SYSTEM ASCENSION

”You had it already.”

For a moment, Kael could have sworn that the words echoed. He grew up believing that he stole his mother’s ability, only to realise that he had it all along.

His eyes turned misty.

”It’s my... ability?”

Elias walked past Kael when he saw a charming looking scissor. He walked to it and picked it up.

”What is this?”

Kael didn’t reply. He only stood there, trying so hard to hold back his tears. He wiped his face repeatedly.

”Good for assassination...” Elias muttered.

He finally turned around, and burst into a weak laugh. ”Elias, that’s a scissor. It’s for cutting clothes.”

”Clothes? Use a blade.”

He laughed louder. ”how the hell do you see clothes in black empire?”

***

Five minutes later, the duo walked out of the room. Kael was running to catch up.

”About the domain ability,” he asked. ”If I didn’t awaken my teleportation ability, will it still count as an ability?”

”Yes.”

”Really?!” His eyes sparkled.

”Most people awaken their domain ability as the main one.” Elias explained. ”Take the royal family for example. Tyler and Tiana awakened the domain ability as their main ability, while Bora didn’t. She can use the fire, but only a tenth of her siblings.”

”So my vital eyes aren’t strong compared to the main thing?”

”Yes.”

”It’s a plus though!” He turned his gaze. ”Huh?”

Quil was leaning against the wall in the hallway end, tapping his feet.

”You’re here too.”

He turned his gaze. ”Finally, there you guys are.” He walked to them, pulling out Elias’s wristwatch from his pocket. ”Claude contacted your communication device. The school asked the student council to return earlier for an important matter.”

”Important matter?” Elias collected the wristwatch and slapped it onto his wrist. ”Then, let’s re—”

He raised his head.

Joe was standing there, staring at them with mouth ajar. Kael and Quil also turned.

Awkward silence.

”Father,” Kael muttered.

Joe’s eyes remained on Elias.

Of course, Rowen had explained everything to the leading family, before they left the academy that day, but seeing how easily Elias infiltrated his house made him realise that not only is the black empire at threat, but the boy is a threat himself.

”This is Elias, and this is Quil.” Kael introduced.

”He knows.” Elias cut in, and continued walking forward. He went past the man without another word.

”Right, father, we’re going to black empire tomorrow.” Kael announced to change the subject.

Joe’s eyes were following Elias, but paused at the words, and returned to his son.

”What?”

”A class trip. Black empire.” Kael awkwardly mumbled.

”...”

”We should get going? School council?” Quil muttered.

”Right!” Kael nodded. ”The summon. Let’s go.”

They walked past the man and ran to catch up with Elias.

Kael paused and turned around.

”Later, father.”

***

An hour later, the trio arrived in sound city where grandmother Lan lives. The rest were already waiting down the stairs, with grandmother Lan and Haliad standing on the stair top.

As soon as Claude saw them, he exclaimed.

”Took you long enough! Let’s go.”

They bid their farewell to the old woman and began heading to the teleporter.

All this while, Haliad didn’t move. He just stared at Elias till they were out of sight.

”Do you think what Myai said is true?” He blurted out.

Grandmother Lan chuckled.

”Are you having second thoughts? You have never believed it.”

”He’s showing no signs of it.” Haliad frowned. He glanced sideways. ”Do you believe it?”

”I don’t have to,” the woman shrugged. ”I have no choice but to hope. She was the only one who performed the duties we failed as a disciple. It’s selfish but we can only hope for her.”

”And she’s dead.” Haliad snorted.

The old woman laughed. ”Not completely. We have to find a compatible vessel for her. We’re not killing the boy. I doubt we can, anyways.”

Haliad just groaned in response.

”Let’s see. She’s from Qud,” she pat Haliad’s shoulder. ”Why don’t you go and search for a vessel in Qud.”

”Why me?!”

”I have old bones.”

”Don’t give me that!”

She laughed. ”That aside, don’t you find that one weird?”

”Which one?”

”The one called Mona.”

”He is a physical manifestation of Elias’s ability, or so they say.” Haliad shrugged.

”Yeah. That’s what I thought,” she narrowed her eyes. ”Until I noticed that they share the same soul.”

___

The team exited the portal and immediately moved towards the administration office. Since the school wasn’t completely rid of students, students were patrolling the yard.

A professor came to receive them.

”This way please.” The man offered.

His eyes moved to Elias for a moment, and a small smile found its way to his lip. This was because he is a Social health professor in the advancement class, and because of this young man, he’ll be fulfilling a dream of visiting the black empire.

He adjusted his glasses and turned around.

”Fill me on,” Claude spoke.

”A huge number of raiders and few elite protectors were dispatched to clear the increasing numbers of portals in the academy. So far, twenty are ongoing, and five have been cleared.”

”And?”

”The fifth one to be cleared happened in under five minutes.”

”Five minutes?” Fayera muttered. ”Portals take days, or weeks. Even months.”

The professor nodded. ”The thing is, the raiders went into the portal, only to see a girl over. She was in the domain.”

”A girl?” Claude inquired to be sure he heard it clearly.

”Yes. She was holding the artifact she used to open the portal, and she deactivated it right after she crossed.”

”Why is she here?” Tiana asked.

The professor turned around to face them, then delivered the news with an unbelievable expression.

”Sightseeing.”

”Sightseeing?!” They chorused.

”She said she only crossed worlds to explore,” the man explained further. ”She’s been held in the interrogation room for now.”

They continued together towards the interrogation room, and the professor dropped them at the entrance.

”I’ll take my leave now.”

He casted Elias another glance, before smiling and walking away.

”He sure is excited.” Quil muttered.

Tyler pushed the door and they stepped in.

Acting principal Owen was standing close to director Halvorsen, the academy’s Head of Security, and other professors and raiders.

As soon as they stepped in, they saw the girl.

She didn’t look younger than their age, but she looked different.

Extremely pale skin, almost pure white. Her eyeballs were square shaped blue, matching the colour of her hair. She had a strange sword mark on her forehead and she saw clutching the artifact she used in opening the portal.

”Definitely not from our world.” Tyler muttered.

”Your highness!” They all bowed.

The girl’s eyes travelled from the professors to them, then she tilted her head like she noticed something, and stood up.

”Hey! Sit down.” One of the raiders grabbed her shoulder.

She pointed. ”He...”

All eyes followed her hand. She was pointing to Elias who just came in. As soon as he saw her, he paused.

For a few seconds, no one said anything.

”You,” he finally broke the silence. ”You’re a marked one.”

She broke into a smile. ”And you’re a Qud, like me.”