New destination
1088 Words
“Kids! Breakfast’s ready! get down here before it gets cold!”. After the meal, the mood grew heavy. Lucian and Harry came down with their bags, where Velma and the kids waited by the door.
“Are you both done packing?” she asked.
“Yeah, we’re ready,” Lucian said.
Velma’s eyes shimmered as she pulled them into a hug. “My babies… take care of yourselves, and look out for each other, alright?”
The younger children clung to them. In this little home of theirs all they had was themselves
Lucian forced a smile, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I promise, Velma. I’ll get strong enough so I can create a better life for us.” Harry grinned. “Count me in. I’ll bring him back in one piece.” A knock interrupted. A hunter in uniform stood at the door. “It’s time. The train to Solis City leaves soon.”
“We’re ready to leave,” Harry said. “Bye, Velma! Bye, everyone! Take care of her, okay?”
Lucian burned in his memory the faces of his modest family most especially Velma’s trembling smile.
“Bye, Lucian! Bye, Harry! Don’t forget us!” one of the kids cried.
He waved, jaw tight, and followed the hunter to a large bus rumbling at the end of the lane.
Lucian onboarded the bus and noticed other kids his age, some nervous, some thrilled. He and Harry sat by the window. As the orphanage shrank from his view, Lucian whispered so faintly that only he could hear ,
“I’ll be back. I’ll get strong enough to give my family the life they deserve.”
Together, they headed toward the train that would carry them to Solis, the capital city of the western province and the location of Astraea Hunter Academy.
At the station, hunters guided them to a train unlike anything Lucian had seen in his life. Sleek metallic body, dark glassy sheen, neon lines pulsing with energy from beast crystals.
“No way… this looks straight out of a movie,” a kid exclaimed.
The interior had rows of cushioned seats that glowed under soft lights. Lucian and Harry stared in awe as the train attendant announced,
“Welcome aboard the Silver Line Express. Please take your seats and enjoy the ride.”
Harry let out a low whistle. “Are you seeing this? It’s like stepping into a floating palace.”
Lucian ran his hand along the seat’s smooth surface. “Yeah... this isn’t a regular train. Look at those neon lights, self-adjusting seats... who even builds something like this?”
Harry grinned, dropping into a seat. “Who cares? I could live here.” Lucian chuckled softly but kept glancing around, still amazed. “Let’s just hope it doesn’t fly off into some other realm.” Harry laughed. “At this point, I wouldn’t even complain.”
"Everyone get seated! We’ll be reaching Solis in 30 minutes.”
The train began to pick up speed. Lucian watched as the trees blurred past the window, realizing this wasn't just any train but a glimpse of the future. If beast-crystals could power something like this, what else was possible?
The train began its journey and began to pick speed. Soon trees blurred, hills rolled by, and soon the silhouette of Solis city began to appear in the distance.
Lucian pressed his forehead to the glass, breath fogging the window. Skyscrapers glowed like stars, and far beyond them rose the tallest spire in Astraea Academy.
“Holy crap,” Harry muttered. “So this is Solis city. Now I see why they call it the City of Light.”
The train curved downward into the city, slowing into Solis Central Station. The hunter guard was there to direct the students off the train.
“Move carefully and follow the hunter ahead,” one barked. Outside of the train station, another coach bus waited.
“Bro,” Lucian called the attention of Harry, “we moved from the bus to a train and now to a bus again? Isn't that weird, huh?”
harry smirked. “its probably a safety protocol you know Hunters dig that stuff.”
Passing through the city of Solis, Lucian looked out the window and saw the massive billboards, towering screens, the rush of people and traffic.
When an rank 5 hunter’s image flashed on a screen, the kids in the cabin erupted in cheers.
Harry leaned forward, eyes wide. “That’s Jirai Hamasaki! I heard he soloed a Class-A dungeon last month!”. Lucian glanced at the screen and saw a tall man in designer clothing, as he smiled for the cameras. “Hard to believe someone can reach that level of strength.”
Harry laughed. “That’s the goal, isn’t it? Get strong enough to be able to clear a dungeon by yourself.”
Lucian smirked faintly. “Maybe. I’d settle for surviving long enough to get a crowd first.”
Harry elbowed him playfully. “Relax, man. When we make it big, I’m getting my face on one of those billboards — right next to yours.”
Lucian looked out again, watching the city blur past. “Yeah,” he murmured. “One day.”
“Feels like a different world,” Lucian whispered.
Harry grabbed his shoulder. “Better get used to it, bro. This is going to be our home.”
The bus doors hissed open. And the children began to disembark and step onto the gleaming stone tiles, sunlight reflecting off the vast courtyard before them.
Every gaze was fixated on the academy ahead their faces displaying their excitement
“Wow… this place is massive!”
“Look at that tower!”
“Is this really a school?”
Astraea Academy was like a smallcity with vast walls, gleaming spires, and glass corridors that reflected sunlight. It gave off the vibe of an academic institute and stronghold.
The campus was divided into North, South, East, and West wings. Each wing served a distinct purpose. The students were being guided toward the East Wing, where the training arena was located.
Lucian stared in awe. “Is this the place is so vast I see why they only produce the best hunters ?”
Soon they reached the arena and began trooping in their large numbers. Center of the stage stood an instructor with a crystal on a platform and combat dummy.
“The entrance assessment is about to commence”
- Writer
