"You're going too fast, Hector. They won't let us pass that point."
Willow nudged her brother's arm, her eyes narrowing at the pair of drones hovering just ahead. Despite her years of research on the Academy, the sight of two checkpoints and surveillance drones made her a little nervous.
Even though it was just an Academy, she could understand why people had grown so cautious and so resilient. It was after all, a world reclaimed from ruin. Humanity's second attempt at survival.
To be honest, even after five years of being reborn as Willow Sterling, Riven still hadn't figured out how Earth had survived. Or had the video just been a trick?
Even if it was. What happened to the dying Earth in the last twenty years?
"You'd think we were storming a military base, not dropping off my sister at school," Hector laughed under his breath.
Willow couldn't believe he was still joking when they were clearly about to crash into the checkpoint.
"Hector, stop here." She reminded him and slapped his arm this time.
He gave a confused laugh. "What are you talking about? I'm your ride. Who's gonna stop me?"
"They will." She nodded toward the guards already watching them. Their faces were stern and cold, like they were prepared to shoot them down.
"They let you in, Willow. You're on the list. They accepted you." Hector looked at her, those warm, deep brown eyes searching her face.
"Besides, that car from earlier went in," he added.
For a moment, Willow wanted to agree with him but she decided to trust her two years of research on Nexus Academy. Plus, it was so obvious.
"I think we should stop here." and then she added right after, "just to be safe. Please?"
"Fine." Hector let out a resigned sigh.
He hit the brakes, and the truck screeched to a stop, just in time, right in front of the checkpoint.
"Thank you."
Willow let out a deep breath and grabbed the strap of her bag tucked beneath her chair. Just beyond the checkpoint stood two massive gates. There was no way they'd let her go in with her brother.
Asides from Factions that sponsored the Academy, nobody else was allowed to drive into the four walls of Nexus.
A bitter smile curled her lips. She was never going to stop being surprised that Earth had still managed to rebuild itself and reach this level in just twenty years.
There were factions with strong, structured governments, prominent academies, survival zones, everything....
"Are you sure about this school?" Hector asked just as she reached for the door handle.
She dropped her hand and gave him a cheeky smile. "Aside from it being the biggest mutant Academy that still accepts normies like me? It's a great place with a lot of opportunities, Hector."
"Yeah, but there are other academies. Good ones too."
Willow held his gaze, her grip on her bag tightening. "When we awaken, we can have the luxury of choosing. For now, this is the best place for me."
"And we are going to awaken soon. I'm going to make sure of it. We won't always be weak."
Hector's eyes widened slightly. "Is that what this is about? Willow, we have passed the age of awakening."
"I know that." Willow lowered her head, avoiding his eyes.
Hector was confused. "If you do, why..."
"Do you think I enjoy seeing you come home with broken bones and wrapped in bandages?" Willow slapped his arm again. This time, he laughed and shook his head.
"You don't have to worry about me. It's the military. What do you expect?"
"And this is an academy, just like the others," Willow said with a knowing smile.
Hector sighed. "You're too smart for your own good. But it's the real world in there. There are—"
Willow leaned in and gently placed her palm over his mouth. "I'll be fine. Yes, you are the big brother, but your worry talk isn't going to change my mind."
"Fine," Hector mumbled against her hand.
She pulled away, rolling her eyes. "Besides, you were about to get us shot."
"You're being dramatic," he grumbled, then leaned toward her, lowering his voice. "You sure about this? I could walk you up, pretend to be your overbearing parent or something."
Willow shook her head. "They'd scan your ID, flag it, and haul you in for questioning."
"God, this place sucks."
"Welcome to Nexus Academy."
"Uh huh." Hector studied her for a moment, a smile playing on his lips.
Willow looked ahead. One of the guards was approaching the truck.
"I have to go now." She opened the door, and Hector's smile faded.
Just as she was about to step out, she loosened her grip on her bag, turned, and hugged her brother tightly. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close in return.
A calm silence settled between them. They didn't need to say anything. They loved and believed in each other. That was the only thing that mattered.
When Willow finally pulled away, she jumped out of the truck, holding her bag close.
The engine roared as the truck rolled away, and Willow turned to face the guard.
He took her ID card and scanned it. The scanner's red light turned green.
He handed the card back. "Welcome to Nexus Academy, Willow Sterling."
Willow could only force a smile as he led her through the checkpoint and through the gates.
The moment she stepped onto the academy grounds, the air felt different.
A chill ran across her skin, and goosebumps rose on her arms.
This was Nexus Academy. One of the greatest and most prominent academies in the world.
It was a place for mutants, and even for those without abilities but with useful skills like hers.
Nexus Academy held power and nurtured it. And Willow was excited because this place held the kind of power she needed.
She had to claim that power because weakness wasn't an option. Not for what she had to do.
She knew very well that these people had no idea there were advanced humans on another planet. They had no clue that the strongest humans weren't even here.
So she had to be strong enough.
As they walked past the huge buildings, Willow noticed there were no signs of students in the area. Were they in classes?
It was actually a relief for Willow. Attention was the last thing she needed in her life. And the heavy guilt in her chest was already enough.
The guard stopped in front of a tall building, and Willow stopped just behind him.
He turned toward her, his stern expression stiff, and she swallowed hard.
"This is the induction hall. Go in," he said.
And just like that, he left.
Willow stepped inside, the heavy doors closing behind her. The interior was quiet, the only sound coming from the low hum of machines.
Ahead, a woman sat behind a long table, her focus entirely on the supercomputer in front of her.
Willow stepped forward, hesitating since the woman wasn't paying any hint of attention to her presence, then parted her lips.
"I..."
"ID?" the woman asked, her full attention still on the computer.
"Oh. Here." Willow handed it to her, and the woman snatched it without looking up, then glanced at Willow with a flash of disgust in her eyes.
"A Ranger and a Dreg. How pitiful," she muttered, stood up and walked into a room.
Of course.
Willow almost frowned but controlled herself, tightening her grip on her bag.
She hated being called that. A Dreg.
It was a slur the elite mutants used to show their disgust towards those without abilities, and over time, it had become a common label.
The woman soon returned with a set of uniform clothes and shoved them into Willow's hands, then pointed toward a nearby door.
"Get dressed in there. You're not allowed to roam the school grounds without a uniform. And hurry up so you can be classified even though your grade is already obvious," she added with a sneer.
This time, Willow frowned openly.
Noticing her expression, the woman scoffed. "Go get dressed and leave your ugly bag there."
Willow hurried into the room and changed into the uniform, but something was missing. It wasn't complete.
There was no tie. She had seen several pictures of students in their uniforms, and they always wore ties. Had they changed it or something?
She stepped back out to ask the woman about it. "Ma'am, I..."
"Here you go." The woman shoved a tablet into her hands. "Keep this safe and make sure it doesn't get any cracks."
Willow blinked and stared at the exclusive tablet, her shoulders tensing up. "What about my bag?"
"Your bag will be moved to your dorm," the woman said, and her words made Willow's shoulders loosen as she breathed easier.
"Now leave! Don't you want to get classified officially?"
Willow left the hall immediately. She tapped the screen on her tablet, and a holographic map hovered over it. She followed the route to the academy grounds, and eventually, she began to see students wandering around.
But something felt... off.
All the students she passed were wearing blue jackets and a few wore dark green ones. She stood out, and the stares confirmed it.
Well, she was wearing a red jacket, after all. The only first-year wandering around alone.
"Bloody attention," she muttered under her breath. "Where are the other first years?"
Soon, she found herself in the main grounds.
"I'm lost." She facepalmed herself hard. She knew she had to ask someone for directions.
"Controlling them shouldn't be a big deal. You're all Enforcers. It's in the name, enforce." A deep, smooth voice suddenly cut through the air.
It was rich, layered, and commanding so much so that it made her stop in her tracks.
But it wasn't the voice that truly stopped her.
It was the sight of the silver-haired student speaking to a group of well-dressed, uniformed students. Most of them had their heads bowed. The rest looked intimidated.
"I found him," Willow breathed, her grip on the tablet tightening as her heart skipped. "Ezrik Veyne."
He was tall, lean, and toned with emerald, cat-like eyes. His skin flawless porcelain, his expression shifting between smug and soft.
He looked like royalty, effortlessly beautiful, almost unreal.
He wore a deep V-neck silk white shirt and slim-cut trousers with gold chains.
He stood like he owned the place, his ringed fingers trailing along the fountain as he leaned back lazily.
That man right there. He was the reason she chose this academy.