The Academy’s Rejected Mage

Kai’s POV

“Fail.”

The word lands heavily in my ears but I don’t flinch because it is exactly what I was expecting to hear from the examiner.

My father doesn’t look up at the man as he speaks. “Say that again.”

The examiner looks down with familiar disappointment. “Sir Blackwell, Kai has failed to bring forth any kind of magic which means he has failed his entrance examination into Aureum Academy.”

“Again?”

“Again.”

My mother closes her eyes, letting out a long disappointed sigh while my brother, Caelum, chuckles, not looking surprised either. I look at him as he leans comfortably against the back of his chair, arms folded across his chest, wearing the same smug expression he has worn every year I’ve failed.

This isn’t the first time. It’s not even the second. My father finally raises his eyes and meets mine. “Do you know what your score is?”

I don’t respond. Whatever it is can’t be worth knowing.

“Thirty-two.”

“Thirty-two?” Caelum lets out another laugh.

“Caelum,” my mother warns with little interest and he raises both hands in mock surrender. “What? I’m not the one who scored thirty-two.”

My fingers tighten under the table. My father walks up to me and slams the report on the desk. “You failed the written examination, the mana assessment and the practical test. EVERY.DAMN.YEAR!”

I swallow. “I know.”

“You know?!” He slams his palm hard on the table. “Then why are you sitting there like you don’t care?”

I look at him before dropping my eyes back on the report, taking note of the red mark over it.

KAI BLACKWELL — REJECTED. Every damn year.

My chest tightens as I say quietly. “I care.”

“Do you?” My mother finally speaks up and I’m surprised it took this long. She’s usually the first to curse me out.

“Because it sure as hell doesn’t look like it. Do you know how many times your brother failed?” She points to him.

“None,” my father answers for him. “Not even once.”

My mother’s face hardens. “That is because as a Blackwell, he understands what is expected of him. Your brother passed this same examination at the top of his year.”

He smiles smugly.

“He actually scored higher than some of the academy’s second-years,” she continues.

“I know.”

“His mana core awakened at thirteen.”

“I know.”

“By the following year, he had already mastered three intermediate spells.”

“I know, mother.”

“So why can’t you do it?” She fires sharply. “Why have you decided to bring embarrassment and shame to this family by choosing to be so useless?”

I look at her, anger coursing through me. But I can’t do anything about it because I know she’s right. No matter how angry I am, she’s right. I am useless. This is the one thing every Aztakh member is supposed to be able to do. Most people’s Mana awaken at thirteen like my brother, the latest is sixteen. But I’m seventeen and still, nothing yet.

“Aftet all those achievements, now I’m stuck with a younger brother who can’t even cast a basic spell,” my brother mocks, widening his smirk. “It is truly an embarrassment.”

I look at him, locking my jaw. “Are you finished?”

He raises a brow. “Oh? You still think you have the audacity to be annoyed?”

“And you still think you can mind your busines—?”

“Enough!” My father immediately cuts in before I can get word in.

“But he started it.”

“I said that's enough, Kai.” I stare at him as I go silent.

This is what happens when you’re not the favourite child.

Your brother can run his mouth all he wants but once you’re about to say anything, you’re cut off. The price to pay for not having my magic I guess.

Caelum leans back with a satisfied grin. Must be fun to be in his shoes.

“You’re getting worked up about the wrong thing,” my father continues, picking up the report. “I paid for the best private tutors for you. Brought in the best mages…”

“Even made your brother tutor you,” my mother adds, which is funny because my brother only spent the time berating me, he never taught me a thing.

“Mana pills, the best training equipment, even a live-in personal instructor…all at your disposal and for what?”

My father pushes his face closer to mine. “For what, Kai? Just to be a failure again? Just to make us the laughingstock of the city?”

My jaw tightens. He laughs bitterly, scratching his forehead as he paces away. My mother mirrors his movements, holding her forehead.

“I honestly don’t understand how people can have such different children.”

At the mention of that, something cracks in my chest but instead of anger, I almost laugh. I stare at my brother and as expected, he’s running his eyes over me like I’m the most irritating thing he’s ever seen and it doesn’t feel out of place. Caelum has spent his entire life being exactly what they wanted while I’ve spent mine being used to the fact that I irritate my own family.

And the worst part is, I don’t even know what to do to change things. Apart from everyone my father has hired for me, I never sat back lazily. I always train, day and night. I take dangerous risks just to force the power out of me but it’s all to no avail.

I get up slowly and go on my knees. “Forgive me father. Forgive me mother. I promise to do better next year.”

“Didnt you make the same promise last year? And the year before that?” My brother cuts in.

“Exactly,” my father says. “And it means this little stunt of yours…it won't work anymore.” Embarrassment cloaks me like a shield. My father continues. “And do you know what this means?”

I stare silently.

“While your brother continues to make us proud at the academy…we’ll have to get you in.”

I squint. “But I failed.”

“You did.”

“So…?”

He holds my gaze intently. “We’ll have to grease the right hands.”

For a moment, I don’t understand but as the smile on my brother's face disappears, I quickly pick up on what my father means and my face burns.

“Wait, You mean…”

“Yes, Kai. We’ll pay to get you into the academy.”

“What? You can’t do that.” I jump up. “Bribery? It’s a death sentence for me, I’ll never be welcomed.”

“And you should have thought about that before deciding to be a failure,” my mother cuts in, staring me down.

“This conversation is over. Now, go pack your bags. You’re leaving with your brother.”

I stumble, losing air for a moment because I know one thing for certain. My life is about to be over.