The day of the **Pathway Ceremony** has arrived, and the school is buzzing with excitement. Students are gathered in the grand assembly hall, eagerly waiting to receive their pathways—personalized powers that will determine their abilities for life. A large, ornate stage stands at the front, where the headmaster and several faculty members are prepared to oversee the event.
Surya stands in the crowd, his mind still replaying the events of the previous night. The memory of Pushkar's destruction, the mysterious man's warning, and the awakening of his own power weighs heavily on him.
*I shouldn't even be here right now,* he thinks. *But I have to keep up appearances until I figure out what's really happening.*
Next to him, Raja seems equally tense, though he hides it behind his calm demeanor. "Surya," he whispers, leaning in, "you sure about this? After what happened yesterday, who knows how the ceremony will react to you."
Surya glances at his right hand, flexing his fingers. "I don't have a choice. I need to figure out what my real pathway is… and why that power awakened in me before the ceremony."
The hall falls silent as the headmaster steps forward, his booming voice commanding attention.
"Welcome, students, to the most important day of your lives—the day you receive your pathways. Today, you will step onto the stage, and the **Pathway Crystal** will reveal your unique power, forever shaping your future. May you all find the strength to walk your chosen paths with honor and courage."
The crowd erupts in applause, but Surya barely hears it. His mind is focused on one thing—*What if my pathway is something different?*
One by one, students are called to the stage. They place their hands on the glowing **Pathway Crystal**, a massive, swirling orb of energy that hums with power. As each student touches the crystal, their pathway is revealed—a flicker of light, a flash of color, and their future is sealed.
Some students receive elemental powers—fire, water, earth. Others get more abstract pathways like illusion or enhancement. The crowd reacts to each with varying degrees of excitement or indifference.
Then, after what feels like an eternity, the headmaster calls, "Surya Sen."
Surya's heart skips a beat, and the entire room seems to fall into a heavy silence. Every eye turns toward him as he steps forward. The whispers start immediately.
"Isn't that Surya? He's changed…"
"Yeah, didn't something happen yesterday? He looks different."
Surya blocks out the murmurs as he approaches the **Pathway Crystal**. His hand trembles slightly as he reaches for it. *What if the crystal reveals something I don't want? What if… the power I felt last night is something else entirely?*
Taking a deep breath, Surya presses his palm against the crystal.
For a moment, nothing happens. The crystal is cool to the touch, and the room holds its breath. But then, the swirling energy inside the orb begins to change—flickering wildly between colors, as though unsure of what to reveal. The light grows brighter and brighter until—
**BOOM.**
The crystal shatters with a deafening explosion of energy, sending shards flying across the stage. The force of the blast knocks Surya back, but he remains standing, his eyes wide with shock. The entire room gasps in horror and awe.
From the shattered remains of the crystal, two glowing orbs emerge—one red, crackling with fire, and the other silver, shining like molten metal. They hover in front of Surya before shooting into his chest, merging with him.
The headmaster stumbles back, eyes wide. "Two pathways? Impossible!"
The crowd erupts in chaos. Students whisper frantically, and some back away in fear. But Surya just stands there, feeling the surge of power course through him. His body hums with energy as the words echo in his mind.
*You have received the Fire Pathway... and the Metal Pathway.*
Raja, standing near the edge of the crowd, watches with wide eyes. "This… this isn't normal."
Before Surya can fully process what's happening, a sharp pain jolts through his head. He grabs his temple, wincing as more information floods into his mind. New words echo in his thoughts, this time accompanied by a familiar, ominous voice.
*You have also awakened the Creation Pathway.*
Surya's eyes snap open. *Creation Pathway? What does that mean?*
---
As Surya tries to make sense of the overwhelming power coursing through him, the headmaster finally regains his composure and steps forward. His face is pale, his eyes fixed on Surya with a mix of fear and fascination.
"Surya Sen," he begins cautiously, "it seems… your pathway is not what we expected. But such an occurrence, though rare, is not without precedent. You will need to be closely monitored to—"
Before he can finish, the lights in the hall flicker ominously. A cold, unnatural wind sweeps through the room, and the temperature drops instantly. The students fall silent, and a creeping sense of dread fills the air.
Suddenly, the doors at the back of the assembly hall slam open, and the mysterious man from the previous night steps inside. His black coat swirls around him like a shadow as he strides forward, his eyes locked on Surya.
"I see the ceremony didn't go quite as planned," the man says, his voice echoing through the hall. "But then again, I warned you, didn't I?"
The headmaster steps forward, his voice shaking slightly. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"
The man ignores him, his gaze fixed solely on Surya. "You've inherited more than just a pathway, Surya. That 'Creation Pathway' inside you… it's something far more dangerous. And now that you've awakened it, others will come for you. The Gate family won't stop. They never do."
The room is filled with tension as the students and faculty watch in stunned silence. Surya narrows his eyes. "Why are you telling me this? Who are you?"
The man chuckles darkly. "Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that you're not safe. Not here. Not anywhere."
Before anyone can react, the man raises his hand, and a pulse of dark energy shoots from his palm, aimed directly at Surya. The attack moves too fast for anyone to intervene.
But just before the energy reaches Surya, it dissipates, shattered by an unseen force. Surya's right hand is glowing again, and he instinctively realizes that the **Creation Pathway** within him had protected him.
The man lowers his hand, a look of satisfaction on his face. "Interesting. You're already starting to tap into it. But don't get cocky. You're still far from understanding its true potential."
Without another word, the man vanishes, leaving the hall in stunned silence.
---
The headmaster quickly regains control of the situation, ordering the students to leave and canceling the rest of the ceremony. But for Surya, things are far from over.
Later that day, as Surya walks out of the school grounds, Raja catches up with him, his expression tense. "That guy... who was he? And what did he mean about the Creation Pathway?"
Surya shakes his head. "I don't know. But whatever it is, it's powerful. And dangerous."
Raja looks around nervously. "The Gate family… they're one of the most dangerous families in the world of pathways. If they're after you, we're in deep trouble."
Surya clenches his fists. *The Gate family, the mysterious man, the Creation Pathway... all of it is connected. And if I'm going to survive, I need to figure out how to control this power.*
As they walk into the fading light of the afternoon, Surya makes a silent vow.
*Whatever this power is... I'm going to master it. No one's going to control my fate but me.*
And so, the journey begins.
---