Theo’s heart pounded as he sat on the edge of his bed, eyes locked on the glowing holographic clock projecting 11:55 PM onto the cracked wall.
Five more minutes.
His fingers curled into the tattered sheets. This was it. The moment that would decide his future. What power would he awaken? Would it be strong enough to escape this dump?
He pushed himself off the bed, bare feet meeting cold, cracked cement. The peeling paint on the walls, the water stains on the ceiling—this place was suffocating. He moved to the only window, pressing a hand against the spiderwebbed cracked glass.
Across the town, the Power Registration Building stood tall, glowing with neon lights. Tomorrow, he’d be there, registering his ability and receiving his holowatch—the all-in-one device that tracked everything: identity, credits, mission history, life force, even faction affiliation.
A sleek hover car glided down the street, far too expensive for this part of town. Wrong place, wrong time. Whoever was inside was either lost or stupid enough to get robbed.
Theo exhaled sharply and glanced back at the clock. 11:59 PM.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears. His hands were clammy, he was nervous.
“One more minute” he mumbled to himself.
Since the SPLIT happened, everyone awakened a power the moment they turned twenty. Some exploded with raw elemental energy—Few awakened strong powers like hurling lightning from their fingertips or breathing streams of blue fire hot enough to melt steel. Others triggered body enhancements—stone skin, beast-like agility, supernatural reflexes.There were the unfortunate ones as well. Those that would awaken a weak version of a power, something like fire the size of a lighter, and it would only come out their thumb. Some would also only awaken beast like abilities and only get the fur all over their bodies.
Then there were the summoners. They could manifest weapons from, They could be from iron, rare materials, and some were pure energy—gleaming ethereal blades, phantom guns that never needed reloading, ancient war hammers wreathed in ghostly flames. The strongest among them could even call forth legendary artifacts, weapons of myth whose mere existence broke the laws of reality.
But the rarest were the Unnamed—powers that defied classification. A girl who could rewrite memories with a touch. A man who could see every possible future but went mad from the knowledge. A child who could talk to machines, until the machines started talking back. These were the ones that the Factions hunted most eagerly.
The ones that disappeared into secret facilities, never to be seen again.
There was only 2 things in common with all these powers. People would only awaken 1 version of their power, so it was up to them to figure out how to use it to the best of their capabilities. The other thing was that now everyone awakened on their 20th birthday.
Theo had no family. No friends. No expectations. No path carved out for him. He didn’t dream of glory or power.
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He just needed something strong enough to survive.
The clock struck 12:00 AM.
But nothing happened.
“…What the hell?”
A sharp ringing filled his ears and his vision blurred. Then—
Darkness, complete darkness surrounded him, it was like he was in an endless void.
Theo felt like he was floating. Weightless.
“What is this? This isn’t normal.” His thoughts echoed around him.
Then, a voice. Soft. Calm. Yet somehow familiar could be heard, it was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. He could feel it inside him, vibrating down to his bones.
“ECHO has awakened.”
Theo’s eyes darted around, searching for the source.
“ECHO? What is that?”
The voice responded, unwavering.
“ECHO… is…. Energy… Control… Harmony… Origin.”
A sudden warmth surged through Theo’s body.
“Your energy type is Bio Energy.”
A flood of power rushed through him—alive, untamed, raw. It surged through his muscles, his veins, his bones, Every part of him.
“Your control is currently unrefined.”
Theo felt it—the chaotic flow of energy thrashing inside him. It wasn’t settled. It wasn’t his yet.
“Your harmony with the energy is unstable.”
It was like a storm raging beneath his skin. Disjointed. Wild.
“Your origin is Self.”
Theo then felt himself falling.
Returning to Reality, Theo’s eyes snapped open.
He was on the floor, gasping. His vision was blurry. He reached for his glasses—then hesitated.
Wait.
He took them off and the world around him was crystal clear.
“My vision… it’s perfect.”
His breathing slowed as he pushed himself up—only to launch backward, slamming into the wall.
“Shit—!”
Pain exploded in his back. He groaned, trying to catch his breath.
He went to take a step forward—and nearly teleported across the room. His hand barely caught the desk to stop himself from face-planting into the wall.
Theo’s mind raced. Super speed? Enhanced strength? Perfect vision?
His grip on the metal desk tightened and it crumpled like paper.
He froze.
“No way…”
Three powers? That was impossible. People only ever awakened one. Even body-enhancement types never had multiple types. They would have Had speed, or strength, or some other type of enhancement.
“What the hell is going on?”
Theo reached for his notepad, intent on writing everything down but then he stopped.
His ears twitched. He Could hear them. 2 sets of Footsteps.
They were Coming straight for his door.
Muffled voices whispered just outside.
“Is this the place?”
“Yeah… I don’t think he ever moved.”
“You know what happens if—”
“Yeah. I know.”
Then—
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
Theo’s entire body tensed.
A voice followed, casual but forceful.
“Yoo! Open up”