The next day, Raze's eyes snapped open the moment his alarm began to blare. It was another day of school for him, summer was right around the corner, just one more week.
"I'm up, I'm up," he groaned, sitting up and clapping his hands three times. Raze stood up from his bed with surprising energy that even shocked him.
"Oh right… I'm not fully human anymore." he mumbled as he headed towards the bathroom to do his morning routine. When he looked at himself in the mirror he noticed that his features seemed…refined. Almost like his body was fine-tuning itself overnight.
"That's strange…but I guess I should've expected that since…," he paused. Not wanting to finish what he was saying.
He changed quickly, pulling on a plain black hoodie, dark jeans, and sneakers. He exited his room and the door shut close behind him, automatically locking. It was one of the advantages of living in a house filled with advanced technology. His footsteps barely made a sound as he moved through the house, down the stairs, and into the kitchen.
"Strange… usually I'm starving in the morning." He frowned, "Might as well skip breakfast today."
He exited the kitchen and started to make his way towards the front door. As he stepped outside. The door closed and locked, just like he expected it to.
The walk to school felt like seconds. Raze was in deep thought, barely registering his surroundings. 'So first the system…becoming a half-ling, keeping secrets, being that hunts me, and an emergency broadcast. That's just too much for me to handle at the moment' he thought.
At school, Raze could feel the shift in the atmosphere. There were many students that were talking about the emergency broadcast.
"We'll finally be able to push our abilities further than ever!" one boy said, his grin wide with excitement.
"Don't get carried away," another warned. "People everywhere are scared. Millions saw that broadcast. Nobody knows what's coming."
Raze walked past silently, his eyes darting around the corridors.
Then he saw them. The Original bloodlines.
Near the lockers stood a girl with fiery crimson hair. Sparks of flames danced lazily across her fingertips as she laughed. The Emberfall bloodline. They were known for having powerful fire abilities whose heat could melt steel like wax.
Further down the hall leaned a boy with pale blue eyes streaked with silver. Each tiny movement of his hand was sharp, and electric. bloodline. Known for their lightning-speed reflexes and bursts of devastating energy.
And stomping through the hallway, was a mountain of a boy. Every step he took seemed to slightly rattle the lockers nearby. His skin seemed denser, heavier, like stone.The Dreadhorn bloodline. Known for their monstrous strength and tough skin. Raze's lips pressed into a thin line. 'Bloodlines… I remember reading about them years ago. Now they're here, walking the same halls as me. But when all of this ends, will they still be standing?'
He reached his classroom.
The chatter dimmed as soon as he stepped in. Dozens of eyes landed on him, bored, unimpressed, some sneering. Just Raze. The weak one. The boy with no awakening, no bloodline.
He scanned the classroom not giving much attention to the stares that he was getting. He spotted his desk which was by the window and sat down.
Not long, the teacher entered the classroom and clapped his hands once. The sharp sound snapped everyone's attention forward.
"Alright. I assume everyone saw the emergency broadcast?"
Most nodded immediately while a few shifted awkwardly.
"You three," the teacher said, pointing toward the back.
A boy with a confident smirk raised his hand lazily. "Didn't see it, sir. I was asleep." His family name alone spoke volumes. He was from the Lilac. The Original bloodline that was known for controlling beasts with a single touch.
The teacher's eyes moved. "And you?"
A girl shook her head quickly. "I was asleep, too. I heard about it after." She wasn't from an original bloodline, but her awakened ability, multi-element control, was dangerous in its own right.
The last boy scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I was gaming, sir. Lost track of time." His grin was nervous, but harmless.
The teacher's frown softened. "Fair enough. It was late." He turned back to the room. "Now listen carefully. Everyone sixteen and older will be placed into Military School. Mandatory training. This threat isn't just real, it's near."
Whispers filled the room. Some students leaned forward eagerly, while others sank into their seats.
Raze stayed quiet.
"And today," the teacher continued, "we will have a quick assessment. Awakenings allowed. Everyone will participate except Raze."
Raze's sigh in relief, knowing that he won't be participating.
The teacher's gaze swept across the class, pausing briefly on Raze before moving on.
Cheers broke out, fists pumping in excitement. Some students bragged openly, others whispered nervously.
The teacher clapped again. "We'll be joined by other classes. Perform well, because notes will be handed directly to the military. Now let's go. Raze stay behind."
Students surged from their seats. Not even giving a glance at Raze. Raze was like a ghost in his own class. Why would anyone give attention to someone who's basically weak.
When everyone left the classroom, Raze just sat in his desk. "Honestly, since I'm not needed, I might as well just go home now."
He stood from his desk, grabbed his backpack and headed home.
Fast forward, he arrived home, heading straight towards the living room, sat on the couch and turned on the TV.
He went to the news channel and there he was. Gilbert Nightwing, explaining more about what's going to happen.
"We are coordinating with allied nations to construct hundreds of military schools in record time," Nightwing said. "All facilities will be fully operational within one week. Every citizen aged sixteen and older will be enrolled. Humanity will be ready. The only exceptions are the elderly."
Raze's stomach dropped. One week.
"Today's the last day of school… before summer break."
"And my last week is anything but normal."