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Chapter 16 – After the Storm
I woke up to silence.
Not the kind you get in the middle of the night, but the eerie kind—where something's missing. No school bells. No buses. No early morning traffic.
Just...quiet.
My room was dim, lit only by the soft blue glow of my phone screen. A dozen unread messages blinked at me, most of them from classmates, friends, news alerts—and one from the school board:
> Due to the recent incident, all physical classes are suspended until further notice.
Online learning begins Monday. Stay safe.
I sat up slowly. My muscles ached, my head still buzzed with memories from the fight. The lab. The stranger. The glowing eyes. The power surging through me like I was holding the universe in my hands.
Now?
Now I was supposed to just...log in for math class?
Yeah, right.
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A New Routine
Our house was quiet too. Mom had left early for work, probably trying to act like things were normal.
But nothing was normal anymore.
As I walked downstairs, the TV was already on—more footage of what they were calling The Backbencher Incident. I flinched seeing the crater where our school used to be, news drones circling the rubble like vultures.
Victor had already messaged the group chat:
> V: "Online class? Bro I just survived a cosmic boss fight. I deserve a week off at least."
> Daniel: "No rest for the wicked...or the gifted."
> Ja'afar: "I low key miss the chaos already."
> Me: "We meet tonight. Nimbus 7. No excuses."
I was still getting used to giving orders. But they didn't question it.
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The Calm Before…Something
Classes were weird.
Our teachers tried their best, but you could tell half of them were just waiting for the next explosion. We kept our cameras off. No one wanted to accidentally show floating objects or glowing hands during a lesson on quadratic equations.
Meanwhile, reports of powered people kept rising. Some countries were locking down. Others were opening academies, trying to train the gifted before they caused more damage.
The world was splitting—between the known, and the unpredictable.
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Nimbus 7 – That Night
By sundown, we were all back at the base.
The stranger was waiting, of course—leaning against the glowing map like he never left.
"How's school?" he asked dryly.
"Cancelled," I replied. "We're doing it online now."
He smirked. "Fitting. You've stepped into a world where the old systems no longer work. Time to build something new."
He turned to the map. More red markers had appeared. More surges. More chaos.
"You've had your taste of power. Now you decide—are you heroes... or just survivors?"
No one answered.
But I could feel it—something big was coming. Something even worse than the trio we fought in the lab.
And we were all that stood between the world and total collapse.
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Chapter 17 – Exploring Nimbus 7
We gathered in the main hallway, waiting as Ja'afar paced, a smirk playing on his lips. The stranger had already disappeared into the shadows, leaving us to decide what we'd do next. But there was something Ja'afar wanted to show us.
"Alright, since we're all here, and since none of you have had a chance to explore Nimbus 7, it's time for a little tour," Ja'afar announced, his voice tinged with excitement. "Trust me, you're going to like this."
We followed him through the high-tech corridors, the smooth metal floors humming under our feet. The walls were lined with glowing panels, each flickering with different information and maps.
Ja'afar turned to look at us. "First stop—the training room."
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The Training Room
The doors slid open with a soft hiss, revealing an expansive room that looked like something out of a sci-fi movie. The air buzzed with the hum of energy, and the floor was lined with holographic grids, sensors, and glowing targets.
"This is where we get serious," Ja'afar said, gesturing to the holographic projections floating in the air. "You can practice any power here—no limits. The system tracks your progress, and you can even challenge yourself with simulations of different enemies or environments."
Victor was the first to try it out, stepping into the center of the room. "Let's see how good this thing really is," he said, summoning a ball of fire into his hands. Within moments, the system adapted, creating a towering enemy made entirely of water, its massive form crashing down toward him. Victor didn't hesitate. With a snap of his fingers, a wave of fire roared to life, evaporating the water creature in seconds.
"Okay, this is awesome," he said, grinning.
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The Records Room
We moved on to the next room, where a giant wall displayed a series of digital records. "This is the Records Room," Ja'afar said, "where you can break records and track your personal bests. Everything from strength to speed, power usage, even combat skills. If you want to know how you measure up, this is the place."
Yusuf was immediately drawn to the speed section, his eyes lighting up. "I'm gonna set the record for this. Just wait."
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The Gaming Station
"Now for the fun stuff," Ja'afar said, leading us into a large, open room that looked more like an arcade than a war zone. Massive screens were mounted on the walls, and rows of gaming chairs sat in front of them. It was like a cross between a high-tech entertainment hub and a training area.
Victor raised an eyebrow. "Does this place have a gaming station?"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Who's going to stop us, though? We saved the world—kinda."
Ja'afar grinned. "Exactly."
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The Food Court
After the gaming station, Ja'afar took us to the food court. It was just as impressive as everything else in Nimbus 7. Bright lights, futuristic stalls with every kind of food imaginable—burgers, sushi, fruit smoothies, even strange dishes from other dimensions. You name it, it was here.
My eyes widened. "No way. I could eat here forever."
"You can," Ja'afar said with a wink. "Anything you want, whenever you want. Trust me, you'll get used to it."
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The Med Bay
Next, Ja'afar showed us the Med Bay, a high-tech medical facility that looked like something out of a superhero movie. The walls were lined with various futuristic equipment, and the center of the room was filled with medical pods.
"This place is equipped to handle just about anything," Ja'afar explained. "If we get hurt or need healing, this is where we'll go. And don't worry, it's not just for injuries. It can help with any physical or mental strain caused by our powers, too."
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The Changing Room
We moved on to the Changing Room, a sleek and modern space. The walls were lined with compartments that held customizable suits. "Your outfits. Your style. And yes, they're all tactical and resistant," Ja'afar said, tapping a panel that caused several suits to display on the walls, each glowing with energy.
I glanced over at my friends. "So, this is where the superhero outfits come in?"
Ja'afar nodded. "Exactly. Choose what fits you."
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The Teleportation Room
Finally, Ja'afar led us to the Teleportation Room. It was a simple, circular space, with a single control panel in the center. A map of the world was displayed in 3D, and there were several other holographic maps floating nearby.
"All you have to do is input the coordinates or just think about where you want to go," Ja'afar explained. "And boom, you're there."
I raised an eyebrow. "That's insane."
Ja'afar smirked. "It's also a little addictive."
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Time to Decide
After the tour, we all gathered in the central hub, looking around at our new home. The weight of the decision ahead of us was still heavy, but now it felt different. We had the tools. We had the space. And most importantly, we had each other.
I turned to the group, a newfound resolve in my chest. "We've got everything we need. It's time to stop being the problem and start being the solution."
Yusuf grinned. "Heroes, huh?"
"Yeah," I said, "heroes."
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To be continued