Xavier stepped into the apartment, and a heavy silence greeted him. His eyes landed on the small shard of goddess rock, but he looked away. It only reminded him of how alone he really was.
No furniture. No decoration. Just four empty walls and an echo.
His stomach growled. There was no kitchen. No food.
'How am I supposed to eat?'
Then he remembered Eamon mentioning a restaurant on the 10th floor of Nexus Tower. With nothing else to do, he headed there.
It was a small, cozy place, warm lights glowing against wood-paneled walls. He picked a seat at the corner and sat quietly. A moment later, a woman—likely the owner—walked over with a plate of food and a bowl of soup, placing them in front of him.
Xavier blinked. "I didn't order anything."
She chuckled. "New here, huh? We only serve one dish. This is it."
He hesitated, then took a bite. His eyes widened. Rich flavor, soft texture. It was simple but felt… comforting. He cleaned the plate fast.
"How much?" he asked, reaching into his pocket.
"Ten dollars. But this one's free—first-timer's deal," she smiled. "By the way, do you have anyone showing you around?"
He shook his head. "Not really. I've been busy with the academy."
Her eyes lit up. "Wait. You're in Astraeus Academy?"
"Yeah."
"That's incredible! Not many around here make it." She grabbed something from behind the counter and handed it to him. "Here—map of the area. It'll help you get around. Learn the public routes. It'll save you a lot of time."
Xavier thanked her and walked out, feeling a little less lost.
Back in the apartment, he studied the map, trying to memorize every stop and landmark. Eventually, his eyes drooped and he fell asleep, map still in hand.
When morning came, reality hit again.
'Right… I left the village. I'm alone now.'
He got ready in silence. "Still haven't seen Eamon's daughter," he muttered. "Did she not come back last night? Or Eamon, for that matter...?"
With the map in mind, he headed to the public station. The ride to the academy cost five bucks and was smooth.
Orientation was packed. Schedules, course structures, academy layout—they explained it all. Classes ran 8 AM to 5 PM. Students had full freedom to pick any subject. As long as you passed one, you could graduate with that as your major.
Departments were specialized—Advanced Cybernetics, Genetic Engineering, Interstellar Exploration, Quantum Physics, Economics, and more.
Today, they were supposed to pick up their welcome kits. Xavier followed the crowd to one of the vending machines and scanned his fingerprint.
With a whir, the machine dispensed a sleek box. Inside was a tablet synced to the academy's internal system, only functional within campus, and a uniform—a crisp white shirt, black blazer with the academy emblem, and fitted smart-pants.
He still hadn't decided on a course. They had one week to try classes and submit preferences.
'I need to figure out what I'm good at,' he thought.
Then he spotted four familiar faces—the ones who had given him a ride yesterday. He walked up with a smile. "Hey!"
They looked at each other, unreadable.
"What class are you checking out?" one of them asked.
"Not sure yet. I wanted to try a few before picking."
After another look among themselves, one of them said, "You can tag along with us. We're heading to Economics."
"Sure," Xavier nodded quickly.
The classroom was almost full, but they found a row of seats. The lecture was heavy with theories and market simulations, but Xavier kept up.
After class, the guy who had been driving the car turned to him. "Lucas Blackwood," he introduced himself. He had the aura of someone important—tall, sharp, and confident. "I'm ranked second."
One by one, the others introduced themselves too.
Ethan Sterling—calm, focused, sharp blue eyes.
Maximilian Hart—relaxed, easygoing smile.
Leonardo Kane—poised, composed, observant.
"So," Lucas asked, "what are you doing after class?"
"Going home, probably," Xavier shrugged.
A few more lectures passed, and then it was lunch.
"Want to join us at the cafeteria?" Ethan asked.
"Yeah. Sounds great." Xavier nodded, glad to have someone to sit with.
The cafeteria was enormous, stretching farther than Xavier could see. Crowds of students packed the place, filling the air with loud chatter and the clatter of trays. There were hundreds of entry points, and the food—Xavier didn't even know where to look first.
Holographic menus hovered above each counter, rotating between the day's specials and nutrition stats. Robots zipped between tables, serving meals with creepy perfection. The smell alone made his mouth water. This wasn't some school canteen—it felt more like a five-star resort floating in space.
He followed his new friends, still wide-eyed. This is insane...
They picked a corner table, settled down, and ordered like it was second nature. Xavier copied them, tapping through the glowing menu until he found something familiar. When his order confirmed, he exhaled softly. One more thing done right.
As they waited, Ethan turned toward him. "First time ordering?"
Xavier nodded. "Yeah. Watched you guys and figured it out."
Their food came in minutes, and the table filled with talk and laughter. For a moment, Xavier let himself relax. He wasn't alone. He was here. It finally felt like he belonged.
But then came the bill.
A robot rolled up beside them with a glowing tablet. Four separate totals lit up. Xavier blinked at his: $80.
His stomach dropped.
He hadn't brought that kind of cash. He didn't even think he had that kind of cash. He stared at the number, mind scrambling. He couldn't ask them to pay. Not after all this. Not without looking like a freeloader.
Just then, the scanner on the device flashed. It read his fingerprint automatically. A new message appeared on the screen:
"XAVIER – Rank #1.
All cafeteria meals: Free of charge."
His chest loosened. A grin crept onto his face. Guess being the topper isn't so bad after all...
But then Lucas leaned forward, still chewing. "Yo, Xavier, since you're the top ranker and all, how about you cover our meals too?"
Xavier paused. "I mean… yeah, sure." He reached for the tablet and tried to pay for everyone.
Transaction declined.
Perks apply to personal meals only.
Lucas clicked his tongue. "Seriously? You can't even cover a few meals?"
"We gave you a ride yesterday," Ethan added. "If you'd taken a cab, it'd have cost five hundred bucks."
Xavier frowned. "The cab I took before cost $80, not 500."
Lucas scoffed. "Yeah, a normal cab. My car's luxury. $500's a steal, trust me."
Xavier looked at them, confused. "But… you guys offered. I never asked you to drop me off."
Leonardo's eyes narrowed. He looked ready to snap, but Lucas raised a hand. "Relax, Leo. It's fine. I'll pay for everyone."
He handled the bill, and just like that, the table went silent.
Xavier shifted awkwardly in his seat. Something had changed. The warmth was gone. The laughter had turned cold.
Ethan broke the silence with a half-hearted chuckle. "Don't worry, man. We're just messing with you."
Xavier smiled back, but it didn't reach his eyes.
After the break, they stopped by the washroom before heading to class. Xavier took a stall, finished up, and reached for the door.
It wouldn't open.
He tried again. Nothing.
"Hey! Guys? The door's stuck," he called out.
No answer.
Then water splashed down from above, soaking him. Cold. Sudden. Shocking.
The door swung open.
Lucas, Leonardo, Ethan, and the last guy—what was his name—stood outside, smirking.
Lucas tilted his head. "What happened, Xavier?"
Xavier stood there, drenched. "The door was stuck. Then… this water just splashed on me."
Ethan grinned. "Rookie mistake. These new bathrooms are high-tech. You probably triggered something."
Leonardo chuckled under his breath. The others said nothing. They turned and left without waiting for him.
Xavier followed after a minute, still dripping, confused and embarrassed. But as he walked through the hallway, heads turned.
Whispers.
Stares.
Laughter barely hidden.
What's going on?
The truth hit him when he heard someone snicker, "He pissed his pants."
His heart sank.
They had spread it. The lie. While he'd been stuck, soaked and helpless, they were already out here laughing about it.
He sat down in class. No one sat beside him. The students near him shifted away. Eyes followed him wherever he went.
Xavier stared down at the desk, the humiliation pressing on his chest like a weight. Just this morning, he thought he was finally finding his place.
Now?
He wasn't so sure anymore.
After the lecture ended, a group of new students walked up to Xavier.
"We need to talk to you," one of them said, voice serious.
They led him out, away from the crowd and cameras. The hallway was quiet.
Xavier frowned. "What do you want to talk about?"
They didn't answer. Just stared at him, like he was some weird object they were trying to figure out.
"What do you—"
A punch landed on his face before he could finish. His head snapped back. Pain shot through his skull. His vision blurred, and then came another hit—this time to his stomach. He gasped. More followed. Fists. Kicks. He fell, arms trying to shield himself, but it didn't matter. They kept going. Even after he passed out.
Someone eventually saw it. A student walking by screamed for help. The attackers ran off.
By the time Xavier was rushed to the academy hospital, school was already over.
He lay on the hospital bed, dazed, bruised, and silent.
He had never been hit before.
Back in the village, people didn't fight. Everyone was kind. Even arguments ended with smiles.
But here... here he'd been beaten just for existing.
Later, as he left the hospital, he spotted a familiar car at the gate. Lucas and the others.
The window rolled down.
"Xavier! Hop in!" Lucas called out.
He hesitated.
"Come on," Ethan added, smiling. "We were just messing about the money thing. Forget it."
Xavier climbed in, still sore. On the ride, Lucas asked, "What happened to you? You look rough."
Xavier told them everything. His voice was low, his body still trembling.
They listened. Said all the right words. "We'll find out who did this. Don't worry," Lucas said, serious.
They dropped him off at Nexus Tower.
Then, as the car pulled away, Lucas said, "Alright, hand over your shares. I paid those guys good money to teach him a lesson."
That night, Xavier didn't even change clothes. He collapsed into bed and knocked out.
He woke up the next morning, sunlight bleeding through the window. He slowly sat up, pain still pulsing through his ribs.
He got dressed. Wore the academy uniform for the first time. Looked in the mirror. Something felt strange. Not good or bad. Just… different.
On his way out, he noticed a $20 bill near the altar. Beside it, a small pouch of packed food.
'Eamon must've come while I was asleep,' Xavier realized.
He remembered Eamon saying he worked 20-hour shifts. Xavier clutched the pouch tighter.
He ate, then headed to the academy.
This time, he took a different class. New professor, new students. But as he sat down, he saw a few faces he recognized.
The ones who beat him.
His chest tightened. His hand shot up.
"Professor," he said, voice louder than usual. "Those students beat me up yesterday."
Silence fell.
The professor glanced at the accused. "Is that true?"
They shook their heads. "He's lying!" one said.
Another student stood up from the back. "I saw it," he said calmly. "They ganged up on him."
The professor's face hardened. "Come with me."
He marched them out. The door slammed shut behind them.
The next day, a new professor showed up. Rumors floated—the last one had fallen "sick."
The student who defended Xavier? Also mysteriously absent.
Later that afternoon, as Xavier walked through the hallway, someone grabbed him.
Before he could react, he was pulled to the same empty corner.
"You shouldn't have opened your mouth," one of them snarled.
A fist connected with his ribs. Then another.
Xavier tried to fight back, but he was no match. It happened fast. Too fast. Again.
"Stop!"
A voice echoed.
Xavier turned, hope flaring in his chest.
Lucas. And the others.
Relief flooded him. "Lucas! Help—"
Lucas walked up and kicked him straight in the gut.
Xavier crumpled, pain bursting in his core.
The four of them didn't even pause. They joined in. More kicks. More fists.
"You stole my spot, village rat!" Lucas yelled. "I was the topper. I was supposed to be the best. And you just waltz in and ruin everything?"
Xavier tried to speak, to understand, but he couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. It was too much.
He passed out.
When he woke, school hours had ended. He was still lying there. No one helped. People walked by, glanced at him, and just moved on.
He forced himself to stand. Every step burned.
'Why? Why would they do this?' he thought. 'Lucas… weren't we friends?'
He didn't understand. Betrayal wasn't a thing back home. Bullying didn't exist.
He found a professor and told him everything.
The man barely reacted. "I'll look into it. You should rest."
Xavier nodded and left.
That night, he cried. Quietly.
He missed the village. Missed how people smiled at each other.
He looked at the ceiling and whispered,
"Why did Father send me here…?"