Awakening (Part 2)

Nearly two months had passed since that day.

I broke the news to Scarlett and she didn't talk to me for three weeks.

If I was recruited, I would have gotten an invitation weeks ago. 

The time for recruiting and joining organizations was over. 

Naturally, no one wanted a mage that awakened with only a single skill when there were people who awakened with up to seven different skills.

Over the course of those months I had broken my promise to Scarlett.

I returned to the ring.

With every fight that I won, I got paid more and more.

There was no point in stopping, especially when my win was almost guaranteed. 

There was no one that could beat me.

Thankfully, since my fight purse increased every time I won, me and Scarlett were living more comfortably compared to before. 

Don't get it twisted, we were still well below the poverty line, the only things we could afford was food and whatever Scarlett needed for school.

Something had to change.

....

*chirp* *chirp*

I awakened to the beautiful sounds of birds chirping the distance, as well as a gentle ray of sun tickling my face.

"Aahhhh" I say aloud as I stretch.

Today is going to be a really good day.

I stand up from my bed and I walk out the door, past Scarlett's room and almost round the corner into the dining room.

'Scarlett must still be sleeping, I think I'm going to prepare something special for breakfast today' I say happily in my head.

As the entire dining room comes into view I see an old man, sipping coffee and reading a newspaper in what is usually my seat at the dining table.

I freeze instantly. 

We make eye contact.

I open my mouth to shout something, anything.

Nothing comes out.

Now that I think about it, I can't move my body at all.

Only my face can kind of move.

"Let's calm down a little why don't we?" he said.

His voice was shockingly soothing.

I try to force words out of my mouth to respond. 

Again, nothing comes out.

'Why the fuck can't I move? Must be gramps over there fucking with me.' I think to myself

"Let me introduce myself, I'm Kai Stone. You know me right?" he tells me 

Huh, the name sounds kinda familiar.

 But, I want to say:

'No I don't fucking know you, jackass. Let me go now.' 

For the third time, nothing comes out of my mouth.

He must have noticed the confusion in my eyes, so he clarified.

"Kai Stone, retired ranker?" he says

"You really don't know me?" he follows up.

At least give me the power to respond.

"Hmmm, maybe I should let you respond. Just don't scream, please."

Finally, I was free again.

Now, I wasn't stupid enough to scream.

If he wanted me dead he would've done it ages ago, and he would probably have the ability to kill me before I even got the chance.

"No, I don't know you, what the fuck do you want?" I said to him 

"Woah, woah, woah, let's calm down."

"You just broke into MY kitchen and froze the shit out of me, and you ask me to calm down?" I say but not too loudly.

"Yes, because I am here to make you a proposal you can't refuse. Literally, I won't let you refuse it." he tells me, dead serious.

"Sooo, its not a proposal." I shoot back 

"Let me finish. It's a proposal in the sense that we both win."

I cross my arms.

"I'm listening" 

He grins.

"Kael, you have been invited to Luceran Academy, pack your shit."

My mouth hung open.

Everything clicked into place.

Kai Stone, retired ranker and headmaster of the #1 institution in the world.

Luceran Academy.

The creme de la creme of academies.

90% of rankers have all attended Luceran Academy.

No one has ever refused an offer from Luceran. 

Probably because this fucktard breaks into their houses and threatens them like this.

Or maybe no one is stupid enough to refuse such an offer. 

"Why?" I asked 

Normally, I would've said he was mistaken, that he had the wrong person. 

I awakened one skill, a shitty class and an even shittier affinity.

Yet, he had called me by my name, and had shown up, uninvited to my house.

"In the history of the recorded world there have only been one other person that had awakened an affinity for spatial magic. You might feel as though your affinity isn't as strong as something like fire, or water, and you're right in feeling that way. An affinity as niche and rare as spatial magic has an incredibly low floor but an equally as incredibly high ceiling." he said in one, long-winded breath.

Although in theory his statement was correct there was one thing that was missing:

"I have no talent. You've probably seen how many skills I received."

"Normally, yes, that would mean you're awfully untalented and not worth my time, but I have a reason for recruiting such an average kid." He responded.

"And what is that?" I ask.

I understand how stupid I sound.

I should just shut up and accept his offer.

But I can't.

"The one other person beside you I knew personally. He would have been one of the greatest supporting mages ever. He was close to breaking through, and evolving his class into 'Spatial Magus'. Yet, he rushed into the 'Games' and died a brutal, meaningless death. He had kept a journal of his journey, from mage just like you, to nearly the highest form of spatial mage you can become. His entries are confusing and undecipherable to me. I was hoping someone could possibly benefit from his journal, so his death wouldn't be in vain. So, who better than a mage with the same affinity as him?." Kai said.

Now I had the weight of a dead friend resting on my shoulder?

"Look, I get that, but wouldn't I be muddying the talent pool at Luceran? I would be a laughing stock. I'm weak in one on one combat, I can't even open a single portal so I'm useless as a supporting mage, and didn't your academy start school already?" I ask.

The look on his face was getting darker and darker as I spoke.

"Are you refusing my offer?" he asked back in a menacing tone

"No, I'm just confirming that this is something you want to do? right? Invite an untalented, weak kid from a background of poverty, into the best academy in the world just because of some niche affinity?" I quickly respond.

"Your affinity for spatial magic is not something to be laughed at. Other niche affinities like Darkness, or lightning, have high floors, but low ceilings. They start strong and flashy, yet they end weak. You understand? Just because you are weak now doesn't mean you'll be weak forever. Plus, you're going to be mentored by the one and only Kai Stone." 

Now I'm his disciple?

"Haaaaa, fine. But look, I have a sister, she's small, only eleven years old. She needs to be taken care of." 

His smile returns.

"You think we won't take care of family? It's fucking Luceran, your sister can get her own damn mansion for gods sake." He retorted.

Hearing those words come out of his mouth was the best news I heard since entering this world.

My sister can live her dream life in the capitol, and I'll probably be able to visit her from time to time.

It felt like a huge weight was being lifted and then set back down on my back.

Now I have to become strong.

"Oh! I forgot to mention, it took me a bit to find your exact location so, your about a month late." He says with an even bigger grin.

"Late to what?" I ask, confused.

"Well, they started classes and training a month ago."

I swear he looked like he was about to shit himself laughing.

There goes any remaining chance I had at making any friends.

FML.