A month and thirty days had passed since the announcement of the military training academy's opening, and just the thought of it sent shivers down Kane's spine. It felt like the upper half of his body was freezing, while the lower half was burning uncomfortably hot.
Kane, Liam, and Leo had tried everything they could think of to harness their abilities, but nothing had worked. Liam was starting to believe that their powers might have been a one-time fluke. Leo, on the other hand, had resigned himself to the idea that they'd likely be given power hubs during the academy entrance exam.
As for Kane…
He still believed there was more to the system—something they hadn't yet understood.
---
The morning sun forced its way through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room as Kane opened his eyes. He sat up, blinking away the remnants of sleep, and glanced around. Liam was already awake, as usual, a book in hand. Leo, meanwhile, was sprawled out in an awkward sleeping position on his bed.
"Morning," Liam said without looking up from his book.
Kane nodded in response. He moved to tap Leo, who groaned in protest.
"Come on, man," Leo grumbled. "You don't have to wake me up this early. There's no school today."
Right. How could Kane have forgotten? Today was a break, with the school board allowing students a day off to mentally and physically prepare for their upcoming entrance into the academy. But that wasn't why Kane was bothering Leo…
"Wake up, hotshot," Kane said, a hint of amusement in his tone. "We've got cleaning duties, remember?"
Leo's face scrunched into a frown. They'd been stuck with cleanup duties ever since Mrs. Elduige had assigned them as punishment.
---
Kane and Leo shuffled down the hallway, each carrying a broom and a bucket as they headed toward the common room. Liam trailed behind them, carrying a mop and an old rag slung over his shoulder, looking every bit as weary as his friends.
"How did we end up doing all the work anyway?" Leo complained, eyeing the cleaning supplies with open disdain. "Half of these kids are just lying around, waiting for tomorrow like it's some grand holiday."
"Because," Liam said with a smirk, "we're the ones who got ourselves into trouble, remember?"
They reached the common room, which was bustling with activity despite the early hour. Other kids around their age, most of them future academy recruits as well, were scattered around. Some were lounging on the worn-out couches, chatting animatedly about the academy, while others leaned against the walls, arms folded, looking out the window as if they could already see their bright futures unfolding.
Kane noticed a few familiar faces among them—Celine, a quiet but sharp-eyed girl who was always reading, and Marga, who wore a broad grin and seemed to be laughing at something Sophie, one of the most beautiful girl in the house, was saying. Sophie, for her part, was bouncing around with energy, clearly enjoying her day off.
"Hey, don't we get a break too?" Leo muttered, glancing enviously at the group.
Kane gave him a light shove with his broom handle. "Yeah, if you want to give Mrs. Elduige another reason to extend our 'punishment' another month. We're already on thin ice after that last stunt."
Leo groaned but said no more, and they set to work.
---
As they began sweeping and scrubbing, several of the younger kids darted in and out, calling out to them or giving them odd looks.
"Hey, Leo!" one of the younger kids called out, clutching a stuffed teddy bear. "How come you're cleaning like that?"
Leo sighed, exaggerating his movements as he swept, trying to keep a serious face but clearly amused by the attention. "Because, Lilly, we were… let's just say we were being too brave for our own good."
Lilly giggled and ran back to her friends, whispering and pointing at them as if they were heroes of a dramatic story.
"Great," Liam muttered, "we're going to be legends around here—for all the wrong reasons."
Kane chuckled, but he couldn't shake the weight of tomorrow's expectations. With each sweep of the broom, he found his mind drifting to the academy, wondering how they'd measure up against the other recruits. They didn't have power hubs yet, and without them, they would have no choice but to rely on each other, especially if they encountered bullies like Andy and his crew.
---
Hours passed, and the common room was finally spotless. Just as Kane was setting down his broom, Mrs. Elduige walked in, inspecting their work. She was a stern woman with a kind heart, her face softened only slightly as she looked over the room.
"Not bad," she said, nodding in approval. "You three should thank Leo for standing up to Andy; if not for him, you wouldn't be spending your morning cleaning."
Leo looked sheepish, his face turning red. "Well… someone had to stand up to him."
Mrs. Elduige raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "Tomorrow is a big day for all of you. The academy will not tolerate recklessness, so remember to keep a level head and work together. You may be friends, but in that academy, teamwork will be your strongest asset. Understood?"
The boys nodded, glancing at each other.
As Mrs. Elduige left, they plopped down on the couch, finally able to rest after their long morning.
---
The hours ticked by slowly. Outside, the sky turned to dusk, the house falling into a quiet lull as everyone settled down for the evening. Celine, Marga, and a few others gathered in the living room, and soon everyone was chatting excitedly about what the academy would be like.
"Do you think they'll let us pick our own classes?" Celine asked, her eyes lighting up. "Or assign them based on our abilities?"
"They'll probably start with basic training," Liam said, trying to sound knowledgeable. "You know, to see what everyone's strengths and weaknesses are."
Marga grinned. "If that's the case, you three should do great at cleaning duty."
Everyone burst into laughter, including Kane, Leo, and Liam.
After the laughter died down, Kane leaned back and looked at his friends, feeling a strange mixture of excitement and anxiety. Tomorrow was the first step into a world that could finally give them the power to stand up for themselves—to stand on equal footing with kids like Andy. But it was also the start of something unknown, something that would challenge them in ways they couldn't even imagine.
As they sat together, listening to the chatter around them and thinking of the future, a sense of hope stirred among them.