The door creaked as Damon pushed it open.
Sunlight spilled in—harsh, unfamiliar, almost blinding after the dim underground lab. He stepped out of the tiny house and froze.
The world outside felt… wrong.
Buildings stretched taller than he remembered, their surfaces layered with glowing symbols and reinforced steel. Roads hummed faintly with energy lines embedded beneath them. In the distance, figures moved—some normal, others leaving subtle distortions in the air as they walked.
Ethereal had changed.
Or maybe… he had simply been left behind.
A dull ache formed in his chest as a memory surfaced.
The exam.
The Celestial Academy Entrance Exam—the one chance for people with abilities to rise above the chaos of Ethereal. The place his father once said could change everything.
You'll go there when you turn sixteen, his dad's voice echoed. Not as prey. As someone who can fight back.
Damon's steps slowed.
Sixteen.
His brow furrowed. He knew his age when the accident happened—but how long had he been unconscious? Days? Weeks?
He glanced at the empty street.
I need the date.
Leaving the house behind, Damon walked forward, every step careful but steadier than before. The system stayed quiet, observing, learning.
Then he saw her.
An old woman sat by the roadside on a low stool, sorting vegetables into a worn basket. Her back was bent with age, her hair thin and silver, skin lined deeply by time and hardship. Her hands shook slightly—but her eyes were clear and kind.
Damon approached slowly. "Excuse me," he said, voice hoarse but steady. "Can you tell me… what year it is? And today's date?"
The woman looked up, surprised, then smiled gently.
"Oh, child," she said, wiping her hands on her faded shawl. "It's the 12th of Solis, Year 217. Why do you ask?"
His heart skipped.
Year 217.
The system pulsed faintly.
[Time Gap Detected: 16 Months]
Sixteen months.
Damon inhaled sharply. "And… the Celestial Academy exam?"
The old woman chuckled softly. "Today, of course. Starts this morning."
Today.
Everything his father prepared him for—balanced on a single day he almost missed.
Before he could speak again, a girl stepped out from behind the house nearby.
"Grandma, I'm ready!"
She was about his age, moving with relaxed confidence. Her skin was smooth and healthy, her figure full of vitality—strong, well-fed, and clearly cared for. There was nothing fragile about her presence. Her eyes were bright with excitement, and her expression carried the easy warmth of someone who had been loved her whole life.
The old woman turned to Damon. "You're going for the exam too, aren't you?"
Damon hesitated, then nodded.
"Well then," she said kindly, gesturing toward the girl, "follow my granddaughter. You'll get there faster together."
The girl glanced at Damon—and paused.
He stood tall, taller than most people around him, his posture straight despite everything he had endured. His skin was pale and frail, almost translucent, as if he hadn't seen the sun in a long time. Crimson eyes caught the light with an intensity that felt unnatural, and his blonde hair—slightly messy—framed a face so striking it made people look twice without realizing why.
Handsome, but sharp.
Fragile, but dangerous.
The girl smiled politely. "I'm Lira. Come on—we don't want to be late."
Damon gave the old woman a small bow of gratitude.
"Thank you."
She waved him off, her wrinkled smile warm. "Good luck, child. The world is cruel—but today, it might be fair."
As Damon followed Lira down the street, the system stirred once more.
[Destination Identified: Celestial Academy]
[Observation: Fate Acceleration Event Detected]
The day hadn't waited for him.
But he had arrived anyway.