Chapter 1 – The Student Laith
Prologue:
This is where the future of the world and the continent is shaped.
This is where those who might one day become rulers are trained.
Through the power of this world...
Welcome to the Academy, young man.
---
In a narrow, dark street where sunlight barely reached, inside an old residential building...
On the first floor, a door opened, and a boy stepped out on his way to high school.
His name was Laith. A student with very low grades, trying hard to pass his final year exams—with only two months left.
He didn't like talking to people. He thought being social or trying to fit in was meaningless.
He believed there was nothing special about him.
The school bell rang. The gates opened. Students' voices filled the air.
Laith walked to classroom 4 and sat down, waiting alone for the teacher.
Nearby, some boys were chatting.
"I think the national exam will be easy this year..."
"I'm probably going to pay to enter the engineering college after I graduate..."
One of them glanced at Laith and said mockingly:
"Look at Laith, acting all deep again. He'll fail this year for sure."
"Let's go mess with him."
As they walked toward Laith, a girl blocked their way.
She seemed to be their classmate.
"Leave him alone," she said.
The boys looked at her mockingly.
"What is he—your boyfriend or something? Haha!"
She frowned.
"No. I just studied with him before. His mother passed away... and his father is in the hospital."
The boys' expressions shifted to guilt and pity.
They hurried toward Laith.
"Bro, if anyone messes with you, tell me—I'll crush them."
"If you need help with studying, just ask me. Please."
Laith glanced at the girl behind them and understood everything.
He gave a cold, strained smile.
"Thank you, but I'm fine. Please forget about it. I'm fine alone."
---
In class, the teacher was explaining as usual, handing out exercises.
Laith sat at the back of the room, lost in thought.
His mind wandered:
"I have to graduate... find a job soon...
Dad's hospital insurance won't last forever..."
The dismissal bell rang.
Laith rushed to a carpentry and metal workshop.
"Mr. Kim, are you here?"
An old man with a thick gray beard stepped out.
"Come on, boy. Change quickly—we've got several orders to finish today.
If we finish early, I'll give you a bonus."
Laith changed out of his school uniform and put on worn work clothes.
He started sanding and crafting pieces of furniture.
Hours passed.
"I think I'm finally done... (sigh)."
Laith changed clothes again and left.
It was already dark.
He returned home—alone—since his parents were no longer with him.
He went into his parents' room and sat on the bed,
longing for the old days, thinking of what happened three years ago,
when his mother died and his father fell into a coma.
"Why me? Why couldn't I live a normal life—just go to school without worrying about anything else?"
(sigh)
Laith stood up... then heard a strange sound coming from under the bed.
He looked quickly and found an old, decorated wooden box.
He took it out.
"A box? What could be inside?"
"It seems to be locked..."
He touched the lock—and it opened by itself.
Laith flinched, almost dropping the box.
Inside, he found an envelope—it looked like a letter.
"A letter? Is this a recommendation or something?"
He was too tired to read it, so he placed it aside and fell asleep on his parents' bed.
---
In his dream, he found himself in a strange room—
a bed, a curtained window, a table—all decorated in a medieval style.
Laith looked around, confused, until he heard a voice.
"Oh? Look who finally decided to show up."
The voice was sarcastic—mocking.
Laith looked around and saw a strange boy sitting on a chair,
his legs crossed, resting his head on his hand.
The boy stared at Laith with a smirk.
Laith spoke seriously:
"Why... why do you look exactly like me? Even your voice..."
The boy said nothing. He just kept smiling,
then snapped his fingers.
Laith woke up, sweating.
"Phew... it was just a dream."
He got up, went to the bathroom, washed his face,
and cooked some eggs, trying to forget the strange dream.
As he sat down to eat, he remembered the letter under the bed.
After a few minutes, he returned to his parents' room,
took the box, and opened the envelope.
Inside was a strange paper, written in a language he had never seen before.
Yet somehow... he could read it clearly.
---
The letter said:
My son, if you are reading this, then I am truly sorry.
You must be going through a very hard time...
I don't have much time to explain, but here's what you need to know:
Something happened three years ago...
What matters now is that there is still hope—
Hope for my recovery and waking from the coma.
Also... you have a sister.
Yes, a sister you've never met.
I'm truly sorry, Laith, but you must go through more.
You are the only hope to save this family.
I want you to stand in front of my safe and place your hand on it for about a minute. You'll understand everything.
I'm counting on you, and I hope you'll get along with your sister if you ever meet her.
I'm sorry, Laith.
---
Laith read the letter, emotions swirling in him—shock, anger, sadness.
"This is insane... Dad knew he'd fall into a coma? A sister? I have a sister?"
"I can't believe this..."
After thinking for a while, Laith decided to do what the letter said.
He stood in front of his father's safe and placed his hand on it.
A mysterious door appeared.
"No way... this is real... No! No time to be shocked."
He stepped through cautiously.
The passage was lit by candles.
At the end was a wooden door.
He opened it and found a room full of bookshelves and a wooden desk.
The place looked untouched for years.
There was another door at the back of the room.
He opened it silently.
He stepped into a strange garden, with sunlight shining down.
The entire place was surrounded by a large wooden fence.
"Am I in some fantasy movie?"
"This is too weird... Was there a gate to this place inside Dad's room?"
He looked around.
There was a small house with a bedroom, kitchen, and the garden in front.
"I should stay here for now... I don't know what's outside."
He returned to the library room, filled with shelves and books.
"First, I guess I should start reading.
If I could read the letter, I should be able to read these books too..."
---
Name: Laith Vanis
Age: 17
Gender: Male
Height: 177 cm