The next morning dawned crisp and clear. Velis buzzed with the usual energy of city life—merchants shouting, carts clattering over stone, and the hum of magic that lingered faintly in the air. After breakfast, Kael and Mira stepped out onto the street, the stonework gleaming beneath their boots.
They walked side by side as Mira led him toward the western part of the city, where the Magic Academy was located. The buildings here grew more elegant, clean-cut, and humming softly with magical wards embedded in their walls.
"So," Kael asked, "your parents... what are they like?"
Mira gave a small smile. "Adventurers. High-ranking ones. They're off completing guild contracts—dangerous ones. They send money back when they can."
Kael nodded, sensing the pride and loneliness in her voice. "Do they visit often?"
"Not really. Maybe once or twice a year."
They arrived at a tall, multi-towered complex with arched gates and glowing runes etched into the stone—Velis Arcanum Academy. Dozens of other students and prospective mages moved about the grounds.
Kael was ushered into a wide hall where new applicants were being tested. A proctor greeted them, a stern-looking man with narrow spectacles and a clipboard floating beside him.
"Name?"
"Kael."
"Demonstrate a skill."
Kael stepped forward and raised his hand. He activated Minor Teleport at its beginner level, causing a nearby pebble to vanish and reappear a few feet to the side.
Some of the observers murmured. But one of the instructors—a tall man in gray robes with a permanent scowl—scoffed.
"E-rank trash," he muttered, just loud enough for Kael to hear. "These kinds never amount to anything."
Kael's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. Mira placed a hand on his arm, grounding him.
The proctor didn't comment on the insult. Instead, he nodded at Kael and handed him a stamped parchment. "You're approved for enrollment. Classes begin in two months. You'll receive a schedule and orientation details by post."
As they exited the hall, Mira rolled her eyes. "Ignore that guy. He thinks unless you can set something on fire or blow a hole in a wall, you're useless."
Kael smirked. "Let's see what he says when I rewrite the rules."
They stepped back into the sunlit courtyard. Two months. It was time to prepare—and to prove that power wasn't defined by rank, but by imagination, discipline, and purpose.