Shattered Destiny : Fate

As soon as class ended, Ajax gathered his things and prepared to leave, his mind still spinning from the day's lessons. He was trying to figure out how to navigate this new world without standing out too much when a cheerful voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey there! You must be Ajax!"

Ajax turned to see a boy his age—or maybe a year older—grinning at him with an air of easy confidence. He had sharp blue eyes, short, tousled blond hair, and a presence that crackled with energy.

"I'm Storm," the boy introduced himself. "My parents know your folks—they've worked together on a few heroic missions in the past."

Storm's enthusiasm was infectious, and Ajax found himself smiling despite himself. It was refreshing to meet someone who didn't seem overly focused on status or power.

"Nice to meet you, Storm," Ajax replied, already sensing that this boy was different from the other students.

"Come on, let me show you around the school!" Storm offered, and without hesitation, Ajax accepted.

As they walked, Storm talked nonstop—about the different parts of the academy, the classes, and the variety of students. Ajax quickly learned that Storm came from a second-class noble family, just like him, but with a crucial difference.

His family was ranked higher. An S-rank noble family.

Storm's parents were heroes too—but not just any heroes. They were elite even among the elite.

Yet, despite his background, Storm was different from the haughty nobles Ajax had dealt with before. He was approachable, easygoing, and, most importantly, genuine.

The afternoon sun hung high, casting long shadows across the academy grounds as they walked along a cobbled pathway. Sparks of lightning flickered between Storm's fingers as he flicked his wrist, his excitement almost tangible.

"Watch this," he grinned.

Ajax folded his arms, amused.

Storm raised his hand, and with a sharp snap, a bolt of lightning crackled through the air, disappearing in an instant. It wasn't just raw power—there was control behind it, an elegance to how he wielded the electricity, like a storm carefully restrained.

"You're showing off," Ajax noted with a smirk.

Storm shrugged, flicking another spark between his fingers. "Can you blame me? Not everyone can wield lightning magic at my age, you know."

Ajax tilted his head. "True. So how did you learn it?"

Storm straightened slightly, pride evident in his expression. "Everyone in my family is born with wind magic, but we're trained from childhood to convert it into lightning. It's our legacy."

Ajax absorbed the information, watching another thin bolt arc between Storm's fingertips.

He liked lightning magic. There was something about its raw, unpredictable nature that fascinated him.

Of course, thanks to Lucius and his Creation ability, Ajax had already developed his own form of lightning magic. But for now, he kept that fact to himself, letting Storm enjoy his moment.

Their walk continued until a group of students heading in the opposite direction caught Storm's attention.

Three older students moved with quiet confidence—two boys flanking a girl in the center.

They weren't just walking.

They were moving with purpose.

Storm stopped abruptly.

Ajax raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Storm's voice dropped to an excited whisper. "Dude. That's her."

Ajax glanced at the trio again.

The girl—no older than thirteen—walked with a natural authority that didn't need words. The students nearby parted slightly as she passed. Some watched with admiration. Others whispered amongst themselves.

"Alright," Ajax said. "And who exactly is she?"

Storm turned to him, genuinely shocked.

"You don't know? That's one of the Alpha rankers."

Ajax shrugged. "And?"

Storm exhaled dramatically. "You really don't know anything about the ranks, do you?"

Ajax smirked. "Why don't you enlighten me?"

Storm grinned, clearly eager for the chance. "Alright, listen up. The academy has four ranks, right?"

Ajax nodded.

"At the bottom, you've got the Betas—mostly magic specialists. Then there are the Omegas, who are strong in both magic and swordsmanship."

So far, it made sense.

"But then," Storm continued, "there are the Alphas—people like her. They're the ones with an affinity for more than one element, which makes them insanely powerful. People treat them like future heroes."

Ajax studied the girl again. She certainly carried herself like someone important.

Storm's voice lowered. "But the highest level? That's the Mega Alphas."

Ajax caught the slight reverence in his tone.

"And what makes them so special?"

"They each have an ultimate skill. Something nobody else can do. Right now, there are only two Mega Alphas in the entire academy."

Ajax pretended to be impressed.

But deep down, he couldn't take it seriously.

Because if the academy truly believed that ultimate skills were the defining factor of strength, then…

"They have no idea what real power looks like."

A chuckle echoed in his mind. Lucius.

"Then by their logic, you must be a Mega Mega Mega Alpha."

Ajax held back a smirk. Lucius wasn't wrong.

He had multiple elements. An ultimate skill.

And something even greater—Creation.

But the last thing he wanted was attention.

For now, it was better to be underestimated.

Storm, however, was still watching the girl with admiration.

"She may be an Alpha now," he said, his voice filled with determination, "but I swear—I'm gonna catch up to her."

Ajax glanced at him, sensing something different in his words.

Storm didn't want power for the sake of status.

He wanted to grow. To prove himself.

That, at least, Ajax could respect.

He gave a small smile. "I'm sure you will."

But deep down, Ajax knew something else.

The day would come when his strength was revealed.

Whether he liked it or not, his quiet life here was temporary.