Chapter 48

  The Sky Ship sailed smoothly across the sky, joined by others in a long, stretching line, carrying us over the mountains that looked upon the main city of Taraks. Beyond the clouds, I could barely see the outlines of a grand architecture full of sharp edges and looming spires. Expectation bubbled in my stomach, making me grasp Beatrice’s handle.

  Knowing that I wasn’t alone in this mixture of emotions gave me relief. All the first-year students like me looked as though they’d been skipping food for a week straight. Some of them tried to appear confident, gazing about the ship and trying to lock eyes with others, sneering, smirking as if they had something to prove. Not me, though. I was alone in my mind, peering out into the vast scenery beyond.

  Soon, the Sky Ship began its descent toward the circular platforms that became visible across the grand academy’s backyard. Dozens of them dotted the ground, surrounded by lush trees through which a singular path wound sharply. The Academy itself was a mess of buildings of different kinds, twisted roofs patched with moss and looking slick with morning dew, a variety of people shuffling about its squares, radiating a general sense of wonder which held me close.

  Thousands could live here, and you could walk through its intricate layout without ever coming across one. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the Academy was like a city by itself.

  “Those are the dorms,” a voice said from the back, and I saw a finger pointing straight down the left side where a long building stretched sideways endlessly. “Did you know there’s no particular distinction between the students in the dorms? Being a chosen or a normal student doesn’t matter. They assign the rooms randomly. You don’t get to pick.”

  I was baffled when I turned my head and found Keralth there, standing behind me by the railings. “Where are your parents—” I paused when I caught the pair glaring toward their son with obvious horror. “Oh,” I managed to continue, but not before I glanced over my shoulder to see whether Mother would do something rash. “Interesting, really,” I said, relieved by the fact that she appeared rather calm.

  Too calm, in fact, as she didn’t seem aware that Keralth had somehow crept here beside us. Maybe she was trying to make peace with the situation. I mean, she was about to send her only son to a boarding school, right? Even a Celestial Knight had to feel some pain at that.

  “There’ll be a ceremony inside the Hall of Heralds where we will be given our uniforms and room numbers. Then the students will be designated to Hall Masters for their semesters,” Keralth continued, not really bothered by our earlier meeting.

  “I know that,” I said. I’d read that much in the books Belfray had given me. “It’s supposed to be a year-long thing, right?”

  “Yes, in theory,” Keralth nodded. “If you’re not a particularly talented student, chances are you’re going to stay with the same Hall Master through all four years. That doesn’t mean much, since we all have to participate in common classes. If you perform a miracle during the trials of fire, however, you could get picked by a true Master to be their personal student.”

  “Is it really a big deal? Being a personal student of someone?” I said. “Isn’t the Creator’s Academy already the number one academy in the world? The general education should be good enough, no?”

  “The True Masters are all Celestials in their fields,” Keralth said, as if that very fact was supposed to be enough for me.

  “So?” I muttered.

  “Your ignorance is truly fascinating,” Keralth said, and by the way his eyes gleamed, I was perfectly sure that he meant it. He wasn’t trying to mess with me. He was just stating a fact. “To be able to lay eyes upon a Celestial alone is a miracle. They say it’s like watching two worlds collide, which never happens. The Creator’s Academy has a total of twenty Celestials. I’ve heard four new ones will be joining this year as well. That’s enough to force many nations to their knees without moving a finger.”

  Twenty Celestials sounded… disappointing. We had what, about ten of them back in Palark? Mother was a Celestial, and not a normal one. Belfray had once said she could take a group of them with ease. Radek was a Heart Mage, then we had Payem, whose expertise lay in the field of dimensions. Those two were not your average Celestials, since their fields were complicated. Then we had others in the army whom I had never seen before. Together, they were a great force.

  This Creator’s Academy, on the other hand, merely had twice our numbers. That didn’t sound too impressive.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  “You look like a good guy,” I said to Keralth, since he kept staring at me. His curiosity was almost charming, but I could do without being constantly told that I was an ignorant fool. “You’re clever, too, I can tell, which is why I’m going to do you a solid and tell you something that I’m sure your parents already know.”

  “Ah, is it The Undying?” Keralth perked up. “I would very much like to hear about your Manual. Father said it’s one of the most infamous manuals across the Planar System, that it’s believed to have been lost centuries ago. Is it true that Herald Undying Knights could be reborn from a mere drop of blood? How does that work, exactly?”

  “It’s not about The Undying,” I said, shaking my head. Keralth was deeply disappointed as his shoulders hunched. Then I jabbed a finger toward Mother, winking at Keralth at the same time. “You said laying eyes upon a Celestial is a miracle. Well, my Mother is one. You can stare at her all you want. I’m sure she won’t say anything.”

  “Your Mother?” Keralth scowled, then his eyes slowly widened. “Is that why my father said she probably meant it when she said she’d eradicate our whole bloodline? That’s…”

  “I know, right?” I said with a wince. “It’s too—”

  “Incredible!” Keralth pumped a fist up with zest. “Can I ask her a question? I mean, I don’t want to bother her, of course, but there’s this rumour about the Ascension, and I’d like to know if it’s true or not. Do you have to actually devour samples of Laws from Grade A planes to build your own inner world? How do you do that, exactly? Laws are not material things. And how do those planes function once they lose their Laws, which have monumental importance to their integrity? It’s been a dream of mine since I was a child—”

  “Stop!” I finally quit. This guy was a maniac, through and through. “I changed my mind. It’s best if you keep those questions to yourself. I thought I was a weirdo, but you… you’re something else.”

  “Something else?” Keralth said, one hand propped under his chin. “Do you mean… a genius? I was told I’m a genius by many people before, which is why they were shocked when I wasn’t picked by any True Master in the academy. There’s nothing I can do, I suppose. I don’t feel bad at all. I’m just happy to be here.”

  I wiped the drops of sweat off my brow, then reached out and patted Keralth on the shoulder. “Good for you.”

  “Thanks, friend,” Keralth granted me a smile, which seemed strangely innocent. “Good for you as well. Your Mother is uniquely beautiful.”

  “What?”

  The Sky Ship landed with a soft thud, which sparked a slowly growing murmur across the crowd, putting an end to our greatly disorienting conversation. I was left baffled and alone while Keralth drew back to his parents’ side, waving a hand at me.

  Shaking my head, I moved over to where Mother was and took my place in the—did that guy just call me “friend”? What kind of sorcery was that, really?

  Anyway, we followed the line on the ship. Soon, however, I caught a strange change in the crowd. All the first-year students began hugging their parents or relatives in a chaotic shamble of tears and soft cries in the mix. There were some brave ones who stood stoic, of course, but ultimately, it was enough for me to understand this was the place where we bid our farewells.

  “Mum, I think we—“

  “You’re the most incredible child I’ve ever known,” Mother said, her back turned against me, one hand clasped tightly around the railings. “I have no doubt that you’ll achieve grand feats in this academy, that everyone will eventually learn of your name and who you really are. Those are not important.”

  She turned, ever so slowly, to face me, her eyes slightly reddened and the fingers of her right hand trembling. I felt her anxiety when that hand ruffled my long, blond hair. Before I could say anything, she pressed me into her chest, holding me like a little kid.

  “Become your own Master,” she said into my ears. “I want nothing else from you. The people, this academy, the teachers, my past… forget about those. Just be you. Live.”

  “I thought I was to be a kickass Runemaster. That was the whole plan, no?” I said, my voice muffled since I could barely move my lips plastered against Mother’s hard shoulder. “Now you want me to forget about those?”

  “We’re not going to rush through this,” Mother said, drawing back and staring into my eyes. “When it’s the right time, it will be your decision. Before that, you have adventures waiting for you. This will be the best time of your life, my love. Cherish it.”

  “Really?” I muttered. “No strings and nothing?”

  “I’ve done whatever I could to prepare you for the future,” Mother said, her eyes teary and her face taut with nervousness. This woman… she looked like that same woman who held me when I was just a baby. “I wasn’t a good Mother, and I doubt I was a good teacher, but you’ve learned well, Leo. That’s all I could ever ask for. The rest… belongs to you and you alone.”

  “I’ll study well,” I said, and I meant it. “I’ll never forget the things you’ve taught me, the lessons with Belfray and the codes Radek kept repeating. I’ll… try to live up to your expectations as well.”

  A fist banged on my chest, rattling the Maradon’s Chest Piece I wore underneath the shirt. Even then, I felt the strength behind the hand, sending warm waves across my body.

  “You’re Veyra Vorath’s son,” Mother said, and her fist fell once again on my chest. “No matter what you do and where you are, I’ll always be at your side. Now go. You know I’m not good… at this.”

  I gave her a final hug, feeling deeply conflicted and depressed at the same time. On the one hand, the idea that I would get to live a life on my own was exciting, but also, I’d grown too used to her scent and the odd love she had for me. I didn’t want that gone.

  Clenching a fist, I walked past her and paused, glancing over my shoulder one last time. “Can I… write to you?” I asked with difficulty.

  She smiled, and it was the most perfect thing I’d ever seen from her.

  “Always.”

  “Thanks, Mum,” I said with a forced smile. There was a pressure behind my eyes, but I held myself together. “Tell Belfray and the rest of the staff that I’m thankful for everything they’ve done for me.”

  ……