Chapter 25: Departure

The morning dawned with a quiet sense of finality. Kael stood by the window of the small inn, watching the village slowly come to life under the soft light of dawn. The distant sounds of villagers beginning their daily routines seemed distant and muted, like they belonged to another world—one that Kael was already beginning to leave behind.

Today was the day he would leave for the Academy.

His belongings were packed, his sword strapped to his side, but the weight in his chest hadn’t eased since yesterday’s announcement. He had earned his place, but the cost still gnawed at him. Sera hadn’t been chosen. The thought circled through his mind relentlessly, tugging at his resolve.

Kael had known the Academy would be his next step, that it would change everything, but he hadn’t expected it to feel this… bittersweet.

A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to see Mira standing in the doorway, her quiet presence a familiar comfort. She wore a simple travel cloak over her healer’s garb, her face calm but her eyes showing a flicker of uncertainty.

“It’s time,” she said softly.

Kael nodded, taking one last look at the village he had known his whole life. This place—his home—had felt so small before, like the walls of a cage he had been desperate to break free from. Now, with the Academy looming on the horizon, it felt larger, more distant, as if he were walking away from something irreplaceable.

He turned from the window, squaring his shoulders. “I’m ready.”

Mira gave him a small, encouraging smile. “Alec and Tarin are waiting. The caravan will leave soon.”

They left the room together, the air between them thick with the knowledge that their world was about to change forever. As they stepped outside, the village square came into view. The other chosen competitors were already gathering near the scouts’ caravan—a line of covered wagons and horses that would take them to the capital.

Kael spotted Alec and Tarin standing near the edge of the square, both of them looking far more composed than Kael felt. Alec, with his ever-calculating gaze, was already planning their next steps. Tarin leaned casually against a wagon, but Kael could tell he was quietly preparing himself for the road ahead.

But Kael’s gaze was drawn to Sera.

She stood near the well in the center of the square, talking with a few of the villagers, her usual confident demeanor still intact. But when their eyes met, Kael saw the truth beneath her bravado. The disappointment and frustration she had tried to hide yesterday hadn’t vanished—it still lingered, just beneath the surface.

Kael hesitated for a moment, then turned to Mira. “I need to talk to her.”

Mira nodded, understanding. “We’ll wait for you.”

Kael crossed the square, his heart heavy as he approached Sera. She turned to face him, her eyes narrowing slightly, though there was no hostility there—just the pain of unspoken words.

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“Sera,” Kael began, unsure of where to start.

Sera raised a hand, stopping him. “Don’t,” she said, her voice firm but not unkind. “I know what you’re going to say, and I don’t need to hear it.”

Kael frowned. “But I—”

“I’m fine,” she interrupted, crossing her arms. “Yeah, I’m frustrated. Angry, even. But it’s not your fault. You deserved this, Kael. You’re stronger than anyone I’ve ever met. The Academy was always where you were meant to be.”

Kael searched her face, trying to gauge her true feelings, but Sera was a master at hiding her emotions when she wanted to be. Still, he could sense the hurt beneath her words.

“You’ll find your own path,” Kael said, his voice quiet. “You’re not the kind of person who gives up.”

Sera let out a small, bitter laugh. “Yeah, that’s me. I don’t give up.” She looked away for a moment, her expression hardening. “I’ll figure it out. Maybe there’s something else for me out there. Maybe I’ll get another chance.”

Kael nodded slowly, though it felt like a hollow promise. The Academy was the most direct path to power and influence, but it wasn’t the only one. He just hoped Sera would find her own way, even if it wasn’t the same road he was taking.

“Look, don’t worry about me,” Sera said, giving him a rough smile. “You go to the Academy, get stronger, and when you come back, I’ll be waiting. And I’ll be ready to kick your ass.”

Kael couldn’t help but smile at that, though the sadness still lingered in his chest. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Sera’s smile faded slightly, her expression softening. “Just… don’t forget where you came from, alright? You might be going to the capital, but Darvan’s still your home. You’re one of us.”

Kael swallowed hard, nodding. “I won’t forget.”

They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of what wasn’t being said hanging between them. Kael wanted to say more, to find some way to fix the disappointment that lingered between them, but there were no words that could make it better.

Finally, Sera gave him a firm nod and stepped back. “Go on. Don’t make me cry in front of all these people. That would be embarrassing.”

Kael managed a small laugh, though it was tinged with sadness. “I’ll see you again, Sera.”

She waved him off, her voice rough but warm. “Yeah, yeah. Now get out of here before I change my mind and steal your spot.”

With one last glance, Kael turned and made his way back to the caravan. His heart felt heavy, but he knew he couldn’t stay. The Academy was waiting, and his path lay ahead.

As he rejoined Mira, Alec, and Tarin, the scouts were already preparing the caravan for departure. The other chosen competitors were climbing into the wagons, their faces a mix of excitement and apprehension. Kael, Mira, Alec, and Tarin exchanged a look—this was it. The moment they had all been waiting for.

They climbed into one of the wagons, the wooden benches creaking beneath them as the caravan began to move. The horses snorted, the wheels turning slowly as the village of Darvan faded into the distance behind them.

Kael watched as the familiar landscape slipped away, replaced by the open road ahead. The trees and fields he had known all his life gradually gave way to the unknown.

The Academy was the future now. It was where his real journey would begin. But as the village disappeared from view, Kael couldn’t shake the feeling that he was leaving behind more than just his home.

He was leaving behind a part of himself—one that he wasn’t sure he could ever get back.

The journey to the capital was long and quiet. Kael and his friends spent most of it lost in their own thoughts, the weight of their impending future hanging over them. The closer they got to the Academy, the more real it became. The legendary institution where the best of the best trained, where power and influence were within reach for those strong enough to claim it.

Kael had heard stories of the Academy all his life—of the fierce competition, the brutal training, and the students who clawed their way to the top by any means necessary. But he had also heard of the power that awaited those who survived. The Academy was more than just a school—it was a proving ground, where only the strongest rose to the top.

As the wagon rumbled along the road, Kael’s thoughts drifted to his future at the Academy. His God Eye and Copy & Evolve skills had given him an edge in the trials, but he knew the Academy would be filled with people far more powerful than anyone he had faced so far. He couldn’t rely on his talents alone—he would need to train harder, fight smarter, and evolve faster if he wanted to survive.

And then there was Dalen.

Kael’s hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword as he thought of the assassin. Dalen had been relentless during the trials, and Kael knew that their rivalry wasn’t over. He had seen the hatred in Dalen’s eyes—the promise of future conflict. Dalen would be waiting for him at the Academy, and Kael needed to be ready.

As the caravan crested a hill, the capital city came into view.

Kael’s breath caught in his throat.

The sprawling city stretched out before them, its walls towering and imposing. The sun gleamed off the stone buildings, casting long shadows across the streets. And at the center of it all, rising high above the rest of the city, was the Academy itself—a massive fortress-like structure that dominated the skyline.

This was it. The place where everything would change.

Kael glanced at his friends, seeing the same mixture of awe and determination reflected in their eyes.

The Academy awaited.

And Kael knew that once they entered those gates, there would be no turning back.