Specters Shadow

A ceaseless downpour drenched the city as raindrops slammed the concrete in relentless percussion. Brooding clouds smothered every hint of starlight overhead while the rain's endless cadence dominated the nearly silent streets. At 2:23 a.m. on a Thursday, darkness covered most homes as their occupants had long retired to bed, bracing for another workday on the horizon."Let's just get this over with," Kal muttered, his low, steady voice slicing through the rain's rhythm.Clad in dark clothing, he balanced precariously on the edge of a rooftop. The building's slick surface shimmered under the distant glow of a streetlamp. He adjusted his stance, deliberately stretching his arms before pulling a mask over his face. Below, a narrow alley broke into patches of light under buzzing fluorescent fixtures, and a single dented trash can lurched against the wall.He stepped forward and dropped.Three stories down, the air tore past him as his black scarf whipped behind him like a phantom in the wind. The moment his boots struck the puddled ground, his body coiled low and absorbed the impact with fluid, controlled precision.Thud.Water splashed up, drenching the hems of his pants—but he didn't flinch. In one seamless movement, he rose and melted into the alley's shadows, slipping beyond the reach of stray lights.Crouched in darkness, he fixed his gaze on the path ahead and slowed his breathing into a deliberate rhythm. Then he heard it—the heavy, hurried steps of a man approaching."Ah, fuck! The Ps almost got me, man. I better get paid for this shit. It wasn't easy stealing tech like this. Had to get through all the rankers, too."A gruff voice cut through the night. A man in his late 30s, clearly out of shape and out of breath, stumbled into view while clutching a box to his chest. His grumbling swelled as he patted down his pockets in a frantic search."Fuck! Did I drop my phone? I swear, I'm retiring after this!"Kal stayed motionless, watching and waiting.When the man's focus slipped fully to his pockets, Kal struck. He darted forward with deliberate steps and calculated angles. By the time the man looked up, Kal had closed the distance.In a swift motion, Kal yanked his scarf free and looped it around the man's neck. Pivoting behind him, he pulled tight."Spec—!"The word barely left Kal's lips before the man's airway seized up. Three seconds—no more.As the man collapsed, Kal carefully lowered him onto the soaked ground, ensuring his movements made no sound. He exhaled slowly, relief mingling with the rain on his skin, then scanned his surroundings.No onlookers."Now, let's see what you've got…" Kal muttered as he crouched to inspect the box the man clutched so desperately. His brow furrowed. Despite its size, the package felt surprisingly light.Not jewelry. Not weapons. Then what?Before Kal could probe further, distant boots splashed through puddles. The Ps advanced—five of them, by the echoing voices in the alley."Shit," Kal hissed, his mind racing. Abandoning the box might have offered a safer retreat, but he had already left his prints all over it.Gripping the package, he sprinted. A five-foot wall barred the alley's exit, so he vaulted off a nearby trash can—scraping his leg slightly in the process. Ignoring the sting, he pressed on, weaving through alleys and dodging an occasional drunk slumped against a wall.Fifteen minutes later, he reached the modest house he called home and slipped through the backyard gate with careful, silent steps. He didn't bother latching it behind him.He swung open his bedroom window, placed the box on his bed, and climbed inside.Finally, home.Kal flung his soaked clothes into a heap and flicked on the heater. Standing in his boxers as warmth crept into the room, he caught a faint reflection of his lean, sturdy frame in the windowpane—a body honed by necessity, not vanity.Seated on the edge of his bed, he rubbed his hands together absently. Then it hit him."Wait… My first day of school is tomorrow!"He scrambled to set an alarm for 6:30, muttering a curse under his breath. Pulling the blankets over himself, he shut his eyes and let exhaustion drag him away.-Drr—The alarm chirped softly before Kal shot upright, shoving aside blankets and pillows.Three light knocks rattled his door, and it creaked open."Kal, it's time to wake up," his mom whispered gently."I know, Mom…" he groaned, rubbing sleep from his eyes."Remember, you're catching the bus today, and I'm working a 12-hour shift, so you'll have to walk home. Also, we're going to Halmonee's house tomorrow, so don't stay out too late tonight. Love you!" She pressed a kiss to his cheek before slipping out.Kal mumbled an acknowledgment as he dragged himself out of bed. His small, one-floor townhouse radiated warmth. Stepping into the kitchen, he inhaled the aroma of coffee; his nose wrinkled in mild distaste.He swung open the fridge and scanned its contents.Eggs and rice. That'd work."Alright, I'm going—have a good day!" his mom called."Bye, love you," Kal replied halfheartedly.He grabbed a carton of eggs and a container of pre-cooked rice, setting them on the counter. He fired up the stove, reached for a bowl, and cracked two eggs into it with practiced precision.With a fork in hand, he began scrambling. Salt and pepper—simple and enough. Anything else would overcomplicate things.He opened the fridge once more and pulled out a slab of raw, farm-fresh butter. A smirk tugged at his lips as he recalled his mom's disapproval—he refused to settle for less.The butter sizzled on the pan, melting into a golden pool. Kal poured in the eggs, kept the heat low, and watched the edges set carefully. "Not too fast. They'll overcook," he murmured.He moved with precision—adjusting the flame, stirring at just the right moment, folding the eggs before they fully solidified. Meanwhile, the rice beeped in the microwave with perfect timing.Seconds slipped by until a glance at the clock made his heart jump. Twenty minutes?! Damn it!"Let's hurry up and eat," he muttered, shoveling the steaming food into his mouth. His tongue burned, but he ignored it while keeping an eye on the ticking clock.The rest of his morning blurred into a frantic rush—showering, dressing, and slathering on hair products with practiced haste. Every task came at an extreme pace.By the time he bolted out the door, bag in hand, the clock already read 7:30.In a dead sprint, his curls bounced wildly as sweat beaded on his skin. A quick check on his phone read 7:35—only one minute until the bus arrived.At the bus stop, the bus pulled up just in time. He boarded immediately. The ride stayed smooth, and the AC blasted cold relief over him. Glancing around, he noticed plenty of kids his age. Judging by their attire, most freshmen chose the bus. He counted himself among them.Fifteen minutes later, a robotic voice boomed from the speakers: "Now arriving at Prince Hill High."Towering gates loomed ahead as the bus screeched to a halt. Kal stepped off and merged with the crowd surging toward the entrance. So this is it…A sharp bell jolted him from his thoughts. He rifled through his bag for the crumpled schedule he'd stuffed inside.Free Training & Combat, Building 206, Room 455.Heart pounding, he raced through the school gates without pausing to absorb his surroundings.Damn! Shit! Fuck! Late on my first day?!Navigating the school felt like racing through a maze. Beyond the enormous gates, buildings of all shapes sprawled in every direction. "Building 206, Room 455…" Kal repeated, the words echoing in his mind.He rounded every corner, scanned each building number, and kept one eye on his phone until his brain buzzed with overload. Then he spotted it. He darted inside. Luck shined—Room 455 sat right next to the entrance.He shoved his phone into his pocket, straightened his shirt collar, inhaled deeply, and wiped the sweat from his face. At last, he felt ready for his first day.Gripping the icy door handle, he braced himself as a chill breeze from the classroom AC hit him. The room appeared dim and vast—massive enough to seat nearly 100 kids—while everyone arranged themselves in lecture style."H-Hi? Uh… I'm Kalyani, but you can just call me Kal. I'm 16, and uh… yeah… nice to meet you all…" he stuttered. Only the steady hum of the AC answered him."Mr. Kal, you may sit down," ordered a stern voice from behind. "Y-Yes, ma'am…" he replied.Kal quickly moved to the far right of the class—a seat he had eyed the entire time for its solitude yet still close enough to the teacher."Alright, with introductions behind us, let me introduce myself. You may call me Ms. Lumenberg. As you all know, I expect this class to serve as both independent training time after roll call and a lesson period when I decide to teach. I trust you won't goof off during free training time—I'll be watching. For today, all you need to do is come up and collect your syllabuses if you aren't living on campus." She swept her crimson eyes over everyone. Her tight dress drew stares that accentuated her well-defined curves.Oh yeah, I remember something like that. I gotta get my mom to sign it if we aren't living on campus…Ms. Lumenberg's brown hair fluttered as she sat down. "I will now call roll." She cleared her throat."Rank 1: Matthew Morales."A pale youth with messy brown hair and warm brown eyes raised his hand. Slim yet deceptively strong, he answered her call."Nice to have you in my class, Matthew. It will be the first time I get to teach a prodigy like you," Ms. Lumenberg said with a smile.Matthew let out a flustered laugh and blushed slightly. "No ma'am, I'm glad to be under one of the top Protectors on the continent.""Ah, a master of flattery too."Huh—ranked 1 in the school? I hadn't realized I was surrounded by such strong talent. He seemed pretty nice, too. I remembered news saying he'd appeared out of nowhere, a true hidden gem."Ranked 2: Eshara Smith.""Here."Kal glanced to his right.The girl's green eyes and baby-blue hair sharply contrasted with her bronze skin; her uneven hair cascaded to her lower back.Damn, ranked 2? Well actually Eshara smith… Her dad owns Gambit's Agencies! One of the best in the world!"Ranked 3: Yeong-Ja."Are you serious! Ranked three?! Wait, nevermind, Yeong-Ja… Oh yeah! I saw her showcase when I was a kid—she always promised to be a highly touted prospect from an average background. Truly the dream for many. Can't believe she's so much stronger than me… I think we went to preschool together…Kal glanced to his right again and noticed a pale, petite figure with curly blonde hair that flowed to her mid-back and light blue eyes that captivated anyone who stared."Rank 4: Kyrie Wagner."Kal's head snapped to the right as he scanned until he spotted him—Kyrie Wagner, a dark-skinned youth sporting a mini fro and striking jade eyes.Kyrie? You mean the one with the Anomalous potential—the lazy genius?"Here…" he groaned.Ms. Lumenberg smiled. "I watched your entrance exam. To think you're already at the level of Harmonic Innate… Matthew, I believe you have some competition."Matthew glanced over to his right.Everyone in the top six possessed Anomalous potential, but Kyrie earned infamy for his unparalleled talent in both the glyphic code and combat. Some whispered he might be a hidden child from one of the four families, but he turned out to be a random kid who tried out for 'Nurture' on a whim—he hadn't even fought or used the code before, yet in seconds he learned it, forcing them to bring out a Tier 3 harmonic innate second-year for him. The only reason he's not ranked higher is because he just decided to not fight the second year."Rank 5: Sophie Myers.""Here!"An excited voice chimed from the youth. With curly silver hair falling just above her upper back, jade skin, forest green eyes, and a curvy figure, she struck a captivating beauty."Ranked 6: AJ James.""Here."A commanding aura radiated from him; his posture declared that he held himself in high regard.He hailed from one of the four families, and his family ran the First-biggest agency in the world. Brown skin, wavy hair down to his shoulders, and dark eyes that appeared void—he wasn't someone I wanted to interact with. And why did everyone cluster on the right side?Ms. Lumenberg continued until she reached Kal."Rank 3450: Kalyani Park."Ah, there it was… Kal lowered his head in embarrassment. Instantly, murmurs rippled through the class—comments like "wow, he's that weak" or "I think he's the weakest in the whole class."Fair enough—out of 5,000 first years, I ranked pretty low. If the second weakest in this class stands around 100, I clearly don't belong here…"Ahem… Students, if you aren't on campus, please come up and collect your syllabus."This is going to be a long year.