It was a chilly morning, Alex faintly seeing the vapours of his own breath as he walked through the school’s entrance. It was to be expected, the sky being cloudless. Only a clear and icy blue sheet was present high above.

A crowd of students stood around, utilising the maximum amount of time they could to chat. He weaved through them, hearing their laughter and chatter, oblivious to the bite of the morning cold.

As he trudged through the ground towards the main building, he came across a familiar figure. Across the courtyard, Austin stood, leaning against a wall just next to a door. His face was engrossed in a device in his hands.

Conspicuously, there was no Aquilo to be found. Neither was Cortez for that matter. It was an oddity, for after they formed their own little group, the start of the school day would always be marked by their gathering.

And Alex was sure that even before he met them, such would be the case. They would have been together by now, laughing and catching up. But not today.

‘Maybe Aquilo has taken another day off?’

He hurried over to his friend, his arms already waving.

“Hey, Austin!” He yelled across the courtyard.

The larger boy looked up, his sight resting upon Alex. A flicker of momentary hesitation flashed across his eyes before his face hardened. Grunting dismissively, he turned and headed through the door, heading into the depths of the building without so much as a nod in Alex’s direction.

For a moment, Alex stood frozen, his wave left hanging in the cold air. As the encounter fully set in, he slowly lowered his arms.

‘What was that?’ His internal thoughts were confused.

That was not what he expected.

‘Maybe Austin is still feeling the effects of his… outing.’ He calmed himself, somewhat brushing away the rejection.

He slowly nodded to his own judgment, deeming them to make sense.

‘He’ll be fine after a bit.’

Giving Austin the benefit of the doubt, Alex started moving towards his own class. Still, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

***

The clacking of Cautes’ boots echoed off the stone walls as he moved deeper into the mine’s belly. Besides him was a hulking automated transport vehicle, its sleek metallic body gleaming under the dim lights strung along the ceiling.

It produced a low pulsing hum, the only other sound here besides that of his own. Within its compartments, it bore a massive array of equipment and tools piled neatly. Hidden beneath layers of protection.

‘I hope it has everything we need.’

It would be a travesty if the person responsible for loading the objects didn’t do his job properly. He didn’t want to get into more trouble than he already was.

After all, it contained material intended for the mine’s lowest and most dangerous regions. It would be expensive to replace, and he wouldn’t have the luxury of doing as such anyway.

The old man directed the transport with minimal gestures, a small control device in his hand dictating its speed and course. But it could mostly figure out the pathing on its own. It was inconvenient in that he couldn’t use a special ring or storage unit to move the equipment.

‘Those misers. Don’t even want to spend a penny.’ He grumbled to himself.

But he still had to stay satisfied with what he had. Carrying it by hand was a more tedious endeavour.

They continued to venture further down the winding shaft. The vehicle let out a slight hiss, as it adjusted its wheels to better navigate the uneven terrain. There was the occasional faint glow from a vein of crystals embedded within the stone.

With the uncertain flickers of the lights overhead, they provided a welcome glow, however sparse. Though Cautes’ gaze kept flickering towards the luminescent minerals, he kept his mind focused.

The task he was assigned with would earn him far more if played correctly. And the value of the crystals here was nothing compared to those deeper. After all, why else would anyone spare these?

As his progress steadily grew, from a corner in the tunnel ahead, a group of guards appeared. Their faces were hidden behind the visors of their advanced helmets, their uniforms bearing the crest of the mining company.

Against him, they held absolute authority. Cautes slowed down, a nervous stagger to his walk, avoiding their sight as he tried to pass them. They watched curiously at first before one of the guards stepped forward.

“Identification.” His voice came through a small speaker attached to his helmet, giving a disjointed feeling.

His hand was lifted in a signal to stop.

Cautes wasn’t sure what the purpose of their outfits was, besides protection. Perhaps breathing here was a tad more difficult, and they couldn’t afford that small lapse in power? Thus, their strange helmets.

But he didn’t have the time to spend thinking, he needed to reply. He slowly turned around, now facing the scanner held up. Its blue shine cast a subtle gleam over Cautes’ expressionless face.

Inside though, he was sweating. It wasn’t that he was afraid his card word would fail to work, but the imbalance of power in their positions. They could shoot him dead right now, and no one would bat an eye.

‘That’s why I need to stop being so helpless. Even pathetic Ortus can have their way with me.’ He snarled internally.

He held up a small card, the embedded chip emitting an invisible confirmation to the device in front. As the guard scanned it, his visor reflected the verification data as it displayed in front of his eyes.

“Authorisation confirmed.” The guard said, stepping aside to let him pass. “This is a restricted zone. No deviation from the designated path.”

Cautes offered a curt nod.

“Understood.”

No longer acknowledging the guards’ presence, he signalled the transport to continue moving forward. It responded immediately, rumbling forward. The guards watched them silently disappear across the corner down the corridor.

As he resumed his pace, the air grew noticeably hotter, thick with the earthy scents of stone and dirt. Some walls even had metallic undertones from veins of ore rooted inside. This was not a place for the general workforce.

Even he wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for them. And as for the equipment he was transporting? Even he didn’t know their exact usage, though he put together an inkling. His job wasn’t to think after all, it was to do. The exact projects didn’t matter, as long as he earned his share of the money.

A smirk played at the corner of his mouth as he realised, he was getting close. The cave barely took on an orange tint. These levels were rife with untapped resources, potentially hiding crystals not fully mapped.

His mind was already envisioning the possibilities, swimming in a pool of gold coins.

‘Don’t celebrate yet.’

The occasional drip of water from unseen crevices in the rock above filtered down. One hit his face, bringing the old man back to the real world. More concentrated, he knew he first had to get this vehicle to where it was needed.

The path ahead opened up slightly at first, and then more until it was leading into a wide chamber. It was a massive open space, stalactites hanging down and an end that couldn’t be seen. It was filled with countless machinery and people everywhere, faint sounds of explosions in the background.

The walls around him seemed to vibrate gently, perhaps from the immense pressure they carried from all the earth above them.

The countless red crystals gave this place a hellish appearance, and even the heat of hell accompanied it. It was scorching! There was a constant haze over his vision. Despite his previous trips, he could still never get used to this.

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Cautes stopped briefly, consulting the data pad that appeared on his wrist. It held a map with some locations marked in particular. With a few quick swipes, he adjusted the transport’s settings, now sending it towards one of the designated zones.

“Just need to get this to where they asked.” He muttered, his voice barely audible with the symphony of noises around.

He set off with a determined stride.

“And after that…” Cautes couldn’t help but chuckle.

***

Like always, the school day felt fleeting, lessons sweeping across in an ordered fashion. It felt strange to spend so much time in this place yet remember only portions of it. An ocean of memories, but only a bucket to fill it up with. But that was life.

These were the thoughts Alex liked to ponder upon when filling in downtime. Like when walking across the hallways to his next class.

It was Economics, but due to exams approaching, it was spent revising instead now. Opening the door in front, he stepped into the half-filled room, a soft murmur in the air. As he approached his desk, he noticed the boy right next to it.

“Aquilo?” He called out softly.

The blonde-haired boy turned his face to address him. Alex noticed the change straight away. Aquilo’s usual demeanour seemed dulled. His shoulders were slumped, and gone was the casual grin that usually accompanied him.

“Oh, hey Alex.” And he didn’t have his usual excitement in his voice.

“Hey. I didn’t think you’d be in today.” Alex laughed as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

“Well, I am.” Aquilo didn’t share the enthusiasm.

“So, how are you doing?”

“Okay.” His expression remained impassive.

“I see, that’s promising. Are you feeling better now than before?”

“Yes.” He turned away to look at Mr Evans in front, who was preparing to quieten the class soon.

The students couldn’t revise if they were loud and talking amongst themselves after all.

Alex frowned slightly hearing his friend’s response.

“Is there anything you want to talk about?” His voice softened, hoping to coax him into opening up.

He was particularly interested in why Aquilo wasn't with Austin this morning.

“No.” The blonde boy's tone was emotionless.

“You are being awfully quiet, are you sure?”

Aquilo stayed silent for a while, his deadpan eyes staring straight ahead.

“Can you stop asking questions? Please.” His words fell with a sense of finality.

“Oh. Ah, of course. Sorry.” Alex mumbled.

Realising that his friend didn’t want to engage right now, he walked over to his desk. With a heavy thump, he sat down. The chair was as uncomfortable as the atmosphere.

He bit back a sigh, feeling inadequate. Social interactions had never been his strong suit, and he felt like he had already messed up, despite having got nothing out.

As the classroom quietened down, Alex leaned over to Aquilo.

“But can we meet after this lesson? Please.” He whispered pleadingly.

His friend gave a helpless sigh before nodding ever so slightly, his face still focused on the screen in front of him.

Taking the small victory, Alex turned back to face his own table, a panel appearing in front of him. He would spend this hour productively, and then he’d get to the root of Aquilo’s problem.

***

The air in Alda’s small office felt clean. It was organised neatly too, his shelves filled with ordered items of countless origins. The man himself sat at his desk, his brows furrowed, as he poured over reports on his computer.

The bright lighting cast the room in a brilliant shade, not a speck of shadow to be found. But it also worked to highlight the lines etched on his face. A sign of his growing age, and many hours spent handling the affairs of the family. And their proteges.

The door flashed open as a boy stepped through, his expression tense.

“Sorry if I am disturbing you.” A deep voice and a large stature.

Alda looked up, not surprised to see the young person standing there. However this time, the usual confidence in his eyes was replaced with something harder to name.

“Yeray, I told you many times before to press the button before entering.” He sighed helplessly.

“Of course. It’s just, I’m in a hurry here.” His rushed words seemed to agree.

The old man just shook his head.

“Alright, out with it. What is it this time?”

Yeray wasted not a moment longer, clearing his throat and getting right to the point.

“Master Alda, I came to ask if there’s any possibility of… acquiring an awakening orb.” Though he kept his voice steady, the strain in it betrayed a different tone.

Alda’s gaze instantly turned sharp.

“Yeray,” he said, folding his hands and leaning forward. “You know that’s impossible. The awakening orbs are strictly regulated, only granted in the most controlled circumstances.”

The boy knew it wouldn’t be this easy, but he was not prepared to leave without a fight.

“But Kella received it. I—”

“For example, when the family’s direct descendants require it. And even then, only when their talents are determined to be extremely high. When it is absolutely necessary.”

“But I have the potential!” Yeray interrupted, his voice rising. “I know I am not worse than any of the family’s direct lineage - I just need the means to do it!”

The old man already felt tired. This was not going to end quickly.

“It’s not that easy. Only some people are capable of awakening early and that’s with training.”

“If Kella can awaken, I should be able to as well. It’s not fair to not give a chance.”

Alda’s expression didn’t soften.

“This isn’t about potential or fairness, Yeray. The awakening orbs are reserved for those deemed ready by the family’s standards within the family. The public ceremony is scheduled for everyone soon enough. You will wait until then, as everyone else does.”

That didn’t console Yeray in the slightest, his frustration continuing to surge.

“No, I can’t wait that long…” He whispered weakly.

“There’s no choice here.”

Alda continued to be ruthless, he needed to stamp out thoughts like this early.

The boy’s hands clenched at his sides as he looked away, his shoulders tense. He didn’t want to get to this point, but there was no more choice. His future was more important than his pride.

He slowly dropped to his knees, then pressed his forehead against the cold wooden floor, his voice forced.

“Please. I’m willing to do whatever it takes. I… I can’t fall behind.”

“Yeray, you know I can’t—” The boy’s sincerity made even the old man stammer on his words.

It wasn’t that he wanted to be harsh, he had known Yeray since a young age and almost considered him his own son. But his hands were truly tied.

“I am not getting up from here.” His hesitation ebbed away as the boy pressed his head harder against the ground.

Alda sighed, a note of helplessness in his voice as he looked down at Yeray. The sight of him, a person of such promise, reduced to begging. It was not right, leaving the man conflicted.

For a moment, he just rubbed his long beard, leaning forward in his chair. His expression was thoughtful. After silence had settled in the room, he broke it again.

“This isn’t something I can decide on my own.” Alda finally said, his tone a mixture of reluctance and resignation. “I don’t have the authority to grant you an orb, but… given your talent, I may be able to request it on your behalf. I have to warn you though. If by a slim chance, permission is granted, it will come with significant conditions. Ones you might not want to face.”

A slight smile spread through Yeray’s face. He raised his head, his eyes wide with determination.

“I’ll accept any conditions. If there’s even a chance…”

Alda gave the boy a long, scrutinizing look.

“The family’s standards are unforgiving. Don’t expect a guarantee. I’ll put forth the request but prepare yourself for rejection.” He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. “And Yeray, please do consider it properly. The ceremony isn’t even 2 months away. You will get a better orb from the family if you wait. Don’t be hasty in your decision.”

Yeray remained kneeling as Alda stood, his head still low but his resolve stronger than ever. “Thank you, Master Alda. I know. Whatever the outcome, I’ll be ready.”

With a final shake of his head, Alda walked away, leaving the young man alone in the room. Yeray raised himself slowly from the floor, staring at the empty space in front of him, his hands trembling slightly.

He didn’t need to do this. Add those extra restrictions, but he was planning to serve the family for the entirety of his life anyway. He had more important goals than freedom.

He could almost see Kella’s image in his mind - stronger, awakened, and leagues ahead. He couldn’t let her run ahead. He’d worked too hard, sacrificed too much, to let that happen now. He’d stay right up there with her.

And for that, he couldn’t waste two months. As for the quality of the orb, that was of no concern. He had faith in his skill. If your talent was great enough, the exact orb didn’t matter.

“If Kella got here early, then so can I. Nothing will hold me back.” Alone in the room, he vowed to himself.