Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol. 1- Novus Magus

[Revised/Edited] Episode 5: Loose Ends

-"There are things that have to be left behind, but there are also those that must not be abandoned. It is the work of the wise to identify the wheat from the chaff and separate them."

*Alto*

[Seven days until the test]

"Bye, Mom, Dad," I said, ruffling my blue hair to hide the strands of hair that were poking up. I made my way toward the white door on the other side of our small apartment. "I'm off to Kyuu Seishin now!"

"Be careful, Alto," my mom said.

"I'll be fine. I'm traveling with Arima, and Ulissis, after all." I smiled as I waved goodbye.

"Wait," Dad called out. He looked at me with stern eyes and held out a crimson wand. "Take this."

I reached out for the wand but stopped. "Father...this wand. I can't take it."

My father closed his eyes. "Please, child. Take it. It serves little purpose here other than to gather dust."

I took it and raised it towards the dull light of the old lightbulbs. "Thanks for giving this to me, Dad." I clenched the wand tightly. "I'll be sure to return it once I'm done with my magic studies."

My father's stern red eyes lightened up. "You don't have to do that. Now, go on and get going. Your friends are waiting."

I stored the wand in my black duffel bag. Tiny tears threatened to trickle down the sides of my eyes. "Bye, I'll write you letters once I've arrived," I turned away to keep them from noticing I was crying.

My father chuckled. "Please work on your writing first, Son. It's atrocious."

I rolled my eyes. Way to ruin the moment, Dad!

***

Arima and Ulissis waited for me on the bottom floor of the old apartment complex we called home.

"Finally, what took you so long?" asked Arima, her hands on her hips. Today she had her dark silver hair tied back in a ponytail.

I rubbed my eyes and smiled. "Sorry, my parents were being a bit emotional."

"At least you got to say goodbye to your parents," Ulissis said. His brown eyes gazed up at the old cement complex.

I gulped. Perhaps I shouldn't have said that. Ulissis' parents worked during the day so of course, he wasn't able to say goodbye to them.

"You at least got to say goodbye to your brother," I said.

He frowned. "Yeah, but it feels bad to leave Enji all alone."

"Mom will probably still check up on him like usual."

Ulissis smiled. "Miss Opus really is a nice lady." He rubbed his stomach. "We probably would've gone hungry until Mom arrived if not for her."

I laughed. "With your growling stomach, people would probably have thought a monster had gotten into the apartment."

Ulissis elbowed me. "It's not that loud!"

Arima patted Ulissis's back. "It is. Now, come on, you two! We've got to hit the road today if we hope to make it on time for the ceremony.

Ulissis put back on his hood and smiled. "Alright."

We walked to the nearest coffee shop a mile away from our apartment complex. The aroma of coffee brewing mixed with an old dusty smell struck us as soon as we entered. Sitting at a counter near the window were a woman who seemed to be in her late teens and a girl around our age.