The swirling silver-blue light of the portal. shimmered behind Arman before collapsing in on itself, vanishing into nothing. He stepped into the familiar confines of his room, and for a moment, the tension of the Order's stone halls felt like a bad dream.His bed greeted him like an old friend -the same soft mattress, the faint scent of laundry detergent and a hint of his own. shampoo lingering in the pillow. It was grounding, almost comforting. He ran his hand across the blanket and let out a slow breath.Glancing at the wall clock, his eyebrows shot up. "Man... it's only five a.m.?" he muttered, rubbing his face. The early dawn light barely touched the curtains.Tomorrow, his real training with the Order would begin. That meant waking before sunrise, probably sweating buckets, and facing instructors who made the Elderslook like friendly grandparents. And before that... there was one thing he couldn't avoid."I have to talk to Mom and Dad," he murmured to himself. "If I've only got

Arman stood still for a moment, his chest rising and falling heavily. The group of troublemakers scrambled away, dragging their battered leader along, leaving only silence behind. The park suddenly felt emptier, as though even the air was afraid to stay too close to him.Arman glanced down at his hands. They trembled slightly, not from weakness, but from the rush of what he had just done.Damn... I lost control again. I didn't even need to use that much force. If I keep this up, people will start noticing I'm not normal.He quickly shook his head, pushing the thought aside, and turned toward Ayesha. She was staring at him with wide eyes, her lips slightly parted."Ayesha... they won't bother you again," Arman said, trying to steady his voice. "But please-don't tell anyone about this."She nodded slowly, her expression still caught between fear and awe. "I won't. You saved us... that's all that matters."Arman gave her a small smile, though inside his chest his heart was pounding like