Alex stood in the courtyard, his hand still clasped in Serena's, her icy blue hair catching the sunlight as she peppered him with questions. "So, your mom's Lily? And Alice is your sister? How did you not know they're, like, legends?"
Rubbing the back of his neck, Alex laughed nervously. "I… didn't realize. I mean, Mom's just Mom, and Alice is just… my annoying sister." He glanced at Alice, whose sharp eyes were fixed on their joined hands, her expression unreadable but intense. When Alex caught her gaze, her face softened instantly. "When were you gonna tell me you guys were famous?" he asked, half-joking.
Alice shrugged, her voice casual. "It's not a big deal. Just… people exaggerating."
Nyx slid beside Alex, her gothic attire contrasting her mischievous grin. "Not a big deal? Alex, your sister and mom are celebrities. Like, front-page, save-the-world level."
Alex blinked, processing this, while Serena's smirk grew as she caught Alice's glare. Her grip on Alex's hand tightened slightly, a subtle challenge. Nyx chuckled under her breath, clearly enjoying the tension.
"So," Alex said, eager to shift the topic, "what are your powers? Nyx, Serena?"
Nyx's eyes gleamed. Without warning, she vanished, her body dissolving into a swirling void of darkness that sucked in the surrounding light. A second later, she reappeared behind Alex, her voice a whisper in his ear. "Void energy. I can erase space itself—light, sound, matter. Poof."
Alex jumped, spinning around. "That's insane! Your powers are amazing!"
Serena giggled, her blue eyelashes fluttering. "Mine's not as flashy, but…" She flicked her wrist, and a shimmering mist of frost coiled around her fingers, forming delicate ice crystals that hovered before melting away. "Cryokinesis. I control ice and cold. Wanna come to the training center after next class? You'll see some wild powers."
"Yes!" Alex blurted, his excitement bubbling over. "I mean, yeah, that'd be awesome."
Serena hugged him again, her enthusiasm drawing gasps from nearby students who'd witnessed the exchange. "See you next period!" she chirped, dashing off.
Alice's jaw tightened, but she said nothing as she, Alex, and Nyx headed to their next class: Supernatural History. The halls buzzed with whispers as more students caught wind of Alex's arrival. "Lily's son," they murmured. Some were curious, others eager to test the brother of the "ruthless" Alice, whose shadow powers had nearly won last year's tournament.
Inside the classroom, heads turned as Alice and Nyx entered, their reputations preceding them. When Alex stepped in, the room went quiet. Girls stared, some whispering about his sharp features and glasses, their giggles making his cheeks burn. He gave a nervous wave and sat beside Alice and Nyx, noticing the boys sizing him up—some with friendly nods, others with challenging smirks.
Then the door swung open, and a tall girl strode in. Mia, one of the top hero's daughters, radiated power. Her golden hair shimmered, and her eyes flashed a brilliant gold for a split second as they locked onto Alex. A deep, knowing smile curved her lips, sending an involuntary shiver through him. Alice's face turned cold, her shadows twitching faintly at her fingertips. Mia was her rival, their powers opposites: while Alice wielded darkness, Mia commanded light, bending it into blinding beams or solid constructs that could slice through stone. Their clash at last year's tournament had been brutal, leaving the arena scorched and cracked.
Before Alice could confront her, the teacher entered—a woman who looked thirty but was likely much older, her youthful appearance a gift of her time-slowing powers. Professor Varen, a retired top hero who'd once fought alongside Alex's father, had a commanding presence. "Seats, now," she boomed, her voice echoing with authority. She launched into a lesson on hero history, detailing battles that shaped the supernatural world, but paused mid-sentence when her eyes landed on Alex. He was whispering to Alice, unaware of her stare. Something about his face tugged at her memory—those sharp features, that long black hair—but she shook it off and continued.
When Varen posed a complex question about a historic hero-villain treaty, Alex's hand shot up. The class turned, surprised, as he answered in detail, his voice steady despite his nerves. "The Treaty of Dawn in 1987 was signed after the Solaris Incident, where heroes and villains agreed to limit collateral damage. It established the Hero Organization's oversight but also led to underground villain factions forming."
Varen's eyebrows rose. "Excellent, Alex." Internally, she noted his intellect, intrigued by the "normal" boy who seemed anything but ordinary.
As the lesson continued, Alex answered every question flawlessly, earning murmurs from classmates. During a break, a few students nearby asked how he knew so much. He shrugged, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Since I don't have abilities, I… studied a lot. Had to keep up somehow."
Alice and Nyx exchanged a glance, then teased him to lighten the mood. "Nerd," Alice said, ruffling his hair. Nyx smirked, "You're gonna make us look bad, brainiac."
Mia, seated a few rows away, listened silently, her golden eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
When the bell rang, Alex, Alice, and Nyx headed to the training center. Mia trailed behind, unnoticed. The center was a massive dome, its walls reinforced to withstand the chaos of superpowered sparring. Alex's jaw dropped as he watched students train: one conjured whirlwinds of razor-sharp leaves, another manipulated gravity to crush training dummies into splinters, and a third teleported in rapid bursts, leaving afterimages that flickered like ghosts. Blood and sweat stained the mats from intense spars, and the air crackled with energy.
Alice and Nyx watched Alex's awestruck expression, amused, when Serena rushed over, her icy hair bouncing. "Alex! You made it!" She grabbed his arm, pulling him toward a sparring ring. "Come on, you've gotta see this up close!"
Alice's eyes narrowed, but she followed, her shadows trailing like silent sentinels. Mia lingered at the edge of the crowd, her gaze fixed on Alex, a faint golden glow pulsing in her eyes.