The Day Before the Academy Test
After a full hour of traversing the crowded, winding streets of the outskirts, Solace finally reached the weathered wooden door of Mara's modest home. The late afternoon light slanted through the narrow alleys, casting elongated shadows on the cracked pavement. Each step he took resonated with the exhaustion of a long day, yet there was an unmistakable buoyancy in his stride—a mixture of triumph and anticipation that he hadn't felt in years.
He pushed the door open, its creak echoing softly in the quiet interior. The warmth inside was immediate: a comforting contrast to the harsh, unforgiving light of the streets outside. Mara was in the small kitchen, busily preparing a simple meal. The aromas of roasted meat, fresh bread, and simmering vegetables mingled to create a scent that reminded Solace of home—a rare sanctuary in a world that had otherwise offered him little kindness.
"Solace, you're finally here!" Mara called out as soon as she saw him step inside. Her voice was both welcoming and teasing, carrying the gentle authority of someone who had cared for him since he was a starving orphan on the city streets.
"I'm back," Solace replied with a tired smile, dropping his heavy pack by the door. His eyes, still bright with the thrill of the day's accomplishments, scanned the room with a mix of gratitude and mischief.
Mara, with flour dusting her hands and a warm smile upon her face, quickly set aside her culinary tasks. "You're late," she joked, though her tone held genuine relief that he had returned safely. "I nearly had to eat without you."
Solace's grin widened. "I wouldn't miss your cooking for the world, Mara," he said, settling at the small, sturdy table that had seen better days but still stood as a testament to her perseverance.
After a few moments of casual conversation and small talk, Mara's observant eyes caught the subtle, almost imperceptible grin that lingered on Solace's face—a smile that was far too broad for the hardships he had endured. With a playful arch of her eyebrow, she teased, "Why are you smiling like that? You look… creepy."
Solace laughed, a light sound that belied the exhaustion in his muscles. "Creepy? Maybe. But today was a good day, Mara. I have news."
Her curiosity piqued, Mara set down the ladle she'd been holding. "Do tell," she urged, her eyes softening with anticipation.
Taking a deep breath, Solace reached into his worn bag and produced a neatly bundled stack of money. "I managed to sell three low-rank beast crystals today," he announced. His voice held the excitement of a boy with newfound purpose. "I made 130,000 stellar."
Mara's eyes widened in disbelief, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to comprehend the figure. The stellar was the new currency of the post-Divine War era—a measure of value in a world rebuilt from chaos. To her, 130,000 stellar was not merely money; it was hope, stability, and a promise of better days ahead.
Without missing a beat, Solace pushed the stack across the table toward her. "Take 110,000 stellar," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. "I'm keeping 20,000 for myself—just in case I manage to pass the academy test tomorrow."
Mara's reaction was instantaneous and heartfelt. Her face lit up, and she swept him into a tight embrace that nearly left him breathless. "Oh, Solace, you fool!" she exclaimed, her voice a blend of exasperation and pure joy. "This is more than I've ever seen in my life! I can't believe it!"
Between her affectionate squeezes, Solace managed a chuckle. "You've always taken care of me, Mara. I thought you might need this more than I do, especially if I'm off to the academy."
As she gently released him, Mara began to count the stellar carefully on the battered wooden table, each glimmer of the new currency seeming to carry its own promise of a better future. The atmosphere in the room was thick with hope, and for a few precious moments, the harsh realities of the world outside were forgotten.
After the excitement of the transaction had faded and Mara was left admiring her newfound fortune, Solace excused himself quietly. He knew that before the academy test, he needed time to reflect and prepare—both mentally and physically—for the trials ahead.
The corridors of Mara's home were narrow and creaking, their worn wooden floors echoing softly under his careful footsteps. His room lay just to the left of Mara's, separated only by a thin wall that barely contained their shared memories. Solace had been staying here since he was ten—a time when Mara had found him wandering the streets, lost and hungry. In a world marred by suffering and scarcity, her kindness had been the beacon that pulled him from the brink.
Reaching his small room, Solace pushed open the door with a sigh. The space was modest—a single bed, a small shelf with a few cherished belongings, and a tiny window that framed the distant cityscape. There was little room to move, but every corner held memories of his journey from destitution to the cusp of a new destiny.
He collapsed onto his bed, the weight of the day finally catching up with him. As he lay there, the events of the past hours swirled through his mind—the triumph of the hunt, the thrill of the battle, the shock in Mara's eyes, and the promise of the academy test looming ahead. His eyelids grew heavy, and soon, the boundaries between wakefulness and sleep began to blur.
In his half-sleep state, Solace's thoughts drifted to the challenges he had faced and the battles he had fought. He recalled the meticulous training he'd undergone over the past week, every drop of sweat a marker of his transformation. His shadow, once an unruly and wild force, had become something he could wield with precision—a spear, a sword, and a shield. The memory of his shadow spear striking down a low-rank beast, the exhilaration of that single, decisive blow, and the rush of adrenaline as he claimed his prize—the elemental crystal—played in his mind like a victorious hymn.
Yet, beneath that thrill lay the understanding that tomorrow, the academy test would demand even greater mastery. The test wasn't just a measure of his physical capabilities; it was a trial of his control, his understanding of the elemental powers that had been awakened within him. With each success, he was closer to proving that he could harness this power to not only survive but to change his fate.
As his eyelids fluttered, Solace found himself drifting into sleep, his thoughts mingling with the soft whispers of the night. In dreams, the images of Mara's joyful smile and the weight of the stellar danced together, weaving a tapestry of hope, determination, and the promise of a future far brighter than the present.
In the quiet solitude of his small room, Solace's breathing became steady, the rise and fall of his chest in sync with the gentle rhythm of the night outside. The sounds of the city beyond, the distant murmurs of life and struggle, served as a constant reminder of the world he was striving to change. And though the room was small, filled with the faint smell of worn fabric and lingering memories, it was a space where dreams were born and nurtured.
As sleep finally claimed him, Solace's last conscious thought was a silent promise—a vow to Mara, to himself, and to the power that stirred within his veins. Tomorrow, the academy test would be a new beginning, a chance to step further into the light and leave behind the shadows of his past. And as he drifted away into the depths of sleep, a small, satisfied smile lingered on his lips, a promise of all that was yet to come.
In that moment, in the gentle embrace of sleep, Solace was not just a boy who had survived the streets; he was a young warrior on the brink of awakening his true destiny. And as the night deepened around him, the hope of a better future shone brighter than any stellar—a promise that, no matter what tomorrow held, he was ready to face it head-on."