The streets of the upper district were like a different world. Even under the cover of darkness, the cobblestone roads gleamed as if freshly polished, and the tall, ornate buildings loomed over Elias, their windows glowing warmly from within. The people who moved through the streets here did so with an air of confidence and purpose, far removed from the huddled masses of the lower district. It was a world Elias had only glimpsed from afar, a world where people like him didn't belong.
But here he was, walking among them, one step closer to the Academy.
He kept his head down, his hood drawn low over his face, and avoided drawing attention. The smuggler had gotten him into the city, but Elias knew that wouldn't be enough. The Academy was still a distant goal, and the journey ahead was full of unknowns.
As he turned a corner, a large, imposing building came into view. It was grander than the others, with towering spires that pierced the sky and intricate carvings that adorned its walls. Golden light poured from its windows, spilling onto the street below. This was the Merchant's Guild, a place of wealth and power, where deals were struck and fortunes were made. Elias felt a pang of envy as he looked at it, a reminder of everything he'd never had. But he couldn't dwell on that now. He needed a plan.
Elias moved past the Guild, his eyes scanning the street for signs that might lead him to the Academy. He had no idea where it was, but he knew he couldn't ask for directions. Not here. Not as an outsider. He would have to find it on his own.
The cold night air bit at his skin as he walked, and despite his best efforts, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. This place was too different, too foreign. He felt out of place, like a ghost drifting through someone else's life.
As he wandered deeper into the city, he began to notice the subtle differences in the people around him. They were no longer just wealthy merchants or guild members. Some wore long robes marked with arcane symbols, their eyes glowing faintly with the power of magic. Others bore swords at their sides, the hilts engraved with runes that whispered of enchantments. These were the elites, the true masters of magic and aura, the kind of people Elias had always envied from afar. Here, in the upper district, they walked openly, their power on full display.
A group of students passed by him, their voices low as they discussed their studies. Their robes were marked with the insignia of the Academy—a silver emblem shaped like a crescent moon, with a single star at its center. Elias's heart quickened as he watched them. They were his key. If he could find out where they were headed, he might be able to follow them to the Academy.
He kept a safe distance, trailing the group as they made their way through the city. The streets grew narrower, the buildings closer together, until they reached a gated entrance flanked by two stone statues of majestic beasts—griffins, their wings spread wide as if ready to take flight. The gate was wrought iron, with the same crescent moon emblem etched into its surface.
The students passed through the gate with ease, greeted by a robed figure who seemed to be a guard. Elias watched from the shadows, his breath held. This was it. The Academy.
But as he studied the entrance, his heart sank. The gate was guarded, and there was no way he could simply walk in. He needed another way.
Elias circled the perimeter of the Academy, keeping to the shadows as he searched for an opening. The walls were high, and the only other entrances he could see were just as heavily guarded. His frustration grew with every step, until finally, he came across a small, weathered gate tucked away in a forgotten corner. It was old and rusted, barely visible among the overgrowth. He tried the handle, and to his surprise, it creaked open.
Elias slipped through the gate and found himself in a narrow alley that led deeper into the Academy grounds. The air was colder here, the shadows deeper. For a moment, he hesitated, the weight of what he was doing settling on him. He was trespassing in a place where he didn't belong, a place where the powerful trained and the weak were left behind.
But then he thought of the old man's sacrifice, of the magic that now simmered dangerously within him. He had no choice. This was his only chance.
He moved deeper into the alley, his footsteps silent on the cobblestones. The Academy grounds were vast, a labyrinth of buildings, courtyards, and towers that seemed to stretch on forever. Elias could hear the faint hum of magic in the air, a constant reminder of the power that dwelled here.
As he navigated the maze of paths, he stumbled upon a secluded courtyard, hidden away from the main walkways. In the center of the courtyard stood an ancient tree, its gnarled branches reaching towards the sky. There was something eerie about it, something that made Elias's skin prickle. The air around the tree was heavy, almost oppressive, and the shadows it cast seemed darker than they should have been.
But it wasn't the tree that caught his attention. It was the figure standing beneath it—a girl, her hair a cascade of silver, her eyes closed in deep concentration. She wore the same Academy robes as the students he had seen earlier, but there was something different about her, something that set her apart. A quiet intensity, a stillness that seemed to hold the entire courtyard in its grasp.
Elias froze, unsure of what to do. He hadn't expected to find anyone here, and now he was caught. The girl didn't move, didn't acknowledge his presence, but Elias knew she had to be aware of him. The silence stretched on, and Elias considered retreating, but then, without opening her eyes, the girl spoke.
"You're not supposed to be here."
Her voice was soft, almost melodic, but there was an edge to it that made Elias uneasy. He took a step back, his mind racing. He had to come up with something, anything to explain why he was here, but the girl's next words stopped him cold.
"You're different." Her eyes fluttered open, and Elias felt a chill run down his spine. Her gaze was piercing, like she could see right through him, see everything he was hiding. "Your magic… it's wild, untamed."
Elias's heart pounded in his chest. How could she know that? He hadn't even used the magic, hadn't let it surface since that night in the ruins. But there was no denying the truth in her words.
"Who are you?" Elias managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper.
The girl tilted her head slightly, studying him with an intensity that made him want to shrink away. "My name is Seraphina. And you… you're an enigma."
Before Elias could respond, a sudden, sharp noise cut through the air. A bell, ringing out from somewhere deep within the Academy. Seraphina's gaze flickered, and she turned her attention away from him, as if the moment had passed.
"You should leave," she said quietly, her voice carrying a note of finality. "This place… it's not for someone like you."
Elias opened his mouth to protest, to say something—anything—but the words wouldn't come. Seraphina turned away, her focus shifting back to the ancient tree, as if he was no longer there. He stood frozen for a moment, torn between the desire to stay and the fear that she was right.
In the end, the fear won out. He took a step back, then another, until he was out of the courtyard and back in the shadows of the alley. He didn't stop moving until he was well away from the tree, from Seraphina, from the uneasy feeling that had settled in his gut.
As he slipped through the Academy grounds, his thoughts were a whirlwind. Who was Seraphina? How had she known about his magic? And why had she warned him to leave?
These questions would have to wait. For now, Elias knew he had to keep his head down and find a way to blend in. But one thing was certain—Seraphina's words would haunt him.
As he found a quiet place to rest for the night, Elias couldn't shake the feeling that his journey had only just begun. The old man had given him a chance, but it was up to him to decide what to do with it. The road ahead was long, and full of danger. But for the first time in his life, Elias felt something more than fear, more than desperation.
He felt a spark of hope