I wake up back in my own bed, my heart still pounding in my chest as I glance around my dimly lit room, sunlight filtering through the curtains. That whole thing was just a dream, yet it felt so real.
Sighing heavily, I push myself up, running a hand through my blonde, tousled hair. My left arm still feels sore somehow, even though I didn't actually get hurt. Rubbing my tired eyes, I swing my leg over the edge of the bed and plant my feet on the cool, wooden floor. The floorboards creak under the weight of my legs, as they have always done, filling me with a sense of ease and familiarity. I look around the room and notice my backpack sitting on my desk, packed and ready to take with me to the academy.
Flake isn't here anymore, and I notice that my door is slightly open. Mom or Dad must've let her out when they got up. I grab its handle and pull the door open.
"Rough night?" mom asks while she's cooking breakfast.
"How did you know? Do I look that terrible?" I answer.
"No, no. I heard you talking in your sleep."
I've never done that before and I hope it won't happen again. I don't know who I will be able to trust at the academy.
"Oh… huh, that's weird."
"Let me guess, you were dreaming about rare Beasts all night, weren't you?" My dad interjects as he enters the house.
"How did you know?"
He walks over to me and puts his hand on my shoulder. "I know because I dreamt about the exact same thing the night before starting my third year."
"I'm a little worried about what Beast egg I should try to get. We're supposed to go for one that matches our affinity for spells but I don't have any particular strength in any of the basic spells Mom taught me. My Illuminate can fully light up a dark room, Darkvision works fine too but I don't see the use for it when I already have Illuminate. The basics of Fireball and Water Bullet are okay I guess and my Shield and Deflect can block or change the trajectory of smaller objects just fine. At least if I had a specific weakness I'd know which Beast.
Mom and Dad look at each other, surprised and confused by my sudden outburst of worry.
"So you're worried because you can use all the basic spells of the six affinities without one being weaker than the others? I don't think you know how amazing that is." Mom states matter-of-factly.
"You've got an equal chance of succeeding in getting any of the six affinities. Basically, you can freely choose whichever affinity you want."
"So, instead of worrying about which Beast I should go for, you're saying I should just go for whichever one I like?"
"Well, in a nutshell, yes. I still want you to be cautious about selecting which Beast egg to grab though, some Beasts are, understandably so, rather protective of their eggs." Dad says.
"And don't worry about making friends, you'll fit in just fine. Just like you, I only started the Academy in my third year and look how I turned out."
"Maybe that's why he should be worried." Mom jokes.
I laugh, harder than I maybe should have because Dad is giving me a look.
Mom finishes making breakfast and we sit down at the table. The morning sunlight streams in through the kitchen window, giving the room a soft, golden glow. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the scent of sizzling bacon and toasted bread makes me feel at ease. The table was filled with different foods, from pancakes and eggs to bread rolls and freshly picked fruit from the forest between our house and the next town over.
I grab a little bit of everything. It will be quite a while until I get to taste my mom's cooking again.
After breakfast, my parents spend what little time we have left reminiscing about when I was little. How Snow and I used to play together and the infinite games of hide and seek, how I never won. My dad always gets a little sad whenever we mention Snow, but it quickly passes.
A distant clip-clop of hooves on the gravel road grows louder and louder, a sense of anticipation filling the air. Even though we haven't heard it before, we all know what that noise means.
It's the cart that transports students from my region to the Beast Handler's Academy to start school again. The rhythmic sound of the horse-pulled cart gradually draws nearer until it finally comes to a halt right outside our house.
I open the door and the driver, clad in a faded cloak and a wide-brimmed hat pulled low over his eyes, steps down from the cart and starts walking towards me. His composure seems formal, almost military, as he walks up the steps of our front porch. When he stops in front of me, I notice deep lines along his face. I can't tell whether they are from old age or old wounds. His black hair, interwoven with small streaks of silver is slicked back into a top knot, and a katana hangs from the left side of his waist.
"You Elliott?" the man asks.
"Yes, that's me." I reply.
"Come on kid, no time for dawdling, you're not the only one we have to pick up along the way. It's time to go."
The man turns back towards the cart he arrived in and when he reaches the bottom of the porch steps, my dad walks past me and shouts "Hold on, asshat."
What my dad just said stuns me completely. I've never known him to speak an unkind word to anyone, let alone insult someone without reason. The man turns around, angry and ready to throw insults back. He takes a second to take a closer look at my dad, and then opens his eyes wide in surprise.
"After all this time, you're not even going to say hello to an old friend?" my dad continues.
"Holy shit. Is that you Amos? Goddamn you got old!"
The man walks towards my dad and the two give each other a big hug.
"It's incredibly good to see you Rusty. You remember my wife?"
"How could I forget. Good morning Celesse, how you doin'? Life with this annoying old fart hasn't been too difficult I hope?" he says, nodding towards my dad.
"He has his moments." My mom smiles as she walks outside to give the man a hug. "Why don't you come in and have a bit of breakfast? There's plenty left over from this morning. Plus, it'll give me a little more time before I have to say goodbye to my son."
"Your son?"
The man looks at me and seems surprised, as if he hadn't realized it yet. "I never knew you had a kid! Guess I'm 15 years late on congratulating you huh Amos. And how old are you Elliott?" he bends over and asks me, as if I'm a little kid.
"I'm 15 years old, 'Rusty'." I snap back.
"Kid's got a mouth like his old man huh." Rusty remarks. My dad looks annoyed at me.
"15 years old. Guess that means this is a big year for you, what with getting your own Beast egg and all. You certainly have quite the legacy to live up to. Sure you're up for it?"
I nod, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be.", I say, even though just an hour ago I was panicking about exactly that.
"Good. Knowing your dad I'm sure he taught you how to defend yourself. What kind of weapon do you like?"
"I can use whatever weapon they give me."
Rusty smiles at me, nodding his head. That was apparently the answer he was hoping for. "I like this kid."
"So breakfast?" Mom asks.
"Sorry Celesse, I really wish I could but yours is not the only kid I'm supposed to pick up on my way to the academy today so I can't stay too long."
"Speaking of which, you're working for the academy now?" dad asks.
"Hell yeah old-timer, you're looking at the academy's current master of arms. Someone's gotta teach those kids how to properly fight without magic."
Dad looks surprised. "You're a teacher too? The academy must really not know what they're doing these days if they hired you."
"What can I say, retirement isn't for me. That reminds me, we've gotta get going." Rusty says.
He wraps mom and dad into a big hug, then turns around and starts walking back towards the cart he arrived in. Just before getting on he looks back and shouts at me, "You coming, kid?"
I turn to my parents and realize that this is the first time that I'm going to be away from them for more than a day. The thought that it will be almost a year until I see them again makes me sad. I go to my room and pick up my backpack and a large duffel bag containing my belongings. In the living room, I say goodbye to Flake, who's asleep on the couch. I pet its head, which wakes her up. She looks at me, wondering what I'm doing. "I'm going to miss you Flake, keep my bed warm until I get back, okay?". Pushing her head in my hands, she starts purring. Once outside, I start saying goodbye to my parents.
"I'm going to miss you, and I'm going to write to you every single week, I promise."
"Good luck Elliott, I'm sure your Beast will be strong, just like you." my dad whispers in my ear as he gives me a hug.
I turn to my mom and when I open my mouth to speak, she starts talking, "Stop worrying so much, okay? Whatever road you choose to follow from now on, just know that we will always be proud of you, no matter what."
Tears start welling up in my eyes.
"I'm going to miss you."
"We'll miss you too Elliott."
I walk down the porch steps towards the cart, where Rusty is now waiting for me.
"Jump in the back, kid. There's some space under the seats where you can put your stuff. We've got a long way to go so better make yourself comfortable."
We wave goodbye to my parents as the horses start pulling the cart forward. As we turn the corner, I can no longer see my house through the forest's trees.
"So kid, what's your name again?" Rusty asks.
"It's Elliott."
"I don't like it, it's too nerdy. How's about I call you Eli. Sounds a lot cooler."
Whatever. I don't really care what he calls me.
"So how do you now my dad, Rusty?" I say, not even attempting to hide the fact that he annoys me. "Were you guys at the academy together or something?"
"Yes, we were in the same year and our Beast had the same type of affinity, so we spent quite a lot of time practicing together, and eventually became quite close friends. We were even selected for the Ascensori after leaving the academy."
"Wait wait wait, YOU, Rusty, were in the Ascensori?!" I exclaim.
"Don't be so surprised, Eli. I've got some skill you don't know about.
Also, don't call me Rusty anymore, I'm your teacher now so you should treat me with some respect. Call me 'Supreme teacher and master commander'." he says. I can see his dumb smile from here, even with his face turned the other way.
"Yeah, I'm not doing that."
Rusty starts laughing hard. "Worth a shot. Russell would be fine though, I'm not a fan of all that 'Mister teacher' crap."
"Hmmmm, think I'm still gonna go with Rusty. It fits you better."
"Oh god, all the kids are going to call me Rusty now, aren't they."
"Gods I hope they will. So, how many others are we picking up along the way?"
"I don't know by heart, about five I think."
The road gets less bumpy as we pass an old, worn down sign that says 'Now leaving Vicus, please come back soon!'
This the furthest I've ever been from home, which is both scary and exciting at the same time. From now on, I'll be doing a lot of things I haven't before. I can't help but wonder what the academy will be like, what the people will be like and if any of them will become to me what Rusty is to my dad. What I think about the most though, is my future Beast egg.
Guess I'll find out soon enough.