“Hey Ma,” he called out, before slowly entering her room. Today, Hani had decided that he would sleep with his mother instead of Leith, and so he was on the bed, curled up under the blankets. Their mother sat in a chair on the side, writing down something in a leatherbound notebook– one of his parents’ many medical journals, Leith presumed.

“Leith, I thought you were going to sleep?” his mother asked, turning to face him. “What’s wrong hon, is something bothering you?”

“No it’s nothing like that,” Leith responded, sitting on the bed and leaning closer to his mother as he spoke, not wanting to wake his brother. “It’s just… there’s something I wanted to do and I wanted to know what you think about it.”

“Did you finally find someone to marry? You have been of marriageable age for a while now… that girl from–”

“Nope! That's not it! Not marrying yet!” Leith exclaimed.

His mother chuckled and asked, “Alright then, tell me, what is it?”

“How would you feel if I were to attend the Academy?”

“Do you mean you wish to attend a university? Your father and I are… were saving up money to send you, you know? I don’t think I have enough yet, but I think in a few years we could have–”

“No, Ma, I mean the Great Academy. In Ilmar,” he interrupted.

“Honey, I would love it if that were possible, and I’m sure you are more than smart enough to enter but we just don’t have the gold for that. I wish I could send you somewhere that prestigious, but I don’t think that's possible,” his mother replied sadly, shaking her head.

“Ma, I found someone willing to send me there,” Leith said.

She looked at him with growing surprise as Leith continued to tell her what had happened and how Alcide and Elea were willing to send him to the Academy. He explained how he was tested and how Alcide was willing to recommend him for the Academy.

“Ma, I can earn so much money when I graduate. I’ll come back and take you and Hani somewhere nice. I could even help renovate the entire town!”

His mother was quiet for a while. She finally said, “Leith, if this is what you want to do, I won’t stop you. I’m happy for you– I always wished I could send you somewhere to study, your mind is wasted here in Karya. However, you are aware that the Academy doesn’t produce doctors, right? Your skills will be more than welcome but you’ll be expected to become either a hunter or a soldier. I don’t know if I want you to be in so much danger.”

“Ma, I know but this is the only chance I’ll ever have. Besides, I don’t plan on harming people, I won’t become a soldier. But being a hunter is different. Pa was a hunter! I can be a hunter too, I can keep people safe just like a doctor should.” Leith hesitated for a moment before adding, “And I can’t help but admit, school and hunting both seem so exciting.”

His mother was silent for a long time and Leith waited patiently for her response. She eventually said, “I won’t stop you from doing what you want, Leith. If you really want to study at the Academy, you absolutely should. Don’t even think about money or anything like that, all of that is utterly irrelevant. Since you don’t have to notify Alcide immediately, could you let me think about it? Just so we have some time to mull it over, just to make sure we aren’t making any mistakes? You think it over while sleeping too, okay?”

Leith nodded, affirming that yes, he absolutely would think about it. He bid his mother good night and went back to bed.

Dima laid in bed, her hand protectively resting on her youngest son’s shoulder. In her hand, she held a journal, not medical as most of her writings were, but instead a personal journal that she had kept since the beginning of the Surge War.

She opened it up and began to read, her journal illuminated by the soft glow of a riftlight on her desk. Her journal held some letters, too. Letters from the war. Letters that she and Ilham had sent back and forth, praying that the other would send one back. This was her lifeline, as an absence in these messages could be akin to him losing his life.

Now that he was gone, Dima couldn’t help but indulge in the stories of their past, no matter how much it hurt to read those sweet words knowing that they couldn’t be whispered to her ever again.

Dima spent the next couple hours laying in her bed, wide awake, thinking about her eldest child. Leith deserved so much more than she could offer him. The boy was intelligent– he reminded her of Ilham’s genius when he was younger. She was proud of her son, the boy was already a hero. Leith might not have thought much of it, but that he was willing to sacrifice himself for the town showed courage far beyond his years.

Leith deserved more, but Dima was afraid. What if the boy’s courage and righteousness set him off on a dangerous path? She could easily see him standing up against some nobleman or refusing to follow orders of his superiors if he felt they were unjust. She saw far too much of Ilham and herself in Leith, she was afraid that the boy might get himself into trouble just like she and Ilham did when they were younger.

Reading through the letters of her past did nothing to assuage her fears, but they served as a reminder that her children needed to go out on their own. Leith would assuredly stay at Karya if Dima asked him to, but he needed to discover the world for himself.

At least he didn’t inherit this from me, Dima thought to herself, absently rubbing the warm crystal that lay embedded in her chest. Without this, he should be safe. 

“Did you pack your underwear?”

“Yes Ma, I have everything in there, I promise,” Leith replied, equal parts exasperated and amused. For the fifth time, he and his mother were sorting through his luggage in preparation for his departure.

He was surprised how quickly his mother agreed with sending him to Ilmar. Leith had thought that she would deliberate a while longer, but no, she woke up the morning after Leith had told her and immediately began preparing.

Now, it had been two weeks and his mother was still fussing over him and making sure he had everything he needed. He loved his mother more than ever for her concern, but slowly began to grow more and more worried that he might not be making the right decision. Should he really be leaving his family for such a long time, just for a miniscule chance at success?

It was too late now, best not to dwell on it, Leith thought to himself as he once again reopened his suitcase to prove to his mother that he did in fact pack underwear. The checking never took too long– he only had one suitcase and a rucksack to take. Observing how little he had reaffirmed that maybe he really was making the right decision.

Without his father’s income, Leith knew that his mother would begin to struggle. Leith didn’t want his family to live poorly anymore. Sure, they had a roof and had at least enough food to survive. But Hani deserved to go to school, to get educated, and to make friends. Leith’s mother deserved to live in a nicer house, maybe with a maid to help out so she didn’t have to take on the burden of handling a family alone.

Leith wouldn’t be able to provide for them immediately, but he was sure he’d be able to find work at the Academy, or more likely in the surrounding city of Ilmar if he searched hard enough. He’d be able to assuage at least a small portion of the burden placed on his mother through that, and then eventually, after four years of education, he’d be able to properly support his family.

Leith sighed internally, somewhat intimidated by the amount of work ahead of him, though another part of him felt gratified that he was finally making an effort.

Hani sat silently next to Leith, his gaze cast downwards unwilling to meet his eyes. Their mother was watching Hani and sighed.

“Hani, I understand you’re upset about your brother leaving, but you can’t give him the silent treatment right before he goes. Talk to him, at least,” their mother implored.

“Do you really have to go?” Hani asked, looking up and meeting Leith’s gaze with tears in his brown eyes.

Leith swallowed down the welling emotion in his own throat and offered him a gentle smile. “Yeah, I do have to go. But it’s not like I’m leaving forever, I’ll come visit whenever I have time off. I’ll write letters too!”

Hani nodded silently before wrapping Leith in a hug. “I’m scared that you’re leaving us too,” he mumbled into Leith’s chest.

“I told you, I promise I’ll come back,” Leith told him softly, blinking tears out of his own eyes.

Leith spent the next half an hour wishing his mother and brother goodbye several times and repacking his suitcase twice. He realized that he really didn’t want to leave, that he wanted to extend his farewells as long as possible.

His mother, however, recognized this and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Leith, you should go,” she said quietly. “Don’t keep Alcide waiting for so long.”

Leith nodded slowly, trying to think of a way to refuse. But he really didn’t have anything, so he sighed and replied, “Yeah, you’re right. I- I’ll get going now.”

He hugged his family goodbye one last time and was heading out the door when his mother pushed a leather satchel into his hand. Leith looked up at her, a question in his eyes but she just shook her head. “Go on now. You can take a look in there later, leave now before I don’t want to let you go anymore.” There were tears in her eyes.

Leith bid his farewells one last time and left, heading towards the town center where Alcide was waiting with a carriage.

He hastily wiped at his own tears. Somehow, even though he had yet to leave Karya, he was already homesick. He decided to rely on a trick that he overused but had always remained effective– to shift his attention on to something else and focus on his emotions later when he was alone and could afford to be vulnerable.

Leith looked down at the satchel on his hand, glanced around to see that no one was around and set down his suitcase, freeing both hands. He popped open the satchel to see what was inside.

His jaw dropped open as he pulled out several thick leather-bounded journals, worn with years of use. These journals were medical notes and recipes accumulated through decades of experience, something that his parents had passionately compiled and something that he definitely did not deserve to take with him.

Rather than distract Leith from his emotions, the weight of the journals in his hands did the exact opposite. He felt tears streaming down his face and he hastily wiped at them, trying to stop.

Leith considered turning around to return the wealth of knowledge he now held but ultimately decided against it. His mother wanted him to have it and he should respect her wishes. Who knew how much they would end up helping him?

After Leith felt sufficiently recovered from his emotions and was most sure he wouldn’t randomly start crying, he headed towards the town center where he could see Alcide waiting for him beside a horse-drawn carriage. He didn’t make note of Leith’s puffy and red eyes, for which Leith was grateful.

“Ready to go?” Alcide asked, cracking open the carriage door.

Leith nodded and made to enter the carriage when a voice called out to him.

“Wait!” Carrie yelled, hustling over to him and holding several loaves of bread. “Here, for your travels,” she said with a smile.

“Oh, thanks Carrie but you should give it to–”

“Shut it,” Carrie replied, thrusting the bread into his already overladen arms. “My family will keep feeding yours, don’t you worry. That bread is for you, okay?” She huffed and turned away, but glanced back once more before heading into her bakery. “Good luck! Don’t get yourself killed!”

Leith smiled after her and yelled out a goodbye. He’d miss the townspeople too, he realized. While he didn’t interact with them all that much, they were all steady and important parts of his life. He would miss people like the patients who had struck up an amiable rapport with him, along with people like Carrie and her family who seemed to truly care for Leith and his family’s wellbeing. Well, it wasn’t like he was leaving forever, he thought to himself as he nestled into the carriage’s seat. He’d see them all again before too long.

Alcide seated himself across from him and signalled the carriage driver to start moving. The amount of time and money he was spending on Leith’s behalf was immense. Leith grimaced at the thought. Purchasing a carriage, and a nice, luxurious horse-drawn one at that along with a driver for what would be several days of travel must have been exorbitantly expensive.

Alcide plopped two books on Leith’s lap. Leith looked up questioningly and Alcide grinned at him. “It’s time to study!”

“Study…?” Leith looked through the books in his lap. One was a thin and loosely bound book titled Wind Stance Spear Manual while the other was thick and heavy, titled Delhin’s Compendium of Riftbeasts.

“You’re not heading to the Academy for another several months, you know? During that time you’ll study and I’ll teach you how to fight,” Alcide said with a grin.

Tutelage under someone as renowned as the Sword Saint would no doubt be an invaluable experience. Still, he doubted that it would be enough in such a short time. “Would I even be able to hold a candle to my peers with such little training?” Leith asked.

“More than you’d think,” Alcide replied, a smile still on his face. “Most of your fellow students will be far more advanced than you when it comes to mechanics. I doubt you’d be able to win in a proper duel against anyone, regardless of what training we put you through. However, we plan on leveraging your talent to bridge that gap. You won’t be able to handle a sword or a spear particularly well, but we’ll make sure that you can hold your own and surpass anyone using your current talents. We have a plan for you.”

Leith nodded his understanding and decided to put his trust in Alcide. The man hadn’t failed him yet. Leith turned his attention to the books in his lap and flipped one open. He was in for a long ride, might as well make the most of it.