Stargazers: World stage

A few hours later, the artificial awakening process had concluded.

Unfortunately, Vahn was the only one who didn't awaken. The person who entered the pod after him was initially terrified, fearing the same fate, but she awakened successfully, boosting the morale of the previously disheartened non-ability users.

Afterward, they were escorted back to the vast expanse of land where they had first arrived.

"PICK UP YOUR LUGGAGE AND CHECK YOUR PHONES FOR YOUR DORMITORY ASSIGNMENTS," a soldier barked, his voice cutting through the chatter. The group complied swiftly.

'Dorm A, Room 103,' Vahn read from his phone. The screen flickered and displayed a map guiding him from his current location to his dormitory.

'This makes things easier,' he thought, dragging his luggage along the designated path. His phone beeped softly, signaling his arrival at the destination.

'Convenient, but it would've been cooler as a watch,' Vahn mused. Looking up, he was greeted by the sight of a massive four-story building. Its height was typical, but its sheer width and length were staggering.

'It starts from Room 1, huh?' he thought, pulling his luggage toward the entrance.

"Isn't that the guy who didn't awaken?"

"Yeah, he scared me. I thought it wasn't going to work for me either."

"Ha, guess there are levels even among us 'lows.'"

The same people who had been anxious and downtrodden hours earlier now strutted with newfound confidence. Their words buzzed around Vahn, but he ignored them, his expression indifferent.

'That's why I detest them,' he thought, continuing without a glance back. He found it infuriating. It wasn't the first time he'd witnessed such fickleness, pleading for empathy when weak, only to sneer at others the moment they gained power.

…

Navigating the labyrinthine corridors, Vahn finally reached Room 103 on the first floor.

'Oh, right… roommates,' he realized, not exactly thrilled by the prospect. But it was something he'd have to endure.

Pushing the door open, he took in his new living space: two bunk beds on the right, desks and chairs on the left, and a bathroom door nestled between them, that was all.

"Oh, you're the last one to arrive," a voice greeted him.

Vahn turned to see a slim boy perched on the top bunk. He had brown eyes, matching brown hair, and skin with a warm, earthy tone. The other two roommates remained silent: their faces obscured by indifference.

"You're Vahn, right?" the boy asked.

Vahn frowned slightly. "How do you know that?"

The boy waved his phone. "They sent us a list of our roommates."

"Oh," Vahn replied, pulling his luggage further into the room. He claimed the empty lower bunk beneath the brown-haired boy.

"Name's Dhyte," the boy introduced himself with a grin.

Vahn tilted his head. "Dhyte?"

"No, Dhyte, with a 'Y'," he corrected.

Vahn nodded and began unpacking his clothes.

"Hey, since we're all here, why not get to know each other? You know, abilities, goals, that sort of thing," Dhyte suggested cheerfully.

Silence.

Undeterred, Dhyte continued, "Okay, I'll start. I don't fully understand my ability yet, but I can release this mist that holds people down for a bit." He demonstrated, a bluish mist swirling above his palm.

Vahn's eyes narrowed.

Vahn felt familiar with the mist that was hovering around his hand. He felt like he had seen it somewhere before. 

'Yes, it was that dream. It was among those beings I saw.' That was the only reason he could have felt familiar with the mist.

'What was it again, something s-shard.' Then it clicked, however, the words slipped out unconsciously, "Moon shard."

"What?" Dhyte looked puzzled.

"Nothing," Vahn muttered, refocusing on his unpacking.

Surprisingly, another roommate spoke up. "William. My ability's called Machine. I can create any machine out of thin air." He raised his hand, conjuring a replica of their standard-issue phone.

Vahn nodded in acknowledgment.

"Most people don't realize it's like an exchange," William continued. "Small stuff like this phone is easy, but for bigger things, like a tank, I need to trade materials. I usually use energy cores, but even then, it's limited by my imagination, and…"

"SHUT UP."

The third roommate finally spoke, his voice a harsh bark. He leaped from his top bunk, towering over the others with his massive frame. Over six feet tall, broad-shouldered, with features that seemed too mature for his age.

"From now on, I'm the leader of this room. You'll do as I say," he declared, flexing arrogantly.

Vahn blinked, turning to Whyte for confirmation about such brazenness however Dhyte looked just as baffled.

"If you want to speak, ask for permission," the brute sneered.

William wasn't having it. "You can't order us around," he snapped, summoning small flying machines that hovered menacingly.

"And what will you do about it?" the bully mocked.

Without hesitation, William fired.

Pew...Pew...Pew...Pew

However, the brute's arms morphed into metallic shields, effortlessly deflecting the projectiles with a dull clink.

"Is that all?" he laughed, lowering his guard as bullets bounced harmlessly off his reinforced skin.

Frustrated, William gritted his teeth at the helplessness of his ability.

Then, blue mist seeped into the fray, binding the brute in place.

"I can't hold him for long. Aim for his head!" Whyte shouted, his hands trembling.

William redirected his attack.

"Hmm?" Sensing real danger, the brute roared, his body struggling against the mist and his head turned metallic just in time to deflect the shots.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

"Gahh…" Dhyte's bond on the huge roommate got released and he began panting.

And William's shots stopped. He had put a lot into the last attack; however, it didn't work.

"See? I give orders, you follow," the brute jeered.

"H-Hey, aren't you going to help too?" Whyte gasped, glancing at Vahn.

"Hmm?" It was as if the huge roommate just remembered there was a fourth person and looked in his direction.

"Yeah, I was just making sure." Vahn looked up slowly, his golden eyes flashing.

***

In the dark and brittle darkness where one would never expect anything to happen to happen for the next years suddenly came active again.

"Someone has left…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

The people here obviously knew it wasn't the new user they were talking about, they had left his topic, hence the reason they were speechless. What this meant was,

Someone had left their domain, and while it wasn't a crime to leave, it was a matter of who left.

RUMBLE…

The darkness shook, alerting the people to the presence of someone, and with a calm voice none of them dared to disobey, 

 "Leave it."