When we returned home, Castti made me go outside to tend to her garden and put me in charge of cleaning the house. I sighed, but honestly, I was happy I wasn't being asked to do more than that.
Three hours later...
I had finished all my chores, and while I was putting everything away, I heard the doorknob jiggle, like someone was trying to come in.
I assumed it was Castti, so I didn't pay it any mind.
I was wrong.
"Honey, I'm home!"
I quickly turned around and saw a man walk through the door. He was tall and muscular, and then I realized…
It was the man from the photo.
Castti's husband had come home!
"Hey, who are you?" he asked, his voice strong.
My heart skipped a beat. Did he think I was just some kid who broke into his house? Castti wasn't here to explain, and I panicked for a second, but then I took a deep breath.
"I-I'm Akira…"
The man's eyes widened.
"Wait a second… you're the kid Castti wrote to me about?!"
Just then, the door opened again, Castti walked in, her eyes lighting up when she saw him.
"Gareth, welcome home," she said warmly. "I see you've already met Akira."
Gareth wrapped her in a hug and kissed her cheek.
"So this is the kid you've been telling me about?"
We all sat down at the kitchen table as Castti explained everything, how we met, what we'd been through, and what I'd been doing since arriving here.
Twenty minutes later…
"Oh ho ho, I see!" Gareth chuckled. "So you're the one my wife decided to take in, huh?"
I nodded quietly.
"Well, since we're all here, Akira…" Castti said with a smile. "I actually have a surprise for you."
I blinked and looked at her, curious, and a bit excited.
"Over the past few months, I've been writing to Gareth about… adopting you. I know you already see me as a mother, and…"
She reached into her bag and pulled out a paper.
Adoption papers.
My eyes widened as I stared at them, tears already welling up.
"Are you… serious? M-Mother?"
She stepped forward and gently hugged my head.
"It's what we both want," she said softly. "We want to be your new family. Isn't that right, Gareth?"
She looked over to him.
"I know I just met you, kid," Gareth said, smiling, "but I've heard a lot. You've been helping Castti a lot. And I hear our little prodigy can use magic, too." He chuckled. "From now on, I want you to try and think of me as your father. I know it's a bit sudden, but I'm looking forward to getting to know you even more.
I nodded with a smile, wiping my eyes.
"Thank you," I said quietly, voice full of emotion. "Thank you… for being my new family."
Something to hold onto—something I could always look back on whenever I needed strength.
For the rest of that day, Gareth settled in, and we spent time bonding. He was funny, surprisingly kind, and a lot more easygoing than I expected. I started to really enjoy my life with my new family.
Two months passed…
Gareth walked into the house one evening, the scent of food greeting him as he stepped through the door. Castti was busy at the stove, humming softly as she stirred a pot.
"Where's the kid?" Gareth asked, glancing around.
Castti blinked, realizing Akira wasn't in the house.
"Oh he's probably out in the woods again, trying out that new spell book he got," she said, wiping her hands on a cloth. "He's been talking nonstop about it. You know how excited he gets."
Gareth chuckled. "Trying out new magic, huh?"
"Mhm," Castti smiled. "If you want, he's probably in his usual practice spot in the forest. You should go watch him. It's… kind of adorable, seeing our son try his hardest to get a spell just right."
Gareth grinned at that, already heading for the door.
"Yeah… I think I will."
At the forest...
I was exhausted. The new magic I was trying to learn, Light Magic, was completely out of my league. According to the Light Mage book I picked up from the bookstore, it was one of the hardest elements to master.
Even a small mistake could blind me. Thankfully, not permanently.
I sat down to catch my breath. The forest was quiet, and honestly... it felt nice to be alone for a bit.
A lot had happened since Castti took me in. I learned one spell. I entered the kingdom. I met a group of students, probably from some academy, and almost got killed by thugs. But the thing I couldn't stop thinking about…
Did I really cause that massive wave of wind? And if so... how?
Was it my anger? Instinct? I wish I knew.
Most of the books I'd read only told stories about mages using magic. None explained how it actually worked. When I asked Mother where I could learn more, she told me the real tomes, the ones that teach, not just tell stories, were all locked away in noble estates. No commoner could get their hands on them.
Still... I had to understand what I did back then. And that girl... Who was she?
Suddenly, I felt something, a presence, in the air. Cold. Malicious.
I stood up and looked around, scanning the tree line. My body tensed. I focused wind magic to my fingertips, just in case.
Then it lunged.
A bear burst from the shadows, claws slashing toward me. I leapt back just in time. My heart pounded. Fear gripped me, I had never fought anything before. Not like this.
It roared. I had to act. I fired off a wind spell, but it only nicked the bear's fur.
Its hide was thick.
"Damn it! S-Should I run?" I panicked, dodging left and right as the bear swiped at me again and again.
But I wasn't fast enough. Its claw caught my left arm.
Pain erupted as blood ran down my sleeve.
"STAY BACK!" I screamed, clutching the wound with my other hand. The bleeding wouldn't stop, it was deep.
I looked around, hoping to see Mother or Father. Nothing. They probably thought I was fine...
The bear stalked toward me, slower now, as if savoring its victory.
I collapsed. Hurt. Helpless.
I shut my eyes.
Was this it?
No. Not yet.
The bear raised its paw for a killing blow, but I opened my eyes and reacted.
A wind slash flew from my fingertips, slicing into the bear's paw.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I yelled. My voice cracked with rage. Why was I so angry?
The bear staggered, whimpering. But it was still alive. And something in me… snapped.
I wasn't in control anymore. My body moved on instinct.
Spell after spell after spell, wind magic tearing into the bear. I couldn't stop. I didn't want to stop.
"Akira!!" a voice called.
But I didn't hear it.
With a final, thunderous shout, I unleashed a massive wind slash that split the bear in two.
Blood sprayed. It drenched me, hot and heavy. And then... everything went black.
When I came to, I was being carried. Gareth held me in his arms.
Castti ran to us, eyes wide. "I-Is he okay?!"
"He's fine, honey," Gareth said, his voice low. "But… I saw everything. This kid… he's something special."
They brought me home and laid me in bed. Castti never left my side. She cleaned my wounds, washed off the blood, and whispered soft comforts while I slept.
The next morning...
I opened my eyes and saw her, mom, sitting at my bedside.
"M-Mom…? Where am I?"
She threw her arms around me and began to cry.
"I'm so glad you're safe… Your father told me everything. You were in a rage, Akira. You killed a bear with your magic, but you collapsed after. You're hurt."
I hugged her back. I always make her worry. Every time I come back with new bruises or worse.
Gareth came in moments later and ruffled my hair.
"Glad you're okay, son. But wow! You shredded that bear!"
Castti shot him a glare and smacked his arm.
"Our son almost died and that's what you have to say?!"
"Sorry, sorry!" Gareth laughed, holding up his hands. "Just glad he's alive. How're you feeling, kid?"
I looked down.
"…I was scared. I didn't want to die. I just… lost it. I kept casting until it was dead."
I didn't recognize myself in that moment. And that scared me more than the bear ever could.
Mom sighed and kissed my forehead.
"No more magic training for three days, okay?"
She scolded me gently. I accepted her deal, after all, my arm was still healing. Even if I wanted to train, I couldn't push it.
For two days, I stayed home, helping around the house and reading through the Light Mage manual. It was peaceful... until I suddenly heard commotion from the kitchen.
"Hey! Who the hell are you people?!"That was Dad's voice, shouting.
I shot up from my room and rushed toward the kitchen. There, I saw three strangers in formal, almost ceremonial uniforms. But then my eyes landed on the one in the middle.
The old man from the shop.
Head Master Thaddeus?!
What was he doing here?
"We are from the prestigious academy, Astralis," the old man said, his tone calm. "I am the headmaster of the academy. Please, allow me to come in. I'd like to speak with your son, if that's alright."
My eyes widened. Astralis? Astralis, one of the most elite mage academies in the kingdom, known for only accepting nobles and top-tier spellcasters.
I peeked around the doorframe, unsure if I should speak.
Thaddeus's gaze gently met mine.
"It's alright, little one," he said softly. "I'd like to talk to you."
I stepped out slowly and gave a hesitant nod. A few minutes later, Mom had everyone settled at the kitchen table.
Thaddeus smiled, then spoke with surprising warmth.
"Allow me to formally introduce myself and explain why I've come. I am Headmaster Thaddeus of Astralis Academy. To my left is Professor Elysia, and to my right is Professor Leon."
I turned my eyes to the woman first, Professor Elysia.
She stood tall, elegant, with long, violet hair that shimmered faintly under the kitchen lights. Her deep purple eyes were sharp but not unkind, and the glasses perched on her nose gave her an air of cool intellect. There was something… refined about her. She didn't smile, but her gaze was calm, observant, as if she could see right through me.
Then my eyes shifted to the man, Professor Leon.
Golden blond hair swept neatly back, not a strand out of place. His amber eyes narrowed slightly, his expression stern and unreadable. There was a quiet intensity in him, like the kind of man who expected excellence and didn't bother with sugarcoating. He didn't need to say much, his presence alone demanded was a bit intimidating, but I could tell he's kind.
They both looked completely out of place in our small kitchen. But they were nobles after all, not to mention if they're teachers...they're strong, and out of my league.
"I come here to ask your son something," Headmaster Thaddeus said, his tone serious but not unkind. "Would you like… to join Astralis Academy, young one?"
The room fell silent.
Mother gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Father's eyes widened, staring at me like he couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Slowly, both of them turned their eyes toward me.
And me?
I couldn't move.
Astralis Academy…? The most prestigious magic school in the kingdom? A place where nobles train to become mages? Where students wielded spells I could only dream of?!
I looked at Thaddeus in disbelief. Why me?
Was I really… capable of something like that?
I glanced at my bandaged arm. Just days ago, I was struggling to control my magic, barely managing not to blow myself up. And now, they were offering me a place among the elite?
The words wouldn't leave my mouth.
My mind raced with questions, fears, and possibilities. What kind of life would await me there? Could I truly belong among students who had everything I didn't, wealth, lineage, training?
Would I sink… or rise?
I didn't know the answer yet. But I could feel it deep down, like a whisper in my soul, if I said yes, everything would change...but what would mother and father think?!