I like to pose a fact:

  Power is something that this world has, and all over the world people possess it.

  Well, some people have it and some do not.

  It also depends on what type of power they obtain during birth or what they’re trained in.

  Those who train or are born with might have a sort of innate talent or some destiny that makes them “special”.

  The world consists of three power structures: Mana, Chi, and Psionic. Each formed and functioned differently, which creates a diversity of unique uses. Those who were born with certain aspects are given the innate ability of one of the three.

  For instance, Mana is the essence of elemental might comprising the simplest elements: fire, water, wind, thunder, earth, light, and dark. These types of users have the power that could change the world in its physical state, to a point where it would be a question of what extent of manipulation is excessive. It is creation itself.

  Psion or the mental affinity has users rely on a more metaphysical state of looking in ways the logic of the world can be broken. That sort of subject can lead to crazy formulas and out-of-box thinking that can break anyone’s sanity.

  Then finally Chi, a mystical form of power compared to the heavily known Mana. Not so much manipulating external forces, but what is inside of them. Or at least that is what I think it is, not sure how it works.

  As far as history goes, it isn’t that special. Famous and innovative individuals like certain religious prophets or even the man that created the atomic bomb have these innate powers that influenced our world. If there was an alternate universe where powers do not exist, then the only difference is the way of life and how the development of humanity progressed.

  There were wars that meld between the uses of the three powers and the advancement of human technology. As it is natural to use them during the time of such events.

  But these days, most people just live as normal as they can be: from waking up, going to work/school, social life, etc…

  …

  …

  …

  …

  Waking up was always the most annoying part to start my day.

  The alarm was ringing as if there’s no tomorrow and for some reason it wasn’t even next to me, which made it even more annoying to try to get up. It was literally at the other side of the room.

  “Goddammit!” I wave my hand towards and a small burst of air pushes the faraway alarm to the floor, luckily smashing the snooze button. “Great,” I yawn lamely, “Can’t believe I’m going… even though I don’t feel qualified.”

  For me, Alder Zephyr, a teenager with a meager ability. I was born with some power, more specifically the class of Mana. It is however quite paltry and almost useless most of the time.

  This single affinity I have is Wind. It is not the greatest ability without a second affinity or mastering the element of wind.

  Not only do I insult my magical ability, I am also not special and don't have much talent or any training during my entire life, which is also insignificant.

  You could say that my life is very mundane. Very mediocre. An average Joe. Even though the world is a bit hectic.

  Especially as I am going to be a high school student. The point of my life that is full of uncertainty and angst. Even my living conditions are basically within the school’s jurisdiction of paid dorms.

  As I was walking out of bed and heading out into the hallways and entering the bathrooms. I began to brush my teeth and look at myself in a wide mirror that covers the four sinks in the bathroom.

  Looking at myself, my dark violet hair is all messed up from sleeping with a habit of moving around while asleep. Furthermore, I saw signs of some red veins around my brown iris, giving proof of staying up late. Playing a ton of video games during the summer break would cause it.

  With that being said, summer break ended yesterday and the first day of school has yet to begin. Anxious as usual.

  I was not as popular nor noticeable during middle school and usually was alone most of the time. I do talk to people, but that is only to the extent of participating and only hanging with people in school. But outside of it, I’m all alone. Most likely I might not see them in the place I’m going to, as most of them had gone for different paths in life.

  You may be wondering what is this school I am talking about. The school I have enrolled in is known as Triune Academy, or “Triune High” for uniqueness; a boarding school where anyone from powered to powerless can enroll and get almost equal treatment with each other.

  Well, that is the selling point the place is advocating, whether it is true or not.

  There is a rumored reputation the school has where a ton of rejects who were not accepted into their preferred specialty schools, and they could only apply there.

  I don’t know much about the specialty schools or even care right now. As I am focusing on making myself look clean before I get to school, I kept brushing my teeth with one hand and the other hand combing all the lines of hair that are protruding unevenly.

  “Wait a minute…” I spoke while the toothbrush was still inside my mouth. “What time is it?”

  I quickly ran back to my room and grabbed my smartphone as a number was placed in the middle of the screen…

  [7:00 am]

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  I spat out my toothbrush and gasped as there were only about thirty minutes before the entrance ceremony began.

  “You have to be kidding me! So much to be ready! Shit!”

  I scrounge around my messy room to find the mandatory school uniforms that every student is required to wear. Which consisted of a white-collar shirt and red tie over with a beige blazer that has the school’s emblem of a black-colored shield, which within it consists of a golden Gordian knot that represents particular symbols. One circle had a hand that was on fire. One with an eye opened on the palm of a hand. And one with a fist harnessing might.

  After that, I desperately tried on my uniform along with black khakis and regular sneakers. I ran out of my room and got to the nearest vending machine and ordered an energy bar. Not able to make my own breakfast and get to school, I wasted a few minutes trying to prepare and finally grabbing my backpack.

  When I ran out of the dorms, the light from the sun shone so bright that it felt like someone threw a flash bang right in front of me. As my eyes readjust, I see the streets and the busily moving cars. As well as people walking around or some flying around or teleporting and the like, just like a regular day in this city.

  I start sprinting forward with a little wind-enhancing spell to move faster, but I can say that Unica City is somewhat of a unique place to live in.

  As the entire place is semi-advanced in technology, medicine, and power development. A person can tell by looking at some buses that had ads for potions, stims, and even a picture of a person’s arm popping out back and forth while someone casting {regeneration}, on the bottom, describes:

  NEED A NEW ARM OR OTHER HEALTH NEEDS? THEN MS. SPELLIUS’ CLINIC HAS SOMETHING FOR ALL.

  Another passes by and shows a logo of a star encircling another star with the name called Starbringer Corporation. Which from my knowledge, focuses on a variety of product lines such as medical uses, space technology development, and probably so much more. A megacorp to be accurate.

  This place has everything that anyone can get and whatever needs they desire. Although it may look like a city of wonders that has very cool tech and a diverse population. It is also one of the most dangerous places in the world.

  More accurately, it was a recent creation, as a particular war brought certain groups of different disciplines to collaborate on an effort of peace and equality, which helped create this hexagonal landmass of Hexous between two other landmasses within the pacific ocean.

  They say that the groups and countries share parts of the land, but mostly the place is under sovereign jurisdiction.

  Unica City is a place in western side of Hexous with many mixed in different nationalities bringing their ways of life and culture. But also brought radical ideas and opportunities of crime within the city.

  Either way, I don’t know enough about the specifics or I might just be indifferent about it.

  I stop running as soon as the pedestrian sign shines a red hand as a small crowd envelops me.

  After a few foot tapping of every second I worried, the sign turned green and I was about to start my marathon.

  But as I lifted my feet, I felt a leg lodging onto my foot.

  “W-Whoa?!”

  I fell but not without any trouble…

  “W-wha-? Ahhh!”

  Before I could react there was a girl in front of me that turned around from my yelp and noticed too late, she got caught in my fall and we both landed down on the pavement.

  I don’t know how I tripped and fell, I did not misstep and I definitely felt something that caught onto my foot and it wasn’t the girl.

  It was more like a foot impeding upon my path.

  But there is no time to be concerned about that right now. As soon as I tried to lift myself up, I looked at what was in front of me…. Unfortunately, I was on top of her.

  Her flustered face had a similar color to her flaming red twin tail hair. As I looked at the overall appearance, she was wearing a similar high school uniform except with a black and white patterned skirt.

  There was also something that caught my eye, not only was I awkwardly on top of her but also accidentally holding her right hand.

  “AHHH! GET AWAY FROM ME!” she profoundly exclaimed with a sudden fist came smack my left face cheek

  Startled, I and the girl quickly got up and wrapped her arms around her body.

  “You degenerate!” she said while looking at me with disgust.

  “H-Hold on,” I said while trying to diffuse the situation. “There seems to be a misunderstanding.”

  “Misunderstanding my ass, that act was intentional! I should call the police for harassment, no even worse, molestation!” She threatened me with a federal felony.

  “Wait a minute that shouldn’t be counted for that, I tripped and accidentally fell. I didn’t know where my hand was.”

  “Likely story,” her stare felt like I was being pinned by a circle of flames. “You men are always this petty, trying to justify an incident and being all innocent about it. You should give up the facade.”

  Okay, it was my fault for accidentally groping her but that does not mean I should get punched and be threatened with getting an offense.

  I mean I can do the same to her with battery assault, but then again, that doesn’t mean it would work because most of the time the authorities favor the girl’s allegation more than the man's. An unfortunate trend of events.

  What can I do here? There are already people around us and I bet a few of them have their phones filming this whole mess.

  I gotta keep trying while not losing my own dignity and get defaulted as the accused. But there is only one option. With cameras viewing us there really is not much of a choice to make from.

  But it is a choice that may end up biting her, or just embarrass myself.

  With a sigh and standing up to her, I looked her eye to eye; either I could move this boulder to the top or fail and let it fall. One chance.

  One try.

  Succeed or fail miserably.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “...What?” She looked surprised by my response.

  “Maybe you're right, maybe I am to be blamed for this accident and I’ll take the responsibility for it. I hope you can forgive me and we can move on from here,” There I said it and I stared at her with confidence.

  “U-um…what?” She was bewildered by my admission.

  Even the crowd was also surprised and waited for her response.

  Some were disappointed by the response as they see me as a coward but this is better than fighting back while they’re filming me.

  From my perspective, if we were alone she would most gladly take this submission of defeat and probably make fun of me for it. But when we have an audience, this changes things, she has no choice but to take my apology and end it from here.

  “...I-”

  Before she could say anything, a sudden shake of the ground startled us. As soon as that happened, something exploded right down the next street which caught my and everyone else’s eyes on the fire.

  A couple of strange individuals with weird metal suits and masks with only one ocular lens wielding magical and psionic weapons began blasting and slashing whatever is in their way.

  There were even strange hounds with sharp teeth. They had cybernetic body parts and metal sheets of skin. Their foreheads were rectangular boxes and filled with electrical and mechanical parts that there was no way to even describe.

  People right in front of them started to scream and panic as they ran toward where I was. The crowd that was around me panicked and scattered in a flash.

  One of the terrorists aimed his energy cannon attached to its arm in my direction and shot a wide laser.

  Those who were still running toward me got obliterated into dust while the laser still beamed right for me.

  I couldn’t do anything as the laser itself was so fast that dodging out of it is out of the question. My feeble instincts tell me to cover my face with my arms.

  Before the laser could get close and vaporizes the unimportant character, who is me, while not noticing, A fiery crimson arrow pierces the laser into nothing and engulfs the terrorist who shot it into an inferno crisp and withers away.

  “You gotta be kidding me. Is that the best you got?”

  I open my eyes to see her with hair glowing orange and she turns around showing bright yellow eyes and wielding what appears to be a longbow with ember limbs that glow flame-like blades protruding out of it.

  “You got to be joking,” I looked at her with awe, “She… is a mana-adept,” I whispered, but still couldn’t believe it.

  Right before me, was a person wielding a weapon of great power. Handling the flames as though she was natural at it. A person wearing the same uniform has a power discipline and who is the girl that literally tried to frame me out of an accident?

  Someone that has trained and may be destined for greatness.

  At the same time, I may have accidentally stumbled upon something ridiculous, dangerous, and out-of-ordinary!

  Hell, it might just be absurd!