novelzi Chapter 172- Free City
Chapter 172- Free City
20 January 2031,
Inside City A, at the edge of Sector 17, inside a rundown building.
Amrita had this morning routine down to a science.
Her steps were precise, almost like clockwork, but today, that clock was mocking her.
It was 7:45 a.m., and as usual, her brother was running late.
She pulled her hair back into a neat ponytail and headed to the kitchen counter of her small rented apartment.
The place was a bit of a mess, with clean plates stacked up to dry, a jar of pickles lingering from who knows when, and her brother's favorite mug just sitting there, unwashed and forgotten.
As she chopped onions and whisked eggs, it felt like she was racing against time.
She popped some toast into the toaster and had a kettle of tea bubbling on the stove.
But really, her focus kept drifting back to the clock.
It was now 7:55 a.m.
With a frustrated sigh, she muttered under her breath about his constant tardiness.
She paused for a second, gripping the spatula a bit too tightly. The thought hung in the air for a moment before she shook it off.
Her brother had always been like this—running on his own weird schedule and coming up with lame excuses about night shifts.
Then it hit 8:00 a.m.
Breakfast was all laid out, looking neat and ready on the table. Just one last glance at the clock, and she felt her lips purse into a thin line.
"He'll show up when he wants to. He always does," she said to herself, trying to brush off the annoyance.
Not wanting to waste another minute, she grabbed her bag and swung it over her shoulder.
The toast was already cooling in her hand, but honestly, she didn't care.
With one last look at the door, she turned and walked out, muttering, "He's going to hear all about this when I get back."
---
"On time," Amrita stood outside her academy, quietly murmuring to herself. Her apartment, situated in Sector 17, was only 18 miles from the academy. A quick look at her wristwatch revealed that it was 9 a.m.
The gates of Elite Academy sparkled in the morning sun, their metallic texture visible.
The academy's crest—this cool shield flanked by two majestic gryphons—was etched into the iron bars.
Students flowed in steady waves, wearing informal clothes, their chatter blending into the buzz of the day.
Amrita walked quickly, her ponytail bobbing with each step.
"Yes... it was difficult."
"Did you notice how the professor...."
"M-mom? I was just inside the academy. What happened?" Lin was frustrated, slightly taken aback, given that he received a call from his mother as he moved aside, trying to go away from the crowd, arriving near the garden as he inquired.
:: Have you still not awakened? ::
"Th-that's..." Hearing the words through the phone, Lin stammered, clenching one fist while the other hand held the phone, feeling clearly annoyed. He had given everything, but he still wasn't able to awaken as his mother expected. The end result was evident: he was still dealing with his present human body.
:: I see. Have you seen a man with silver hair and blue eyes around you? ::
'!'
"What?..." Lin was ready to say something, but he just couldn't get the words out.
His mom's voice seemed to linger in the air, making it hard to think straight. He was still preoccupied with the fact that he had not been able to awaken the secret powers his mother had told him about.
"Silver hair... blue eyes?" he murmured to himself, feeling his heart race. The description was tugging at something deep in his mind, pushing past those fleeting memories of recent encounters.
Then it hit him—Professor Aven.
The guy's sharp features and that vibe of power he gave off, not to mention the silver hair and those piercing blue eyes.
"Mom, are you saying...?" Lin's voice trailed off as he stared ahead, lost in thought.
VROOOOM!
Before he could finish, the loud roar of a car engine broke his concentration.
A car horn blared through the campus courtyard, mixed with the chatter and shouts of students.
Lin instinctively turned around, still holding his phone to his ear. The sudden noise threw him off, and his mom's voice on the phone turned faint.
"Hello? Mom? Can you hear me? Hello, hello!" he kept saying, but then the call ended with a soft beep.
Frustrated, he shoved the phone into his pocket and looked over at where all the commotion was coming from.
A sleek black Bugatti Chiron rolled up to the academy's entrance; it caught the midday sun like a black mirror.
The door swung open, and a striking woman stepped out.
The door of the car swung open as a woman with sharp features, purple hair, and amethyst eyes exited. As she did, her jeans and trench coat, along with a black sword that resembled a katana, created a unique vibe.
Her long, sleek amethyst hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, leaving her sharp, elegant face completely visible while maintaining that stoic and impassive look.
Not far behind her, two more figures stepped out of another arriving car.
One was definitely Professor Aven, his silver hair and blue eyes gleaming under the sun. The other was "A-Aria?"
Standing there, seeing Aria exiting from the car from which Professor Aven left, Lin was slightly confused, narrowing his gaze as he tried to understand the reason for her being with him.
"Huh? Hey, isn't that Aria?"
"What the.... this girl..."
One after another, the voices, though familiar to Lin, even as he saw three figures brushing past him as they moved forward, identifying them as Aria's friends, made it clear that they were too surprised and unaware of why she was with Professor Aven.
But not that Lin cared; he just turned to leave.