"Where are you going?"
A tiny voice rang out, piercing the silence.
The figure froze at the door, his hand hovering just inches away from the panel that controlled its opening. Slowly, almost reluctantly, he turned.
A small child, no more than seven years old, stood a short distance away, clutching a stuffed zebra tightly in his tiny hands. His wide eyes shimmered with confusion and fear.
The child walked forward at a steady pace, stopping in front of the man.
"Dad… are you leaving?" he asked, tilting his head back to meet his father's gaze. A storm of emotions trembled in his voice, spilling from his eyes.
The man lowered himself to a squat, bringing his face level with the boy's. He studied him with tenderness before finally speaking.
"I'm just going on an important trip, kiddo." His large hand gently rested on the boy's head. He leaned closer, voice dropping to a whisper. "Let me tell you a secret. I'm going to find the cure for your mother."
The boy's eyes widened instantly, snapping up to his father's.
"Really?"
"Yep. And I'll be back soon." The man's voice brimmed with confidence, as though the promise itself carried power.
"But… Mom doesn't want you to leave," the boy said softly.
The man sighed but smiled faintly. "I know. But don't you want her to be cured?"
"I do…" the boy admitted.
"Then that settles it." The man straightened slightly, his tone decisive.
"I'm going with you!" the boy suddenly declared, his little fists clenched.
"You can't come with me, son." His father's voice was gentle, but firm.
"Why not? I'm big! I've got strong muscles!" The boy flexed his thin arms with all the seriousness he could muster.
The man couldn't hold it in—he burst into laughter. "Ha ha ha! Yeah, you're strong all right. Strong as they come. But… wouldn't Mommy be lonely without you?"
The boy faltered, gaze dropping to the floor. After a pause, he whispered a reluctant, "Yes…"
"Then you have to stay behind. Be the man of the house while I'm gone, okay?"
"…Okay." The boy's voice was small but resolute.
"But how long will you be away?" he asked again, concern creeping back into his tone.
The man lifted him with ease, setting the child on his shoulders. "For a while," he admitted. "But I'll come back—for you and your mom. That's a promise."
The boy tried to stay strong, but his lip trembled before tears began rolling down his cheeks. His father reached up, patting his head gently.
"Yare, yare… don't cry now, kiddo. Didn't you say you were strong? Strong men don't cry, mhm?"
He said as the boy slowly calmed down.
The boy sniffled, rubbing his eyes. "Dad… are you an awakened?"
"Yep," the man replied proudly. "Your dad's a strong ascendant. 'Awakened' is just the word the normies use."
The boy blinked away his tears. "Will I awaken too? Will I become an ascendant like you?"
"Of course. You'll awaken naturally one day, and you'll become even stronger than me." He smiled and pinched his son's cheek.
A faint glow from the holographic clock caught his eye. His smile faltered—time was slipping away. He gently set the boy back on the floor.
The boy's face tensed as though wrestling with a decision. Then he thrust the stuffed zebra into his father's hands.
"Take Rex with you."
The man froze for a moment before slowly taking it.
"Take care of my daddy, Rex," the boy whispered.
The man swallowed, forcing down the tightness in his throat. He slipped the necklace from his own neck and placed it carefully around his son's. The pendant—an iron circle with eight poles jutting outward at equal distances from each other —rested against the boy's chest.
The child clutched it tightly, fighting the tears threatening to fall again. His voice cracked as he said, "Come back, Dad."
"I will, son. I will," his father replied.
He pressed the panel. The door slid open with a soft hiss. He stepped out, but turned back one last time.
"Bye, son."
"Bye, Dad," The boy replied, his voice trembling.
The man hesitated, glancing upward at a shadowed figure waiting in the distance. He blew a kiss toward it, whispered something too soft to catch, then strode away.
The door slid shut.
The young boy stared at the reflection of his tear-streaked face in the glass, clutching the pendant as rivers of grief spilled freely down his cheeks.
—
The fridge door opened with a soft click.
'It's been nine years now…' Adriel thought as he grabbed an energy drink. He tossed it backward without looking, and heard the satisfying catch as Leo snatched it out of the air. He pulled out another can for himself.
The drinks hissed open in unison, and for a while, the two of them drank in silence.
Then Leo's ring flickered—its band glowing with a dim blue pulse. He twisted it slightly, and a flat holographic screen sprang up before his eyes, visible only to him.
It was his SpectraComm—a device given to every citizen at birth, bound to their genetic identity. They came in all forms: rings, wristbands, pendants, even implants. The SpectraComm stored everything from personal accounts to biometric records, and it served as a direct link to the Star Network. It was as much a part of life as breathing. It was also called a Comm.
Leo looked at the screen, his face tightening for a moment before quickly settling back to normal.
"I've got to go. Something urgent just came up," He said, already standing.
"Sure. Catch you later." Adriel waved him off without much thought.
"Later, A." Leo flashed a grin before heading out.
---
Left alone, Adriel decided a shower would help ease the lingering ache in his body. He stripped off and stepped into the bathroom, unclasping his own Comm from his wrist. It was waterproof, but like many, he disliked wearing it in the shower.
The bathroom was spacious and sleek, with soft blue lighting that could adjust based on mood. Music hummed from invisible speakers as warm jets of water cascaded over him. His 'quick rinse' stretched into forty minutes before he finally stepped out, feeling lighter.
He slipped into a pair of black joggers and a simple shirt, then slid his feet into black slides with faint white patterns along the straps. Picking up his SpectraComm, he ordered a ride.
'Should get home before dusk,' he thought, making his way to the waiting vehicle outside.
The car glided through the traffic streams of Velris City, its silent engine humming with clean energy. After about fifteen minutes, it slowed to a stop before a towering black gate.
Adriel stepped out, placing his Comm against the scanner embedded in the gate. With a soft chime, a smaller pedestrian door unlocked and slid open. He stepped inside.
Beyond the gate stood a two-story home, modern yet modest compared to the palatial estates deeper in the city. The muted gray exterior contrasted with a neatly kept garden at the side. Space was a luxury in Velris, and this much open land alone cost a fortune.
He walked to the main entrance. The biometric scanner confirmed his identity with a quiet beep, and the door slid open. Out of habit, Adriel paused just inside, ears straining for any sign of movement. Nothing. Silence.
The ground floor opened into a wide parlor that flowed seamlessly into a dining area. A guest room stood tucked at the far end. Upstairs were three bedrooms, his mother's room, and his own sanctuary.
Adriel climbed the stairs, stopping before his mother's door. He knocked softly, waited, then frowned at the silence. With a sigh, he turned away.
'Mom must still be out…'
He continued down the hall to his own room.
---
Adriel's room was unmistakably a boy's space, though with a futuristic twist. Hexagonal shaped neon-blue wall strips pulsed faintly, set to a rhythm like a slow heartbeat. A sleek holo-desk sat against one wall, cluttered with scattered study tablets, training manuals, and a disassembled drone he'd never gotten around to fixing. Posters of famous ascendants mid-battle projected faintly on the walls, shifting occasionally as if alive.
His bed dominated the far side, a wide, cushioned slab draped in dark sheets with an auto-adjusting mattress that molded perfectly to his body. Floating shelves above it carried a mix of energy drink cans, training gear, and a handful of old books—actual paper books, a rarity in Velris. Near the window, a small holo-globe rotated slowly, glowing constellations of Astron shifting across its surface.
---
Adriel dropped his bag onto the floor and collapsed face-first onto his bed, sinking into its comfort.
He strapped his SpectraComm back onto his wrist and tapped a spot on its surface. A flat holographic screen blossomed into the air, illuminating his face with pale light.
He idly connected to the StarNet, scrolling through streams of news, academy highlights, and entertainment feeds. After a while, boredom gnawed at him. With a sigh, he shut it down, rolled onto his back, and stared at the ceiling until his eyelids grew heavy.
Sleep claimed him in silence.