Professor Kane stood at the front of the lecture hall. He was tall and silver-haired. His eyes sharp. His long black coat shimmered faintly, pulled by his gravity power.
When he spoke, his voice was calm and clear.
"The Insignias didn't just give us power," he said.
"They gave us access...to other worlds, other rules. Each trial opens a path where reality works differently. If you survive it, you come back changed."
He looked around the room. His gaze paused on Alex and Maya.
"And for those of you bonded with someone, remember, connection matters. Facing the trial alone can break you. But with someone by your side, you have a real chance. Bonded pairs have the highest survival rate. That's just the truth."
Maya squeezed Alex's hand tighter.
"You still sure about this?" he asked softly.
"I'd rather die with you than live without you," she whispered, eyes on the front.
She wasn't being dramatic. She meant it.
They took their seats. Maya leaned back, crossing her legs. Her tight uniform stretched over her thick thighs. Her wide hips shifted slightly, and her ass looked impossibly round in the seat, like a soft, perfect peach. Every time she adjusted, her curves moved with a slow, tempting bounce.
Even with death six days away, his body still reacted.
"Together?" she whispered, glancing at him.
"Always," he answered.
They turned their eyes forward again. On the wall above the whiteboard, glowing blue text burned:
"In memory of the 2.3 billion lives lost during the First Wave. May their sacrifice never be forgotten. 2157–2162."
The war had ended thirty years ago, but it still hung over everyone.
It started when the sky tore open. Gates appeared. Rifts. Holes between worlds. And monsters poured through. Not just big animals. Real monsters. Some had wings. Some had teeth the size of cars. Some had no faces at all.
People fought back, but normal weapons didn't work. Cities fell. Families died.
Humanity was nearly wiped out.
Then the Insignias appeared.
No one knew where they came from. They just showed up, glowing marks that appeared on random people between ages 17 and 22. Those chosen were sent to strange Trial Worlds. Each one was different. Dangerous. Deadly. Some broke your mind. Some broke your body. Some did both.
If you passed, you came back with power.
You became an Awakener.
"You'll all go through a trial soon," Professor Kane said.
"It will test everything about you....your fear, your choices, your strength. You'll gain skills, abilities, maybe even titles. Each Insignia is different. Some of you will be fast. Some will be strong. Some will command elements."
He raised a hand. The gravity in the room thickened for a second, making everyone's chest feel heavier.
"My ability is gravity," he said. "I can crush steel with a flick of my finger."
Then he looked up toward the Principal's office.
"And our headmaster? He controls water. In the war, he summoned a tsunami and smashed a whole army of monsters into mush."
The room fell quiet. No one laughed. No one whispered. Because this was real.
Alex leaned toward Maya.
"We're gonna survive this," he said quietly.
She looked at him, her face calm but determined.
"We will. Because I'm not letting go."
Six days left.
And when the trial started, they'd be holding hands. Whatever happened… they'd face it together.
.
.
.
After the lectures, Alex walked beside Maya through the wide stone halls of the Academy. Students passed by, all dressed in the same black uniform, each marked with their rank and a glowing insignia somewhere on their skin.
Outside, the sky had started to dim.
They reached the garden near the main gate. The flowers there glowed in strange colors.
Maya stopped and faced him.
"I've got something to take care of before I head home," she said quietly. "You go on ahead, okay?"
Alex raised a brow. "You sure? I can wait."
"It'll take time," she said, brushing his arm. "You should rest, my love."
Then she leaned in and kissed him. Slow. Warm. Her lips lingered on his like she didn't want to pull away. Her hand cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing along his skin.
"Go home," she whispered against his lips. "I'll be back soon."
He watched her walk away, unable to look away. Her tight uniform clung to every curve, thick hips swaying slow and smooth, her ass round and soft, bouncing lightly with each step like it knew he was watching. Her long black hair flowed behind her, dark and shiny like silk in the wind.
Even from behind, she was pure temptation.
He waited for a while, standing near the glowing tree. A breeze passed. A few more students left the building, then the courtyard grew quiet.
That's when she arrived.
"Hey," a soft voice said behind him.
Alex turned.
It was Maya's younger sister, Lina.
She smiled, brushing a few strands of black hair behind her ear. Her face looked almost just like Maya's, same soft lips, same big brown eyes, same smooth, apple-toned skin. But she was a bit shorter, a bit leaner.
Maya had big, heavy breasts that strained against her uniform and an ass that bounced wildly with every step. Lina was built differently.
Her body was neater, more graceful. Her breasts were small and firm, just the right size to cup in one hand. Her ass was tight, round, and lifted, swaying with a quiet charm. She didn't jiggle like Maya, but her body still drew the eye. Her kind of beauty was soft, quiet, but hard to ignore.
"Hi," he said.
She stepped closer, her uniform buttoned all the way up, neat as always.
"Waiting for Maya?"
"Yeah. She said she had something to do first."
Lina tilted her head, her expression unreadable.
"I see."
She looked at him calmly, but there was something else in her eyes. A warm, quiet feeling that didn't show on her face but was still there, soft and slow, like she was holding back something inside her.
He tried not to stare too long. But it was hard not to notice her thighs looked wrapped snug in those black leggings.
"You heading home too?" he asked.
"I was," she said. Then she smiled again. "But now I'm not so sure."
Alex offered to walk her home. Lina hesitated for a second, then nodded.
"It's just a ten-minute walk," she said softly. "You don't have to, but... I'd like it."
"Then let's go," Alex replied with a smile.
They walked together down the quiet street. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in soft oranges and golds. Lina kept glancing at him like she had something on her mind.
"You ready for the trial?" she finally asked.
"As ready as I can be," Alex said. "Honestly, I'm more worried about your sister."
Lina looked down at the ground. "Please take care of her in there... She won't admit it, but she puts way too much on herself."
Alex nodded. "I know. I'll protect her, no matter what."
When they reached her house, Lina slowed her steps. She stopped at the gate, turned around, and looked at him.
"Can I ask you something?" she said, voice low.
"Yeah. Anything."
"If my sister ever makes you upset… please don't hate her for it. She doesn't always know how to handle things. Sometimes she ends up hurting people, even when she's trying to help. She puts others first, even when it costs her. Even when it hurts the ones she loves."
Alex didn't even pause. He met her eyes and said.
"I won't hate her. Ever. I love her too much for that. I know she always means well."
Lina's eyes softened. She smiled.
"Thank you."