Inside Marie's school, kids ran everywhere, trying to get to class before the bell. Teachers' voices drifted out from open doors, mixing with the chatter of students. Some faces looked bright, others drowsy and heavy-lidded. It was the usual morning chaos: what you would expect from any ordinary school.
Except for one thing.
Marie.
Her eyes were too focused, her legs shaking, fists clenched at her sides. Her body buzzed with restless energy. Ultra-hyper. Yesterday's awakening still burned inside her, but it wasn't excitement alone that shook her. It was what had happened at the school gates: that suffocating, deathly aura that pressed down on her soul. She was determined to find out who or what had caused it.
That determination faltered when her ears caught something that grabbed her attention.
Two boys stood near the drinking fountain, whispering quickly to each other. One had black hair, the other brown. Marie's ears pricked up at the sound of one of their voices.
'That voice... I've heard it somewhere,' she thought, slowing her pace. Then it hit her. 'It's him. The boy who bumped into me yesterday.'
She told herself to ignore them. She had more important things to do. But then, a sentence floated out, sharp and clear.
"So you're an A-rank?" the black-haired boy said, excitement in his tone. "Damn, dude. If you're starting with A, you're set for success if you want to become a hero. But that'll make your life more dangerous."
The brown-haired boy began to answer. "I know, but it will..."
Marie's curiosity snapped her restraint. She stepped forward quickly.
"Excuse me," she interrupted. "Did you take the test yesterday?"
The brown-haired boy blinked, startled. "Yeeees? Why?"
Marie spoke too fast, her words tumbling over themselves.
"Oh, sorry for interrupting! I was just curious about who got an A-rank yesterday other than me."
The second the words left her mouth, she froze. Her cheeks flushed crimson.
'I just blurted out that I'm an A-rank without even introducing myself. I sound so full of myself.'
She scrambled to recover, sticking out her hand.
"I'm sorry. I should have introduced myself first. My name is Marie. What about you?"
The brown-haired boy smiled and accepted her handshake. "I'm Omar."
The black-haired boy spoke without looking at her. "Roy."
His voice was flat, almost dismissive.
Marie barely acknowledged him, her attention locked on Omar instead.
"So, Omar, since you got an A-rating too, what are your powers?"
Omar's whole body shifted with excitement. He began talking with his hands, gesturing wildly as he answered.
"Fire, super strength, and earth. What about you?"
Marie lit up, matching his energy.
"I got ice, water, and air."
"Cool," Omar said to Marie, then asked, "So, are you planning to go to a hero academy, or are you staying here?"
Marie's eyes sparkled at the question.
"Yes, I'll take the entrance test. I'm trying to get into Silvergate Academy."
Her voice practically sang with excitement.
Omar's arms unfolded, his hands flying as he spoke again.
"Silvergate? I'm also trying to get into it. Looks like we'll be classmates!"
Before Marie could reply, a thunderous voice boomed down the hall.
"WHAT ARE YOU THREE DOING HERE?"
A teacher stormed toward them, eyes blazing.
"Class started fifteen minutes ago! Stop standing around and get to your classrooms!"
Marie and Omar stiffened like guilty children.
"Yes, sir, we're sorry! We're going now!"
They chorused, scurrying toward their classrooms.
Roy, however, didn't move or say a word.
The teacher walked up to him.
"Didn't I already tell you to go to class when I caught you on the roof? This is your second warning today. One more time, and you'll be punished. Now move!"
Roy finally moved, his face unreadable, and walked silently past them.
Marie watched him go, that familiar chill creeping up her spine.
'There's something about him. Something cold. The way he moves... so quiet. Could he really be the one from this morning?'
The feeling gnawed at her, refusing to let go.
Marie slowed, her pulse quickening.
'The roof? He was on the roof. Was he the one who made me feel that death aura? Or was someone else up there with him?'
She carried the thought all the way into her classroom. She apologized quickly for being late and slid into a seat by the window. The teacher's lecture blurred into meaningless noise. Marie's hands trembled beneath her desk, her heart pounding. Her mind kept circling back to one thing: Roy. His dismissive tone. His silence. The teacher mentioning he'd been on the roof. And that suffocating presence she'd felt at the gates.
'Roy. The roof. It has to be connected.'
The window beside her was cracked open, letting in the cool air. A sudden flicker of movement pulled her out of her spiraling thoughts.
Something brushed against her hand. A slip of paper, carried by the wind through the opening, landed on her palm.
"A... paper?" she whispered, eyes darting to the window.
There was nothing outside.
She unfolded it. Only one line was written on the paper:
Meet me after school on the roof.
No name. No signature.
Marie's eyebrow raised.
"Who sent this?"
Then it hit her, her breath catching in her throat. Her suspicion was confirmed: it was Roy.
'Should I go? What will happen if I refuse? Will he kill me?'
All these thoughts raced through Marie's mind before she decided.
'If he wants to kill me, he will, even if I don't go. It's better to go and see what he wants.'
The rest of the day dragged on endlessly.
Marie found herself staring at the note during her next class, tracing the handwriting with her eyes. Anonymous, but somehow she knew. Every time a door opened in the hallway, her head snapped up, half-expecting to see Roy's dark silhouette.
During lunch, she spotted him across the cafeteria. He sat alone, eating in silence, his eyes distant. When his gaze briefly met hers, that same chill ran down her spine. He looked away first, but the damage was done. Her appetite vanished.
She tried to distract herself, scrolling through her phone, chatting with classmates about Silvergate Academy's entrance requirements. But her mind kept drifting back to the rooftop, to whatever awaited her there.
The final period felt like it would never end. The clock's hands moved like they were wading through honey. When the bell finally rang, Marie's heart lurched.
No turning back now.
Marie climbed the stairs to the roof, her mind racing, her body shaking. She kept thinking about what would happen when she reached the roof and met him.
She stopped in front of the double doors, her hand moving slowly toward them, debating whether she should open them or not.
"I'm already here. No reason to go back now."
She opened the doors. Roy was standing in front of the fence, looking out. Marie's eyes focused on him. As he turned around slowly, Marie grabbed her head in pain. Her vision became unclear, switching between the school roof and what looked like a throne room where she stood holding a sword. The only constant between the two views was Roy turning around to face Marie in both. The only difference was his clothes, which looked like royalty in the throne room.
Marie was remembering a memory that wasn't hers, a memory most likely not from this world.