The wind carried a chill through the streets of Westhaven. Once a city of glass towers and neon lights, it now stood half in ruin, with cracked buildings and streets lined with faded banners from the old government.
Luneth Reabow sat on the edge of a rusted bench, elbows on his knees, his hands trembling slightly. He stared down at them — at the faint red glow pulsing under his skin.
"Still can't get the hang of it?" a voice asked.
Luneth looked up. A tall man with messy blond hair stood before him, his uniform coat hanging open. It was Marcus Hale, a senior officer of the Division — the organization that tracked and trained newly Awakened.
Luneth exhaled. "It keeps… building. Even when I'm not doing anything."
Marcus tilted his head. "That's normal for your type."
"My type?" Luneth asked.
Marcus crouched down in front of him, his tone even. "You've got a power amplification ability. You stockpile raw energy from your inner core. The problem is, your body isn't used to storing that much yet."
Luneth flexed his hand, the glow flickering again. "Feels like my veins are burning."
Marcus gave a slight smirk. "That's because they are, in a way."
Luneth frowned. "Then how do I stop it?"
"You don't," Marcus said. "You learn to endure it until you can release it safely."
Luneth looked away. "That's not much of a plan."
"It's all we have," Marcus replied. "You were lucky the initial surge didn't kill you outright."
Luneth didn't answer. He didn't feel lucky. He remembered the training hall where he'd worked as a janitor—the flickering lights, the wave of heat that threw everyone to the ground. His world had changed in an instant.
Marcus stood. "Come on. You're scheduled for assessment."
They walked through the streets toward the Division outpost. The building wasn't much — reinforced concrete, and banners displaying the Division's sigil: a silver wing over a black shield.
Inside, a woman in a white lab coat was setting up equipment near a reinforced chamber. "This is Dr. Havers," Marcus said. "She'll monitor your vitals."
Dr. Havers nodded without looking up. "Remove your hoodie and step into the chamber, please."
Luneth did as told. The metal door sealed shut behind him with a heavy click. Inside, dim lights traced along the walls.
"Okay, Luneth," Dr. Havers' voice came through the speaker. "We're going to measure your energy reserves. Try to release it in a controlled burst."
Luneth clenched his fists. He could feel his power pulsing, restless and hot. He took a breath, focused, and let it go. A dull thump echoed... The energy surged, far more than he'd intended.
The floor vibrated, and thin cracks spread across the reinforced glass.
Dr. Havers' voice came again, steady but concerned. "That's… quite a lot for someone so new."
Luneth gritted his teeth, trying to stem the flow. But it was no use — the energy kept swelling. His heart pounding.
"Marcus—" Dr. Havers began.
"Open the chamber!" Marcus shouted.
The lights flickered. A sharp wave of pressure exploded outward. The glass burst, and Luneth stumbled out, collapsing to his knees.
Steam rose from his arms. He gasped, struggling to breathe.
Marcus grabbed his shoulder. "Stay with me!"
Luneth's vision blurred. He could feel his body locking up, every nerve on fire.
Dr. Havers rushed over with a scanner. "His vitals are dropping! He pushed too far!"
Marcus cursed under his breath. "He's not ready for this yet…"
Luneth tried to speak, but only a rasp came out. "I… can't…"
Marcus tightened his grip. "Listen to me. You survived the Awakening. You can get through this."
Luneth's breathing slowed. His eyes closed as exhaustion took over.
When he woke, he was lying on a cot in the infirmary. His body ached everywhere.
Marcus sat nearby, arms crossed. "You almost blew up the entire chamber."
Luneth tried to sit up. "How long was I out?"
"Six hours," Marcus said. "You burned through your entire reserve. Until your body gets used to channeling that kind of force, using it is going to leave you completely drained and unable to move."
Luneth groaned. "So this is the price?"
Marcus nodded. "For now. It'll take weeks, maybe months before you can do it without tearing yourself apart."
Luneth leaned back against the cot, silent for a moment. "And if I don't?"
Marcus met his gaze. "Then you'll die the next time it overloads."
Neither spoke for a long while.
Finally, Luneth said, "Then I'd better get started."
Marcus gave a small grin. "Good answer. Get some rest. Tomorrow, we start training."
As Marcus left, Luneth stared at his hand again. The faint red glow had dimmed but not vanished.
He closed his fist. "If this is my new reality… I'll master it — no matter what it takes."