CHAPTER 43: THE TRUE MEANING OF GIFTS Marko stepped out of the door to see Ted waiting for him outside. "Ted," he stopped himself short unsure of what to say. "You are off to see the old geezer, I'll walk ya there." Ted said as he led the way. Most of the walk was quiet with none of them uttering a word. The hall seemed even longer than usual. Marko was a bit surprised to find Ted taking him down routes even he did not know off. He thought that perhaps Ted was a regular at the headmaster's. Marko sighed. "Ted..." "Don't bring it up." Ted said under his breath. Marko continued, having not heard him. "It really means a lot to have you by my side. That was I won't feel lonely anymore." Ted raised and eyebrow but refused to look his way. "When did you get it?" "Huh?" Marko almost had not heard him from him speaking in a normal tone. "Get it?" "Don't play dumb, your gift when did you get it?" Ted asked again with a little hint of anger. Mar
CHAPTER 44: MEETING WITH HEADMASTER HAVADR Perhaps some of you have wondered what it means to have a purpose in life. What is my standing, what is the gift I have to share within me to the world. And not realizing that gift, our purpose and giving in to the darkness is what we call a terror. Failure, loss and hopelessness. The world operates round these two concepts but there are those caught in the middle those with no definite side and these are called anomalies... "You wanted to see me sir?" Marko asked the old man with long grey hair before him. The headmaster of the gifted academy wore his usual silver robe with gold lines and the crest of the academy on his chest. Seeing Headmaster Havadr Damocles again sent him jitters, his gold eyes scanning him with calmness and an indepth sense. "Please sit." He gestured to the chair before him. "Thank you sir." Marko said as he sat down. "System, what is his level?" [COMPUTING DATA] "Mr Riv
CHAPTER 45: THE GAMBLE "Now Mister Marko, what makes you special?" The headmaster threw the ball at an insane speed. "MACH ONE SMASH!!" Mach was a ratio of the speed of an object to the speed of sound in the medium which the object travels. It was usually used to describe a supersonic speeds; the Mach number. BOOM!! "ACCCCKK!!" Marko felt his body shatter as a huge hole appeared in his chest next to his heart. "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" The Headmaster frowned at him. "What a sorry sight. After all the praises Valtor gave you, like you were some big thing in this world. I actually wanted to believe it." Marko dropped to the ground with blood gushing out of his chest in great quantity. "He missed my heart on purpose, dammit it hurts. He's stronger than the high rank, I can't use the power of the limitless eyes or my lifespan will get cut. But I have to make a gamble." The headmaster kept his distance and prepared another ball on his hand. This time I will aim fo
CHAPTER 46: THE TEACHER'S CONFERENCEA big round table surrounded by numerous seats dominated the room at the top of the tower. The room, with its high ceiling and grand windows, overlooked the sprawling grounds of the gifted academy. Here, the prized teachers, the protectors and mentors of the nation's most promising youths, gathered for a crucial meeting."We have to make sure the tournament this time around goes well," said one of the teachers, his voice tense with the weight of the responsibility."Since when has it never gone well?" another teacher replied, a hint of exasperation in her tone. She was a veteran, having witnessed many such gatherings, each fraught with its own set of challenges."The circumstances in Saceria make this even harder on us," interjected a third teacher, his brow furrowed in concern. "The faith of the people in us is very weak at this moment. They doubt our capabilities more than ever.""But we are the only line of defense for the people," another teach
SIDE STORY: MARKO & TERESA – THE TURNING TIDEIn the weeks that followed, life continued its unrelenting pace. The days grew shorter, and the chill of winter began to creep into the air. The small village, nestled between rolling hills and lush forests, prepared for the harsh season ahead. Despite the looming hardships, Marko and Teresa faced each day with the same determination and resilience that had carried them through so many challenges before.One frosty morning, Teresa woke to find the ground covered in a thin layer of snow. She watched the delicate flakes drift down from the sky, her breath visible in the cold air. Marko was already up, his boundless energy pushing him out of bed even in the early hours."Good morning, Mom!" he called out cheerfully, rubbing the sleep from his eyes."Good morning, my dear," Teresa replied, her voice warm despite the chill. "I see you're up and ready to face the day."Marko grinned. "Of course! There's always so much to do." He paused, noticing
CHAPTER 47: THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT BEGINS! The roars and cheers from the crowd filled the huge stadium. People from all over the continent had gathered there in one place to watch the display of the newest gifted generation the gifted academy had to offer. The people there numbered to about a hundred thousand, the air was lively and filled with lots of cheers. The sky was clear and the morning sun shining down at them with all it's beauty and glamour. This was the day to show support for the young heroes. Amidst the crows was Teresa, Marko's mother and Shayla his best friend. The remaining members of the core five were also present there and a majority of the people of their village. There were also supporters from the bigger towns and cities present. In the continent, there was no such thing as rulers like kings and governors. What carried the highest power was the gifted academy wore itself. It was at the zenith of the heirach
CHAPTER 47: THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT BEGINS! The roars and cheers from the crowd filled the huge stadium. People from all over the continent had gathered there in one place to watch the display of the newest gifted generation the gifted academy had to offer. The people there numbered to about a hundred thousand, the air was lively and filled with lots of cheers. The sky was clear and the morning sun shining down at them with all it's beauty and glamour. This was the day to show support for the young heroes. Amidst the crows was Teresa, Marko's mother and Shayla his best friend. The remaining members of the core five were also present there and a majority of the people of their village. There were also supporters from the bigger towns and cities present. In the continent, there was no such thing as rulers like kings and governors. What carried the highest power was the gifted academy wore itself. It was at the zenith of the heirachy of the continent and also the center of attentio
CHAPTER 47: THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT BEGINS! The roars and cheers from the crowd filled the huge stadium. People from all over the continent had gathered there in one place to watch the display of the newest gifted generation the gifted academy had to offer. The people there numbered to about a hundred thousand, the air was lively and filled with lots of cheers. The sky was clear and the morning sun shining down at them with all it's beauty and glamour. This was the day to show support for the young heroes. Amidst the crows was Teresa, Marko's mother and Shayla his best friend. The remaining members of the core five were also present there and a majority of the people of their village. There were also supporters from the bigger towns and cities present. In the continent, there was no such thing as rulers like kings and governors. What carried the highest power was the gifted academy wore itself. It was