[SFX: CLOCK TICKING…]
IT HAD BEEN TWO MONTHS SINCE SIYUN'S ARRIVAL INTO THIS NEW WORLD OF STRICT SCHEDULES, TIRELESS TRAINING, AND ENDLESS STUDIES. EACH DAY HAD BEEN EXHAUSTING, YET UNDENIABLY TRANSFORMATIVE. THE MALNOURISHED, FRAIL BOY WHO ONCE COLLAPSED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF MOCKERY WAS NOW STANDING STRAIGHT, HIS SHOULDERS BROADENED, HIS BODY CARRYING A NEWFOUND STRENGTH.
[SFX: CHAINS BREAKING… SYMBOLIC CRACK OF HIS PAST SELF SHATTERING]
ON THIS DAY, AFTER LUNCH, THE HOUSE BUTLER ENTERED THE DINING HALL WITH A SLIGHT BOW.
"YOUNG MASTER SIYUN," HE ANNOUNCED FORMALLY, HIS VOICE FIRM YET RESPECTFUL, "YOUR GRANDFATHER REQUESTS YOUR PRESENCE."
SIYUN'S HEART SKIPPED A BEAT. IT WAS NOT OFTEN THAT THE OLD MAN CALLED FOR HIM PERSONALLY. SETTING HIS SPOON DOWN, HE WIPED HIS LIPS WITH A CLOTH, FINISHED THE LAST BITE OF HIS MEAL, AND ROSE FROM HIS SEAT. AYAME WATCHED HIM QUIETLY FROM THE SIDE, A SLIGHT SMILE ON HER FACE AS IF SILENTLY CHEERING FOR HIM.
[SFX: FOOTSTEPS ECHOING AGAINST MARBLE FLOORS]
THE PATH TO HIS GRANDFATHER'S CHAMBER FELT HEAVIER THAN USUAL. EVERY STEP CARRIED THE WEIGHT OF EXPECTATION, THE SHADOWS OF HIS PAST CLINGING TO HIS MIND.
FINALLY, HE ENTERED THE GRAND ROOM. HIS GRANDFATHER WAS SEATED IN A HEAVY, CARVED WOODEN CHAIR, FACING THE WINDOW. THE LIGHT OF THE AFTERNOON SUN POURED OVER HIS FIGURE, CASTING HIS LONG SHADOW ACROSS THE FLOOR.
"COME HERE, SIYUN." THE VOICE WAS DEEP, COMMANDING, YET WITH A STRANGE FAMILIAR WARMTH THAT STUNG SIYUN'S HEART.
SIYUN WALKED FORWARD, HIS BREATH SHAKY, UNTIL HE STOOD BEFORE THE OLD MAN.
THE GRANDFATHER TURNED HIS HEAD, HIS EYES SCANNING SIYUN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
[SFX: RUSTLING OF CLOTH, THE CHAIR CREAKING AS HE SHIFTED]
"WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVED HERE," THE OLD MAN BEGAN, HIS TONE HEAVY WITH JUDGEMENT, "YOU WERE WEAK. PATHETIC. A CHILD WHO BENT HIS HEAD TO THE WORLD'S CRUELTY."
SIYUN LOWERED HIS GAZE, HIS HANDS CLENCHED INTO FISTS. THOSE WORDS CUT DEEP, FOR THEY WERE TRUE.
BUT THE OLD MAN CONTINUED, HIS VOICE GROWING STRONGER.
"AND YET… LOOK AT YOU NOW. YOUR SHOULDERS HAVE BROADENED. YOUR POSTURE IS NO LONGER OF A COWARD. YOUR BODY—ONCE STARVED AND HOLLOW—NOW HOLDS THE STRENGTH OF SOMEONE WHO ENDURES."
[SFX: HEARTBEAT THUMP… THUMP…]
SIYUN'S EYES WIDENED SLIGHTLY. FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE FELT A GLIMPSE OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM HIS GRANDFATHER.
THE OLD MAN STOOD UP, HIS PRESENCE TOWERING OVER SIYUN. HE WALKED AROUND HIM, STUDYING HIM LIKE A SCULPTOR WHO EXAMINES HIS WORK.
"IMPROVED HEIGHT, FIRMER FRAME, A FACE THAT NO LONGER HIDES BEHIND FEAR. YOU ARE NO LONGER THE SAME BOY WHO FIRST CAME INTO THIS HOUSE."
THE WORDS STRUCK SIYUN'S HEART LIKE HAMMERS, SHATTERING THE DOUBTS HE HELD WITHIN HIMSELF.
AND THEN…
THE GRANDFATHER PAUSED, TURNED BACK TO HIM, AND SAID THE WORDS THAT WOULD CHANGE THE COURSE OF HIS FUTURE:
"YOU ARE READY. FROM NEXT WEEK… YOU WILL ATTEND SCHOOL."
[SFX: THUNDERCLAP IN THE DISTANCE, SYMBOLIC SHOCK]
SIYUN STIFFENED. A SCHOOL? HE HAD EXPECTED ENDLESS TRAINING WITHIN THESE WALLS, BUT NOT THIS.
"NOT JUST ANY SCHOOL," THE OLD MAN CONTINUED, HIS EYES GLINTING. "YOU WILL ENROLL IN IMPERIAL CREST ACADEMY—A PLACE BUILT FOR THE ELITE. CHILDREN OF POWERFUL FAMILIES, OF BLOODLINES THAT HAVE SHAPED THIS WORLD, GATHER THERE. AND YOU, SIYUN, WILL WALK AMONG THEM."
[SFX: HEAVY WIND SWIRLING THROUGH THE OPEN WINDOW]
THE NAME ALONE CARRIED WEIGHT—IMPERIAL CREST ACADEMY. A PLACE WHERE FUTURES OF NATIONS WERE MOLDED, WHERE ONLY THE STRONGEST, THE MOST TALENTED, AND THE MOST PRIVILEGED SURVIVED.
SIYUN'S HEART BEAT FASTER. A FLARE OF DETERMINATION IGNITED WITHIN HIM. HE REMEMBERED THE LUNCH BREAKS OF HIS OLD LIFE, HIS FRIENDS' LAUGHTER, THE WARMTH OF THOSE MOMENTS NOW LOST. HE REMEMBERED THE MOCKERY, THE BULLYING, THE HUNGER, AND THE HUMILIATION. AND HE SWORE HE WOULD NEVER GO BACK TO THAT.
"YOU WILL BE LIVING IN THE DORMS," THE GRANDFATHER ADDED, HIS TONE FINAL. "THEREFORE, YOU MUST BE PREPARED. TOMORROW, YOU WILL GO SHOPPING FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED. AYAME WILL ACCOMPANY YOU."
SIYUN NODDED SLOWLY, HIS MIND BUZZING.
[SFX: TIGHT FIST CLENCHING, KNUCKLES CRACKING]
THE OLD MAN TURNED HIS BACK TO HIM ONCE AGAIN, FACING THE WINDOW. "THIS IS YOUR NEXT STEP, SIYUN. EMBRACE IT. PROVE YOURSELF. AND NEVER FORGET—THE MOMENT YOU LET YOUR GUARD DOWN… THE WORLD WILL DEVOUR YOU WHOLE."
THE ROOM FELL INTO SILENCE. ONLY THE SOUND OF THE WIND AND THE DISTANT BEATING OF SIYUN'S HEART REMAINED.
AS HE LEFT THE ROOM, SIYUN COULD FEEL A FIRE BURNING WITHIN HIM. HIS GRANDFATHER HAD FINALLY RECOGNIZED HIS GROWTH. THE PATH AHEAD WAS CLEARER, YET DARKER.
IMPERIAL CREST ACADEMY…
A PLACE OF OPPORTUNITY.A PLACE OF DANGER.A PLACE WHERE HIS MASK, HIS MIND, AND HIS DETERMINATION WOULD BE TESTED TO THEIR LIMITS.
[SFX: FADE OUT WITH LOW RUMBLE, SYMBOLIC OF AN UNKNOWN FUTURE]