Academy

Should I tell her?'

The question gnawed at him, but no matter how many times he asked himself, the answer remained elusive.

She was his mother, his protector, his only pillar of support.

But if he told her everything, wouldn't he just be adding to her burdens? Wouldn't she worry herself sick or, worse, try to stop him from going to the academy? That would mean breaking yet another promise, and he couldn't bear that.

'But I need someone to confide in... I can't do this alone.'

His gaze flickered to his mother, Lira, who sat calmly from him.

Her soft eyes, unwavering and gentle, met his own.

They held no judgment, only a quiet understanding that made his chest tighten.

She was still recovering from the punishment she'd endured for his sake, and yet she looked at him as if nothing else mattered.

Raen clenched his fists.

'I can't be like Father... I have to be more.'

A newfound determination settled in his heart, solidifying his wavering resolve.

No matter what it took, he would shoulder their struggles.

He wouldn't let his mother carry this weight alone any longer.

He exhaled softly, the decision made.

"I... I don't know," he finally said.

Lira blinked in surprise but soon closed her eyes and smiled faintly as if she understood more than he was willing to admit.

"You'll figure it out at the academy," she said gently.

"Though... it won't be easy to hide your strength if that's what you plan.

Each step forward demands a specialty, and blending in might not be as simple as you think."

Raen's breath hitched.

She thought he wanted to enter unnoticed, to rise from nothing and make something of himself.

He almost laughed at the irony, hiding strength was for those who had it.

He had nothing.

"I just don't want to draw attention," he admitted, looking away.

"I want to build my strength quietly."

A soft chuckle escaped his mother's lips.

"Then do what your father did, be the second best at everything," she said, her tone laced with an old memory.

Raen frowned.

"Second best? How does that help? I told you I don't want to be in the limelight."

Lira's eyes gleamed with a knowing light.

"Sometimes, the best way to avoid being a target... is to become too big to target."

Raen opened his mouth to argue but fell silent.

The words sank in, carrying more weight than he expected.

He studied her for a moment, but she simply lay there, unconcerned, as if she had no intention of explaining further.

Too big to target...

He didn't fully understand it yet, but something told him that his mother wasn't just giving casual advice, there was experience behind her words.

After a long pause, he sighed.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," he said, changing the subject.

Lira's expression softened, a touch of sadness hidden beneath her smile.

"You still want that cultivation technique?" she asked playfully.

Raen shook his head.

"No, Mum. Keep it for Selene."

For a moment, Lira just stared at him, pride flickering in her eyes.

"You're growing up too fast," she said softly.

He offered a small smile but said nothing.

With a final glance at his mother and his sister, he turned and entered the small room they shared.

The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on his shoulders, but he welcomed it.

Sitting on his bed, he pulled out the beast cores he had gathered.

"I need to figure this cultivation thing out... before I leave."

Tomorrow would mark the first step on his journey. Whether he was ready or not, he had no choice but to take it.

...

In the blink of an eye, dusk had passed, and dawn had arrived.

The streets of the Thalor Clan bustled with life, children playing, merchants haggling, and elders discussing the latest clan gossip.

Among them, the fifty... no, fifty-one students who had successfully assimilated beast cores were preparing to embark on their journey to the academy.

For some, it was a moment of pride, surrounded by beaming family members and supportive friends.

For others, it was a lonely march toward an uncertain future.

Raen stood at the towering gates of the Thalor Beast Institution, his mother beside him.

Though he had insisted she should stay home and watch over Selene, who was likely still asleep, Lira refused to leave his side.

"No matter what you say," she had told him firmly

"a mother should see her child off properly."

He sighed inwardly, grateful yet slightly exasperated.

As he surveyed the crowd, Raen couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between himself and the others.

While many students were laden with weapons, heavy packs, and even mattresses (should I have brought one?), he carried only the essentials, some clothes, a few rations, ingredients, and two hundred silver coins.

Others packed as if preparing for war, with supplies that could feed an entire village.

His mother's advice echoed in his mind:

"Prioritize training and experience above all else."

That was what he intended to do.

"Endure. Don't bow."

Raen repeated the words to himself like a mantra, trying to drown out the stares.

People recognized him, the boy who had defied the elder during the assimilation ceremony.

He could feel their eyes darting between him and his mother, filled with awe, judgment, and perhaps even fear.

Strength and stupidity were two sides of the same coin in the Thalor Clan, and it seemed no one had decided which one defined him yet.

His mother, however, remained unfazed.

She ignored the whispers and stares with the same quiet dignity that made Raen both admire and worry for her.

As the first light of dawn spilled over the horizon, the massive iron gates groaned open, revealing the academy beyond.

Built into the rugged mountain range that loomed over the clan's territory, the Thalor Beast Institution was more than just a school, it was a fortress.

The dark stone walls, reinforced with beast bone, stood tall and unyielding while towering spires bore intricate carvings of legendary champions and fearsome beasts.

From its elevated position, it overlooked the entire clan grounds, a constant reminder of strength, endurance, and legacy.

Raen inhaled deeply, taking it all in.

The place where he would spend the next four years working hard... or die trying.

A figure appeared at the gates, an instructor, though not one Raen recognized from the assimilation ceremony.

Unlike the stern, battle-hardened figures he had seen before, this one looked... exhausted.

His eyes were heavy with dark circles, and his posture was anything but authoritative.

He was wearing a standard instructor's robe; the only notable difference was a badge on his shoulder.

Raen didn't know what it signified, but it confirmed one thing: even instructors had their ranking system.

With a deep sigh, the instructor fished a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and cleared his throat.

His gaze swept over the crowd, and as he stood silently, the once lively atmosphere gradually settled into uneasy silence.

He watched them, his eyes lingering on those who dared whisper, and soon, no one dared to make a sound.

Finally, he took two slow steps forward and spoke in a monotonous, practiced voice:

"Congratulations on your successful assimilation of beast cores. Welcome to the Thalor Clan Academy. I see you've all brought your loved ones for support, but from here on, they are in our hands. Your chivalry is appreciated."

It was a speech delivered without a shred of emotion, as though he had recited it countless times, even in his sleep.

That was the cue.

The crowd of parents and guardians exchanged final words of encouragement before reluctantly departing.

Raen felt his mother squeeze his hand one last time before letting go and walking away without looking back.

He swallowed hard, standing with the others, alone now.

The instructor clapped his hands lazily.

"Alright. Hand over your admission letters in an orderly fashion, then proceed inside."

The students moved swiftly into a single file, handing over their letters one by one.

Raen watched as the instructor marked names off his list with mechanical efficiency, occasionally stifling a yawn.

Once the final letter was collected, the instructor frowned and muttered,

"Huh? This isn't the last batch... why can't they all come at once?"

His frustration was evident, but he simply sighed and turned to the group.

"Follow me," he said, waving them forward without much enthusiasm.

"I'll show you the rough edges... and maybe a few smooth ones, if you're lucky."

With that, the gates of the academy swallowed them whole.

The instructor, who seemed to have an endless reserve of sighs and yawns, led them on a brief tour of the academy.

His tired voice droned on as he gestured lazily at various landmarks, but Raen's eyes widened with every step.

First, they passed through the massive iron gates, reinforced with beast bone and engraved with the Thalor Clan's formidable crest, a coiling Eagle intertwined with a towering beast.

The sheer size and weight of the gates hinted at the strength required to open them, a subtle reminder that the academy welcomed only those capable of enduring its challenges.