Talon trudged through classes that seemed to stretch on forever. Most of the students were already packing up and heading home by the time his final sessions rolled around.
He sighed, staring wistfully out the window as the afternoon sun dipped lower over the academy grounds. "Lucky them… wish that was me," he said, letting out an exaggerated, dramatic sigh for no one but himself.
In one of his last classes, another instructor was front and center, going over energy conservation and combat application. These lessons, Talon knew, were particularly useful for non-Supers, those who wouldn't awaken but still aimed to make their mark as soldiers.
"It's all about managing your energy reserves," the instructor explained, her voice cutting through the chatter as she paced the lecture hall. "Whether you're a Super or not, pushing your body beyond its limits is a delicate balance. You need to know when to hold back, and when to strike."
She paused, scanning the room with her sharp gaze. "And for those of you who do awaken tomorrow, keep this in mind: your gene rarity is only part of the equation. A common-ranked power, honed with training and determination, can outmatch a higher-ranked one if its wielder doesn't know what they're doing."
Her eyes landed on Talon, lingering for a moment longer than he was comfortable with. He tried to keep a neutral face, but his mind was already drifting.
"Power isn't just about what you're given," Uriel continued. "It's about how you use it."
Talon caught bits and pieces of her words, but his thoughts had already raced ahead to tomorrow. He could already imagine it, the moment he placed his hand on the orb, the light glowing green, and his fate finally shifting toward something bigger than being stuck under his family's control.
Or worse, but not unexpected… the light turning red.
The sharp ringing of the bell jolted him out of his spiral, signaling the end of the day's classes. He began packing up his things alongside Jason and Alice, who both looked just as eager to head home as he felt.
"That's it for today," Uriel called out, her voice rising above the noise of students already halfway out the door. "Good luck tomorrow, everyone. And don't forget, your final exams matter too, so make time to prepare. Dismissed."
Talon slung his bag over his shoulder, following Jason and Alice out of the classroom, already feeling the nerves creeping in as the sun dipped below the academy walls.
Tomorrow was going to change everything, or it might not. Either way, it was coming.
---
He walked with Jason and Alice as they left the academy, their conversation mingling with the chatter of other students around them. The city outside was already glowing with the neon hues of advertisements and the trails of air traffic, creating a living network of lights and movement against the sky.
As they stepped onto the transport pad, Jason shot Talon and Alice a grin. "So, tomorrow's the big day. Ready to see my moment of glory yet?"
Talon rolled his eyes, but a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, yeah. Says the guy who's convinced he's going to unlock some legendary or mythical power."
Jason's expression turned mock-serious. "I'm telling you, man, I'm due for that mythical power-up. There has not been one in centuries after all."
Alice snorted, giving him a sidelong look. "Even if it turns out you have a Super gene, which I doubt would happen, it's more like you'll awaken with the power to trip over your own feet as it turns out you're a common."
Talon laughed, and for a moment, the tension in his chest eased. It was easy to get caught up in their banter, to forget that tomorrow might determine the course of the rest of their lives. But as they made their way to the hovering car with the Graves family crest engraved on its side, the thoughts slipped back in.
The vehicle was new, a dark chrome model, its lines smooth and elegant. As they climbed in, the seats adjusted to their forms, and a holo-screen flickered to life infront of them, displaying the route back through the city.
Talon tapped in each of their destinations, and the car smoothly ascended into the air lanes, merging into the flying traffic stream.
As they joined the aerial lanes, a formation of Solaris Concord military ships glided by overhead, their sharp, militaristic designs cutting through the air with precision. Their hulls bore the crest of the Concord, gleaming under the light of the twin suns.
Jason leaned forward, watching them with a frown.
"Another convoy from the empire? That's the third one this week. Even if this is their planet, you'd think we were right on the front lines for them to be all the way out here this consistently," he muttered.
Alice glanced up at the ships, her expression thoughtful. "Yeah, things must be getting worse if they're sending this many patrols all the way out here. The war is heating up again, and it looks like they're tightening control over everything, even on this side of the universe where the war has never reached."
Talon watched the ships fade into the distance, excitement in him. The sight of the warships was a reminder of just exactly he wanted to become, the wider galaxy beyond their academy walls in reach, a galaxy where powers and ranks could decide the fate of entire worlds. "Just makes you wonder where we'll end up fighting someday, " he said excited
They all stayed silent after that for a bit.
Jason broke the silence. "Okay, hypothetically, if we did awaken tomorrow, what powers would you two want?"
Alice shrugged. "Odds are none of us will awaken, so why bother thinking about it?"
Jason rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, very pessimistic, but just imagine. If you could pick any power, what would it be?"
Talon and Alice exchanged glances. Everyone had thought about becoming a Super at some point.
Jason grinned. "I'll go first. I'd want the ability to stop time. Can you imagine how sick that would be, to wander around as the world stays still?"
Talon shot him a look. "Really.. Jason?"
Alice gave him the same weird stare.
They all knew what the people who wanted that power were mostly like, the jokes being made online constantly.
Jason laughed, realising what they were implying. "Not like that, dude! What do you two even take me for? I meant it'd be overpowered in combat! If not that, then maybe Super speed, like The Bolt or whatever he's called, from that one tv show."
Talon chuckled. "We know you are not like that, we're just messing with you. But seriously, speedster powers like that? That's an epic-tier gene, or higher. And time-stop? You're talking legendary or mythical. I'd be happy with any ability to be honest, even a common one. Awakening is rare enough as it is."
Jason shrugged. "Let a man dream. What about you two?"
Talon paused. "Never really thought about it, but maybe something flashy." He turned to Alice. "What about you?"
"I haven't thought much about powers," Alice said. "I'm more focused on getting in on officer training. But telekinesis would be cool, it's pretty versatile and one of the better common genes."
Jason nodded. "Yeah, that'd be pretty awesome. I just hope I don't get stuck with something useless like.. enhanced senses or something."
Talon chuckled. "Even basic sensory enhancements can be insane at higher tiers. Will you be the first one to have a legendary Super smell?"
They all laughed as the ship flew smoothly across the city. The skyline began to shift as they entered the residential zones, where the gleaming skyscrapers thinned out into futuristic apartment complexes and spacious parks.
The ship descended toward Alice's stop, a tall building with a reflective façade that gleamed in the fading light. As the ship hovered, Alice grabbed her bag. "See you tomorrow," she said, though her voice carried a hint of nerves.
"Yeah," Jason added, giving her a playful salute. "We've got this."
Alice smirked. "You're the one who should be worried, mister Super smell." She stepped out with a wink, the hatch closing behind her as the ship rose back into the sky.
They flew off again, Talon elbowing Jason playfully. "She winked at you man."
Jason chuckled and shrugged, "It was just a friendly, don't get my hopes up like that."
The vehicle took off again, both bantering and listening to music as they waited for the next stop.
Jason's stop wasn't far off, a neighborhood filled with smaller, traditional homes lining curved walkways. It was quieter here, the glow of streetlights casting a soft light over the greenery.
As they neared his house, Jason slung his bag over his shoulder. "Tomorrow's gonna be wild, but no matter what happens, we've got each other's backs, right?"
Talon forced a smile, though his chest tightened from the nerves. "Yeah. See you tomorrow."
Jason grinned before stepping out, leaving Talon alone with his thoughts as the vehicle took back off into the skies.