Morning sunlight streamed lazily through the curtains, brushing against Michael's face until he stirred. He groaned, rolled to the side, and blinked at the bright sliver of light slipping across his bed.
After a long stretch, he dragged himself into the bathroom. The familiar rhythm of running water, brushing teeth, and the soft splash of the shower filled the small space.
When he emerged, dressed in Arclight Academy's blue uniform—dark-blue jacket and trousers, a crisp white shirt, and a matching tie—he paused in front of the mirror. His dark hair was still damp, slightly unkempt. He gave himself a quick look over and ran a hand through it.
"Alright," he muttered quietly, meeting his own eyes in the mirror. "Let's do this."
Downstairs, the smell of eggs and toast filled the air. Smith was already at the table, halfway through his breakfast with a cup of black coffee at hand.
"Hey, you could've waited for me," Michael said as he rushed to the table.
Smith didn't even glance up. "Why should I wait when you take forever to get ready?"
Michael frowned, grabbing his seat. "Still, you could've at least started after I came down."
Smith took a slow sip of coffee and said flatly, "The real reason—I was hungry."
Michael rolled his eyes. "You're always hungry."
"Well, not like you're starving," Smith said, glancing at his plate. "Eat up."
Michael looked down at his breakfast: scrambled eggs, buttered toast, and two slices of bacon. "You already ate most of it."
Smith shrugged, not looking guilty at all. "You've got money. Buy something later."
"Yeah, right. I'll just go to school and spend the morning on an empty stomach."
"Think of it as training," Smith said with a smirk. "Learn to move even with low energy."
Michael let out a long sigh. "You're seriously using that excuse again?"
"It's not an excuse," Smith replied evenly. "In battle, you'll need to move even when you're hungry and tired."
Michael muttered under his breath, It's annoying that he's right, then finished eating quickly, washed his plate, and slung his bag over his shoulder.
"Okay, I'm heading out," he said.
Smith just waved lazily. "Don't forget your lunch money this time."
Michael blinked. "You took it last night, remember?"
Smith pretended to think for a second. "Oh. Right."
Michael gave him a blank look before heading out.
Outside, the bus arrived just in time. He got on, took his usual seat near the window, and watched as the scenery rolled by—buildings glimmering in the morning sun, students walking in groups, street vendors shouting about breakfast deals.
The bus pulled up at Arclight Academy, and Michael stepped off, gazing briefly at the towering gates before walking in.
Arclight Academy, he thought. One of the best schools in the country, full of brilliant students and advanced facilities. But I'm not planning on going to university anyway. My path lies with the Riftguard.
The hallways were filled with chatter and footsteps. He moved past students standing by their lockers and entered his classroom.
"Yo, you're early today," a familiar voice called.
Michael turned to see Gideon, grinning from his seat.
"I thought you'd show up right before the bell like always," Gideon said.
Michael smirked. "Yeah, me too. But my uncle kind of... did something to make me eat faster."
Gideon raised an eyebrow. "Something?"
Michael grimaced. "Let's just say I didn't want another lecture about 'discipline in battle.'"
Gideon laughed. "That sounds about right. My parents practically dragged me out of bed today. Said I should 'feel what punctuality is like.' Didn't even finish my breakfast."
Michael chuckled. "Did you at least beat Lucy here?"
"Nope. I think she lives here," Gideon said, shaking his head. "She's always here before us."
"I just come early," a calm voice said from behind.
They turned to see Lucy entering the room, her white hair glinting faintly under the morning light.
"Unlike you two," she continued, "who call seven fifty-five early."
"It is early," Gideon protested. "I didn't even have time to fix my hair properly."
Michael grinned. "You just don't want the color to fade."
"Exactly," Gideon said proudly, brushing his golden hair.
Michael's thoughts wandered for a moment. Gideon's hair had once been black—or so he said. He'd dyed it gold. After all, when someone's Celestial Energy reached fifty percent, their hair color changed to match their energy type.
To hide that, many dyed their hair back to black, while others changed it to completely different colors. Over time, even normal people started doing it too. It was fashionable now, but also practical—criminals tended to avoid attacking those who might be awakened.
Ironically, what started as a disguise had ended up lowering crime rates.
Still, people who awakened above fifty percent couldn't stay hidden forever. The special division that monitored awakeners—an extension of the Riftguard—always found them sooner or later.
Michael had once tried to sense if Gideon was awakened. His energy signature was faint but steady, hovering just below awakening level. Lucy, however, was a mystery. Like Smith, her energy was unreadable—nothing visible, nothing traceable.
The bell rang sharply, echoing through the classroom. Everyone hurried to their seats as the teacher walked in.
Just as the lesson began, the door burst open.
"I made it!" shouted Kevin, panting as he stood in the doorway.
The teacher raised a brow. "No, you didn't. You're late. Clean the classroom after school."
Kevin groaned. "Ah, shi—"
"—and the toilets too," the teacher added before he could finish.
Kevin froze mid-word, forcing a smile. "I was going to say shoot, sir."
"Of course you were," the teacher said dryly, turning back to the board.
Kevin sighed and slumped into the seat beside Michael and Gideon. "You guys are early for once."
"I know, right?" they replied in unison.
Lucy just exhaled a quiet sigh as the class finally began.