Fifty Floors Up

The offer hung in the air between us, a shimmering, impossible thing. Eliza couldn't stop smiling, her eyes still sparkling with tears. But for me, it felt like a cruel joke. A new life? A fresh start? How could I have a fresh start when my brother was out there somewhere, suffering?

Amelia left us alone in the study, giving us the space to talk. As soon as the door clicked shut, Eliza jumped up and threw her arms around me.

"Kira! Can you believe it? The Phantasia Magic Academy! It's real! We're going to be magicians!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with a giddy joy I hadn't heard in ages.

I didn't hug her back. I just stood there, stiff and silent. "I'm not going," I said, my voice flat.

Eliza pulled away, her smile faltering. "What? What are you talking about? Kira, this is our chance! The upper floors! The magic! We've always dreamed of this!"

"No, you always dreamed of this," I corrected her, the words sharp. "I dreamed of getting out of the slums, finding a decent job, and earning enough to take care of my family. I did not dream of becoming a puppet in a fancy dress."

Her face fell. "But... we would be adopted! We would be her daughters! We wouldn't have to worry about money or safety ever again."

"And what about Leon?" The question hung in the air, heavy and dark. "What about our parents? Are we just supposed to forget about them? Live a life of luxury and pretend none of that happened?"

Eliza's shoulders slumped. "Of course not! We'll never forget them. But this is a gift, Kira. We can get educated. We can get strong. Maybe we could even find Leon from the 50th floor. We'd be in a position of power!"

She had a point. The idea of being in the same building as my brother, having the power to search for him, was a powerful lure. The thought of finding that tattooed brute and the disgusting magician filled me with a cold, vengeful fire. The anger and hate I felt had been my only companions in the darkness. This could be my chance to act on it.

But the sheer injustice of it all infuriated me. My family was torn apart because of a gambler's debt, and now, my way to get a footing was to be adopted by a rich woman and attend an elite academy? It felt wrong. It felt like I was betraying everything we had lost.

"It's just... it's not right," I mumbled, my fists clenching at my sides. "It feels like we're just accepting a handout."

"So what if we are?" Eliza argued, her voice a mix of frustration and desperation. "This is a hand up, Kira! The world has been nothing but cruel to us. Why are you so determined to fight against a good thing for once?"

I didn't have an answer for her. Part of me knew she was right. It was a golden ticket, a way out. It was a path to the power I needed to take revenge and find Leon. But the pride and loathing in my heart refused to let me simply accept it. It was a battle between my mind and my heart, a war between my practicality and my pride.

The next few days were filled with this silent conflict. Eliza would occasionally bring up the academy with a hopeful look in her eyes, and I would shut her down with a sharp glance. I spent my days working even harder, as if to prove I didn't need anyone's charity. But at night, as I lay in the darkness, the memories of Leon's face haunted me. I could hear his terrified voice calling out to me, his small hand slipping from mine.

Finally, after a week of this torment, I went to Amelia's study, my mind made up. She was sitting by the fire, reading.

"Madam," I said, my voice steady. "I have thought about your offer."

She put her book down, her expression patient and kind. "And what is your decision, my dear?"

I took a deep breath, pushing down my pride. "I... I will go to the academy."