“Avince! Come on, wake up!” Amyra nudged him as her voice groggy but still clear from waking up.

Avince groaned while pulling the blanket over his head with a firm hold.

“Just five more minutes.”

“No! you’ve already had your ‘ten minutes’,” she complained as she air quoted before tugging the blanket off of him. “—get up or else, Mom’s gonna be mad again.”

Grumbling, he finally sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Fine, fine. I’m up.”

Some time later, they joined their parents at the dining area with the smell of toast and eggs filling the air. Avince made himself a cup of coffee, still half-asleep.

“You look like you didn’t sleep at all,” Erwin, their dad, greeted as he glanced up from the newspaper he’s reading.

Avince shrugged, poking at his scrambled eggs. “Stayed up too late, I guess.”

“Again?” Ashna, their mother, chimed in from the stove, shaking her head. “You really should start taking better care of yourself.”

“I know, I know.” Avince sighed, not wanting to have this conversation so early in the morning. His mother’s light scolding had become a part of his daily routine—like his morning coffee, like the tiredness that never quite left him.

“Just don’t sleep through the whole weekend,” Erwin remarked, taking a sip of his coffee. There was tension in his voice which he tried to mask with humor.

Avince only rolled his eyes before taking another bite of his breakfast, hoping that the food would help wake him up.

As he finished his breakfast, Amyra stood up from the table, casually slinging her backpack over her shoulder. "Hurry up, we'll be late." she urged as she glanced at the clock.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming," Avince drinked his remaining coffee.

While Ashna was doing the dishes, she looked back at her children with a gentle smile.

"You know, your nineteenth birthday’s coming soon." she remembered as her eyes fluttered with something Avince couldn’t guess.

Concern? Anticipation?

Avince paused before handing his mother the plate he used. "Yeah, I guess it is," he tried to sound casually.

Erwin folded the newspaper and met his son's eyes.

"Have you thought of what it might mean?" he emphasized, his voice soft but probing.

Avince nonchalantly shrugged. "Not really. It's just another birthday."

Ashna exchanged a glance with Erwin before turning back to Avince.

"Your ability might finally awaken." she said softly, almost reminding herself as much as him.

Amyra grinned as she excitedly nudged her brother. "Imagine if you got something super cool! Maybe even better than mine!"

Avince showed a faint smile.

"We'll see."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Erwin placed a steady hand on his shoulder. "No matter what happens, you've got us. We’ll help you."

Avince caught the look his parents exchanged —brief but enough to make him wonder what they’re not saying.

"Thanks," he mumbled, grabbing his bag. "—we should get going."

When they’re walking to school, Amyra chatter animatedly about her plans for the weekend but Avince barely hears her. His mind was elsewhere; gnawing on the conversation when having breakfast. His nineteenth birthday loomed ahead of him like a dark cloud and finally, he broke his silence.

"You know, there are three known types of Awakening," he began, his voice quieter than usual.

Amyra glanced at him, taken aback by his tone.

"Yeah? Remind me again."

"Well, the first is the Normal Awakening which happens around six years old. The child usually inherits one of the parent's abilities, with little to no differences." he explained.

"Like most kids in elementary school," Amyra noted, her voice lighter, trying to ease the mood. "—they’ve been using their abilities for years."

"Exactly." There was a pause before Avince continued.

"Then there's the Advanced Awakening at thirteen. It combines both parents' abilities into a stronger skill that either utilizes both abilities together or merges them."

Amyra’s eyes sparkled. "Like mine! Mom's ice conjuring and Dad's monster summoning gave me the power to conjure ice monsters and manipulate ice."

He nodded, though he couldn’t shake the knot in his stomach. "You’ve improved over the past year. It’s really surprising for someone who just got their ability."

She smiled proudly. "Thanks to a lot of practice."

Avince took a deep breath. "Lastly, the Unstable Awakening. It's rare as it happens to only one in five million people. Usually appears in those whose parents have conflicting or non-synergistic abilities."

Amyra raised an eyebrow. "But Mom and Dad's abilities work well together."

"Not necessarily," he claimed. "—your case is just rare. Although both of our parents’ abilities are conjuring types, monsters and ice aren't perfectly compatible."

She looked at him with guilt in her eyes. “Guess I’m just lucky.”

"Of course you are, my little sister." he cheekily responded, which made her giggle, though his mind was elsewhere.

"But in cases, if not fortunate enough, the child’s abilities don’t manifest until they’re nineteen. The body adapts and creates a new ability altogether."

Amyra’s teasing smile faded, replaced with curiosity. "Sounds intriguing. But why’s it called unstable?"

"The new ability can be unpredictable," Avince explained, his tone serious. "There’s a chance it could be hard to control,” he paused before sighing. “—maybe even dangerous."

Her expression softened— for the first time that morning, her playful demeanor vanished.

"Are you worried that might happen to you?" Concern lacing in her voice.

He kicked a pebble down the sidewalk, watching it skitter away.

"It’s been on my mind."

Amyra bumped his shoulder gently. "Well whatever happens, we’ll figure it out together. You’re not alone in this."

He glanced at her, grateful for her reassuring voice, making him feel warm. "Thanks, Amyra."

They arrived at the school, the morning sun casting long shadows across the lawn. Students milled about before the first bell; laughing, chatting, and scattered across the hall. Completely unaware of what Avince is the weight Avince felt pressing down on him.

"Besides," Amyra added with a smirk, "if you ever get a crazy new ability, maybe you can finally beat me in a duel."

He chuckled, though it felt hollow. "Don’t expect it. You’re pretty tough to beat."

"Flattery will get you nowhere." she teased, sticking out her tongue.

As they approached the entrance, Avince couldn’t shake the sense of unease. His nineteenth birthday was just around the corner, and with it, the uncertainty of what might come.

"Ready for another thrilling day of school?" he joked, though the words felt forced.

Amyra rolled her eyes. "Oh, absolutely. Can’t wait for another exciting lesson in algebra."

"Well, try not to freeze the classroom if you get bored," he quipped.

"No promises," she laughed, though there was a quiet undertone to her voice now.

They parted ways in the hallway, heading to their respective classes. As Avince settled into his seat, he couldn’t stop his thoughts from swirling around the idea of his upcoming awakening. The idea of unlocking a new ability was supposed to be exciting. But the unknown—the thought that whatever was inside him might be unstable, uncontrollable—filled him with a quiet, gnawing dread.

One thing was certain, though: whatever happened, he had his family’s support. He just hoped it would be enough.