The rest of the day moved in an oddly predictable blur. Every lecture, every question from instructors, even Jason's jokes, everything unfolded exactly as Talon remembered. It felt surreal, like he was reliving a scene he'd watched before, yet somehow experiencing it anew.
It was deja vu come to life. 'Guess I'll have to get used to this,' Talon thought, as he left the academy with Jason and Alice at his side, heading toward the docking bay to call their ride home.
But something was bothering him, a question he couldn't shake. He'd acted the same way he had in his previous life, minus the victory over Rylen.
Did that mean everyone else was following the same script, too? Were his actions really set in stone? Or could he make real changes, even small ones, by tweaking his behavior every life?
Tomorrow, he decided. 'Before tomorrow, I'll change something. Gotta start testing how much control I really have.'
Lost in thought, he barely noticed the light slap to the back of his head. Jason grinned, waving a hand in front of Talon's face.
"TALON! Dude, you space out more than anyone I know. I've called your name, like, four times. Anyway, can you call over your car?"
Talon rolled his eyes but couldn't help a grin. "Sure, but one of these days, you two are going to pitch in for gas money, right?"
"Yeah, yeah. Thanks, man!" Jason said, grinning ear to ear as he and Alice waited expectantly.
With a quick tap on his holopad, Talon summoned the car, and within seconds it glided up to the docking bay. They climbed in, and the vehicle hummed to life, whisking them into the aerial lanes and through the city.
Luckily, Talon didn't have to wait long for answers. Leaving a couple of minutes later had already changed things. There was no military convoy in sight this time, so their conversation didn't veer into speculation about soldiers or powers.
Instead, the three of them talked about classes, the upcoming final exams, and the anticipation building around the awakening ceremony.
Once Alice was dropped off, Jason mentioned how they always had each other's backs, just like before. The words hit differently now, though, and Talon felt a pang of regret, knowing that in his previous life, he might have gotten Jason killed.
'Get over it, Talon. It doesn't matter now.'
He pushed the thought aside but couldn't shake the feeling of how things might change as he grew into his new power. Could he keep the familiar closeness with his friends as he changed in ways they couldn't see?
He hoped so.
As the car veered toward his home, he looked out at the city skyline. It sparkled like a galaxy of stars against the night sky, beautiful yet distant. The twin suns were starting to set, casting a brilliant light show across the horizon.
If things went according to plan, he'd be leaving this place soon, probably off-world by the end of the week. And he'd miss this, more than he cared to admit.
The vehicle touched down on the estate's landing pad, the automated gates swinging open as the car rolled smoothly up the driveway. Talon stepped out, the cool evening air washing over him.
"Never thought I'd say this, but… it's good to be home," he murmured with a hint of melancholy.
---
The rest of the evening followed the same script. He went to his room, got called down to dinner, and had the usual conversation with his mother about keeping his awakening private. He obliged, exchanged small talk, shared dessert, and excused himself to his room. Only this time, he skipped the eavesdropping and headed straight to bed.
Or almost.
Because there was one thing he'd been waiting to try since he returned.
"Time to see what I'm really capable of," Talon muttered, grinning as he shrugged off his academy uniform and slipped into something fresher and more comfortable.
After making sure his door was locked, he took a deep breath and focused, flexing his hands experimentally. *So, I'm faster. Stronger. Better reflexes. But how much better?*
To test it, he started small, dropping into a series of push-ups, but within seconds he realized that his arms felt barely strained, as if his own weight was nothing.
Curious, he picked up a 50-pound dumbbell he had lying around and gave it a casual toss, catching it with one hand.
"Not bad," he muttered with a smirk. He looked around for something heavier and settled on his desk chair, hoisting it above his head with one arm like it was a piece of styrofoam. He had to stifle a laugh. "All right, not *normal* at all."
Testing his reflexes, he flung a pillow into the air, spinning to catch it behind his back without missing a beat. Each move felt effortless, like his limbs were perfectly tuned to his intentions. For fun, he tried throwing the pillow again, this time attempting to hit it in mid-air with a quick jab. His fist met it perfectly, sending the pillow spinning across the room.
"Niceeeee.. Alright, how high can I jump?"
Emboldened, he stretched out his legs and tried a leap, intending just to test his jump.
He miscalculated, and his head bumped the ceiling with a solid thud.
DONK
Wincing, he rubbed his head, chuckling. "All right, maybe I should dial it back a notch."
A thought struck him, 'just how fast am I now?'
He could not help himself, and he sprinted from his bed to the door. It took less than a second, his body practically teleporting across the floor.
But he miscalculated, and instead of stopping on time to not hit the door…
BANG "OUCH, SHIT!"
He barged straight through. Door being splintered all over the hallway as he rubbed his sore head.
Just then, a red-eyed, mean-looking android came running up. "MASTER TALON, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?"
Talon had never seen Cain like this. 'Red eyes?'
Cain sprinted past him into the room, " ALL RIGHT! SHOW YOURSELVES INVADERS!"
It felt like a poorly written web novel comedy.
"CAIN, calm down it's all right, I… uh. I tried practicing for my martial exams, eh, but I slipped and fell through the door… got a little excited that's all."
Talon deadpanned. *That's the most far-fetched lie I've ever told… I'm so screwed.*
Somehow, Cain believed him though, eyes turning back to their normal color. He scanned Talon for injuries. "I see. Master Talon, I'll make sure to replace your door within the hour. I'll also inform the lady. Good night to you, sir."
Cain walked away smoothly like nothing had happened, and Talon lay there in the hallway, still in disbelief.
"....What? Alright uh, let's just call it a night..."
He went back to his room and laid down on his bed, exhaustion and exhilaration mixing together.
"Unbelievable," he muttered, a grin tugging at his lips as he stared up at the ceiling. His mind buzzed with endless plans, strategies, and visions of the future he could now seize.
He drifted off to sleep, a contented smile still on his face. In his dreams, the world celebrated his name, his deeds sung by all. He was the hero he had always envisioned, living out his triumphs, shaping his destiny exactly as he desired, no matter how long the journey would take.
But the dream soon twisted into a nightmare. Visions of failure, of dying and starting over, played out relentlessly. Each time, he tried again, only to lose once more. A cycle of despair churned endlessly in his mind, clawing at his sense of hope.
Yet, if you were to ask him in the morning, he'd only remember the good dream.