Callumir Venor couldn’t help but feel triumphant and flushed with pride as he rode his horse through the front gates of his family’s castle. As he passed, the gnarled branches of the bleak forest gave way to be replaced by the dark gray stone of the castle walls.

Holding his head high, he nodded at the gate guards. Their respectful nods and hushed whispers only added to his sense of accomplishment. Callumir’s mind drifted to his younger sister and the rest of the family as he played through the last moments of the rift boss fight for the hundredth time. Considering how intense the battle was, Callum could relate the tale with little embellishment over dinner.

However, Callumir noticed that something seemed amiss as he continued through the opening courtyard toward the stables. He paused in his self-congratulations, furrowing his brows as he looked around. There should undoubtedly be more action and commotion in the open area before the castle’s grand doors. Even if no one came to celebrate his return from the rift mission, retainers and servants should be bustling everywhere. He and his sister were meant to leave in a week for the new planetary integration. But instead, the plaza was silent and motionless, like the placid surface of a pond at night. A shiver went down his spine. The certainty and excitement soaring through his chest only moments before spiraled into a sinking feeling in his gut.

Callumir spurred his horse forward toward the stables. Before the horse had come to a complete stop, he jumped down and handed the reins to the stable boy. Aside from the castle guards, this was the first person Callumir had seen inside the castle walls.

“What’s happened? Where is everyone?” Callumir demanded.

The young boy dipped his head in trepidation. “Lord Callumir, welcome home. Master Lirion has requested that you go to your rooms at your earliest convenience. He will be waiting for you there.”

Callumir attempted to remember the boy’s name but could not. Frustrated, he grunted and left it with a brief thanks. It occurred to him he was probably the first member of his family to thank the boy, and he watched the boy flinch away from the kindness. Feeling bad for the young stable hand’s reaction, he hesitated.

Dismayed, the young nobleman shook his head. His family had a tendency to look down their noses at the wait staff, and it was not the time to concentrate on making up for the wrongs of others. Something serious was happening, and he had to figure out what it was.

Callumir took off toward the castle’s side entrance. Even though he was a level 20, low Endurance was a severe limitation of his Enchanter class. He used his mage-branch ability [Blink] as frequently as possible to make up for his lack of stamina, navigating toward his rooms as quickly as possible.

Callum knew that if his older siblings caught him, they’d scold him for daring to use his abilities outside of combat or training. To them, such behavior was disgraceful. They expected him to walk with the grace and poise of a lord if he had to get anywhere. Whoever he was meeting could wait, his older brother would often say.

He didn’t see the world like his siblings did. Decorum and family appearance meant little to him, and he fought against their customs at every turn. As an enchanting prodigy, he understood his skills were too precious for them to use any drastic measures to force him to give in. He knew, despite his skill, that it was a dangerous line to skirt when railing against his eldest siblings.

He raced through the halls, his heart pounding in his chest as he neared his room. The symbol of the Enchanter was etched into the main wooden door, a sign of his predetermined path. Callum burst through it, gasping for breath after his mad dash across the grounds.

Inside, his antechamber was a lavish display of opulence, but it was nothing compared to the gaudy halls of his family’s estate. He suspected Lirion was in his room after hearing rustling from the leftmost doorway.

“Lirion, I’m back!” he called out, his voice echoing in the quiet space. “What’s going on?”

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Then, the rustling stopped, and all that could be heard was Callum’s heavy breathing. He struggled to remove his thick-laced boots, his long white hair falling around his face.

Callum felt a sense of unease creeping over him as the silence stretched on. Could it have been anyone other than Lirion in the other room? Was someone else in his room?

With one shoe unlaced and halfway off his foot, Callumir lowered his foot to the floor with great care. His wand was still strapped to his thigh from his travels, and he gripped it, causing his knuckles to go white as he pushed aside his loose strands of hair, tucking them behind his pointed ear. He reached down to adjust his dark purple traveling robes in case he needed to draw his wand. His eyes scanned the room beyond for any sign of danger.

“Lirion?” He called out with some hesitance.

“Young master! It is you!” Lirion thundered, bursting into the room with such force that Callum stumbled on his boot and fell in a heap on the floor. Landing on the plush carpet, he escaped losing any health points.

“Valloria’s breath!” Callum cursed, his heart racing as he scrambled to a sitting position. “You scared me half to death, Lirion!”

Lirion’s expression was contrite, but Callum couldn’t help noticing the smirk lurking at the corner of the older man’s lips. “Apologies, young master,” Lirion said with a bow, attempting to further hide his mirth.

Callum burst into laughter, partly out of relief and partly out of his mounting anxiety. “What brings you here, Lirion?” he asked, grateful for the older man’s reassuring presence. “Help me up, will you?”

As if struggling to find words, Lirion coughed. He pulled the younger elf back to his feet. “The planetary integration began early,” he said. The words came out in a rush. “Your sister and all the retainers and guards left three weeks ago.”

Callum’s world spun on its axis. “What? Why wasn’t I informed?” he said, his mind racing with a thousand questions.

Lirion wrung his hands together, a nervous habit that betrayed his concern. “I’m sorry, young master,” he said in a whisper. “The Seven saw no use in trying to contact you while you were in the dungeon or sending a messenger to wait for you outside the rift.”

Callum’s boot popped from his foot with a last tug and slipped from his hand to the floor. He stood there, frozen in disbelief, as the implications of Lirion’s words sank in.

Lirion’s voice cut through the heavy silence like a blade. Attempting to console his student, he said, “Don’t worry! Your older siblings have already fulfilled the System’s requirements to unlock a secondary portal for your travel to the new planet.”

Callum’s stomach lurched like a ship in a storm, and a hundred ravens seemed to take flight from his chest, clawing at his insides. He was still focused on the initial statement. “They’ve already left?” He spoke the words like a death knell.

The dark elf’s mentor stood in the somber silence, allowing Callum to process the turn of events.

“But how can I hope to compete now?” Callum murmured, unable to believe what he heard. “Three weeks behind, with the other families already ahead? It’ll be impossible. They’ll have established their powerhouses on the Ladder by now.” Anxiety bloomed into panic, and his heart raced faster.

“The Seven have created a leveling plan for you,” Lirion said, his voice hopeful. “When you arrive, you’ll reunite with your sister and the others. With their levels, they’ll be able to help you catch up.”

Callum’s gut twisted in protest, his heart hammering like a war drum. The low ringing in his ears grew louder.

“They’ll power-level me? But what about making my own way? Mom always used to speak of the adventures and titles they gained together...” Callum said, feeling a fog settle over his thoughts. “They’ll just be handed to me like a charity case. My sister will never let me live this down.” He grimaced, reaching down to touch his right pocket for reassurance.

Moments passed as the two stood in silence. With a resigned sigh, Callum looked up and met his mentor’s gaze. “What do I need to do?”

As Lirion’s eyes glassed over, a telltale sign of someone accessing their Heads Up Display, he gave Callum instructions on packing and preparing to depart. Callum felt a sense of numbness wash over him. He wanted to fight his fate of dashed hopes and disappointment, but the pull of helplessness seemed inexorable.

Is this truly fair? He wondered, feeling the weight of expectation and the burden of rules he had endured for so long. All that they’ve put me through just for the integration to begin early and for me to be hindered like this? How could I hope to impress them now?

Callum was in a haze as he went through the motions of packing, fatigued from his travels and his day’s emotional whirlwind. He knew the journey ahead would be arduous, but he steeled himself for what lay ahead.