally managed to calm down, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye, a lingering chuckle still bubbling in his chest. "It's just… the sheer coincidence! The amusing irony! You see, young Kael," he continued, his voice still laced with mirth, "I was already planning to ask you if you were interested in going so I could write a recommendation for you."
"..."
"You were?" Helena and Cedric echoed simultaneously, exchanging incredulous looks.
They were well aware of Erick's fondness for the quiet newcomer, but this level of support was unprecedented. Recommendations to the Royal Academy were not casually bestowed, they were a significant honor, reserved for individuals who had demonstrably proven their merit. This was the first instance either of them could recall Erick offering such a weighty endorsement.
This just goes further to prove that there was something really special about Kael.
Kael, for his part, was still trying to keep his expression neutral. But deep inside, he knew—this was his chance.