The sound of a man approaching his cell caused him to raise his head. It had been a while since anyone came to visit him since he had been thrown in jail. Strangely, the worst part about being in a cell like this wasn’t the lack of food or water. No, it was rather the absolute boredom that came from being in a place such as this.

A man in a navy blue uniform began opening the cell door as his uncle stood behind him. “Come out,” the guard said with a furious look in his eyes. Not happy to see me leaving eh? Well too bad for you.

Raelle found it a little harder getting up than he would’ve expected. The harsh floor and lack of movement had done him in along with the deprivation of much-needed food or water. His lips were parched and cracked to the point that if he dared use his mouth, he knew they’d start bleeding.

Much like this guard, it felt like everyone was beginning to hate him. The elites especially hated him now, but the people here at this jail seemed even more hateful. There was something twisted and evil with the way the guards treated him since they grabbed him from his dorm. They had no real power, yet they used what little they had to abuse him in so many different ways. His arms, hands, and once graceful face were still bruised from their initial beatings.

He walked out of his cell as Uncle Roy gripped his shoulders and began to brush his back with his palm.

Raelle followed his uncle walking down the hall filled with cells. They began to walk up some stairs until reaching the exit of this rancid building.

A stagecoach with a rider waited for them on the side of the street. Raelle went in it first and then his uncle. By the time his uncle sat right next to him, the stagecoach began to motion into action.

At this hour of the night, the aura-infused lights that kept all the streets nicely lit everywhere in the capital were especially bright. Every time they drove past one, the light illuminated his uncle’s face which was rather morose looking.

Neither of them spoke to each other. Raelle thought to, but instead, he remained silent. His uncle had chosen to stay silent as well making it even more awkward. All he heard was the sound of the wheels turning and pausing as they traveled down different streets and made the occasional turn.

Where is he taking me? He should’ve asked, but he struggled to have the courage to speak up. I’m an absolute failure, aren’t I? I don’t even have the confidence to speak aloud. Especially not after all of this.

I am a truly contemptuous person.

The stagecoach eventually stopped. The driver opened the door for his uncle allowing him to exit and then Raelle. His feet landed on the ground noticing a maid outside his uncle’s residence in the capital city.

It was a two-story building cramped between a bunch of other expensive-looking homes. “Welcome home sir,” the maid said courteously.

“Is the meal ready?”

“Yes sir.”

“Very well then. Go ahead and go on in Raelle. I’ll join you shortly. Your father should be here soon as well.”

Raelle went inside and found himself led to a dimly lit dining room near the left side of his uncle’s residence. He kept the inside in perfect condition. Not a single spec of dust could be spotted. The carpets were nice and the bookshelves were full of leather-bound books. His home even had aura-infused lighting that only the most rich and powerful nobles could afford to have.

A pair of workers in black and white uniforms dropped food off at the long table. He found himself seated near the center. A covered plate found its way to him and when they lifted off the cover, luscious aromas filled his nostrils.

He ate from his plate eating the variety of perfectly cooked meats and sides made for him. He found himself eating alone when he had expected his uncle to eat with him. He didn’t really care that he hadn’t. He was just happy to finally get to eat something proper after having been deprived of any food by those awful jailers.

Footsteps made themselves known eventually. Multiple footsteps at that. He didn’t look over his shoulder to see who they were, he just knew they were different than the ones from the maids or butlers.

“Are you enjoying the meal?” Uncle Roy asked.

“Very much so,” Raelle said.

His uncle took a seat near the end of the table to his left while his father took the seat at the opposite end beside Uncle Roy.

While they began to eat, not much remained on his plate, so he took his time eating whatever was left so that he didn’t sit there awkwardly. By the time they were all full, his father ordered the maids and butlers to close the multiple doors leading into the dining room.

The atmosphere in the dining room immediately shifted.

“Explain yourself,” Father said.

Raelle hesitated for a second or two. “Explain what?” The look in his eyes terrified him. He had never looked at him this way before. “T-there’s nothing to be explained.”

“There isn’t?” His father’s eyes lowered a little. “You just were put in jail on suspicion of murder for no reason?”

Raelle began to regret eating so much food. Now his stomach began to ache due to the discomfort that began to unravel within him. “Whatever it is that you’re thinking, I’m telling you that I’m completely innocent.”

“Innocent,” his father said with a laugh. “Raelle, I don’t believe you have fully realized the amount of trouble that you’re in. You can afford to be tight-lipped to everyone else, but you can’t afford to with either me or your uncle.”

And what good are you to me Father? You’ve never been there for me anyway.

“Your father’s right. The amount of fervor that exists to have your head is immensely high. What matters now is that we want to help you but we can’t if you don’t tell us the truth.”

“The truth is that I didn’t do anything. I didn’t murder Artius.”

“Everyone seems to think you did,” Uncle Roy said.

“That’s because everyone knew how much he hated me. Of course they’d blame me because they all hate me as well.” Raelle was the perfect person to pin the blame on.

Technically speaking, they weren’t entirely wrong to suspect him. He had played a role in his death after all, but it was in his mind fully justifiable. Self-defense wasn’t murder and they would’ve gladly let Artius get away with it if Raelle or Nelena had instead been killed that night.

His father sighed. “Did you not put the least bit of effort into having amicable relations with everyone else during your time at the academy? Did you think being an annoying prick to all of your peers is how you’re supposed to make friends?” His father began to shake his head in frustration. “I didn’t raise you to be this way.”

Some very terse and unkind words ran through Raelle’s head that he could use against his father having invoked that statement, but he chose not to say anything.

Uncle Roy gave his father quite the look.

Father simply leaned back a little in his chair appearing to have regretted some of the words he chose to use there. “Raelle, look me in the eyes and tell me that you’re innocent.”

“I am,” he said.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“I believe you,” Uncle Roy said, “but I believe you likely know more than you’d want us to believe. Do you know who murdered him that night? If you do, then your name can be potentially restored.”

“I don’t know anything about his murder,” Raelle said.

If anyone asks, give them the same answer every single time. I’m innocent. I know nothing. I don’t know what you’re talking about. What murder do you speak of? I was at my dorm that night. He had repeated so many statements and questions to so many dozens of people that he was getting sick repeating them. Part of telling a lie was to never contradict what was previously said. So far, he felt that he hadn’t contradicted himself, but he knew it would be an easy thing to screw up.

The sad reality was that he shouldn’t have to lie about this matter. It was self-defense, but that was not going to be accepted by anyone but them. Given how she killed Artius, they’d never be able to make a good enough case to find themselves innocent. Having someone’s head sliced cleanly off their body doesn’t exactly spell innocent in the minds of most people. Without a doubt in his mind, they’d be found guilty and live the rest of their lives in pure misery.

“Am I going to go back to jail?”

“No,” Uncle Roy said. “There’s not enough evidence to keep you there for now. By the way, you should thank your father for getting you out as soon as he did.”

Father leaned in over the table. “I fear that while you are free once more, your opportunity to attend the academy is over.”

When he said those words, rather than immediately feel bad about it, he instead felt immense relief wash over him.

That’s it then. No more classes or studying or trying to outbest everyone. I guess in the end, they all beat me after all. He supposed it wasn’t that big of a deal. It wasn’t his idea to attend that wretched academy anyway.

“Are you not disappointed?” father asked seriously.

Raelle smiled. “Why would I be? That place was absolutely terrible.”

His Uncle leaned over towards his father to try to caution whatever words he wished to utter to him next. Father simply sat there appearing eager to slap him once more like he had done during the last time they saw each other. He held himself back however taking a deep breath instead.

“Thankfully, not all is lost,” Father said.

“That’s right. Your father is going to have you attend a special program. We both had wanted you to join it after you graduated, but given your proficiency at the academy, you should be more than suited to join it earlier than most.”

“Join what exactly?”

“An organization we both are members of,” Father said. “We would elaborate further, but you will learn more about them once you’re there.”

It appeared to him that no matter what, he would be pushed towards a particular direction. The two of them were also annoyingly keeping whatever program or organization this was a secret for some strange reason.

“When you arrive there,” Father continued saying, “you will become a different person. You’ll also be stronger than you can imagine and if you excel as you’ve shown yourself capable of doing, you may even be able to start working with us personally.”

The thought of that would’ve once made him so happy. He’d get to personally stand beside his father, and do things with him as he had dreamed of as a young child and teenager. Now that he was an adult and become jaded towards his father, he couldn’t care less to hear him say that.

As always though, I have no choice but to do whatever it is that they want for me. Now that the academy is lost to me, I’m to be taken to someplace I don’t know about and train to join some organization I know even less about despite my father and uncle being members of it.

* * *

He waited outside the academy with a hand in his pocket. Colorful leaves settled on the wet ground. It had rained quite a bit earlier, but it was completely fine right now.

Eventually, he saw Nelena eagerly walking towards him. She immediately thrust her hands around him pressing her fingertips into his back.

He responded similarly as she nestled her chin on his shoulder.

They pulled away and she quickly ran a finger across her teary eyes. He led her over towards a bench further into the city a safe distance away from the academy. For a moment, they sat in silence, until eventually, she decided to speak first.

“You’re leaving aren’t you?” she said having taken notice of his attire. “Where will you be going to?”

“I wish I knew. They didn’t tell me. All I know is that it’s a place far from here.” She wanted to cry more, he could tell, but she maintained her composure for the most part. “I’m pretty sure they’re just trying to get me away from all of this mess that’s transpiring.”

“Did you admit to them about what happened to us?”

He shook his head. “I don’t believe they think I killed him but they do still seem to think I know who did. They haven’t tried pushing me for that information too hard though.” He thought that even if they wanted to know what happened, deep down they really didn’t. If they were that desperate to know, they would’ve forced it out of him one way or another.

“Should we worry?” she said softly enough so that no one nearby might hear.

“I wouldn’t,” he said. “If anyone gets in trouble, it’ll be me. If I were you, I’d focus on your studies and become the most powerful sorceress you can. Focus on your dreams and the future rather than the past.”

“It’s not so easy to do that anymore. Especially now.”

“I know.” His physical bruises had healed but the memories of being beaten relatively recently reminded him of how hard it was to forget the past. “I don’t know how long I’ll be away. It’ll probably be for a long time.”

“Well, I’ll be here waiting. You do plan on coming to visit me eventually, don’t you?”

“Of course,” he said. “While I’m away, I’ll try to write a few letters to you.”

“Only a few?” she said with a genuine smile. “I’d very much appreciate that. It will at least put my mind at ease.”

Since she was forced to kill Artius, Nelena hadn’t been the same. She had a much darker perspective of the world and she was quite a bit different as a person. At first he hadn’t noticed it, but soon after, he became more painfully aware of the unusual behaviors and things she said to him sometimes.

It pained him to have to leave her behind. But she had thankfully been spared the same suspicions that attached themselves to him. Everyone thought he was responsible even if they had no definitive proof. Thankfully, it meant she could continue her studies and dream of becoming an esteemed sorceress.

He hoped that by the time he got to see her again, she will have moved on from this dark moment they both shared together.

Eventually, they got up and hugged each one last time. They shared a kiss and he found himself struggling to just go and leave.

But he did just that. He had no other choice.

He kept his back to her and walked away as a few leaves fell from the trees up ahead forcing him to stomp on them as he walked down the sidewalk.

A stagecoach was outside his uncle’s residence waiting for him. The driver tipped their hat to him and appeared eager to get going. “Everything’s been readied for you, sir.”

Before he stepped in the stagecoach, someone gripped his shoulder.

“Raelle.”

“Uncle?”

Uncle Roy grasped onto his hand tightly giving it a good stern shake. “I’m sorry not all is going the way you likely thought it would. This isn’t the life you deserved to receive.”

“That’s alright. I’ll be fine,” he said pulling away. His uncle adjusted the spectacles on his somewhat solemn face.

“You possess a strong soul. I’m confident you’ll succeed and adjust accordingly. Just be prepared for your mind and body to be tested beyond what you think is possible. But hey, if your father and I got through it all, I’m sure you will make it as well.”

“With the way you two are speaking about this place I’m going to, you’ve got me worried. It won’t be that bad, will it?”

He smiled slightly. “I remember going through our organization’s program when I was a little older than you. My body is still sore to this day.”

Should you really be revealing that to me? Thanks for that…

“I kid, I kid. It is tough, but you’ll be more than able to handle it. I’m confident about that. You are your father’s son after all.”

“I hope you’re right.” The academy was quite difficult, especially because he was trying to out-compete literally everybody there. His uncle made whatever place he was going to would be even harder but not necessarily in an academic kind of way.

“Be well out there,” his uncle said waving him goodbye.

Raelle got settled in within the stagecoach. Soon enough, the driver began to drive him down the street.

From what he had been told, it would take a full two weeks to reach their destination. He still had no idea where exactly he was going. They kept its location a secret. The driver was a member of this secretive organization so they were permitted to know and take him there.

He was a little nervous admittedly. He wasn’t sure what to expect other than that he was going to have to work hard.

If I can get through everything else that I’ve experienced thus far, I’m sure I can get through whatever I am soon to experience.