Riven and Jordan were getting ready to head to the park.
Jordan had already explained to Riven everything that had happened to him—every detail he could remember, every conclusion he had managed to piece together.
"So," Jordan said, walking beside his brother as he tightened the strap of his shoes, "thanks to us both having our own experiences with this… place, we know a few things."
Riven looked over, listening.
"One," Jordan continued, counting on his fingers, "whatever that place is, it's some kind of bridge. Two, those people—or versions of us—are possible futures. Not guaranteed, but possible. And three… every time something major happens—like you getting the system, or if I'm right, us drinking the potential potions—it sends us back to that place."
Jordan exhaled slowly. "Those are the facts. So… what do you think?"
Riven was quiet for a long moment.
"I don't know," he said honestly. "If me getting the system was already destined… and both of us drinking the potential potion was already destined… then that only leaves one question."
Jordan waited.
"What's destined next?" Riven said. "Do we have to follow the same script as them? Do we have to walk the same path just to end up becoming them?"
His jaw tightened.
"I don't like that," he admitted. "I don't like the idea that my entire life is already mapped out by someone else. Even if that someone else is… technically me."
He clenched his hands.
"They aren't me. Not really. I want to make my own choices. I don't want to walk in someone else's footsteps."
Jordan nodded slowly.
"I get that," he said. "I really do. But this could also be a chance."
Riven looked at him.
"From what my other self told me… something bad happened. Something big. And there's a chance it might happen to us too." Jordan's voice grew quieter. "You were the one who said to keep the system a secret unless it becomes absolutely necessary. And if what he said is true… the academy won't be safe."
Jordan swallowed.
"There's going to be death. Someone will die. Maybe more than one person. I don't know who… but I know it's coming."
Riven felt a chill crawl up his spine.
"So all we can do," Jordan continued, "is prepare."
Riven nodded.
"Meaning we need to get stronger," he said.
Jordan smiled faintly. "Exactly."
Riven frowned. "But at this rate… by the time the academy starts, I'll only be level two—maybe two and a half. Four at most."
He shook his head. "That's too slow."
Jordan laughed lightly. "That's why the saying slow and steady wins the race exists."
He held out his fist. "Let's get stronger. Together. So we don't have to be afraid when we get there."
Riven bumped his fist without hesitation.
The two walked out of their room, heading for the front door—only to stop when a voice called out.
"Wait. You two."
They froze and turned around.
Their parents stood there.
"We appreciate what you did for us yesterday," Kaden said, arms crossed, "but you ran off before you explained anything."
"Explain what exactly, Father?" Jordan asked calmly.
Candace stepped forward. "Explain where you got the units to afford that—and all those expensive cleaning supplies."
"Oh," Riven said casually. "We sold my VR headset."
Candace's eyes widened. "You sold it? But Riven—"
"I know," he interrupted gently. "You told me to keep it. But we needed the units. And when we sold it—"
He glanced at Jordan, emphasizing the word we. Jordan stared straight ahead, pretending not to notice.
"—we knew you'd try to put us first," Riven continued. "So we decided to put you first instead. We cleaned the house and bought real food."
"We wanted it to be a surprise," Jordan added. "But when we got back… you were asleep."
"Yes!" Candace snapped. "Yes, we were asleep!"
Kaden laughed, shaking his head. "Next time, don't hide something like that from us. We'd understand."
He smiled knowingly. "Though… I see why you did. Because you're right. We would've done exactly what you thought."
Jordan told them where the remaining units were hidden, and after a few more words, the twins waved goodbye and stepped outside.
That's when they saw her.
A red-haired girl leaned against a streetlight, arms crossed.
"Nico?" Riven muttered.
As they approached, she straightened. "Finally. What took you so long? I've been waiting out here for an hour. Come on."
She turned and started walking toward the park without waiting for a response.
"Hey, Nico," Riven called. "If you don't mind me asking—"
"I might mind," she cut in.
He asked anyway.
"Why don't you hang out with other girls? No offense, but most people stick to their own gender. You're popular, but you're always alone."
"I like being alone," she replied flatly. "Keeps my thoughts quiet. Keeps people from annoying me."
"Then why are you here?" Jordan asked.
Nico slowed.
"Because you two are different," she said. "You don't waste time. You don't believe the academy will magically carry you to power and a good life."
She glanced back at them. "I don't believe that either."
At the park, kids filled the playground—but one figure stood apart.
A skinny boy with golden hair struggled on the monkey bars, attempting pull-ups he clearly didn't have the strength to complete. His body was thin—too thin.
Every time another child wandered close, a parent hurried over and pulled them away, as if the boy carried some invisible disease.
Nico frowned.
Then she noticed something else.
"Are you wearing bigger clothes than usual?" she asked Riven.
"Yeah," he chuckled. "I figured it'd make me look skinnier."
She stared at him. "Don't play dumb. You are skinnier. Look at your arms."
"…Fine," Riven sighed. "My parents saved up for a suction procedure. I got the fat removed. Made things easier."
Nico blinked.
"…Smart," she admitted. "Lets you focus on building muscle instead of cutting weight."
Her gaze drifted back to the golden-haired boy on the
When Nico looked at Joey, all she could say was—
"…The Golden Curse."
The words hung in the air.
Riven's head snapped toward her instantly, anger flashing across his face.
"Don't say that," he said sharply.
Nico stiffened.
"I—sorry," she said after a moment. That alone surprised both boys. Nico didn't apologize often. "It just… slipped out."
Riven clenched his fists but didn't push further.
Because everyone knew the name.
The Golden Curse.
It was a title born within the Dawn Walls on a single, unforgettable night.
That night, a golden aura washed over the entire city—brighter than any evolution flare ever recorded. People poured into the streets, staring at the sky in awe. At first, they believed it was the birth of a new era. A second awakening. The next stage of evolution.
But nothing happened.
Days passed. Then weeks. Then years.
Until a boy was born.
Joey Cross.
From the moment he entered the world, people noticed something was wrong—or special. His hair was pure gold, impossibly bright. His mother had brown hair. His father black. There was no explanation, no genetic precedent.
Whispers began immediately.
The golden flash had chosen him.
At first, Joey was adored.
People called him a miracle. A sign. Parents pointed him out to their children, claiming he would lead the next generation of evolvers. Even factions kept quiet watch, waiting for his power to awaken.
Then the accidents started.
Anyone who stayed too close to Joey for too long suffered misfortune. Severe injuries. Freak accidents. Near-death incidents with no clear cause.
And then… his father died.
They found the body mutilated beyond recognition.
When they questioned Joey—then still just a child—he was shaking, crying, clutching his father's blood-soaked clothes. Over and over, he told the same story.
"Two angels attacked us."
He said the angels glowed with light. That they came from the sky. That his father hid him, pushed him somewhere safe, and told him not to move while they were killed.
No one believed him.
They said it was trauma. Imagination. A child trying to make sense of something horrible.
A year later, everything became worse.
Joey naturally evolved.
No forced evolution. No catalyst.
A light-based ability manifested—violent, unstable, and overwhelmingly destructive. Anything caught in its path was erased, torn apart, or reduced to unrecognizable ruin.
People noticed something chilling.
The damage left behind by Joey's power looked disturbingly similar to the state of his father's body.
Rumors spread like wildfire.
He killed his own father.
The angels were a lie.
The golden flash wasn't a blessing—it was a curse.
Factions quietly withdrew their interest.
Scouts stopped coming.
No one wanted him.
A child with power that destructive, with rumors that dark, wasn't an asset.
He was a liability.
Someone who would bring ruin to any group foolish enough to take him in.
And so Joey Cross was left alone.
Not because he was weak.
But because everyone was afraid of what would happen if he wasn't.
Fear spread faster than truth ever did.
It reached a point where even Joey's own mother began to fear him—not for what he'd done, but for what he might become. The potential she saw in her son terrified her so deeply that she started starving it out of him. Smaller meals. Fewer portions. Excuses layered over neglect. All so he would stay weak. All so he would stay controllable.
And everyone knew.
The people inside the wall knew.
The guards who controlled the gates knew.
The ones wearing the Dawn insignia—those who claimed to protect order and justice—knew.
Yet no one stood up.
No one said anything.
No one tried to help the boy.
That truth burned hotter than anything else.
It made Riven furious.
He spotted Joey standing off to the side, shoulders hunched, trying to make himself look smaller than he already was. Unlike the others, Riven wasn't afraid of him. His parents had never taught him fear through contracts or whispered warnings. They'd done the opposite—taught him to accept people as they were.
But somewhere along the way, the fear had still taken root.
So badly that Joey himself had begun to fear his own power.
"Yo, Joey."
The moment Riven spoke, the golden-haired boy let out a startled yelp and stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet and hitting the ground hard.
Riven froze. "…You okay?"
Joey blinked, then quickly scrambled upright, brushing dirt off his clothes like nothing had happened.
"Y-Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay," he said, forcing a laugh.
Riven stepped closer and held out a hand. "Hey. I wanted to thank you again—for the clothes."
Joey hesitated, then took it. Riven pulled him up easily.
"Oh. That?" Joey rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Honestly… I should be thanking you. For sticking up for me. Almost no one here would've done that."
Riven tilted his head slightly. "You notice anything different?"
Joey squinted at him, then his eyes widened just a bit. "…Did you lose weight?"
Riven turned sideways, letting him see. "You noticed."
Before Joey could respond, another voice cut in.
"Hey, Joey."
A boy who looked uncannily similar to Riven stepped forward, holding out his hand. Joey shook it automatically.
"Uh—hi. Sorry about, you know… breaking into your house," Jordan said awkwardly.
Joey blinked, then waved it off. "No, no. Honestly, I should've been thanking you."
Jordan shook his head. "Nah."
Behind them, Nico stretched lazily, arms raised overhead.
"Hey," Joey said hesitantly, glancing past them. "Is… is she with you guys?"
"We think so," Riven replied, glancing back. "We're planning on getting in the best shape possible before the Academy starts."
"Oh—same," Joey said quickly. "I'm trying to build some muscle too."
Jordan and Riven both glanced at Joey's thin arms.
To build muscle, Jordan thought, you need meat on your bones.
"Are you guys gonna hurry up or what?" Nico called out, already halfway through her stretches.
The three boys turned toward her.
"If it's such a problem," Riven thought irritably, why don't you just leave?
He walked toward her anyway, stopping beside her. "We're going on a run. You coming?"
Then he looked back at Joey. "You in?"
Joey hesitated, eyes dropping to the ground. "…No. I'd just get in your way."
"Are you sure?" Riven asked.
Joey nodded.
"Okay."
Riven didn't look back as he said it.
Joey watched as the three of them moved a short distance away, stretching their legs and shoulders before breaking into an easy jog. Their figures slowly shrank as they disappeared down the street.
Joey lowered himself to the ground.
I won't be useless, he thought.
He placed his palms against the dirt and started doing push-ups.
⸻
An hour later, the sound of footsteps returned.
Nico collapsed onto the ground the moment they stopped, chest rising and falling rapidly as she sucked in air. Riven and Jordan bent forward with their hands on their knees, breathing hard—but not nearly as bad as her.
"Twenty miles," Riven said between breaths.
To hit that distance, they'd jogged dangerously close to Section B—close enough to feel the difference—but never far enough to leave the safety of Section A.
After a short pause, Riven dropped to the ground again and started doing push-ups.
Jordan followed.
Nico groaned. "Hey—don't you think you should take a break?"
"No," Riven replied simply.
He didn't explain further, but the reason was clear.
This was preparation.
For the Academy.
For whatever came next in his life.
"Hm." That was all Nico said.
That's when Joey stepped forward, still holding a few water bottles. He knelt and handed them out one by one.
"Here," he said softly, smiling.
When he reached Nico, she hesitated.
"You can take it," Joey added quickly. "I won't bite. I promise."
The words were light, but his voice wavered just a little.
Nico stared at the bottle for a second… then looked at him.
"When I first saw you," she said suddenly, "I called you the Golden Curse."
The air shifted.
Joey froze.
That name—
It had followed him everywhere.
Whispered. Laughed about. Feared.
He hated it.
"I wanted to apologize," Nico continued, her tone firm, sincere. "That wasn't right of me. So… please accept my apology."
Joey blinked.
No one had ever apologized for that before.
Not once.
"It's… it's okay," he said after a moment. "Thank you. For saying that."
He handed her the bottle.
Nico took it—and promptly dumped half of it down her throat.
Joey smiled at the sight.
For the first time in a long while, a thought crossed his mind—quiet, fragile, but hopeful.
Maybe… this is where it changes.
Maybe this is where my curse becomes a blessing.