Morning came without warmth. Not the kind that softened edges or eased burdens. It arrived like a quiet verdict, pale light slipping through the blinds and cutting across Seth's face in narrow bands. His eyes opened instantly. No grogginess, no hesitation. Awake meant aware and aware meant calculating. For a moment, he didn't move. The ceiling above him remained unchanged, familiar in a way that felt almost foreign. His thoughts were already in motion, replaying fragments from the previous night. Words, movements and patterns. Refinement. Selection. Observation.
"…still watching," he muttered under his breath.
Then he sat up. The air was cold against his skin as his feet touched the floor. He moved with quiet efficiency, every action stripped of excess. The bathroom light flickered on, illuminating the sharp lines of his reflection. Water ran. Steam slowly filled the room. Under the shower, Seth stood still as droplets traced down his body, each one grounding him in the present. But his mind wasn't there.
It wandered back to that word again. Refinement! His fingers clenched slightly.
"…what were they trying to create?"
The water didn't answer.
Minutes later, he stepped out, dried off, and dressed. His uniform sat perfectly on him, crisp and unwrinkled, though there was something about the way he wore it that stripped it of its intended innocence. He wasn't a student. He was something pretending to be one. Grabbing his bag, he moved toward the door with no hesitation and no second thoughts. He stepped outside—and paused. There it was. The bike. Sleek. Black. Quiet even in stillness, like a predator resting before the hunt. The frame caught the morning light in subtle reflections, its design both elegant and aggressive.
Seth approached it slowly.
"…efficient," he murmured.
His hand brushed lightly against the handle. Then the engine roared to life. Not loud in a crude way, but deep and controlled. A sound that turned heads without asking for permission. Seth mounted it and then he shot forward.
The school gates were already busy. Students walked in clusters, voices overlapping, laughter rising and falling like background noise. Then the sound cut through everything. Heads turned and conversations faltered. The bike glided into view, slicing through attention like a blade through fabric. It wasn't just the machine. It was the presence riding it. Seth slowed, then parked with smooth precision. Silence lingered a moment longer than it should have.
"…who is that?"
"…is that Seth?"
"…since when does he—?"
Whispers spread like cracks in glass but before they could settle—
Another arrival!
Multiple engines roared. They were low, expensive, and unmistakable. A convoy of luxury sports cars rolled toward the entrance, each one polished to perfection. Their doors opened in sequence, like a rehearsed performance. This scene was utterly stunning.
Students stepped out and among them, the belle of the school, radiant and composed, her presence drawing admiration effortlessly. Her name was Ivy Miller, a senior at the school. Her circle followed, a group of stunning beauties. Together with her, they were four in total. Then came Vincent, calm and refined. He was the kind of person who didn't need to prove anything because everything already spoke for him. Beside him, Lincoln. Quiet and observant as always but chatty when need be. His gaze moved differently, not skimming surfaces but sinking into them. Victor stepped out as well, accompanying his older brother and another figure, Douglas—the one responsible for the challenge sent to Seth.
Their attention shifted, landing on Seth and for a brief moment, tension threatened to rise but Vincent's eyes flickered. A subtle, but absolute warning. The duo noticed. No one moved and no one spoke. Seth, unaware—or perhaps unconcerned—finished parking his bike. Abruptly, he paused upon feeling a sensation. Not danger, not hostility but something else. His head turned slightly and his eyes met Lincoln's. For a moment, the world narrowed with no sound, no movement but just recognition. Not of identity but of… difference. Seth then looked away with his beautiful but dull eyes and walked toward the building.
The classroom felt smaller than usual. Not physically but perceptually. Eyes lingered longer than before and conversations dipped when he passed. Something had clearly shifted in how people saw him. Or perhaps, they were finally starting to see it all. A few periods passed. Then—
An announcement echoed through the halls.
"All students are to report to the Grand Hall immediately." An electronic voice announced, making the students get up in excitement and exiting their classrooms quickly.
The Grand Hall was vast but rows upon rows of seats filled quickly, the air buzzing with curiosity. At the front stood an instructor, his posture relaxed but commanding. He waited for silence to fall. Then he spoke.
"You are all here because you stand at the threshold."
A pause.
"Not as children. Not as ordinary individuals. But as life candidates."
Murmurs spread but he continued.
"The process you are about to undergo is known as Awakening."
The word carried weight.
"Every one of you," he said, scanning the room, "has already taken the first step of advancement so you are not ordinary humans."
Another pause surfaced.
"You are Advanced Humans."
A faint stir went through the students.
"Unlike the masses, you were born with an active Gift."
He raised a hand slightly.
"But a Gift is not the end. It is the beginning."
His gaze sharpened.
"Upon Awakening… that Gift evolves."
"…into an Ability."
The hall grew quieter. Everyone knew this as they had been told a few tens of times since childhood.
"During this process, several outcomes may manifest. Some of you may unlock dormant bloodline powers."
A ripple of excitement.
"Others may receive… blessings."
That word lingered longer.
"And some…"
His voice dipped slightly.
"…may encounter curses."
The atmosphere shifted. No one felt comfortable when the dark truth about awakening was mentioned.
"Blessings may elevate your path beyond expectation." He explained.
"Curses may break it entirely."
Silence.
"You are all aware," he added, almost casually, "that these elements… bloodlines, blessings, curses… are graded."
He didn't need to elaborate because curiosity was already burning despite everyone knowing about them. Then he smiled faintly.
"Of course… theory alone is insufficient."
Energy shifted subtly before it happened. His presence changed, not dramatically but undeniably. A faint distortion rippled through the air as he moved. His hand extended, and something invisible compressed then released.
Boom
A controlled burst of force struck a target at the far end of the hall, leaving a deep indentation. Gasps of awe erupted.
"…again."
This time, his movement blurred slightly. Not fast—just efficient beyond normal perception. Another strike, this one sharper, cleaner and more precise. The students watched in awe. All but one. Seth!
"…predictable," he thought quietly.
Abilities, from what he could see, still followed patterns. Structure, rules, and anything with rules...could be broken. Across the hall, Lincoln was watching him, not the instructor nor the fancy display. 'Seth Williams!' He thought.
"…interesting," he murmured under his breath. Vincent noticed, his gaze shifting subtly.
"…what are you looking at?" he asked.
Lincoln didn't answer immediately.
"…nothing." But Vincent didn't believe him.
The demonstration ended and the hall slowly returned to noise. Most of the students were excitedly discussing the instructor's 'show' of abilities. These young souls were too eager to reach that level but no one wanted to become fallen. Of course no one would ever want that to happen to them.
Another group, this time of three stepped forward. They were formal and composed and their presence carried authority. These three were representatives from the Order.
"The Annual Battle Tournament will take place in the coming weeks."
A pause.
"This year, it will be hosted at Viremont Academy."
A stir resurfaced among the crowd of students.
"And…"
A slight smile.
"It is officially sponsored by The Order, along with the ruling families."
That changed everything.
"…the purpose?"
"To identify potential."
Whispers exploded across the hall. Opportunity, recognition and power. Seth rolled his eyes slightly.
"…how convenient."
After the gathering dispersed, Lincoln moved. He was direct and unhesitating as he approached Seth.
"Hey."
Seth stopped and turned slightly. Lincoln's expression was calm, but there was something beneath it. Something like curiosity.
"I've been watching you," Lincoln said.
"…that's a mistake," Seth replied flatly.
Lincoln didn't react.
"Want to hang out sometime?"
A strange question and one in a strange tone. Seth didn't even pause.
"No."
Then he walked away, just like that. Silence followed, then whispers.
"…he just rejected Lincoln?"
"…who does he think he is?"
"…he's asking for trouble."
But Seth didn't care, not even slightly.
Far from the city, stone rose into the sky like a broken spear. This was Point Tower, a structure unlike anything else. It wasn't just tall but it felt… alive. Energy pulsed faintly through its surface, barely visible but ever-present. The air around it was dense, charged with something beyond ordinary perception. This was not a place for normal people. This was where the unnatural gathered. James and his team stood at its base.
"…we're here," one of them muttered.
The entrance opened and they stepped inside. The interior was vast, layered with platforms and pathways that seemed to defy conventional architecture. Individuals moved through the space, each carrying a presence that distorted the air in subtle ways. Power, different levels, different types. All converging.
A figure approached them.
"You're late."
James didn't react.
"We encountered resistance."
The figure nodded slightly.
"…your next assignment."
A screen flickered to life and images of multiple bodies appeared in unnatural positions.
Clean and precise with no wasted movement. James' eyes narrowed.
"…not a fallen."
"No."
The figure's voice was quiet.
"…a serial killer."
Silence fell over the team. This, given how the cases looked like, could have been a fallen and a very strong and intelligent one at that.
Then—
"…you're hunting something that hunts like us."
James exhaled slowly.
"…good."
Because this time, it wouldn't be survival but would be a confrontation.