Anthony's tone turned serious. "You both already know our world isn't the only one. There are other realms—Valemire, where most humans live… Drakoryn Peaks, home of the dragons… Syithariel, land of the elves. All these realms are connected by ancient portals."
Kelvin nodded, confused. "Yeah, Uncle. We know that. Why are you bringing it up now?"
Anthony continued, his voice calm but intense. "Because I have an offer for you. There's another realm—Elarion. It's different. A treaty was signed there between all five realms. No war, no fighting. Just peace, overseen by a united government. And in Elarion stands the most prestigious academy in existence—Nexus Academy. It's where the best minds, warriors, and leaders from every realm are trained."
Both Raven and Kelvin were listening closely now.
"In our realm," Anthony went on, "there are three great kingdoms—Eldwyn, Bravora, and Alaska, where we live. Every year, each kingdom gets a limited number of recommendation letters to send students to Nexus Academy. Only twenty from our entire realm."
He paused, letting the weight of that sink in.
"I have one of those letters," Anthony said quietly. "But I have no children of my own. So... I want to give it to you, Kelvin."
Kelvin's eyes widened. "Are you serious?!"
"I am," Anthony said firmly. "This is a chance to rise above. To make something of yourself. If you graduate—even with just passing marks—you'll have a future most people only dream of."
Kelvin looked stunned with joy—but after a moment, his smile faltered. He glanced at Raven. "But… what about big brother? Why not him?"
Raven cut in before Anthony could answer. "Idiot," he said with a grin. "I'm fine here. This life suits me. Besides, I'm technically a dropout, and I've got a job. Sort of."
Kelvin looked down, still unsure. Then Raven pulled him into a hug, ruffling his hair.
"Go," Raven said quietly. "Make your future. I've got mine."
Kelvin smiled, hugging him back—and just for a moment, the weight of everything else melted away.
Anthony paused, his face unreadable. Then, without a word, he handed the letter to Kelvin.
Kelvin unfolded it, his eyes scanning the text aloud. "Blah blah… honored candidate… report to the capital city of your respective kingdom…" He squinted. "Before the 28th?"
He froze.
"That's the day after tomorrow!"
His head snapped up, panic flashing in his eyes. "Uncle, the distance from Peru to Alden takes four days! Why didn't you give this to me earlier?!"
Anthony was already walking toward the door. He gave a half-hearted wave over his shoulder. "Because that's the test, Kelvin. If you're worthy, you'll find a way. Anyway, I'm late for lunch. Good luck. Bye!"
He vanished.
There was a silence.
Then Raven, deadpan:
"Such a magnificent bastard. He could've just not given you the letter instead of wrapping it in a riddle, drama, and a deadline."
Kelvin spun toward him. "Brother, what do I do now?! Even if we pushed our magic to the limit, we'd still be two days late!"
Raven's eyes narrowed, his smile gone. "There's one way."
Kelvin hesitated. "Which one?"
Raven's eyes locked onto his. Dead serious. "We cut through Dreadgrove Forest."
Silence.
The color drained from Kelvin's face. "W-What?"
Raven didn't blink. "You heard me. The land of murder trees, ghost wolves, and that one banshee who sings ABBA backwards at midnight."
Kelvin's voice cracked. "What?!"
Raven patted his shoulder solemnly. "You want the Nexus Academy or not? Time to risk your spine, sanity, and soul. Let's pack snacks."