Chapter 2: The Journey to Silverwood
The two months after his Awakening Day felt like a long, heavy blur. Each day seemed colder than the one before.
The pity from his family hung in the air like a quiet weight, an unspoken apology for something only he had to bear.
His mother's gentle touches and his father's avoiding eyes reminded him softly that he was different, a boy who didn't belong in the magical world they all accepted.
He felt like a ghost in his own home, once part of their world but now standing outside, watching.
The word Magicless stuck to him like a shadow, always reminding him of how alone he was.
His friends or what was left of them were the clearest reminder of what he had lost.
He watched Liana, his kind-hearted friend with her new fire magic, practice spells in the town square.
She tried to act normal, but when she talked to him, her eyes showed the same pity the villagers had.
She often played with a small ball of fire between her fingers without even realizing it. He wasn't jealous of the fire itself, but of the confidence it gave her the way it made her feel strong and complete.
He saw her growing into the person she was meant to be, while he felt stuck in place.
Mark, on the other hand, didn't hide his dislike.
When he walked past Noah in the town square, his robes flowing with pride, he would flick his wrist and summon a small beam of light just to make sure Noah saw it. It was a constant, cruel reminder of the distance between them.
The question "Why me?" kept running through his mind like a quiet, endless echo.
He was just a kid. He hadn't done anything wrong.
Yet, he was the one marked as Magicless, a failure in a world where everyone else had a destiny.
With every day that passed, the distance between him and the others grew bigger. They were moving forward on their path, a path Noah wasn't allowed to walk.
By law, every child was given a spot at Silverwood Academy on their thirteenth birthday, no matter what kind of magic they had, or even if they had none at all. It was a formal ceremony, a government rule everyone followed.
So, even though Noah had no magic, he still had a place there. It was his destiny to go, but it was a future he couldn't imagine or understand.
On the morning he was leaving, his mother held him tight, her face buried in his shoulder.
She didn't say a word, but Noah could feel her tears soaking into his tunic. He hugged her back, trying to take in some of her warmth and love before he left.
His little brother, too young to understand what was happening, stood nearby clutching a wooden toy knight.
He looked at Noah with wide, innocent eyes.
Noah knelt down, took the toy from him, and put it back into his brother's hands. "You be a strong knight," he whispered, his voice heavy with a promise he didn't know if he could keep.
Across the room, his father watched from the doorway, his face quiet but full of sorrow. Noah knew this goodbye wasn't just for him, it was for the future they had all dreamed of.
The journey to Silverwood Academy was quiet and lonely. His father drove their simple cart, and the three days passed with almost no words.
They passed small villages where children played, their laughter a reminder of a hopeful future. Noah watched them from the side of the road, feeling far away even though they were close.
He couldn't bring himself to look at his father. His father, a kind man, didn't know what to say either. The silence between them was louder than any words, it was the sound of a dream slipping away.
On the final day of their journey, as the sun started to set, his father cleared his throat. "It's a great chance, son," he said softly, trying to sound hopeful. "A place where you can still… find your own way." The words felt empty and fragile.
The words felt fragile, like whispers lost in the wind. Noah's eyes fell to his hands, tracing the faint scar of his mark, a quiet reminder that his path seemed lost.
But somewhere deep inside, a small spark flickered, a hope that maybe, just maybe, this new place could become a home.
Soon the air turned crisp and cool, and in the distance, Noah saw the reason for his lonely journey.
Silverwood Academy stood tall, a place of legends, with towers and buildings reaching into the sky. Its walls shimmered with magic, meant to protect it from harm.
A great silver gate, covered in symbols of every magical element, stood before him. As he and his father got closer, Noah felt the heavy weight of what he didn't have.
It pressed down on him, making him feel small and invisible. He stood at the gate to a world that wasn't his, a place that was supposed to be his destiny.
Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for whatever was coming next.