In one of the small villages on the Fairland continent, a young manâno older than sixteenâwas being lectured by a beautiful young woman as they walked down a narrow dirt path. The surrounding brick-and-stone buildings were packed so tightly together that the two had to walk single file.
"Rowan, I need you to understand," she said with a sigh. "You'll never even make it to Grade 1 if you keep skipping class. I just want what's best for you, you know that. You're my brotherâthere has to be at least some latent potential in you."
Rowan grumbled under his breath.
"Yeah, well, you weren't the one who got apples and fruit thrown at them for being one of the only unawakened at school, were you?" He folded his arms and scowled at her. "And don't act like you know what it's like. You didn't even go to Helen Academy. You were just naturally gifted and skated by without being forced to attend."
A moment of silence passed between them, broken only by the crunch of their boots on gravel. Then Helen spoke again, her voice quieter.
"You saw what happened to our parents. You saw that thing⊠the one that made us move villages again." A cool breeze swept through the alley, blowing her raven-black hair around her face. "Yes, I was gifted, but I still had to work my ass off to get where I am now. I decided I'd train hardâfor myself, and for the people around me."
She cast a disappointed glance at him, then sighed again.
"You know⊠since your body gives off an Etherium trail, you may as well get stronger. At the very least, to protect the people you're putting in danger just by existing."
As they finally stepped out of the narrow pathway, Rowan's blue eyes lit up. They had entered the food district of the village. Despite everything else about this small, crumbling settlement, this was the one place he loved.
Rowan had a sweet tooth that no one could compete with. He had one true weaknessâsugar. His eyes darted between Helen and the bustling food stalls that lined the street.
"You planned this, didn't you?"
Helen smirked. "Ha! You know me too well."
They entered a nearby café, a modest but cozy building nestled between a bakery and a stall selling grilled meats. A short woman with bobbed hair floated up to them, her legs swinging gently beneath her. She used some kind of resonance to levitate, making up for her short stature.
"I was thinking, Rowan," Helen said as they took their seats, "how about this? If I buy you your favorite meal, you stop skipping class."
Rowan sighed and slouched in his seat, his blond hair falling to the side of his face. After a pause, he muttered in a reluctant voice, "Get me the waffles, and you've got yourself a deal."
Helen smiled and waved to one of the café's waiters to get his attention. A surprisingly good-looking young man with styled dark hair approached them, his voice softer than expected.
"Have you two decided what you'll be having today?"
Helen and Rowan both blinked in surprise at the waiter's appearance, but quickly recovered. Helen ordered waffles for Rowan and pancakes for herself.
She had always preferred pancakesâtheir fluffy texture and sweet taste gave her a sense of comfort, a small escape from the harshness of reality. Rowan, on the other hand, liked the crisp bite of waffles and the way their shape held flavor like little edible containers.
For a while, they simply ate in peace. No lectures. No worries. Just the warmth of food and the rare chance to breathe. It was a small moment of comfort in a world that didn't allow many.
Helen was a Grade 3 soldierânot a particularly famous one, but strong enough to matter. She had responsibilities to her people, to the villages. Dangerous ones. Yet she still made time to visit Rowan.
Rowan knew that. He didn't want to waste her time, but lately, he just couldn't help it. School had become a gauntlet of torment. The more he tried to awaken, the more he failed. And when everything felt like too much, Helen was the one person who could ground him.
Once they'd finished theirânot quite divine, but certainly supremeâmeals, Helen placed twenty copper coins on the table. They both thanked the waiter and stepped back out into the village streets.
As they walked, Rowan glanced up at his sister, a bit of light returning to his expression.
"You know, I was assigned a presentation about all the different grades someone can earn. Think you could help me out with it, if you've got time?"
Helen smiled.
"Oh, of course I will. What kind of soldier would I be if I didn't help an unawakened?"
Rowan gave her a flat look.
"Now you're bullying me. Gosh, I can't escape it, can I?"
The two of them laughed, and Rowan added softly, "Thanks, Helen."
Helen's expression softened.
"What else is family for?"
They continued their walk toward homeâa modest house like dozens of others, built from salvaged metal and cracked stone. Functional. Uniform. Forgettable.
The world had changed so much in the past 150 years. Before Etherium was unearthed, cities scraped the sky, and light poured across the earth long after the sun went down. Back then, people dreamed of stars.
Now, survival came first. Comfort was a luxury. And dreamsâŠ
Dreams were a dangerous thing to have.