Indeed, that was not a normal question. A person’s Reflection was deeply personal, something almost sacred. To ask about it was to tread on dangerous ground, for the Blessed always lived with the truth that somewhere, there existed a Reflection that could counter their own. That was the reason most of them kept quiet, why few ever revealed the exact nature of their powers.
But Rain trusted Elys. He knew it instinctively. And deep down, he was sure that if he revealed his own Reflection, Elys would show him his as well.
“Ah, that,” Rain said quietly. He looked at Elys, gesturing with his eyes for him to look down. Closing his fists and focusing for just a second, a small flame appeared in his palm. Its glow flickered briefly against the walls around them before Rain quickly smothered it out, glancing around to make sure no one else saw.
Elys froze, his eyes widening in surprise. The nervousness that had been weighing on him a moment ago vanished in an instant. He leaned in closer, voice trembling with excitement.
“Fire? You can control fire? That’s amazing! Do you even realize how rare elemental Blessed are?” He shook Rain by the shoulders, practically vibrating with energy, more excited about Rain’s Reflection than Rain himself seemed to be.
“I know, I know. Which is why you can’t say anything to anyone, alright?”
Elys recovered his composure, straightened, and zipped his lips shut with a playful motion. “Yeah, of course. I won’t say a word.”
Rain studied him for a moment and nodded. It was true, elemental users were rare, and because of that, always highly sought after. If he survived this, Rain was certain he could use his power to secure a place in the world, maybe even live comfortably. Fire was an unlimited source of energy after all. But if the wrong hands got hold of him…then his life would be nothing more than a tool in the grasp of criminals. The world was still a dark place, and the slums had taught him better than anyone to never forget that.
“...What about you?” Rain asked at last.
“Me?” Elys chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “Ah, well…mine isn’t something I can show you directly.”
He suddenly grabbed Rain by the shoulders and turned him toward the long street behind them. “See that sign? The general store way down there?”
Rain narrowed his eyes. He knew exactly which store Elys meant, but from this distance, he could only just barely make out the wooden sign swaying in the wind.
“I mean, yeah…barely.”
“Well, I can see it as clearly as if it were right in front of me,” Elys said with a grin.
Rain blinked. Enhanced Eyesight. Not a power built for combat, but still invaluable. Out in the wild, paired with his fire for survival, they already made a solid team.
“That’s…actually very good,” Rain admitted, unable to hide his surprise.
Elys shot him a look full of pride. “Heh, I know, right? I’m planning to use the training camp to practice archery. Makes a good fit, doesn’t it?”
“It does,” Rain said with a small smile. And it really did. With a Blessed body and bow, an archer could strike enemies from hundreds of meters away. Add in the ability to see the target up close and clear at that distance? It was a deadly combination.
Before Rain could say more, a loud siren rang out across the slums, its echo spreading like a wave. The signal was unmistakable; the Selected had to line up for departure.
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“Rain,” Elys said suddenly, voice dropping softer. “Before we line up…this might sound strange, but I’m glad I get to go with you. See you later.”
He flashed Rain a smile and jogged off toward his own line.
Rain blinked.
‘Did he just say he was glad I was likely going to die?’
But no, that wasn’t what Elys meant. And Rain knew it. In truth, he felt the same. At least one person he trusted would be by his side in all of this.
He moved toward his own line of Selected, waiting as each person was processed. When his turn came, a burly middle-aged man in a stiff government uniform stood in front of him, tablet in one hand, a small drone hovering at his side.
“Identification,” the man demanded, his deep voice cutting through Rain’s ears. Rain couldn’t help but wonder how many faces like his this man had seen before.
“I don’t have any. My name is Rain.”
The man glanced up, then continued with the routine questions: height, weight, and features. It wasn’t unusual for those from the slums to lack official papers.
“Alright, look at the drone for the facial scan.”
Rain turned his head as the machine whirred to life, scanning him with red beams that danced across his face before it beeped in confirmation.
“Last step. Show me your Reflection shard.”
Rain reached into his pocket and pulled it out. The guard took it carefully, studying it with the trained eye of someone who had done this a hundred times before. This step was important. In the past, before the shard inspection had been enforced, people would forge their way into the Selection simply as an escape from the slums.
After a moment, the shard was returned, and the guard gestured toward the bus. “All clear. Go ahead and board. Departure is in half an hour.”
Rain bowed his head lightly and stepped onto the bus. He carried no luggage; everything he owned fit into a single thin plastic bag. The bus was already half full, faces tense, eyes down, but none familiar to him. On the other side, Elys boarded a separate bus, flashing Rain a wave and a wink that sent an involuntary shiver down his spine.
‘Ugh. Even without his eyesight, I saw that one.’
Rain slid into a seat near the middle. The chatter of other voices buzzed faintly, but he barely heard them, his thoughts too loud to leave space for anything else.
‘To the training camp we go. I’ll have to learn as much as I can there.’
His mind drifted back to his vision. He still couldn’t tell if that was truly Elys on his back, but the thought gnawed at him. And then there was the girl. Whoever she was, he had no idea how to handle her.
‘Maybe if I just avoid her altogether? That’d be easiest.’
But he knew it wouldn’t be that simple. His priorities were clear, and his own survival came first. And yet, now, there were two people he wanted to save. Elys…and Granny.
More passengers filled the bus until it was full. A nervous-looking youth slid into the seat beside him, long hair clinging to his sweaty face, trembling with nerves. Rain only hoped he wouldn’t try to strike up a conversation.
The uniformed official boarded briefly, standing at the front.
“Attention. We are now leaving for the training camp. The ride will take about two hours with no stops. Once there, you will gather in the main courtyard for further instructions. I won’t be with you on this bus, so save your questions for your training leader. I wish you all good fortune in the journey ahead.”
With that, he stepped out, and the doors closed. The engine roared to life, the bus shuddered, and Rain’s journey began.
He had only left the slums a handful of times in his life, mostly as a child. The change in scenery struck him harder than expected. First came the inner city, towering glass buildings stretching endlessly, shopping districts buzzing with shops, countless people walking in carefree leisure. They even passed a park, its lake gleaming under the sun. Clean. Ordered. Alive. Nothing like the filth and ruin of the slums.
For an hour, this world rolled by his window. Then came the quiet residential zones, rows of pristine houses with trimmed gardens, children laughing and playing in the streets without a care. Rain wasn’t jealous, not really. His life in the slums had shaped him into who he was. But still…some small part of him imagined living here with his parents. With Granny.
‘When I come back…this is where I want to go.’
The neighborhood faded. In its place rose heavy fortifications, watchtowers, patrolling soldiers, and drones drifting silently above. The government district. Just beyond it, looming in the distance, were the gates of the training camp, his new home for the month to come.
