"…Things are different this time."
"What makes you say that?"
The voice drifted in like a breeze—soft, smooth, but laced with weight.
Lucian turned.
She walked into the hall with calm steps. Long dark hair tied back, sharp violet eyes that held no warmth, just clarity. Her coat fluttered behind her as if the air itself knew better than to touch her. She didn't look rushed. Didn't look tense. She was exactly how he remembered her.
Instructor Athena.
Lucian's smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth.
He remembered that walk. That gaze. The way she held herself like a storm waiting for permission to break loose. In his past life, she was a monster in the field. The kind of instructor no one wanted to spar with. The kind no one wanted as an enemy.
Her ability could've rivaled mine… back when it was still mine.
Now, that absurdly broken power belonged to someone else.
His eyes flicked to Evelyn, who was stretching her fingers absently beside him.
Still unaware of what exactly lived inside her now.
Lucian exhaled.
"Nothing," he said, eyes back on Athena. "Just talking to myself."
Athena stopped in front of the five of them.
Her gaze passed over each one—slowly, deliberately.
She said nothing for a few seconds.
Then—"You're the ones they pulled out of the standard route. The ones who broke the scale."
Silas scratched his cheek and grinned. "Guess we're special."
Athena blinked once. "If by 'special' you mean dangerous, then yes."
Silas blinked. Reia smirked. Evelyn tried not to laugh. Vyn didn't move.
Lucian stood straight. Hands in pockets. He didn't interrupt.
Athena's voice remained calm, but it echoed across the wide training hall like a whip slicing the air.
"My name is Athena. I'm your handler, instructor, and problem-solver for the foreseeable future. I'm not your friend. I'm not your enemy. I don't care where you're from or what trauma made you strong."
She looked at Lucian briefly. Just a second too long to be casual.
"I only care about two things. One—can you survive what's coming. And two—if you can't, will your body be useful to teach the next person?"
That shut everyone up.
Lucian's smirk deepened slightly.
Same old Athena.
She paced once in front of them.
"You'll train apart from the others. Your curriculum will be personalized. You'll be sent on live missions far sooner than your peers. And the people above don't expect all of you to last."
She stopped again.
"So prove them wrong."
Silas nodded, cracking his knuckles.
Reia crossed her arms, focused.
Evelyn straightened her shoulders.
Vyn just… stared at the floor.
Lucian tilted his head, watching Athena closely.
Athena took a breath and finished.
"Class Zero begins tomorrow. Five a.m. sharp. Gear up, get rest, and don't be late."
She turned to walk away—then added over her shoulder:
"Oh, and one more thing."
They all looked up.
"If any of you hold back…"
She paused by the door, her tone colder now.
"I'll break that habit. Personally."
Athena took two more steps toward the door—then paused.
"Ah. Right."
She turned back around, hands sliding into her coat pockets. Her eyes swept over them again—this time less sharp, more… assessing.
"Follow me."
No further explanation.
She pivoted on her heel and started walking down the hallway. Her steps were silent, but somehow every one of them echoed.
Lucian exchanged a glance with Evelyn, who shrugged. Silas was already moving, practically bouncing with curiosity. Reia trailed close behind, and Vyn didn't say a word—just followed.
Lucian walked last. Hands still in his pockets, his gaze fixed on Athena's back.
Still as intense as ever. But I wonder what else changed.
They didn't go the same direction as the others. Not toward the west wing dorms where the rest of the students had been herded earlier during orientation. Instead, Athena led them to the far side of the academy. The halls got quieter. Older. The walls here weren't polished metal or glass—they were stone, marked with strange runes, half-faded over time.
After several minutes, Athena stopped in front of a tall, arched gate. It looked ancient—black steel laced with silver threads, and a glowing crest in the middle. A crest none of them had seen before.
She placed a hand against the center.
The crest pulsed once—and the door opened with a deep hiss, revealing a wide chamber beyond.
"This wing's been sealed off for over ten years," Athena said, stepping aside. "But it's yours now."
They stepped through one by one.
Silas whistled. "Whoa."
The place was massive.
The hallway beyond opened into a circular atrium—floors of obsidian polished so clean they reflected light like water. Pillars lined the edges, carved with symbols none of them could read. On the far end were five doors—each marked with a glowing glyph.
Lucian looked around slowly.
It wasn't fancy.
It wasn't cozy.
But it felt… right. Like it was made for people who didn't fit anywhere else.
Evelyn touched the wall lightly, her eyes scanning the runes.
"These used to belong to…?"
"Hunters," Athena replied, "just like you. They were the first Class Zero. Back when the world was on fire, and the academy was more battlefield than school."
She didn't say what happened to them.
She didn't need to.
Reia narrowed her eyes. "So this is more than just special treatment."
Athena nodded. "It's responsibility."
She motioned to the doors. "Each one's linked to your system. They'll adjust automatically to your abilities. You'll find combat sims inside, personal libraries, training zones. But it's your space now. Own it."
Silas stepped toward his door. The glyph on it flickered—then shifted into a symbol shaped like a gauntlet.
"Cool."
Vyn's door showed a thorned moon crest. She didn't react.
Reia's? A fan of mirrored glass.
Evelyn's glowed with a strange fractal—geometric, infinite.
Lucian's door pulsed last. His symbol looked like a broken spiral—fractured space coiled into itself.
He stared at it for a second longer.
Athena clapped her hands once. "You've got the rest of the day to settle in. Tomorrow morning, training starts. No excuses."
She started walking away again, but paused at the gate.
"One more thing…"
They all turned.
"Whatever you see here—whatever you experience—don't compare it to the rest of the academy."
She met Lucian's eyes for a heartbeat.
"Class Zero isn't here to fit in."
Then she left—this time without turning back.
The gate slowly closed behind her with a low, final thud.
Silence settled between the five of them.
Silas broke it with a laugh. "Guess this is home now."
Reia shook her head. "Let's see how long we last."
Vyn was already walking to her door.
Evelyn looked at Lucian. "You okay?"
Lucian nodded once.
"Never been better."