Stargazers: World stage

Vahn's eyes fluttered open, and immediately, everything came rushing back to him. The weight of his situation hit him all at once.

"So, I became a cripple," he muttered under his breath, as he lay still. For the moment, he couldn't feel any part of his body, but strangely, he took it with a kind of calm acceptance.

The last thing he clearly remembered was his body crashing against the ring. He wasn't an ability user, so it was a miracle he was still alive.

'And I still didn't awaken,' he thought, closing his eyes briefly. He had risked everything, and yet, it seemed he was no closer to his goal.

He opened his eyes again, surveying his surroundings. The ceiling above him was familiar, and as he turned to the side, it hit him, his apartment. He didn't need to see more to know it was home.

'Marco must have brought me back,' Vahn thought.

Almost as if on cue, Marco's voice broke through the silence.

"Vahn? You're awake?"

Vahn turned his head, finding Marco standing by his bedside with a nervous expression.

"Y-Yeah," Vahn croaked, "What happened?"

Marco hesitated for a moment before speaking, his voice tense.

"You broke half the bones in your body. They healed most of it, but…" Marco's gaze lingered on Vahn, and Vahn didn't need him to finish the sentence. It was obvious, his spine.

Vahn sighed deeply. "How long?"

"Three days," Marco replied.

"Then...?"

"Yes. Today is the day you're supposed to report to the Alliance," Marco said, his tone a mix of concern and resolve.

Vahn winced as he attempted to sit up, his body protesting with every movement.

"Hey, hey, take it easy." Marco rushed to his side, offering support as he helped Vahn sit up.

Once seated, Vahn surveyed his apartment. It felt oddly normal, despite everything.

Sniff… sniff.

"Did you cook?" Vahn asked, realizing he hadn't eaten in days.

"Yeah," Marco answered, trying to hide the faint smile forming at the corner of his lips.

Vahn chuckled softly. "I just realized... I haven't eaten for the past three days."

Marco chuckled, shaking his head. "You're something else; you know that?"

If there was one thing Marco knew about Vahn, it was that he hated to be pitied, and Marco was only just seeing the height of that hatred now. When he didn't have any ability, he thought he was only saying those things because there was a part that felt like he would eventually awaken.

However, the height of it was being crippled. There was no hope for anything else.

Vahn had been sure of himself, certain that one day he would awaken his ability, but now? After being crippled, it seemed as though any hope of awakening had died with him.

Still, he bent down to receive the food Marco had brought and began eating.

"Hey, take it easy," Marco warned, but Vahn was already too focused on eating to listen.

"After three days of not eating?" Vahn shrugged, dismissing his concern.

Marco watched him for a moment before asking the question that had been on his mind.

"What drives you, Vahn?"

Vahn paused, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"I don't mean to pity you, but how do you not feel anything after everything that's happened? I know you'll still go to the Alliance when they call. What is it that keeps you going?"

Vahn didn't immediately respond, his gaze dropping to the floor. The silence stretched on for a while as he contemplated Marco's words.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he opened his mouth to speak, but—

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

The knock was loud and insistent, almost as if it was a command to open the door. Vahn and Marco exchanged a glance, there was only one group that would knock like that today.

"I'll get it," Marco said, standing up to answer the door.

As soon as he opened it, a voice boomed from the other side.

"I am Lieutenant Perdsk Versk. Time to vacate your apartment and report to the Alliance, Student Vahn Clay." The lieutenant's eyes narrowed and looked down at his screen, then at Marco, and said, 

"You're not Vahn Clay."

"Y-Yes, please, you have to understand, we have a situation…" Marco stammered, trying to defuse the tension.

"And what kind of situation would that be?" The lieutenant's voice dripped with skepticism.

"Vahn Clay is... crippled," Marco finished, his voice low.

"That's new." The Lieutenant tilted his head at the words of Marco. This was the first time he had heard this excuse.

"Then, can I see the crippled?"

"Oh, yes, yes." Marco stepped aside to let the lieutenant enter.

Upon seeing Vahn lying in bed, the lieutenant didn't seem convinced. He didn't even glance at the hospital papers Marco had brought, instead focusing entirely on Vahn, who was staring back at him.

'Is he the one?' The lieutenant wondered. The Alliance had reports on Vahn, though he had no idea what those reports contained. Something about this didn't add up.

"Just for confirmation," the lieutenant said, before lifting Vahn from the bed with ease.

"I'll stand you up."

"Hgn..." Vahn winced but endured the pain as he was positioned on his feet.

The lieutenant took a step, holding onto Vahn to steady him. Lo and behold, Vahn followed with a step of his own.

"Hm?"

"Eh?"

Both Marco and Vahn were suddenly confused, unsure of what was happening.

Vahn took another step, and then another. By the fifth step, the lieutenant released his grip, and Vahn stood on his own.

"How...?" Marco couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Vahn, now standing, took another step, this time without any help with his face displaying shock.

The lieutenant blinked, staring at Vahn in disbelief. "But… you can walk?"

"W-Wait, you have to believe us, he was declared crippled!" Marco blurted out, panic creeping into his voice, and swung the hospital results.

The lieutenant, now even more puzzled, sighed and decided to clarify.

"Have you awakened yet?"

If Vahn was crippled, then the only logical explanation was that he had awakened his ability.

"No," Vahn responded, still trying to make sense of what was happening.

'I'm sure about it.' There was another thing about Vahn. It was that he knew his body better than anyone. Well, it was better to say it was bound to happen for someone who had tried everything to awaken an ability.

And currently, there was no way he had awakened.

The lieutenant, now seeing something entirely unexpected, turned serious.

"Student Vahn Clay, for attempting to avoid mandatory training, your punishment awaits you at the camp. As for you," he looked at Marco, scanned his face, and spoke, "Marcos Rudbell, for assisting a student in evading the process, you will be fined 10,000 gold. The fine will accrue weekly until paid in full at the nearest Alliance branch."

"What?" Marco began to protest, but the lieutenant was already heading for the door.

"You have 10 minutes. The vehicle is waiting outside."

With that, the lieutenant left, and Vahn let out a small chuckle.

'Did we just get punished for something we didn't do?' Vahn thought, amused by the absurdity of it all.

The situation, a complete misunderstanding, made him laugh, but what made it funny was Marco's stunned expression.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Vahn teased as he turned and began walking toward the door.

Marco shook his head in disbelief. "H-How can you walk? How is this even happening?"

Vahn paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.

"This might sound crazy," he began, "but I have a theory."

"I'm listening," Marco said, curious.

"What if… I'm related to that mysterious family?" Vahn turned to Marco, his golden eyes flashing briefly with something fierce and untamed.