Alex pressed his palm against the cold windowpane of his bedroom, watching the early morning fog weave through the narrow streets of Graystone. The small town was waking slowly — the faint rumble of distant engines, the soft chatter of neighbors exchanging morning greetings, and the occasional bark of a restless dog. To anyone else, it was just another unremarkable day. But for Alex, eleven years old and trapped between childhood and something unknown, the day felt heavier than usual.
He pulled his hand away and slumped onto his bed, eyes tracing the faded posters of heroes and dragons that decorated his walls. They had been gifts from his father — stories of bravery and mythical beasts, fantasies meant to inspire. But Alex felt none of that courage stirring within him. Not yet.
School loomed ahead like an insurmountable mountain. The usual crowd would be there — the bullies who jeered at his quiet nature, the teachers who didn't quite see him, and the friends who never quite understood his restless curiosity. Alex had always felt like an outsider, a boy waiting for a spark that never came.
The morning light shifted as his mother called from downstairs. "Alex! Breakfast's ready! Don't be late for school!"
He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the strange unease gnawing at his chest. Something had changed overnight — a faint humming deep within him that he couldn't explain. He pushed the thought aside, blaming it on nerves.
Downstairs, the house smelled of fresh bread and brewing coffee. His younger sister, Mia, bounced around the kitchen, her laughter bright and innocent, a sharp contrast to the weight Alex felt. His father, busy reading the morning paper, looked up and smiled, but even his steady presence couldn't fully calm the knot in Alex's stomach.
"Eat up, champ," his mother said gently, sliding a plate of eggs and toast toward him. "Big day today, isn't it?"
Alex nodded, managing a weak smile. "Yeah. Just another day."
But he knew it wasn't.
Outside, the town's usual rhythm pulsed quietly. Graystone had always been a place where nothing extraordinary happened — or so everyone believed. But beneath its calm exterior, currents of tension flowed. Whispers of mutants seen near the outskirts, strange disappearances, and government agents prowling the streets. Things Alex's parents never spoke about.
At school, the day passed in a blur of lessons and whispered conversations. During recess, Alex found refuge beneath the old oak tree in the schoolyard — a place where he could breathe and think. His fingers brushed a strange stone he'd found the day before, smooth and warm despite the cool air. It pulsed faintly in his palm, a secret only he knew.
As the sun dipped low, casting long shadows across the playground, Alex's heart pounded with anticipation. Tomorrow, everything would change.
Because somewhere deep inside, the Dragon Core was awakening.