The Academy of the Forgotten began to empty as dusk spilled over the city of Solkarion, staining the sky in hues of crimson and gold. The final bell had long rung, echoing through the ancient halls like a farewell song to a long-forgotten age. The last wave of students exited the marble gates, some laughing, some quiet — all carrying the weight of the tests they had just endured.
Kaeron stood at the edge of the western corridor, watching the orange sun melt behind the jagged skyline of broken towers in the distance. The academy's silhouette loomed behind him — a monument of faded glory, whispering secrets only the walls remembered.
Teacher Xavier's voice, stern yet resolute, called out one last time from the Grand Hall.
"From tomorrow," he declared, "your training begins under the eyes of those who once shaped the course of gods and monsters. Each of your instructors is a Master of a Sub-X. Their methods will be harsh. Their lessons — unforgettable. Do not take their presence lightly. The world we live in does not wait for you to be ready."
His words settled into Kaeron's bones like a cold wind.
As the last students turned to leave, a familiar sound echoed in the hallway — the soft, hurried rhythm of footsteps.
"Eliana," Kaeron said, half to himself, just before she appeared — breathless as always.
"Kaeron!" she shouted, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "You always leave without waiting for me. It's seriously becoming a problem."
Kaeron offered a small smirk. "Maybe I like the quiet walk back."
"You? Quiet?" Eliana scoffed, then grinned.
Trailing behind her were two girls — identical in every way except in the way they moved. Both had cotton-candy pink hair that shimmered faintly under the hallway lights. One wore her hair in a high ponytail, the other let hers fall in a sleek, straight cascade.
"New faces?" Kaeron asked, eyeing them curiously.
Eliana nodded. "Yup. Twins. They just transferred from the northern dome academy. This is Lyra"—she motioned to the bouncy one with the ponytail—"and that's Nyra. Don't worry, you'll tell them apart soon."
Lyra gave an exaggerated bow. "Lyra at your service! Resident mood-lifter and chaos generator."
Nyra gave a soft, polite nod. "Hi…"
Kaeron chuckled. "Got it. Pink hurricanes, one loud, one quiet."
The group walked together down the long hallway toward the academy gates, their laughter mingling with the echo of fading footsteps. Lyra and Eliana swapped dramatic gossip about some boy who failed his X-evaluation by accidentally turning his hair into living vines. Nyra mostly listened, occasionally offering soft giggles that melted into the background.
As the academy's massive doors closed behind them, the city embraced them with its fading warmth. Neon signs flickered to life along distant rooftops, and the buzz of hover-trams stirred in the distance.
Near the edge of the plaza, the twins stopped.
"Well," Lyra said, stretching dramatically, "this is where we split. Our place is down the Litheran block."
"Thanks for the walk," Nyra said, barely above a whisper.
"Same time tomorrow?" Eliana asked.
Lyra winked. "You bet. I'm not missing Kaeron's awkward silences for anything."
Kaeron raised an eyebrow. "Was that a compliment?"
"Take it however you like, Mr. Mysterious." She grinned and nudged Nyra forward.
The twins waved and disappeared into the gentle glow of the streets, leaving Eliana and Kaeron alone beneath the hovering lantern posts of the parkside walkway.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Eliana turned to him, voice softer. "You know… I've been thinking about your test."
Kaeron's eyes didn't move from the sky. "Oh?"
"You passed… sort of. But it wasn't a proper manifestation of any Sub-X. Just a spike in core pressure." She bit her lip. "I… don't get it. You've had a Xero Core since you were thirteen. Most people awaken within two years. But you… haven't."
Kaeron exhaled slowly. "Yeah. I know."
She hesitated. "Maybe… maybe it's not time yet. Maybe you're waiting for something bigger. Or maybe the core's waiting for you to change."
Kaeron didn't reply.
Eliana reached out, her fingers brushing lightly against his arm. "Whatever it is… just don't give up. You're not weak, Kaeron. You're just... untapped."
With that, she stepped back and smiled. "I should get going. See you tomorrow."
He nodded.
As Eliana disappeared into the distance, Kaeron turned, walking the opposite direction. He didn't head home.
Instead, he wandered through the streets near the old Linking Park, a quiet slice of Solkarion that somehow still retained some color. Trees lined the cobbled path, leaves rustling in the breeze as lights flickered above like ancient stars.
Kaeron's thoughts grew heavy. Why haven't I awakened a Sub-X yet?Is it me? My focus? My strength? Or is my core... broken?
But amid his thoughts, a different presence stirred in his mind.
A sound.
Too soft to be coincidence.
Footsteps.
Behind him.
He didn't react. Didn't turn.
But his senses were now alive.
Someone was following him.
His pace didn't change. He let the figure think they had the advantage. He strolled around the park, crossed the central fountain, and approached a small supply shop at the gate. The glow of the neon sign buzzed overhead.
He stepped inside.
The shopkeeper, a gruff man with cybernetic eyes, looked up. "Looking for anything, kid?"
Kaeron shook his head. "Just waiting on someone."
He positioned himself by the window, pretending to look at a shelf of bottled drinks while watching the reflection of the gate. Ten minutes passed.
Nothing.
The figure had vanished.
The tension in his shoulders loosened slightly. He gave the shopkeeper a quick nod and stepped outside, the air colder now than before. Maybe I imagined it.
He turned toward home.
The alleyway leading to his apartment complex was darker than usual. The automated lights flickered and failed to activate. His boots echoed as he stepped forward.
And then—
A rush of movement. A flash of steel.
Kaeron twisted his body instinctively, narrowly avoiding the sharp edge of a blade meant for his back. The attacker lunged again, but Kaeron's reflexes — trained from years of evasion drills — kicked in. He ducked, rolled, and landed on his feet.
The man was dressed in black, face obscured, movements sharp.
Kaeron had no weapons.
Just his body.
They clashed. Kaeron deflected a strike, then took a blow to the ribs. He grunted, pivoted, and kicked the attacker's wrist. The knife clattered to the ground, spinning out of reach.
Kaeron dashed for it.
But stopped dead in his tracks.
Click.
The sound was unmistakable.
A gun.
The attacker had drawn it from beneath his long overcoat, already aimed.
Kaeron's heart raced.
In a split-second decision, he dove sideways just as the trigger was pulled. The bullet tore through the air, barely missing his arm and striking the brick wall behind.
The man aimed again.
Kaeron landed hard, panting, his hands empty.
The attacker stepped forward, leveling the barrel directly at his chest.
Nowhere to run.