Night at U.H.A. was the only time the city felt quiet.
Seven teens sat on the dorm rooftop — a circle of friends, misfits, rivals, and wanderers.
Brian. David. Niko. Alcino. Kendall. Declan. Hayk.
Declan fiddled with a floating drone. Niko and Alcino argued about spirit speeds again. Kendall barely spoke. Hayk stared at the stars through a lens that projected coordinates in his eyes.
"You guys ever think about quitting?" Brian asked quietly.
Everyone went silent.
"Like, what if we're not meant for this?" he continued. "What if all this power stuff… just ruins us?"
David leaned back. "Then we ruin it back."
Niko grinned. "Yeah, bro. We make it ours."
Hayk tapped his temple. "Statistically speaking, fewer than 12% of first-years survive elite graduation tracks. But none of us are normal."
Kendall finally spoke. "Then we don't act normal. We finish."
A breeze cut across the rooftop.
Brian closed his eyes.
That strange vibration was back — stronger. Not painful. Just present.
Waiting.