Kael barely slept that night. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the academy quest notification floating in his vision, waiting for an answer that would change everything. He'd read stories about the International Academy for Adventurer Excellence since childhood—tales of heroes forged in its halls, of students who arrived as ordinary teenagers and graduated as legends.
But those stories were about nobles and prodigies, people born with advantages he'd never possessed. What place could a cursed farm boy have among the elite of three kingdoms?
[SPECIAL QUEST PENDING: THE ACADEMY PATH][Time to decision: 6 hours, 23 minutes]
The system's countdown added pressure he didn't need. Dawn was approaching, and with it, Mage Lyralei's expectation of an answer.
Kael rose before sunrise and made his way to the kitchen, hoping to find some clarity in the familiar routine of morning chores. Instead, he discovered his entire family already gathered around the table, their faces bearing the exhaustion of their own sleepless night.
"We need to talk," Marcus said without preamble. "All of us, honestly, about what this really means."
Elena had prepared tea and fresh bread, but the food sat largely untouched as the family faced the magnitude of the decision before them.
"I've been thinking about the money," Marcus continued. "The academy provides room and board, but there are other expenses. Books, equipment, travel costs. We'd need to sell some land to cover it all."
"How much land?" Kael asked, though he dreaded the answer.
"The southern field, probably. Maybe the orchard too." Marcus's voice was steady, but Kael could see the pain in his father's eyes. That orchard had been in the family for three generations.
"Then I'm not going," Kael said immediately. "I won't let you bankrupt yourselves for something that might not even work out."
"That's not your choice to make," Elena said firmly. "We're your parents, and we've decided this is worth the sacrifice."
"But what if I fail? What if I get there and can't keep up with students who've been training their whole lives?" The fears he'd been suppressing all night came tumbling out. "What if the only reason I could close that rift was luck, and I'm really just as useless as everyone thought?"
Tam leaned forward, his expression more serious than Kael had ever seen it. "Brother, I've watched you change over the past few weeks. The way you work, the way you think, even the way you carry yourself. Whatever's happening to you, it's real. It's not luck."
"Your brother's right," Marcus added. "Yesterday you fought a creature that could have killed all of us, then closed a dimensional tear that trained mages struggle with. That wasn't the boy who could barely lift a hoe three weeks ago."
"People change when they find their purpose," Elena said softly. "Maybe this is yours."
The conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. Marcus opened it to reveal Mage Lyralei, accompanied by an older man Kael didn't recognize. The stranger wore the traveling clothes of a merchant, but his bearing suggested something more.
"Good morning," Lyralei said. "I hope you don't mind the early visit, but I wanted you to meet someone before you make your final decision. This is Master Aurelius Goldenheart, Headmaster of the International Academy."
Kael's jaw dropped. The Headmaster? Here, in their modest kitchen? Aurelius Goldenheart was a living legend, one of the heroes who had helped establish the academy in response to the abyssal crisis. His presence in Millhaven seemed as impossible as yesterday's rift.
"Please, sit," Elena said quickly, flustered by having such an important visitor. "Would you like tea?"
"That would be lovely, thank you." Aurelius settled into one of their simple wooden chairs with the same dignity he might have shown a throne. He was younger than Kael had expected, perhaps in his fifties, with silver-streaked hair and eyes that seemed to see far more than they revealed.
"I was in the region investigating several recent dimensional disturbances," the Headmaster explained. "When Mage Lyralei's report reached me, I decided to come see for myself."
"You traveled all this way just to meet our son?" Marcus asked, clearly struggling to believe it.
"The circumstances of yesterday's incident are... unique," Aurelius replied diplomatically. "We've had several minor rifts appear across the kingdom in recent weeks, but this is the first to be closed by someone without formal training. I wanted to understand how it was possible."
Kael felt the weight of the Headmaster's attention as those penetrating eyes studied him. "Could you show me your mana circulation, young man?"
It was the second time in two days that Kael had been asked to demonstrate his magical abilities for someone who could probably kill him with a thought. He activated the Basic Mana Circulation skill, feeling the energy flow through his body with practiced ease.
Aurelius watched intently, his expression growing more interested by the moment. "Fascinating. Your technique is rough but fundamentally sound. How long have you been practicing?"
"About three weeks," Kael admitted.
"Three weeks?" The Headmaster's eyebrows rose. "Mage Lyralei, your report suggested he'd been studying for months."
"That's what I assumed based on his theoretical knowledge and practical results," Lyralei replied. "Are you saying he learned earth magic redirection in three weeks?"
"I started with basic circulation exercises," Kael explained. "Then I borrowed my father's textbooks and studied the theory. Yesterday was the first time I tried anything that complex."
Aurelius leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "Either you're lying, which I doubt, or you have the fastest magical development I've ever encountered. Tell me, have you experienced any other unusual changes recently?"
The question was innocent enough, but Kael sensed dangerous territory. How much could he reveal without exposing the system?
"I've been working harder, studying more, exercising regularly," he said carefully. "My parents say I seem more focused than before."
"Physical improvements too?" Aurelius asked. "Increased strength, better reflexes?"
Kael nodded reluctantly.
"Rapid development across multiple areas simultaneously," the Headmaster murmured. "It's possible you're experiencing what we call a 'growth breakthrough'—a period when someone's potential suddenly unlocks after years of suppression. It's rare, but not unheard of."
It was a convenient explanation that happened to be partially true. Kael's potential had been suppressed by his family's curse until the system provided a way around the limitation.
"The question," Aurelius continued, "is whether this development will continue or if it was a temporary phenomenon. The academy has dealt with late bloomers before, but never one quite like you."
"What would happen if he came to the academy?" Elena asked. "Specifically, I mean. What would his life be like?"
"He'd be placed in the probationary program initially," the Headmaster explained. "Accelerated coursework to bring him up to standard, intensive training in both combat and academics. It would be the hardest year of his life."
"And if he succeeded?"
"Then he'd join the regular student body as a first-year, with all the privileges and responsibilities that entails. The academy trains the next generation of heroes, after all. Our graduates go on to lead adventurer parties, serve as kingdom advisors, and protect civilization from the growing abyssal threat."
The words painted a picture that was both inspiring and terrifying. Kael tried to imagine himself walking the halls of the academy, learning from legendary instructors, training alongside students from across the known world.
"What's the real reason you came here?" Tam asked suddenly. "I mean, no offense, but you're the Headmaster of the most important school in the world. You don't just drop everything to visit a farm boy in the middle of nowhere."
Aurelius smiled, apparently appreciating the direct question. "You're right to be suspicious. The truth is, we're facing a crisis. The abyssal rifts are becoming more frequent and more dangerous. We need heroes now more than ever, and we can't afford to overlook potential talent, regardless of its humble origins."
"But there's more," Mage Lyralei added. "Yesterday's rift appeared to be artificially created rather than naturally occurring. Someone or something is deliberately opening these tears in reality."
The kitchen fell silent as the implications sank in. If rifts were being created intentionally, it suggested a level of organized threat that went far beyond random dimensional instability.
"We believe whoever is responsible has been targeting areas with existing mana irregularities," Aurelius explained. "Your garden's leak made it a perfect location for an experimental rift. But they didn't account for someone being able to close it so quickly."
"You think they'll try again?" Marcus asked, his voice tight with concern.
"Not here, probably. But elsewhere, certainly. Which is why we need people like your son." The Headmaster turned his attention back to Kael. "The academy can give you the training to fight this threat properly. Without it, your natural talent will only take you so far."
[SPECIAL QUEST UPDATE: THE ACADEMY PATH][Additional context: Growing abyssal threat requires heroes][Academy represents best chance for meaningful impact][Decision deadline: 1 hour]
The system's update reflected what Kael was already thinking. This wasn't just about personal advancement anymore—it was about being part of something larger, something that might determine the fate of their entire world.
"I need a few minutes to think," Kael said.
Aurelius nodded understandingly. "Of course. This isn't a decision to rush."
Kael stepped outside into the cool morning air, leaving the adults to discuss practical details. The sun was fully up now, painting the familiar landscape in shades of gold and green. This was the only home he'd ever known, but for the first time, it felt small.
The ruined garden where yesterday's battle had taken place served as a stark reminder of what was at stake. The withered plants and scorched earth spoke of powers beyond normal understanding, of threats that could tear apart everything he cared about.
His family had made their position clear—they wanted him to go, despite the cost. The Headmaster of the academy had personally come to recruit him. The system was offering him a path to growth he could never achieve alone.
But beneath all the logical arguments, Kael felt something simpler and more powerful: the desire to become someone who could protect the things that mattered. Yesterday, he'd been lucky. Next time, he wanted to be ready.
[Accept Quest: THE ACADEMY PATH? Y/N]
Kael took a deep breath and made his choice.
"Yes," he said quietly.
[QUEST ACCEPTED: THE ACADEMY PATH][New objective: Survive probationary period and prove your worth][Reward: Access to advanced training and unlimited growth potential][Warning: Failure may result in permanent limitations on future development]
The decision felt both terrifying and liberating. There was no going back now.
Kael returned to the kitchen to find his family and the academy officials deep in discussion about logistics. Travel arrangements, financial aid, equipment needs—all the practical details that would make his transition possible.
"I'll go," he announced, his voice steady despite the magnitude of what he was saying.
Elena immediately burst into tears, though she tried to hide them behind a smile. Marcus clasped his shoulder with pride and worry warring in his expression. Even Tam managed a grin, though Kael could see the sadness in his brother's eyes.
"Excellent," Aurelius said warmly. "I had hoped you'd see the opportunity for what it is. Mage Lyralei will handle your travel arrangements. The new semester begins in two weeks, which gives us just enough time to get you properly equipped and situated."
"Two weeks?" Elena asked, her voice slightly strained.
"I'm afraid the academy operates on a strict schedule," the Headmaster explained gently. "But there will be opportunities for family visits, and Kael will be able to write regularly."
The next hour passed in a blur of planning and preparation. Official academy documents that needed to be signed, lists of required supplies, explanations of the academic calendar and student life expectations. It was overwhelming and exciting and terrifying all at once.
"One last thing," Aurelius said as he prepared to leave. "Young Thornwick, you should know that your admission is already generating significant interest at the academy. News of your rift closure has spread, and there will be people eager to meet you."
"What kind of people?" Kael asked warily.
"Other students, faculty members, perhaps even representatives from various kingdoms," the Headmaster replied. "Your background makes you something of a curiosity. I'd advise you to be polite but cautious about forming alliances too quickly."
It was a diplomatically phrased warning about academy politics, something Kael had never considered. The idea that his arrival might be seen as politically significant was both flattering and daunting.
"Don't worry too much about it," Mage Lyralei added reassuringly. "The academy has strict rules about student treatment, regardless of their origins. You'll be judged on your merit, not your family name."
After the officials departed, the Thornwick family spent the day in a strange mixture of celebration and preparation for separation. There were practical matters to handle—selling the southern field to a neighboring farmer, arranging for Tam to take on more responsibilities, ensuring Elena would have help with the heavier work.
But there were also emotional moments. His mother insisting on mending every piece of clothing he owned. His father teaching him the finer points of equipment maintenance. Even Tam sharing advice about dealing with people who thought they were better than you.
"Remember where you come from," his younger brother said as they worked together in the barn for what might be the last time. "Don't let them make you ashamed of being a farmer's son."
"I won't," Kael promised, though he wondered how hard that would be when surrounded by nobles and prodigies.
That evening, as the family gathered for dinner, Kael looked around the table and tried to memorize every detail. The way his mother's eyes crinkled when she smiled. The careful way his father carved the bread. The animated gestures Tam made while telling stories about their neighbors.
In two weeks, this would all be a memory. In two weeks, he'd be sitting in an academy dining hall, surrounded by strangers who would judge him based on standards he was only beginning to understand.