Sitting next to Felix in the backseat of the taxi, Khael stared out at the city. The streets were filled with car headlights. Tall buildings loomed, their windows gleaming like stars against the night sky, and the muted hum of traffic was occasionally broken by the honk of impatient drivers.
The taxi turned onto a more quiet street that soon became empty after heading off the busy main road. An unsettling silence took the place of the city's hum. Ahead, a heavily guarded checkpoint was marked by traffic poles and bright orange barricades blocking the road. Black-uniformed armed forces stood at attention.
A faint creak of the brakes broke the silence as the taxi came to a stop in front of the checkpoint. With his rifle slung across his chest, one of the guards came closer. His sharp stare flew from the car to the passengers. Felix leaned forward and held out two IDs that they had previously been given. With his gloved fingers skimming over the details, the guard took a quick look at them before silently nodding.
With a hand signal from the guard, the barricade was lifted, and the taxi moved on, the hum of the engine the only sound in the quiet. On the left side, tall, massive buildings came into view. They weren't packed together like in the city—they stood far apart, each one towering over the open land around it. Bits of distant light caught in the windows, which shimmered faintly in the darkness.
The taxi came to a gentle stop in front of a long sturdy steel gate. Its thick steel frame was illuminated by pale lights fixed on either side. A small booth stood nearby, where another guard in black uniform who minded his own business.
Felix reached into his jacket and pulled out the IDs they'd been given earlier. He handed one to Khael. Khael took the card, barely glancing at it before slipping it into his pocket.
"You're in room 7H," Felix said as Khael opened the door and stepped out.
"I know. You've said it twice," Khael replied flatly, shutting the door behind him.
Felix watched him through the window for a moment, then nodded. "Just don't get lost, sir."
He proceeded along a narrow stone path that led to the dorm buildings. In the distance, the boxy structures loomed. To accommodate the large number of cadets and maintain security, the dorm was separated into several buildings. Of course, the boys' and girls' dorms were apart.
He thought back to Felix and shook his head. He had half-hoped they'd be assigned rooms in the same building or at least nearby, but his room was in a completely different building, far from Felix's. Not that it mattered to him. He wasn't here to bond or train like the others.
There was not a single soul was in sight. He stopped to glance up as he got closer to the building he was assigned. It was a massive building that rose nine floors into the sky. Stepping inside, he was immediately met by a guard patrolling the ground floor.
"What are you doing outside?" the guard asked.
"I'm new,"
The guard's expression softened a bit, and he smiled briefly.
"Well, pardon me." Then he turned and went about his rounds.
Khael questioned whether it was typical to see new cadets every day because the guard didn't even consider whether he was telling the truth. It wasn't his problem if the academy guards were too lax to question him further.
He moved to the elevator, its metallic doors reflecting his dim silhouette. Leaning against the wall, he pressed the button for the seventh floor, and the lift started its smooth climb.
"Come to think of it," he muttered to himself, watching the floor numbers blink on the digital display, "I never asked why Felix wanted to join this damn academy." He snorted softly. "Ughhh, whatever. It's not like I have anything to do with it. Who cares, anyway?"
His thoughts were interrupted by a soft ding, and the doors opened to reveal a silent, dark hallway. Khael stepped out, the faint hum of the elevator behind him vanishing as the doors closed and it descended.
He took a moment to let his eyes adjust. He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears due to the profound silence. He was momentarily blinded by a sudden flash of bright light in his face.
"Hey! What are you doing out here?" a voice barked, the sound of boots against the floor growing louder.
"I'm new," Khael repeated, this time with even less energy.
"Let me see your ID," the guard demanded, holding out his hand.
The guard examined it carefully, his expression unreadable, then glanced back at Khael with faint suspicion.
"Which room?"
"7H."
The guard nodded and motioned for him to follow. "Come on, I'll take you there."
The guard walked a short distance before pausing in front of a door and looking at a small piece of coated paper that was attached to the frame.
"Here it is," the guard said, turning to hand the ID back to Khael. "Sorry for the hassle. Kids these days can be crafty. Don't mind me." With a slight nod, he walked off, his flashlight disappearing down the hallway.
Khael stared at the door for a moment, frowning. There was a handle, but no keyhole. He wasn't given any key either. He grabbed the handle and tried to turn it, only to find it wouldn't budge.
Khael grumbled to himself, grabbing the handle tightly as he attempted to twist it once more. Nothing. The door didn't budge. He let out a frustrated sigh.
"What's the point of this thing if it doesn't open the damn door?"
He leaned forward and attempted to wiggle the handle again, but the card unintentionally brushed against a small panel next to the door. There was a soft beep, and a tiny light on the handle blinked to life, glowing green.
Grabbing the handle, he turned it. This time it gave way with ease. The door swung inward and clicked open. Growing up in a small town, he'd never seen anything like this before. Locks with lights? Cards that acted like keys? It was like completely new to him.
He stepped inside. The room was small and plain. A single bed sat in the corner, a table, and chair on the opposite side. Against the wall stood a tiny wardrobe for clothes. Nothing fancy, just the basics.
"Guess this is home now," he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair.
He walked over to the chair and sank into it, leaning back with a deep sigh. His body was tired from the weight of the day. New places, new people, and a strange, unfamiliar world he'd just stepped into. He rubbed his face, eyes wandering to the table. A thin layer of dust covered it.
He leaned forward, brushing it off with his hand before pulling a crumpled note from his pocket. It was a schedule of classes for the next week that Felix given him earlier. He stared at it for a moment before tossing it onto the table. "I'll deal with that tomorrow,"
Stretching his arms above his head until his shoulders cracked, Khael got to his feet. He made his way to the bed.
"Well, time to get some—"
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"–sleep."
A loud siren blared outside that cut through the stillness of the room.
"What the—?"
He spun toward the window, yanking the curtain aside. His eyes widened. The sight outside wasn't what he expected. It wasn't the quiet, dark campus he'd seen earlier—it was broad daylight. Not just the first light of dawn, either. The sun was already high.
"HUH? It was dark just now!" He blinked, rubbing his eyes as if the scene would change. But it didn't. The siren continued to wail, and cadets were already walking briskly across the pathways below, some in full uniform, others carrying supplies. Outside the door came the sound of quiet footsteps and muffled voices as he stood by the window.
"What's going on?"