Chapter 5: A New Path
The city was cold tonight, colder than usual. The kind of chill that made your bones ache and reminded you that the slums never truly let you go. The faint hum of the streets, the occasional shout from some drunken idiot, and the distant sound of a cart rolling by—nothing was new. Yet, tonight, I couldn't ignore the feeling growing inside me.
I stood at the corner of a rundown building, my back against the brick wall, my thoughts racing.
What now?
I had powers now. I wasn't sure how far they could take me or what they even meant, but the fact that I had something no one else in this place could claim made me feel different. It gave me a sense of... purpose. Maybe it was time to stop surviving and start living.
I glanced at my hands again, flicking the electricity between my fingers. It was weak, barely a spark, but it was mine. And I'll make it something more.
The shadows—my shadows—they were just as fickle, but they were there, lurking, waiting for me to get my act together. I knew what I wanted now. The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning, sudden and sharp. I couldn't stay here forever.
No, I needed more.
The academy.
I'd heard the whispers about it—about the people who went there and came out strong, untouchable. The academy wasn't just a school; it was a forge. A place where weak kids turned into monsters. Where people like me—commoners, orphans, those who had nothing—could become something.
I wasn't an idiot. I knew it wouldn't be easy. The path to the academy was long, full of challenges, and only the strong got in. But strength wasn't something you were born with—it was something you fought for. And I'd fought for everything I had in this world.
A smirk tugged at my lips as I thought about it. I'm not some charity case. I'll prove I'm more than what this place has made me.
I could almost hear my voice in my head, smooth and taunting, like a dare. You want power? Then go take it.
I shook my head, clearing the thoughts away. I didn't need anyone telling me what to do. I was already on my way. The academy was where I'd become the person I was meant to be—the person I was starting to realize I could become.
The thing about the academy wasn't just the power. It was the prestige, the connections, the doors that opened when you had the title of a student there. It wasn't just about what you learned; it was about who you could become. And I had no intention of being the kid from the slums forever.
I inhaled sharply, clenching my fists. This wasn't just a decision. It was a declaration.
"I'm going to the academy," I whispered to myself, the words tasting like freedom.
No more hiding. No more running. I would stand at the top. I didn't care what it took.
I didn't care if I had to steal, manipulate, or break a few rules along the way. I was done playing the game by everyone else's rules.
The future was mine to take. And nothing was going to stop me from grabbing it.
I pushed off the wall, my mind already racing ahead to what came next. There were steps I needed to take, preparations to be made. But first, I needed to figure out how to get there.
One thing was clear, though:
I was calling. And The Academy was going to answer.