The city of Astoria Prime was always alive. Towering skyscrapers stretched toward the sky like jagged spires, their glass surfaces reflecting the early morning sun. Hover-billboards projected vibrant advertisements across the skyline, while sleek maglev trains zipped along elevated tracks above the bustling streets.
Eiden Kross weaved his way through the chaos of 16th Avenue, the main artery of the city. It was always crowded—thousands of people moving at once, each with their own destination. The smell of street food mingled with the faint tang of smog, and the sound of honking cars, chatter, and distant music created a symphony of urban life.
"Excuse me… sorry… coming through…" Eiden muttered as he squeezed past a cluster of people who had apparently decided that the middle of the sidewalk was a good place to stop and chat.
The sidewalk was chaos, a writhing sea of bodies, and then there were the Gifted.
Overhead, a young woman with wings made of shimmering light soared gracefully above the crowd, her long coat billowing behind her. A man with metallic legs zipped past on the street, skating over the traffic at impossible speeds. Another guy floated lazily, seated on what looked like a cloud he'd conjured just for the occasion.
Eiden sighed. "Must be nice to just… fly over all of this." He ducked as someone hovering low almost clipped him with their glowing boots. "Or, you know, maybe don't fly directly over people? That'd be great."
...
By the time Eiden reached the entrance to the Astoria Central Station, he was already sweating and mildly irritated. The massive hub was a marvel of modern architecture—seamless steel and glass panels arched into a dome overhead, with holographic schedules flickering in the air. Hundreds of people swarmed inside, Gifted and Ungifted alike, all trying to catch their trains.
Eiden checked his phone. 7:52 AM. His train left in three minutes.
"Great," he muttered, picking up his pace.
Dodging through the throng of commuters, he spotted his platform in the distance. The sleek maglev train hummed with energy, the faint blue glow of its anti-gravity rails pulsing rhythmically. The doors were open, but not for long.
"Excuse me! Coming through!" Eiden called out, half-shoving his way past a man who was far too invested in his phone.
The doors beeped, signaling their imminent closure. Eiden cursed under his breath and broke into a sprint. His bag bounced awkwardly on his shoulder as he dashed forward, narrowly sliding between the closing doors.
He stumbled inside, nearly crashing into another passenger.
"Made it," he gasped, leaning against the wall to catch his breath. The air in his throat felt sharp, like he'd just inhaled sandpaper. A little laugh escaped him, part relief, part disbelief.
"That's cardio for the week," he muttered to himself, straightening up and scanning for a seat.
Of course, the train was packed. No chance of sitting, not with this many people crammed together. Sighing, Eiden resigned himself to standing near the door, gripping one of the poles for balance.
…..
The ride was… less than pleasant.
It always was. The 35-minute trip to Aurelius University meant enduring tight quarters with strangers who had no sense of personal space. Someone's elbow jabbed into his side every time the train lurched, and at one point, someone's backpack smacked him in the face.
"Yeah, no, I didn't need to breathe anyway," he muttered as the owner of the offending bag failed to even notice.
To make matters worse, a Gifted passenger in the corner decided to entertain themselves by juggling glowing orbs of plasma. The heat from the orbs made the already stuffy car feel like a sauna.
"Just… don't blow up the train, please," Eiden mumbled, earning a confused glance from the person next to him.
When the train finally screeched to a halt at his stop, Eiden practically fell out of the doors with the crowd, grateful to be back in open air.
"Survived. Barely," he muttered, adjusting his bag and glancing at the towering spires of Aurelius University in the distance.
It was time to face the day.