Karim had no desire to mingle with the crowd. He just wanted a piece of cake — quietly, without being noticed. He slipped toward the dessert table, took a slice, and bit into it. It was delicious. He hadn’t tasted anything this sweet in ages — certainly not since the days of syrup-drenched bread back home.

  As he savored it, his thoughts drifted. "What other foods are out there in the world?" If he could make it here — succeed at the Academy — maybe one day he’d have the time and money to try them all. Just as he reached for a second slice, someone bumped into him.

  “Oops. Sorry, kestrel — didn’t see you there,” said a student with a mocking tone. It was Sean.

  Karim remained quiet.

  Sean smirked. “Does the Academy accept mutes now? Or is this your first day?”

  Karim swallowed. “It’s my first day.”

  Sean leaned closer. “Listen, kid. This place isn’t meant for fresh meat. Everyone here ranked up through the trials. If they realize you're not supposed to be here, you’ll get punished on the spot.”

  “I don’t know where I’m supposed to go,” Karim admitted. “Can you help me?”

  “Can’t leave yet,” Sean replied. “The celebration doesn’t end until nightfall. Wander around for now. Once everyone clears out with the instructors, you can find one and ask.”

  “Thanks,” Karim murmured and stepped outside.

  The heat was brutal. He stood across from the doors and waited. Time dragged on. His thoughts returned to Sean’s words. “So they’re celebrating after ranking up… Must’ve all passed together.”

  If he could succeed here, life could be different. He could have something better — for himself, his mother, and his sister. He had no other choice.

  Eventually, students began pouring out of the building, most of them throwing confused or judgmental looks his way. Before Karim could make sense of it, he heard the unmistakable clinking of armor behind him.

  Two Academy guards approached.

  “What are you doing here, outsider?” one asked.

  “I’m waiting for the instructors. My room—” Karim began, but the guard interrupted.

  “Enrollment ended three days ago. Come with us.”

  “No, you’re mistaken. I’m already accepted!” Karim protested, but they grabbed his arms and began dragging him away.

  Karim hated being touched especially like this. It was unjust. Reflexively, he headbutted one of the guards, breaking free. He landed a punch on the second, but it barely fazed him. The guard moved to restrain him again but then a voice cut through the air.

  A black-robed instructor had emerged.

  He approached, his expression unreadable, as the guards tried to pin Karim down.

  “I’ve been accepted as a student!” Karim shouted. “I was just waiting for the celebration to end!”

  One guard managed to push Karim to his knees. The instructor’s eyes narrowed.

  “How dare you force a student to kneel in front of me?” he barked.

  “He was loitering,” the guard stammered. “The others complained he had no pass”

  “You fool,” the instructor snapped. “The gates of the Academy do not open for anyone not meant to be here. Do you truly believe this child scaled a 150-meter wall?”

  The guards froze, then bowed their heads in shame.

  “Get these two imbeciles out of my sight. And bring this boy a proper uniform. Now.”

  They obeyed.

  The instructor turned to Karim. “Stand up.”

  Karim wiped his tears and stood.

  “Don’t cry. Follow me. I’ll show you your room.”

  They walked together, through stone corridors and narrow staircases, until they stopped before a quiet dorm.

  “This will be your room. After classes, you can rest here or explore the Academy if you follow the rules.”

  “When do I start classes?” Karim asked timidly.

  “For now, just rest. I’ll explain everything later.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The instructor glanced at Karim’s trembling hands and tear-streaked face. With the edge of his robe, he gently wiped the boy’s cheeks.

  “Don’t worry. Every student has a rough start. One day, you’ll look back on this and laugh.”

  He turned and left.

  Karim exhaled, finally alone, and began to explore his new room.

  At that very moment, a spark lit up in Karim’s mind. What was it that made him different—what made him “special”? “I don’t have any special ability. I can just defend myself.”

  “Very well then. Welcome back to the Academy, Karim. Your first physical training starts in thirty minutes. Follow the signs within the Academy to find your way.”

  “How will I know it’s the right class?”

  “Don’t worry you’ll know.”

  Karim stepped outside and began scanning the signs. The area was a chaotic blend of chatting students, seated adults, noise from nearby taverns, and the buzz of a marketplace. He wanted to reach the training ground without talking to anyone, but with so many signs pointing in every direction, it was hard to know where to go.

  His eyes landed on one sign that read "Upper Floor." Oddly, it pointed straight toward the sky, unlike the others which gave a clear direction. “If you want to reach it, you’ll need to work harder,” said a voice behind him.

  He turned around and locked eyes with a girl, fair-skinned, with long auburn hair and hazel eyes.

  “Excuse me?” Karim asked.

  “The ‘Upper Floor’ is only for teachers and those with special permission.”

  “But there’s nothing there, is there?”

  “You’re wrong. You just don’t know how to look.”

  Karim thought maybe this girl could guide him. Even if they weren’t friends, perhaps she could help him for a moment. He reached out a hand. “I’m Karim.”

  The girl narrowed her eyes slightly. “Class is starting soon. Is this your first lesson?”

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  “Yes, but I can’t find the classroom. Can you help me?”

  They walked together in silence. Karim wondered, “Why didn’t she want to be friends? Was I rude? And why would I need to change my perspective just to understand a sign pointing to the sky?”

  When they arrived at the training grounds, the instructor motioned silently for them to take their places.

  “So she’s a student too,” Karim thought.

  The instructor began: “Physical strength is only useful if guided by the mind. Just as uncontrolled power is useless, a body without a focused mind is weak. Today, you will first train physical endurance, followed by mental strengthening exercises.”

  While the others waited for their command, Karim was still preoccupied with the girl and the sign. “Are we going to the sky or something? Maybe it means we need to go underground instead,” he pondered.

  The instructor’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. “Karim and Luca, you’ll be partners for this lesson. You’ll take turns blocking each other’s strikes and trying to disable your opponent.”

  “Yes, instructor,” Karim replied. Luca stepped forward and greeted him.

  Luca was slightly taller but slimmer than Karim. “First class?” he asked.

  “Yeah. You?”

  “Mine too. So, how did you get accepted here?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean the Academy… Was it money, nobility, or talent?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Got it. So, where are you from?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I just don’t, okay? A quiet village in the woods… That’s all I remember.”

  It was obvious that Karim was uncomfortable talking, but Luca seemed to be seeking a friend, just like him. It was clear from the way Karim stood alone that he had no friends in class. Still, perhaps deep down, Karim didn’t allow himself to make friends. With everything he had lived through and everything he aimed to achieve having a friend might only slow him down… or pull him off his path.

  Karim ignored Luca’s chatter. Just then, the instructor called them over. Karim’s heartbeat echoed in his chest, as if reminding him why he was here.

  As they stood face to face, the instructor explained the rules: “No hits to places like the groin. No magic, no weapons, no talking. On my signal, you’ll take turns striking and blocking. Then you’ll wrestle. Bring each other to the ground. Begin!”

  As they exchanged strikes, Karim noticed Luca’s blows were aggressive and unbalanced. This training wasn’t meant to hurt, but Luca acted like he was facing a real enemy.

  When Luca’s turn came again, he suddenly aimed a full-strength punch at Karim’s face instead of the usual shoulder or chest. Caught off guard, Karim was knocked to the ground.

  As the instructor signaled the end of strikes and the start of the grappling phase, Karim heard snickers in the background. Luca hadn’t even apologized.

  “You could’ve at least said sorry,” Karim muttered.

  “Why would I? You don’t feel bad for an enemy, do you?” Luca replied.

  Karim stood and took his stance for the grapple. Right before the instructor gave the signal, he remembered William’s words: “The head and feet—those are the weak spots in a grapple. When your head hits the ground, your feet lose contact. Grappling ends when you fall—not when your head drops… First the head, then the feet!”

  When the match began, Luca immediately grabbed Karim by the neck, trying to pull him down. But Karim had grabbed Luca’s neck too. They spun once. Then Karim let go and lunged for Luca’s leg. Off-balance, Luca stumbled as Karim wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him to the ground. Luca struggled to get up, but Karim locked an arm around his throat, forcing him down.

  The pressure intensified. When the instructor signaled the end, they had delivered one of the most memorable performances of the session.

  “Karim, you need more work on close-range engagement. Your grappling foundations are better than I expected, but if you can’t manage space and timing in a face-off, you’ll hit the ground like you just did.”

  “And me, instructor? How did I do?” Luca asked.

  “Luca, you’re the opposite. You're fast and effective in direct combat, but once you hit the ground, it takes you too long to recover. You need to think strategically when pinning your opponent. Otherwise, you’ll lose your edge.”

  Both students listened closely as the first session came to an end. The road to mastery had only just begun.

  After the lesson, Karim and Luca stepped outside. As Luca showed Karim around the Academy, both were struck by the vastness and complexity of the place—equal parts amazed and curious.

  “Look, this is the main hub,” Luca said. “On the left are the market and taverns. They don’t let kids our age into the taverns. To the right are the craftsmen. Before any mission, they’re the ones who make our weapons and armor. Most importantly, they also design our medals.”

  “How do you know all this?” Karim asked.

  “My guide instructor told me. I memorized it in case I got lost.”

  “What about the training areas?”

  “You know the woman who stops by your room? She’s the one who tells you what to do.”

  “What? Just to tell me what class I have?”

  “No, you idiot. They help us with everything—our rooms, meals, and surroundings. That’s their job.”

  “Oh, I see,” Karim said, nodding.

  Luca continued, “Wanna look around more?”

  “Where’s the library? When I arrived with my sister, we saw a huge one.”

  “You have to go inside the main building for that. Honestly, I don’t know exactly.”

  “Do we have another class today?”

  “I doubt it. If we did, they wouldn’t have let us out this early.”

  Karim asked again, curious, “So, is there anything else you’re wondering about?”

  “I’m curious about everything here. How do they manage to provide so much for so little money? And why is this place so massive?”

  Luca lightly kicked a small stone by his foot, sending it skidding across the dirt. He shrugged. “No idea. If it were me, I’d charge everyone a fortune. Who knows how many people live here?”

  “Yeah, seriously… how many people are here?”

  “No clue. Every time I leave my room, I see new faces. It’s not easy to spot familiar ones.”

  Karim looked up at the enormous surrounding walls. They were so massive that no ordinary weapon could possibly breach them. Their size was both reassuring and intimidating.

  “They’re massive, aren’t they?” Luca said, touching Karim’s shoulder.

  Karim gently shrugged him off and replied, “Yeah. I wonder if we could climb them.”

  “I doubt it,” Luca said. “Besides, I’m afraid of heights.”

  As the two chatted, they heard the clinking of armor approaching behind them and turned around.

  “Look!” Luca whispered excitedly.

  “I see him,” Karim replied.

  A towering man in full armor was approaching, each step echoing with weight. The massive flail on his back and the ancient-looking engravings on his armor made him look like a walking fortress. The sheer presence of him—his size, the way his armor moved—was mesmerizing.

  He stopped in front of the boys and, noticing their awe-struck expressions, allowed himself a subtle smile.

  “Hello,” he said, his voice deep and rough.

  The sound hit them like a wave.

  Luca couldn’t hold back his excitement. “What class are you from, sir?”

  With a faint grin, the man replied, “Warrior.”

  Karim examined the man’s armor closely. It looked thick—probably immune to a standard sword strike. The engravings on it resembled some kind of ancient script. The spiked flail on his back looked lethal.

  Catching Karim’s gaze, the man chuckled. “What’s the matter? You thinking about how to kill me?”

  “No, I mean... your armor is just really impressive,” Karim replied.

  The man knelt down and placed a hand on Karim’s shoulder. “With enough training, you’ll earn something even better.”

  This closeness allowed the boys to get a better look at the armor. The scent of metal and sweat clung to the man like a second skin. His hands were covered in cuts and scrapes.

  “Can I touch it?” Luca asked.

  “Of course. Go ahead,” the man said.

  Both boys reached out and touched the armor at the same time. Karim felt a strange warmth radiating from it. He tried to gauge its thickness and hardness by touch, but it was impossible.

  The man stood. “I have to go. Take care, boys,” he said, walking away.

  “Did you see that flail?! It was huge!” Luca exclaimed.

  “He smelled like iron coins,” Karim muttered.

  “Wait… did you sniff the guy?” Luca asked, half laughing.

  “No! He put his hand on my shoulder, and the smell just hit me, okay?”

  Luca grinned. “Look, I know we just met, but if you’ve got any more weird habits, let me know now so I’m not shocked later. You were two seconds away from kissing the guy.”

  “Hey, I know I reacted a bit much—but come on, you saw him! He was like a walking mountain of steel,” Karim defended himself.

  “He really was,” Karim added. “Can I head back to my room now?”

  “Do I look like your mom?” Luca teased. “Why are you asking me?”

  “You idiot… I just don’t know which direction to go.”

  “Oh, right. I forgot. Come on, I’ll walk you back. We’ll figure out what’s next tomorrow.”

  The two walked together in silence.

  As soon as Karim returned to his room, he lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

  How had he adjusted so quickly to everything that had happened this morning? What was his family doing now? Did they miss him? What if something had happened to his mother?

  His thoughts chewed away at him until he reminded himself of the goal: a better life.

  He turned to look out the small square window. Outside, people went on with their lives as if nothing had changed.

  “At least I’ve made a friend,” he thought.

  He got up and stepped onto the warm stone floor. The heat beneath his feet helped calm the storm inside his head.

  He was a student now, and this was his room. Exploring his own space felt like a right.

  He started with the wooden dresser in front of the bed. The drawer creaked open to reveal his old clothes, spare Academy uniforms, two sets of undergarments, a handkerchief, a coin pouch, and a blank journal.

  In the bottom drawer, he found a few herbs and a small bowl—perhaps he could make tea later.

  The floor was soft but uneven beneath his toes, while the walls followed a perfect symmetry. A simple yellow chandelier hung from the ceiling, waiting for candles to be lit.

  When he opened the small chest next to his bed, he found a book titled Academy Guide and a rolled-up map.

  As the title suggested, the book contained information about the Academy. Karim felt a bit foolish—he had been wandering around earlier, wondering where to go, and the answers had been here all along.

  Unfolding the map, he saw all the locations Luca had mentioned already marked. It would make everything easier—and save him from having to talk to people he didn’t want to deal with.