After finishing training He quickly cleaned up his room, folded his clothes and placed books back in their places. Once satisfied, he left his room and walked down the hall. The house was quiet, almost too quiet. Mia had already left for school, and it was just Zeke and his father, who hadn't been in a good state for a long time.
He knocked on his father's door, waiting for a response. "Dad, it's already 11 in the morning. Are you up?" He waited for a minute, but there was no answer. His father had always been slow to rise, but recently, it had gotten worse.
"Dad, I'm coming in," Zeke called out, his voice firm but soft, as he turned the knob and pushed the door open.
To his surprise, the room was empty. Matthias's bed was unmade, and the room looked like it had been untouched for hours.
He must have left while I was training, Zeke thought, frowning. He turned to leave the room, but just as he was about to close the door, he heard the sound of the front door opening.
The man who entered looked like he had just crawled out of a grave. Matthias, once a proud man in the Soul Manifestation stage, looked like a shadow of his former self. His skin was pale, and his clothes were dishevelled, as if he hadn't taken care of himself in days. His eyes, usually sharp and calculating, were now dull and bloodshot.
Zeke froze. "Dad?" he called softly.
But Matthias didn't respond. He merely walked past Zeke and toward his room without a word. Zeke followed, his concern mounting. "Dad, are you okay?"
His father ignored him completely, muttering under his breath as he stumbled toward his bed. But before he could lie down, he suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit.
Zeke rushed to his side, panic rising in his chest. "Dad, are you alright?"
"Don't fucking touch me!" Matthias shouted, pushing Zeke away with unexpected strength. His eyes were filled with anger, but there was something else—something dark behind them, something Zeke didn't recognize.
Worry surged through Zeke, but he held back. He knew pushing his father further would only make things worse. "I'll call a doctor. You need help, Dad. You've been like this for months—this isn't normal."
"No doctor!" Matthias snapped, his voice hoarse. "Don't bother with me. Just… leave me alone."
Zeke stood there, conflicted, his gaze shifting between his father's weary face and the room around them. His father, once a man of power, was now a shadow, his body slowly breaking down. Zeke couldn't understand what had happened to him. What was he searching for?
But before he could leave, Matthias's voice rang out, soft but clear. "I saw the paper. You should join the Guardians' department."
Zeke blinked in surprise. "You saw it?" His voice softened with relief—his father had initiated the conversation. It was rare. He'd spent years trying to get his father to talk to him, to explain what was going on in his mind. "I was thinking that too. The Guardians' department is the most respected job in the city. And they pay well."
Matthias looked at him then, his eyes dark with something Zeke couldn't place. "Are you telling me this because you've been going there?" Zeke asked, his voice cautious.
Matthias's face hardened, his expression turning from exhausted to something more—something angry and sad. But he calmed himself before answering. "Soon you'll understand," he muttered, as if speaking to himself more than to Zeke.
Zeke stared at his father, puzzled. "What do you mean, Dad?"
But Matthias didn't respond. He turned his back to Zeke, collapsing onto the bed with a tired sigh.
Zeke stood there, his mind racing. What did he mean by that? He had no answers, only more questions. But one thing was certain—something had changed in his father, something that went far beyond his drinking or his health.
Zeke's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as he left his father's room. The conversation—or lack of one—left him with more questions than answers. The mention of the Guardians' department had intrigued him, but his father's reaction had been unsettling.
"Soon you'll understand," Matthias had said, his words lingering in Zeke's mind like a puzzle with pieces that didn't quite fit.
Zeke turned his focus back to the present. His father needed help, that much was clear. But the man refused again. Zeke couldn't let that slide. He knew something was terribly wrong, but he wasn't sure how to fix it. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that his father had been hiding something—something important.
As he walked down the hallway toward the kitchen, Zeke noticed how quiet the house felt. Mia was still at school, and the emptiness seemed to stretch on forever. He grabbed a cup of water from the kitchen and stood by the window, looking out at the busy streets of Zeblax.
The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky, casting a soft orange glow over the city. Zeke's gaze hardened, his mind still churning. He could feel it—his soul was growing stronger, but his connection to his father was weakening, fading into a shadow.
A week after, Zeke woke up earlier than usual. The soft light of dawn filtered through the curtains of his room, casting a quiet glow across his neatly kept space. As he sat up, stretching his arms, he could feel the familiar weight of the day ahead settling on his shoulders. Today was important. The test at the Guardians' department. His heart beat steadily with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. It had been a long time coming, but this was his chance to truly step into a role that could shape the future of his family.
He stood up and dressed with care, choosing the best clothes he owned. A tailored shirt, a dark, well-fitted jacket, and trousers that had been carefully pressed. It wasn't much, but it was the finest he had—more than enough for an interview, he hoped. His uniform from his time at school had long been stored away, replaced by a more refined look, one that felt more appropriate for the man he was becoming.
Before leaving, he stopped by his father's room, knocking softly. "Dad, are you awake?" There was no response. He stood there for a moment, his hand on the door handle, before letting out a soft sigh. Matthias had always been a late riser, but recently it had become worse. He knew his father was in no state to offer any support or advice today. Zeke had to handle this on his own.
His sister, Mia, was still at school, so the house felt especially empty. Sometimes she would visit, taking the long walk from her school to their home, but today, she had a full day of classes. Zeke could only hope that she was doing well, away from the heavy air that hung in their house.
The city of Zeblax was sprawling, its buildings towering and vast. Even this early in the morning, the streets were full of people moving about their daily business, some hurrying, others strolling, each absorbed in their own world. Zeke made his way through the bustling streets, feeling like a small cog in the vast machine of the city. The main road led him directly to the Guardian department, an imposing building that loomed large above the other structures. It was a place of power, prestige, and mystery.
As he arrived at the entrance of the massive building, Zeke noticed the long line of people gathered outside, each of them vying for a position within the prestigious Guardian department. There was a palpable sense of anticipation in the air. The Guardians weren't just soldiers—they were protectors of the kingdom, the elite of the elite. Only the nobles could apply to become an officer, and even then, only those who had reached at least half-step into Soul Manifestation were considered viable candidates. Those who had not reached that threshold could join as servants or lackeys, menial workers assigned to assist the officers. People from common bloodlines were rarely given such opportunities, though they could join other factions or be sent to the borders.
Zeke's heart raced. He had worked hard for this moment, his focus never wavering. He wasn't just here for the prestige—he was here because this could be the key to securing a better future for his family. His soul had grown steadily over the years, and the next stage, Soul Manifestation, was nearly within his reach. If he succeeded today, it could mean a solid foundation, a chance to step into a life that would be far different from the one he had known.
As he walked through the entrance, he was greeted by several familiar faces—some from his old school, others from his days in training. There was Alistair, a former colleague who always seemed to be a step ahead of everyone else, and Celeste, who had been one of his seniors. Zeke didn't exchange many words with them during his time in school. His father's exile and the stigma of his family's fall from grace had kept him at arm's length from the other nobles but they still had huge respect for him because of his abilities and the name lennox . He had learned to maintain a low profile, giving only formal greetings when necessary. Now, though, as he saw these faces again, there was a strange sense of both familiarity and distance.
He was no longer the quiet boy he had been. He had grown into someone who was far more aware of his abilities—and more importantly, his potential.
Before he could step forward to speak with any of his colleagues, a powerful sound echoed through the large hall, silencing the murmur of conversation. It was a commanding presence, like the sound of a thunderclap that made everyone freeze in their place. The voice that followed was equally commanding, reverberating off the stone walls.
"The test will begin," the voice boomed, and the entire room fell into an immediate, respectful silence.
Zeke stood at attention along with the others, his pulse quickening. The moment he had prepared for was finally here. He could feel his soul thrumming inside him, ready to be unleashed, his energy at the edge of manifestation. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, took a deep breath, and focused.
The test was about to begin.