Departure

The morning air bit at Felix's skin as he stepped out of the house, the damp chill clinging to his clothes. The sky was a bleak, overcast grey, the kind that seemed to stretch endlessly, pressing down on the world below.

He slung his bag over his shoulder, his grip tightening on the strap. The weight of the chessboard inside felt like an anchor, tethering him to memories he couldn't shake.

The door slammed shut behind him, the sound muffled and dull, like the closing of a chapter he wasn't ready to leave behind.

The street was quiet, save for the distant hum of a car engine and the faint rustling of leaves. Felix's footsteps echoed as he walked, his head down, his shoulders hunched against the cold.

Every step felt heavier than the last.

He replayed the events of the previous day in his mind—the fight with Marco, the stranger in the black vest, the paper in his pocket. The words were burned into his memory: **"Eterna Institute of Advancement."**

He didn't know what it was or why he'd been invited, but it didn't matter. The offer was a lifeline, and he wasn't about to let it slip through his fingers.

Yet doubt gnawed at the edges of his thoughts. What if it was a trap? What if the man in black had been lying?

Felix shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away. Anything was better than staying here.

He passed by the school gates, his pace quickening as he kept his head low. The laughter and chatter of the other students seemed distant, almost unreal.

For a moment, he considered turning back. He could go to class, pretend everything was normal, and let the memory of the man in black fade into obscurity.

But the weight of his bag—the chessboard inside—reminded him of the promises he'd made to himself.

*"I'll find my own way."*

He turned the corner, his destination clear in his mind.

---

The old bus stop was as empty as ever, the bench weathered and splintered from years of neglect. Felix sat down, the cold metal seeping through his jeans as he pulled the paper from his pocket.

The address stared back at him, stark and unyielding.

He didn't know where it would lead, but he was determined to find out.

The sound of tires crunching on gravel drew his attention. A black van pulled up to the curb, its windows tinted so dark they might as well have been painted over.

Felix's heart skipped a beat.

The van's door slid open, revealing two men dressed in identical black suits. Their faces were impassive, their movements precise as they stepped out and approached him.

"Felix Reygal?" one of them asked, his voice flat and devoid of emotion.

Felix hesitated, his pulse racing. "Y-yeah, that's me."

The man nodded. "You're coming with us."

Felix glanced at the van, doubt creeping into his mind. "Where are you taking me?"

"To your destination," the man replied cryptically.

Felix's fingers tightened around the strap of his bag. "What if I don't want to go?"

The second man stepped forward, his expression unchanging. "You were invited. Refusing is not an option."

The words sent a chill down Felix's spine.

He swallowed hard, his gaze shifting between the men and the van. Every instinct screamed at him to run, but his feet stayed rooted to the ground.

With a deep breath, he nodded. "Fine. Let's go."

The men stepped aside, motioning for him to enter the van.

Felix climbed in, the dim interior lit only by faint, flickering LEDs embedded in the ceiling. The door slid shut behind him with a heavy thud, and the van began to move.

As the van sped down the road, Felix stared out the tinted window, his reflection faint and ghostlike against the blurred scenery.

He didn't know where he was going or what awaited him, but one thing was certain: there was no turning back.