One thing Vane Drayton hated more than cats was getting up early.
So when his mother thundered into his room at dawn, he wasn't exactly smiling.
"It came!" his mother shrieked, practically glowing with excitement.
Vane groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Did you open it?"
She shook her head, grinning. "It's yours to open."
Vane sat up, taking the white, wax-sealed envelope from her trembling hands. His heart thudded as he broke the seal.
He read aloud for her benefit:
"Vane Drayton,
You have been accepted into the Valerian School of Magic. All students are required to arrive three days before the magic evaluation, to be held five days from now. This will allow you time to settle in before the term begins. You will find an artifact in this envelope that grants access to school grounds. Only students may pass through the gate — no parents are permitted.
If you are not in agreement with these terms, you are free to ignore the letter.
-The Chancellor,
Izeal Tempest."
His mother frowned slightly. "I can't accompany you... it says only students can go through the gate."
Vane reached back into the envelope and pulled out a small silver key. Its surface shimmered faintly, like moonlight caught in water.
"I'll be fine," he said, studying it. "The school's protected by the strongest wards in Valeria. Nothing will happen."
She smiled softly. "I'd still have loved to drop you off. But I guess this is good news."
Her eyes sparkled. "I'll make some cookies."
*******
The next morning came faster than either of them expected.
The house smelled of warm cookies and lavender, the scent his mother always used to calm her nerves.
Vane stood by the front door, travel bag slung over one shoulder. In his palm, the silver key pulsed with faint light — a heartbeat waiting to open a new world.
His mother adjusted the collar of his cloak, blinking back tears. "You've got this, sweetheart," she said quietly. "Just remember to have fun, okay? Study hard, but... don't forget to laugh a little. Make friends. The world isn't kind to those who walk it alone. And Oscar doesn't count."
Vane nodded, forcing a small smile. "I'll try."
"Promise me?"
He hesitated, then met her eyes. "Promise."
She pulled him into a tight hug. "Then go make me proud."
Vane took a deep breath and lifted the silver key toward the air before him.
It shimmered, twisting light into form — a doorway of silver mist and glowing runes. The air hummed with magic.
He looked back one last time. His mother was still smiling, though her eyes glistened.
"Goodbye, Mother," he whispered.
"Goodbye" she said softly. "Be ordinary if you can... but if not, be great."
Vane stepped through the doorway.
The light swallowed him whole.
And just like that, the ordinary world vanished behind him.
*******
Cold air hit his face. When the glow faded, he found himself standing in a dense forest bathed in morning light. The trees shimmered faintly with mana, their leaves whispering in a language older than time.
Through the thinning canopy ahead, he could see it — the sprawling capital of Valeria, its white towers and golden domes glinting in the distance. Beyond the city's heart rose the spires of Valerian Academy, majestic and untouchable, floating slightly above the ground like a promise.
Vane exhaled, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Then a voice, calm and cold, echoed in his mind.
["Vane. We appear to be surrounded by beasts from all sides."]
His smile didn't fade. He tilted his head slightly, scanning the trees. Shadows shifted — shapes with glowing eyes watching from the underbrush.
"Monsters, huh?" he murmured.
A faint violet glow flickered in his eyes as he adjusted his cloak.
"So the test has already begun."