Vrummm.
The sharp evening wind hit Jack's unbuttoned green coat. He lowered his head, feeling his tie flap against his white shirt. He twisted the right grip, keeping his matte-black Aero-Cycle right next to Liam's machine as they drove away from the artificial lake.
The sky had fully darkened, changing from orange to deep purple. High above the path, metal lampposts flickered on with a bzzzt.
White light hit the paved stone, lighting up the straight line leading from the West Sector back to the center of the campus.
Jack kept his eyes focused on the road rushing silently beneath his tires. The magnetic levitation absorbed the bumps, making the ride feel incredibly smooth.
Ahead of them, three kilometers west of the lake, the white marble plaza of the Central Nexus glowed under the lamps. As they approached it, dozens of students on their own Aero-Cycles merged onto the circular routes.
Some students stood near the edges of the large metal transit elevator in the center, looking tired from their underground training.
Liam didn't slow down. He shifted his weight, leaning into his handlebars, and cut a straight line directly through the Nexus traffic. Jack squeezed his throttle, accelerating to stay next to him, dodging a group of older students who were conversing near the marble steps.
"Keep up, Jack!" Liam shouted over the wind, looking straight ahead. "We're heading dead east!"
They shot past the glass and metal buildings of the academic core. The tall buildings quickly faded behind them, replaced by a different landscape. The wide, white-paved path stretched out in a straight line for another four kilometers.
Jack sat up a little straighter on his seat, easing off his throttle as the East Sector finally appeared under the streetlights.
There were no tall residential buildings. No crowded apartment blocks. The dormitory sector was a large, organized grid made entirely of independent, single-story houses. It looked like a massive suburban neighborhood stretching as far as he could see.
A wide, white-paved avenue cut straight down the middle of the sector, splitting the land into two halves.
"This is the residential grid... as you might already know," Liam said, riding casually with one hand resting on his thigh.
"But... let me tell you a few things you might not know."
He pointed his left hand toward the rows of single-story houses. "The left side of the main avenue is the Senior locality. You can also call them the Senior Dormitories."
He then pointed to the identical rows of houses on their right. "The right side is the Junior locality. The academy keeps the age groups entirely separate."
Jack steered his cycle down the wide central avenue, his eyes scanning the houses. Each house was built from dark, polished stone. They sat perfectly spaced apart, featuring a small patch of grass in the front and a metal awning attached to the side for parking.
Branching off the main central avenue were dozens of narrower roads. These smaller streets cut deep into the localities, lined with endless rows of dark stone houses.
"They all look similar to the house allotted to me..." Jack noted. "Are all the houses exactly the same, Senior?"
"Yes... they are exactly the same," Liam confirmed, keeping his eyes on the road ahead.
"Every single student in this academy gets a private, completely soundproof house. When you spend hours underground pushing your brain and body to the limit, you need total silence to recover. Don't look at it as a luxury, Jack. It is strictly necessary for optimal performance."
Jack looked down one of the narrower roads in the Junior locality on their right. Through the wide glass window of a dark stone house, he saw a boy sitting on a couch. The boy casually raised his hand, and a thick, heavy textbook floated across the room, landing perfectly in his open palm.
"Senior, look... he is flying his books! How exciting!"
Liam glanced sideways at him, a faint smirk on his lips.
"This place is the only exception to the rule on the surface. The power allowance in the East Sector is strictly for utility. One can use their power to heat water. One can also use a tiny breeze to dry their hair after a shower. A plant-user growing some herbs on the balcony using their power is perfectly allowed. It lets people feel normal. It reminds the students that their powers are actually a part of their daily lives... not just heavy weapons meant for the underground training rooms."
Jack frowned, looking back at the dark stone buildings. "But what if someone loses their control? What if... due to some argument, someone blasts a hole through the floor?"
"They can't," Liam said, his tone absolute. "Every single wall, ceiling, and floor in these blocks is reinforced with a five percent Rudramite blend."
"Rudramite? What exactly is it?" Jack asked.
"For now... just know that it's a classified energy-absorbing material," Liam explained.
"If you use your power to float a book, the internal sensors ignore it. But the exact moment your energy output spikes into the combat range—the moment you try to throw a shockwave or ignite a massive fire—the Rudramite absorbs the force completely. You literally cannot cause structural damage here. And before the dust even settles... the security robots are breaking down your front door."
Jack pressed his lips together, looking at his own hands gripping the cold metal. "My power doesn't even fall into the category of combat... I really don't know what utility it could provide me."
Liam looked at him, watching the younger boy's innocent expression.
He has no clue. He's completely oblivious to how dangerous his powers can actually be if used the right way. He might even be able to help us fulfill—No. We should not involve him in our affairs.
They cruised further down the central avenue. The Senior and Junior localities eventually ended, giving way to the second half of the residential grid.
"Alright... pay attention," Liam called out, slowing his cycle. "We are crossing the boundary. The left side is now the Sophomore locality. The right side is your Freshmen locality."
Jack looked to his right.
"Take the lead, Jack," Liam said, dropping his cycle back slightly so he was riding near Jack's rear tire. "You walked out of here this morning, right? Find your row."
Jack twisted his throttle, his eyes scanning the carved stone markers sitting at the corner of every street. He counted them silently in his head.
Row four... Row five... Row six.
"It is right here," Jack said, banking his cycle sharply to the right.
He steered down the seventh road, the quiet street lined with trimmed hedges and the identical single-story stone flats. He counted the building numbers as they hovered past.
Thirty-nine... Forty... Forty-one.
"Forty-two! That house is allotted to me," said Jack.
"Okay... this cycle has been registered to your ID. You should park it under the metal awning attached to your house," Liam said, pointing toward the side of the building.
Jack pulled his right brake lever, steering his machine under the metal awning. He hovered the cycle directly over the empty parking groove embedded in the white pavement.
He pulled his right hand away from the throttle grip.
Clink. Thud.
The magnetic levitation cut out instantly. The heavy metal frame dropped, the thick tires hitting the pavement with a solid crunch. The blue holographic lights on the dashboard flickered and turned gray.
Jack let out a long breath. He swung his leg over the seat, his black shoes hitting the ground, and he adjusted his bag. "Done."
Liam pulled his cycle right up to the edge of the driveway, stopping just short of the parking awning.
"Good... now get inside, Jack. Take a hot shower, eat something, and go straight to sleep. You do not have to worry about anything for now... Just rest."
Jack looked at the heavy wooden door of his house, then slowly turned his head back to Liam. The conversation they had shared by the lake was still bothering him. There was something essential he wanted to ask.
He shifted his weight, his fingers curling tightly around the rough fabric of his bag strap.
"Senior Liam..." Jack called out eventually.
Liam stopped adjusting the collar of his coat. He looked down at the younger boy. "Hmm... what is it?"
"Have you ever thought about getting revenge?" Jack asked.
Liam didn't expect the question. For a fraction of a second, he froze completely.
He stared at the kid, his mind moving fast.
Thinking about revenge this early—especially with that sharp mind—is dangerous. He sighed internally. Today he is thinking of revenge... tomorrow he will go looking for secrets he has no business finding. If he goes digging before he even masters his powers... it will get him killed eventually.
He reached down, picked up a small pebble, squeezed it in his fist until his hand shook slightly, and then tossed it into the dark grass, letting it vanish completely.
"To take revenge," Liam said, his voice grave, "you have to actually be capable of taking it. Which... after all these years... even I am not."
Liam slowly turned his head, looking directly into Jack's eyes.
"And if I'm not," Liam added, "then you, who have just arrived at this Academy, who haven't even understood the exact nature of your powers, are not even qualified to think about it."
Jack flinched. He hadn't expected such a sharp response.
"So... do not waste your energy thinking about it," Liam continued. He loosened his grip on the handlebars.
"Don't plot... Don't plan. Just study. Master your power. That is the only thing that matters right now. If you want to survive... you focus exclusively on what is in front of you. The Academy will take care of everything else."
Jack stared at the ground, swallowing the uncomfortable truth. He nodded slowly, keeping his eyes on his shoes.
"I understand entirely... Thank you, Senior."
Liam watched him for a beat longer. He let out a slow breath, visibly forcing the tension out of his shoulders. He reached up, rubbing the back of his neck with a calloused hand.
"Right," Liam said, his voice shifting back to a normal volume. "Before I forget about it... our team is running a tactical objective match tomorrow morning."
Jack looked up, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What kind of match?"
"It is a combat simulation down in the underground training area," Liam explained. "Since tomorrow is Sunday, and you are totally free... if you want to see how we actually use our powers when rules aren't forcing us to hold back, you should come watch."
A spark of genuine interest rose inside Jack's heart. "I definitely want to see it..."
"Good... at nine a.m.," Liam said firmly. "Be at the Central Nexus. I will send someone to get you."
"I will be there," Jack said quickly.
"Hmm." Liam gave a short, definitive nod. He gripped his handlebars and twisted his right wrist.
"I'm leaving now."
"Okay, Senior... take care."
"You take care too... See you tomorrow."
Liam turned his matte-black cycle and surged forward, retracing the same path he had just taken with Jack.
Jack stood alone in his driveway, watching the red taillight of Liam's machine merge back onto the central avenue and disappear into the night.
The heavy silence of the Freshmen locality settled around him. Jack turned around, walked up the single stone step, and pressed his right hand flat against the biometric scanner embedded in the dark stone wall next to his door.
Beep. Click.
The heavy internal lock disengaged. Jack pushed the door open and stepped inside, leaving the cold wind and the sprawling streets behind him.
*******
Liam rode the same central path toward the west, heading back to the Senior dormitories. He steered his cycle off the central avenue, banking left onto his designated perpendicular street. He rode past the identical, single-story stone houses until he reached his own driveway. He pulled under the metal parking roof and hovered his machine over the parking groove.
He pulled his hand completely off the grip.
Thud.
The machine dropped heavily to the pavement. He swung his leg over the seat and walked straight toward his front entrance, his boots scuffing heavily against the white stone. The exhaustion of the afternoon and... the guilt of lying to an innocent kid... finally hit him, making his chest ache and his limbs feel heavy.
He walked up the single stone step. He raised his right hand, pressing his palm flat against the scanner embedded in the polished stone.
Beep. Click.
The internal locks disengaged with a solid, metallic clunk. Liam pushed the handle down, throwing the door wide open.
He stood there for a second. The narrow hallway of his flat was pitch black.
The moment he stepped over the threshold, automatic lights flickered to life.
He didn't turn back. He just grabbed the door handle, and with a slow, deliberate pull, he swung the heavy door shut.
Clack.