The Silence Before the Dawn

The dawn weighed over the warehouse like a veil of farewell. The lingering scent of cigarettes still hung in the air, mixed with the stale traces of alcohol and sweat from the previous night. The radio, which had once played a quiet, meaningless tune, was now silent. The makeshift bar was littered with abandoned glasses. The floor bore the marks of footsteps and ashes.

They were leaving. One by one.

Khaz sat atop an unstable wooden table, an abandoned bottle of liquor beside him, idly rolling a cigarette between his fingers. His eyes followed each of his companions as they departed, but he said nothing.

Salen was the first to leave. He adjusted the strap of his bag and stopped in front of Khaz.

"You know this world isn't meant for you, right?" His voice was calm, but there was a weight beneath it. "You already have a place waiting for you, something bigger than all this mess. But that doesn't change anything... You'll always be one of us."

Khaz took a slow drag, exhaling the smoke without answering.

Salen nodded.

"See you around."

Without looking back, he vanished into the darkness of the city.

Not long after, Gideon and Troy gathered their belongings.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," Gideon said, raising an empty glass before tossing it aside. "But I think it's time to find another way to make money."

"If you ever need dirty work done, you know where to find us." Troy patted Khaz on the shoulder before following Gideon out.

Willy hesitated for a moment, looking at Khaz.

"We'll see each other again someday, right?"

Khaz nodded, slightly unsure.

"I hope so."

Nero, eyes brimming with unshed tears, simply hugged him, grabbed his backpack, and turned to Willy.

"Let's go? Won't be long before we're all back together again."

A few moments later, they too disappeared into the night.

Now, only Khaz and Ezra remained in the silent warehouse.

Ezra, who had seemed restless about the group's parting, stood near the door, staring at Khaz.

"Aren't you coming?"

Khaz let out a short, humorless chuckle.

"I don't fit in schools."

Ezra was quiet for a moment before sighing.

"You just want to hide, don't you?"

Khaz raised an eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You have a secret. Even if others can sense it, you seem afraid to accept it. Like you think you don't truly belong anywhere."

Khaz didn't respond. Ezra gave him one last look before walking out, leaving the door open behind him.

Now, Khaz was alone.

The silence was deafening.

He looked around. Only shadows kept him company now.

Was this really what he wanted?

Tian's voice broke the silence within his mind.

"Funny how you keep running from fate, knowing it will always catch up to you."

Khaz clenched his eyes shut, frustrated.

"Give me a break, old man."

"You're just a reflection of Cyrus's rage. But you are not him. You need to let the boy take control."

Nathanos's voice cut through like a blade.

"Oh, here we go again with this nonsense. The kid should be grateful that, for now, it's just us talking. If it were like before, with everyone speaking at once, he wouldn't have a moment of peace. And if it weren't for us, he would've starved to death already."

Khaz clenched his fists. He knew this argument would lead nowhere.

He got up and walked toward one of the old mattresses leaning against the wall. But as he threw himself onto it, he noticed something beside him.

A letter.

Magnus's letter.

He picked it up, rolling it between his fingers. The invitation to Divine Glory. The path everyone claimed was his to take.

He stared at it for a long time, without opening it.

Outside, the sky began to shift.

The warehouse was still dark when Cyrus woke up.

His body felt heavy, as if he had been hit by a storm. His mind was clouded, as if he had just surfaced from a deep sleep.

He looked around. He was alone.

For a moment, he wondered if it had all been a dream. If his time with the group had been nothing more than a fleeting illusion. But then his eyes fell on the letter in his hands.

Magnus's letter.

He opened it, finally reading the words he should have read long ago.

"If you are reading this, it means you've chosen to give fate a chance. With this letter, you are exempt from the exam's registration fee. Don't waste the potential that you all possess."

"Signed: Magnus Von Daimo."

Cyrus's eyes widened at the word "you all."

Magnus knew more than he had imagined.

No voice echoed in his mind. For the first time, there was only silence.

He got up and gathered his belongings.

The morning light glowed at the entrance of the warehouse.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped through the doorway without looking back.

It was time to go.