Ascension of the Awakened

[Ezra Israeli] Ezra sprinted down a flight of curved steps. He leaped over the railing and landed in a living room instead of taking the last set of stairs. He sprang over a sofa and scurried around the kitchen to get a bottle of sickly green liquid. "Thanks for the daily dose of cow, dad. Really appreciate it." A middle-aged guy, using a couple of fingers to prop up his spectacles, glanced up from his iPad. His kid was making his usual disparaging remarks to him as he was relaxing behind the big glass doors leading from the living room onto the garden. "In another rush towards failure?" "I'll succeed this time!" Ezra really headed back up the spiral stairs, rather than throwing himself out the front door. "That's what you said the last over hundred times." Ezra was impatient for his father's next caustic remark. He forcefully opened the attic doors and hurled himself out of the triangle windows that rose to three stories. His efforts seemed to be identical to a suicide attempt, but he managed to pull himself upward and clutch onto a deteriorating water drAnyage pipe with his hand that just barely touched the ledge. He ascended to the roof like a nimble monkey, the plastic bottle lid connection dangling from his teeth, and landed with a practiced ease on the inclined tiles. A residential building's unauthorised scaling is covered under Infraction Code 118.67.2. This is considered a Type 1 Misdemeanour under the Parkour and Freerunning Act of 2034. [It is recommended that in order to avoid accusations, subject Ezra Israeli immediately discontinue criminal activities] Eyes focused on his next target, Ezra disregarded the female voice beeping from his wrist. Ezra and his father resided in a reasonably well-to-do suburban area that belonged to the upper middle class. Their home's location, nevertheless, could only be regarded as peculiar. Or rather, all of the suburban community was unexpected. Like the Moon orbiting Earth, the society lived on a huge flying platform that circled a major metropolis below. By increasing the amount of surface area available for dwellings, these so-called Floating Paradises successfully solved the housing issue of 2066. These days, only the exceedingly rich could call the surface home. This high surface planet just so happened to be Ezra's goal. On the other hand, Ezra travelled down almost every day, although the majority of people who lived on these Floating Paradses could only see them sometimes. "... seventeen seconds." Ezra squatted on the top of his house. The house he shared with his father was situated just on the brink of the Floating Paradise. Several safety precautions were, of course, taken. However, Ezra would not be deterred. He was positioned such that he could not view the backyard where his father had been sitting. Because of a privacy setting, his house really seemed to be absolutely vacant from the outside. He tilted his head back and gave his father's green mixture a forceful swat. Not only did his tongue appear to flare up at that instant, but his lungs also burned. It would seem like he was inhaling smoke from a roaring fire rather than sipping a smoothie. "Agh… Really outdid yourself this time, old man." Ezra leaped abruptly. It didn't seem like he would get very far at first. If he was fortunate, he would fall three storeys and emerge with a broken leg. But just then, a strong blast of wind struck him in the torso. Had it not been for its robust straps, the rucksack slung over his back would have been completely thrown off. As Ezra was carried into the heavens, he heard a loud WHOOSH. Arms and legs erect, a cool grin playing on his face as if he was unaware that to any reasonable onlooker, he seemed no different from a lunatic. Above the clouds, he was alone and free plummeting with no worries at all. His garments flew against his body, exposing a toned chest that was concealed. Just when it seemed as if Ezra would plummet hundreds of metres to the ground below, his body contorted and burst through a layer of white clouds, splattering a cool mist on his face. He didn't give his last ounce of exhaustion a second consideration. He tumbled over the rough ground with a dull thud. Realising that this was not the earth at all but rather the very top of a skyscraper that seemed to be holding up the clouds only took a second. Ezra smiled and congratulated himself, "Perfect score." Unauthorised access onto the surface is covered under Infraction Code 213.13.1. According to the Sky Island Act of 2071, this is a Felony of Type 7. The goal is to apprehend 17-year-old Subject Ezra Israeli. In order to prevent more fees, it is recommended that the subject stay where they are. [The subject is regarded as a minor. [A message has been sent to Guardian BelanBelany Israeli] [Incorrect. Communication failure. Trying to restart] Ezra grinned more widely. Being the father of a former Tier 5 government officer has advantages. For instance, the Bureau of Intelligence and Protection, or BIP for short, was directly in charge of any crimes connected to a retiree of such renown. Ezra's offences were all reported to his father so that BIP could review them since he was a juvenile. Little infractions like these were disregarded outright since he had his father's name behind him. Unfortunately, unfortunately, he was about to become eighteen. Emerging around a corner, Ezra grabbed a silver-framed bicycle. He jumped over the side of the building and fell hard on a glass structure that was linked to the tower, swinging the seat of his bike between his knees. Because of the cramped quarters and outrageous cost per square foot, almost every structure on the land was linked in some kind. Glass tubes dominated the sky, tall buildings may sometimes be only a metre or two between, and private automobiles were quite uncommon—even for the wealthy who could afford to live here. "Get to school the normal way, boy!" Ezra laughed as loudly as if there wasn't a drop of several hundred metres below him. "Screw off, Lemmy. I'll start taking the tube the moment you agree to pay those ridiculous fees for me." "My name isn't Lemmy!" In order to avoid the elderly man's next round of pestering, Ezra pedalled off. He had no clue where the old man's voice was coming from and still didn't know how he always knew when he came, but all he could figure out was that he was pouting behind one of those one-way viewing windows. With lightning speed through the thick metal jungle, Ezra outpaced many people's expectations and streaked over the towering towers of the surface metropolis. The towering towers eventually started to become shorter, and Ezra was forced to alter his strategy to avoid being seen by onlookers. He found the back alley he always used, plummeted three or four metres at a time, and ultimately landed on the ground after jumping his bike from a glass tunnel to a balcony to a lamp pole. He removed his bag and pulled out a navy blue jacket, a well ironed white shirt, and some black pants. He undressed from his sportswear in a hurry. He leaned a huge trash disposal bin against a mirror the size of a sheet of paper, then slicked his hair back with the perspiration that had gathered. "Refresh." A UV ray passed over Ezra's body. His rapidly building body odour vanished in an instant, leaving behind a fresh, neutral aroma. He'd buttoned his shirt, slipped on his blue blazer and pulled on his grey pleated trousers in an instant. He stood to his full height of 6'3" after putting on his luggage. He grinned in his upright mirror, not because he was particularly pleased with his appearance—though he was really good—but more because he was trying to figure out which of his smiles was the most endearing. His eyes were a light green, his complexion a tanned bronze, and his short hair, dirty blond nearly amber in colour, flowed freely in the breeze. Ezra was tall and toned, but he also had a slim, well-built physique. Despite this, he exuded kindness and warmth, making people feel at ease in his company. He was charming enough as it was; was there really a need to practise his grin any more? If others knew he was practising, they would probably think he was insane. Ezra was surprised to see that his watch beeped again after almost an hour had passed. Knowing that he would be late if he continued to waste time, he got back on his bike, but he rode much more slowly this time to avoid ruining his effort by perspiring again. With just a little distance to go, the streets that led to his school seemed a whole other planet from the crowded neighbourhoods he had previously traversed. There was lush vegetation everywhere, old trees that were brightly reviving after the winter, and meandering walkways that led to stunning architectural achievements. This location, Gold Academy school, was the third-ranked school on Earth and was exclusive to the finest of the younger generation. "Lin!" "Best of luck!" "We're wagering that you'll win this time!" Waving in appreciation, Ezra smiled as he walked by a couple groups of kids getting ready for class. Before long, Ezra's eyes settled on a gigantic structure that resembled a dome, extending hundreds of metres in all directions and including many entrances from the front alone. There were divisions even among the Barnabas Gold Academy student body. Only the top seniors were permitted entry into this building. But even with this work of art in front of him, Ezra's vision was dominated by the image of a single young woman who was standing close to the top of a broad flight of white marble steps. Her eyes were a bright amber that verged on gold, giving her the appearance of a goddess cut off from the outside world. Her long, flowing black hair blew softly in the breeze, only sometimes resting at the small of her back. She appeared like a delicate fairy down from the clouds. Around her stood a small group of companions, whose friendly banter made her grin shyly, a smile that took hold of Ezra's heart and wouldn't let go. She raised her head and caught Ezra's stare, and he felt as if everything had gone white except for her. The way the breeze caressed her thigh-length dress, exposing the contours she so modestly disguised, her beautiful browned but pale complexion, the little slope of her nose. Even though she was just 5'7", she had a presence that commanded attention—one that even Ezra thought he had. The tiny fairy became red in the face upon realising it was Ezra; a red wave flowed up her neck from her narrow collarbone, covering her tender cheeks. Ezra's voice was strong and emotive, seeming as if he was doing this for the first time. "Anya..." One of Anya's pals made fun of her, saying, "Ah, he's here again." A more ferocious buddy shot out, "Stop enabling him." "Poor Anya has been getting harassed to death by him for the last four years. Get lost!" Ezra seems used to this pattern of good cop, bad policeman. In actuality, however, he was unable to see or hear them. His senses were sharper than any other. Ezra's eyes heated as he said, "I won't stop until I have a real answer from you." His bright green eyes seemed to take on a new hue at that instant, surpassing the vibrancy of the surrounding trees. "I must be your man. Will you have me?" All the kids around him came to a halt at the same moment, as if they were holding their breath together. Anya's cheeks darkened several shades, nearly reaching tomato-ripeness. Her thin lips quivered momentarily as she spun around and bolted up the stairs, vanishing into the Academy corridors. Anya's furious companion gave Ezra another state, and then the much nicer young woman and she ran after the mortified Anya. Finally, all Ezra could do was sigh. It seemed like another failure today.