To A New World

The air was thick with the unsettling remnants of Theos's bloodlust, lingering around him like a dark fog. Silence clung to the clearing, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves as the students stared at him—some with admiration, others with a wary unease. Awe and fear mingled in their expressions, each gaze seeming to ask the same question: Who—or what—was he really?

"He's so young," murmured a blonde-haired girl, her cheeks flushed a delicate rose-pink, caught somewhere between admiration and disbelief.

Another student, a boy with eager eyes, couldn't hold back his curiosity. "Are you in the magic academy?" he called, his voice filled with excitement, as if hoping to have discovered some kind of legend.

Theos blinked, caught off guard, and tilted his head, trying to process the question. "Magic academy?" he repeated, the words unfamiliar. He hadn't heard of such a thing in all his years. Magic, for him, was the quiet knowledge passed down by his village elders and the fragments of ancient texts he'd come across. An academy… That was something else entirely.

"What's a magic academy?" he asked at last, his voice calm, though a flicker of interest sparked in his gaze.

A hush fell over the group. The students exchanged glances, some surprised, others baffled. The silence grew thick, their expressions shifting as they tried to fit this response into their image of him. It was as if he'd just spoken a foreign language, one that defied their expectations.

The blonde girl's eyes widened, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to comprehend his answer. A boy at the back stifled a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head, and more than one of them looked at him with dawning realization, wondering if he lived hidden away in some remote mountain, with only the forest and the wind as his companions.

As the tension settled, a familiar figure stepped forward—the old man, his face worn yet resolute. His battle scars, fresh and faded alike, marked him as someone hardened by experience. He regarded Theos with a critical eye, not with the excitement of the students but with a thoughtful intensity, as if weighing an idea.

The old man finally spoke, his voice low but steady. "Boy, you have power—dangerous power. But it's untamed, wild as a storm. It could be a curse as much as a gift if you don't learn to master it."

Theos met his gaze, calm yet wary, as the man's words struck close to a truth he had long felt but had not yet put into words. The Delusion powers twisting within him, the unnatural link with the demon from the other side… They were both blessings and burdens, chains he wished to break but couldn't.

The old man continued, his tone almost gentle, but with a hint of urgency. "If you join the academy, you'd have a chance to learn. You could find ways to control what lies inside you—and perhaps," his eyes sharp,as he waited for an answer, Theos thought he might discover a way to rid himself of that link to whatever demon haunts him

Theos's heart pounded. The thought of freedom from the demon's influence, of not being a vessel for the power he feared, lit something inside him—a flicker of hope, small but bright. His gaze shifted to the students, their expressions a mix of anticipation and curiosity. Was this what Roseville would have wanted for him? To live among others, to truly grow beyond the forest that held the only memories he had of her?

He took a breath, a new resolve settling over him. "Yes," he said quietly, his voice firm. "I'll go to this academy."

The students murmured in excitement, and even the old man gave a slight nod of approval. Theos, for the first time in years, allowed himself to hope—for freedom, for control, and perhaps, for a future beyond the forest shadows.

The academy representatives agreed to give Theos one final week in the forest to prepare. It would allow him to gather his few belongings, but more than that, it would give him time to say goodbye to the only place he had ever known as home.

As the students and the old man turned to leave, Theos felt a strange pang in his chest. This forest held more than memories; it held every lesson, every struggle, every piece of his past with Roseville. Each step he took now would be a step further from the life he had lived—and closer to something entirely unknown.

The week stretched ahead, the last echo of where his journey started.

Theos watched the figures disappear down the trail, their footsteps fading into the distance. As the forest reclaimed its quiet, he took a deep breath, letting the familiar scent of pine and damp earth fill his senses. This was his sanctuary—the place where he had found refuge after losing Roseville, where he had learned to live alone, wrapped in memories and shadows.

Slowly, he turned and began to wander through the forest, his mind drifting to the small things he wanted to gather in the days left to him. He moved to his favorite spots—the glade by the brook where the sunlight danced on the water, the hollow tree where he had kept his few belongings safe, and the narrow, winding trail that led to a hidden cave, where he'd once stored Roseville's precious keepsakes. Each place held a memory, a moment frozen in time, reminders of the life he'd fought to protect.

As he reached the cave, he paused. Inside, in a small stone nook, lay a bundle wrapped in faded cloth—the last reminders of Roseville. Her earring rested at the top of the pile, gleaming faintly in the dim light. He reached for it, his fingers brushing the cool metal. Holding it close, he felt her presence, as though she were still beside him, guiding him forward.

That night, he sat by his campfire, staring into the flickering flames as the forest wrapped around him like a blanket. The silence was different now; it felt heavier, filled with a sense of ending and beginning all at once. He didn't know what awaited him at the academy, what they could teach him about his powers, or if they could sever his link to the demon. But he knew he had to try, for Roseville's sake—and for his own.

As dawn broke over the trees, casting long shadows across the forest floor,Theos began gathering the few possessions he would bring with him. Each item felt like a piece of himself he was taking into the unknown: his small hunting knife, a worn map of the forest, and Roseville's earring. With one last look around, he took a deep breath, feeling a surge of courage.

He had one week left in the forest to say goodbye, to gather strength, and to prepare for the journey that would change everything.