《Born with mysterious powers.》 The Beginning of the Unseen The sound of the alarm clock shattered the silence of the small, dimly lit bedroom. Chloe groaned, burying her face deeper into her pillow, trying to escape the inevitable start of another school day. The cool morning breeze seeped through the slightly open window, making her pull the blanket over her head. "Chloe, get up already! You¡¯re going to be late!" her brother Brian¡¯s voice echoed from the hallway. With a sigh, she threw the covers off and sat up, her messy red hair falling over her face. She rubbed her tired eyes and stretched before reluctantly getting out of bed. The wooden floor creaked beneath her feet as she walked toward the bathroom, her mind still hazy from sleep. Her daily routine was simple¡ªwake up, go to school, come home, help her grandmother with chores, and repeat. Nothing extraordinary ever happened. But lately¡­ something felt different. It wasn¡¯t anything obvious, just small, strange moments. Sometimes, she would feel as if she can hear whisper when no one was around. Other times, she¡¯d feel some strange chi inside her. At first, she brushed it off as exhaustion or imagination playing tricks on her. But deep down, she knew something was changing. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. As she made her way downstairs, the comforting scent of freshly brewed tea filled the air. Her grandmother, a kind but sharp-eyed woman, was setting the table. Brian sat on the couch, lazily scrolling through his phone. "Morning, Grandma," Chloe said, forcing a small smile as she grabbed a piece of toast. Her grandmother studied her for a moment before speaking. "Did you sleep well?" Chloe hesitated. She wanted to say yes, but the truth was, her sleep had been restless. Lately, her dreams were vivid¡ªtoo vivid. Places she had never seen or someone calling her she couldn''t see that person''s face and his voice was not either clear too. "Yeah," she lied, taking a bite of her toast. Her grandmother didn¡¯t press further, but the way her knowing eyes lingered on Chloe made her wonder if she knew more than she let on. Brian stood up, grabbing his bag. "Come on, let¡¯s go. If we miss the bus again, I¡¯m blaming you." Chloe rolled her eyes but followed him out the door. The autumn wind was crisp, making her tighten her jacket around her. As they walked toward the bus stop, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that today would be different¡ªthat something was about to change. And she had no idea how right she was. The Awakening The school day had been a blast. Chloe sat in class, giggling with her four closest friends¡ªMia, Ethan, Lily, and Zack¡ªas they passed silly notes and whispered jokes. At one point, Mia tried to stifle her laughter so hard that she snorted, sending the whole group into a silent fit of hysterics. The teacher, completely oblivious, continued droning about the importance of ancient trade routes, while Chloe doodled a tiny camel wearing sunglasses in the margins of her notebook. "You think this camel looks cool enough to survive history class?" Chloe whispered to Mia. Mia wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. "Only if it comes with air conditioning and a Netflix subscription." "Nah," Zack added, smirking. "It needs a VIP pass to escape this boredom." "Or a magic carpet," Ethan chimed in. "This class feels like it''s been going on for centuries." Lily shook her head, grinning. "And yet, none of you are actually taking notes." Chloe was about to reply when the lunch bell rang, and the class erupted into cheers. They grabbed their food and headed to the playground, basking in the warmth of the sun while making ridiculous bets on who could eat their sandwich the fastest. Chloe had just taken a massive bite of her own when a commotion near the school gate caught her attention. A group of older kids¡ªdefinitely not students from their school¡ªhad barged onto the grounds. They surrounded a younger boy, no older than ten, shoving him back and forth. His books were scattered across the ground, and he looked terrified. One of the bullies grabbed his collar, lifting him slightly off the ground. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Hey!" Chloe¡¯s voice came out before she even thought about it. Her friends turned, concern flashing in their eyes. But the bullies ignored her, laughing cruelly as the boy gasped for air. Chloe¡¯s hands clenched into fists. A fire burned inside her chest. If only I were strong enough to teach these idiots a lesson¡­ Suddenly, something inside her shifted. Before she even realized what was happening, her feet moved on their own. She stormed toward the bullies, her vision narrowing. The moment she reached them, her hands shot out, grabbing the leader by the wrist and twisting it effortlessly. He yelped in pain, releasing the boy. Chloe didn¡¯t stop¡ªshe spun, kicking another bully in the stomach so hard that he flew backward, crashing into the others like bowling pins. Her friends stood frozen in shock. So did the crowd of students gathering around. One of the bullies scrambled to his feet, his face contorted with anger. "You little¡ª" Chloe didn''t even think. Her body reacted. She grabbed his arm and flipped him over her shoulder like he weighed nothing. He hit the ground with a loud thud, groaning in pain. Silence. Absolute silence. The bullies, now terrified, scrambled to their feet and ran, shouting curses over their shoulders. Chloe stood there, chest heaving. What¡­ was that?! Her hands trembled. She looked down at them as if they didn¡¯t belong to her. She had never taken a self-defense class in her life. How had she just moved like that? As if¡­ as if she had done it a thousand times before? Her heart pounded. The whispers around her grew louder. Without saying a word, she turned on her heel and bolted to the bathroom, locking herself inside a stall. "Nope. Nope. Nope. That did NOT just happen," she whispered, gripping her head. Magic isn¡¯t real. Magic isn¡¯t real. Magic isn¡¯t real¡­ But the memory of her own body moving with unnatural power said otherwise. By the time school ended, Chloe had barely spoken a word. She met Brian at the gate, still shaken, but trying to act normal. "You good?" Brian asked, eyeing her suspiciously. "You look like you saw a ghost." "I¡ªuh¡ªjust tired," Chloe muttered, forcing a weak smile. Brian shrugged. "Alright. But if you start floating or something, let me know." Chloe let out a nervous laugh, but deep inside, she knew her life had just changed forever. The Song of Fate The walk home felt longer than usual. Chloe¡¯s mind replayed the events of the day over and over, like a broken record stuck on the most baffling part. Her hands... her body... how had she done that? How had she fought like that? It wasn¡¯t normal¡ªshe wasn¡¯t normal. She barely noticed Brian¡¯s rambling about his day, only nodding occasionally to avoid suspicion. As soon as they reached home, she trudged to her room, flopping onto her bed with a heavy sigh. Her grandmother must have noticed something was off because not long after, she appeared at the door with her usual gentle but knowing smile. "You¡¯re unusually quiet today, dear. Is something on your mind?" Chloe hesitated before shaking her head. "Just tired. Long day." Grandma sat beside her, placing a warm hand on her head. "Sometimes things happen that we don¡¯t understand. The best we can do is trust in fate to guide us where we need to be." Chloe looked up, meeting her grandmother¡¯s wise eyes. There was something so comforting about her presence, like she knew all the answers but would only reveal them when the time was right. As usual, her grandmother began humming a familiar melody, the same song she had sung to Chloe since childhood. Her voice was soft and soothing as she sang: "The king will come wearing the red crown, The king will hold hope in his eyes, And calmness and protection to people at night... With wisdom deep as the endless sea, And a heart so pure, wild yet free, He shall bring justice, strength untold, With hands so kind, yet firm to hold. He walks the path of light and shade, Never swayed, never afraid, With truth as armor, fate as guide, The people''s trust strong by his side. Through storms and wars, he''ll stand so tall, Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Breaking chains, answering the call, A guiding star in darkest night, Bringing peace with fearless might. The true king will return at the dawn." Chloe felt her eyelids grow heavy. The song had always made her feel safe, even when she didn¡¯t quite understand its meaning. Before she could question anything further, sleep pulled her under. The next morning, Chloe woke up feeling refreshed. Whatever had happened yesterday still lingered in her mind, but she decided not to let it ruin her day. Instead, she had more important things to do¡ªlike annoying Brian. She sauntered into the kitchen, grabbed a piece of toast, and took a loud bite right next to Brian¡¯s ear. "Ugh, do you have to chew like a wild animal?" Brian groaned, swatting her away. Chloe grinned. "What can I say? It¡¯s my talent. I might enter a competition for the loudest eater." "You¡¯d win. And then I¡¯d move out," Brian muttered, making Chloe laugh. As they left for school, Chloe felt lighter, like her worries had been temporarily placed on pause. Sure, her life had taken a strange turn, but for now, she was still Chloe¡ªthe funny, slightly annoying, but completely lovable Chloe. As she entered the school, her four closest friends¡ªEmma, Jake, Lily, and Ryan¡ªrushed toward her with wide eyes and excited grins. "Chloe! You were so cool yesterday!" Emma gushed. "Where did you learn to fight like that? Was that judo? Karate? Have you been secretly training all this time?!" "Yeah, come on, tell us the truth!" Jake added, looking at her in awe. "You totally went all ninja on those guys. It was epic!" Chloe¡¯s brain went into overdrive. Oh no. Oh no. What do I say? Her mind felt foggy and overloaded as she scrambled for an answer. Maybe I should say I had a master? No, no, then they¡¯ll ask me for his name, his address, and everything. That would be even more suspicious. Think, Chloe, think! "Uh... my friend taught me!" she blurted out, hoping that would be enough. Her friends¡¯ eyes lit up. "Who? Who? Tell us!" Lily pressed excitedly. "Uh... a schoolmate!" Chloe said quickly, regretting it the second the words left her mouth. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! A schoolmate?" Ryan repeated, eyes wide. "Wait, wait, tell us who! Who is this mystery martial arts master?" Chloe internally screamed. Shit, shit, shit! Why did I say schoolmate?! Am I crazy?! She waved her hands frantically, trying to back out of the situation. "Okay, okay, let¡¯s go, guys! Enough of that¡ªlet¡¯s go have lunch!" Thankfully, her friends were easily distracted by food, and as they made their way to the cafeteria, Chloe let out a breath of relief. Crisis averted¡­ for now. The Mysterious Savior and Chloe鈥檚 Worst Nightmare The classroom was filled with the usual dull hum of students barely paying attention. Chloe sat with her friends, doodling in her notebook, while their English teacher, Mr. Harrison¡ªa thin, spectacled man with a voice that could either soothe or bore you to sleep¡ªread from their lesson. "There are times in life when we cannot figure everything out," he recited, his voice slow and deliberate. "But we must keep faith, trust the journey, and follow our hearts where they lead. Answers come when they are meant to." Chloe¡¯s ears perked up. Well, that sounds way too relevant to my current situation, she thought, side-eyeing Mr. Harrison suspiciously. Did teachers just know when students were confused about life? Or was this some kind of educational witchcraft? Before she could think too hard about it, the lunch bell rang, snapping her out of her thoughts. ¡°YES! Freedom!¡± Jake cheered, dramatically throwing his book into his bag. Chloe laughed as they all made their way to the cafeteria. As always, her grandmother had packed her an amazing meal¡ªwarm rice, sushi, and a fresh salad. Chloe took a bite, savoring the homey taste. ¡°Man, my grandma¡¯s food could probably fix world peace,¡± she sighed happily. ¡°Or at least my stomach,¡± Ryan added, sneakily trying to steal a piece of sushi, only for Chloe to smack his hand away. They laughed, joking about the weirdest things¡ªlike whether teachers had secret lives outside of school (impossible, obviously), or if Jake¡¯s oddly shaped sandwich was actually a government experiment (still under investigation). But the light mood shifted the moment they started heading back to class. Near the school entrance, a group of students stood frozen. Chloe¡¯s stomach dropped when she saw them¡ªthe bullies from yesterday. Only now, they had brought reinforcements. The leader, a tall, scruffy-looking guy, was holding some poor kid by the collar, demanding to know Chloe¡¯s class. The terrified student barely managed to stammer out the answer before being shoved aside. Chloe stiffened. Oh no. No, no, no. I do NOT have the energy for this today. She wasn¡¯t looking for another street-fighter moment, especially not when she felt a little feverish. Her body tensed as they turned their heads, locking their gaze onto her from across the courtyard. Her heartbeat quickened. I need to run. Or hide. Or pretend to be invisible. Can humans turn into trees? Before she could act, it happened. A blur shot past her¡ªmoving so fast, she barely registered it until she heard a loud THWACK followed by multiple WHAM! BAM! POW! sounds, straight out of a comic book. The next thing she saw was a complete massacre. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. One guy was sent flying into a bush, another was knocked down so fast he didn¡¯t even have time to react. The leader barely managed to lift his hands before a well-placed kick sent him sprawling onto the pavement. Their new recruits tried to help, but it was useless¡ªeach one fell faster than the last, clutching their bruises and groaning in agony. And standing there, in all his glorious presence, was him. His skin was flawlessly fair, his eyes a deep, striking shade of red. His hair was golden¡ªalmost glowing under the sunlight¡ªand his body was well-built, masculine, tall of 6''1 like he had just walked out of a fantasy novel. The entire schoolyard went silent. And then¡­ the girls lost it. "Oh my gosh, who is he?!" "He¡¯s like a PRINCE!" "I think I¡¯m in love!" "DIBS!" He turned to the bullies, his voice low and commanding. ¡°Don¡¯t ever show your faces here again.¡± Terrified, they scrambled up and ran like their lives depended on it. (Which, considering how hard he just hit them, was probably the case.) Then, his gaze shifted¡ªto her. Chloe gulped. ¡°Are you okay?¡± His voice was deep, smooth, and unfairly attractive. Chloe opened her mouth to respond¡ªexcept she didn¡¯t get the chance. Her friends dragged her away so fast, her feet barely touched the ground. They pulled her into a corner, surrounding her like bodyguards. ¡°OH. MY. GOD.¡± Emma practically screamed in a whisper. ¡°YOU DIDN¡¯T TELL US HE WAS YOUR MASTER!!¡± Chloe blinked. ¡°Wait, what¡ª?¡± ¡°Oh, come ON, don¡¯t play dumb!¡± Lily shook her by the shoulders. ¡°You said a schoolmate taught you! And then this godly being shows up, kicking butt like it¡¯s a movie scene?! HE¡¯S OBVIOUSLY YOUR SECRET TRAINER!¡± Ryan had stars in his eyes. ¡°Dude, I¡¯d let him train me. I want to be that cool.¡± Chloe¡¯s brain went blank. She could practically hear the static in her head. Oh no. I messed up. I MESSED UP SO BAD. Her friends stared at her, waiting. She scratched her head, desperately thinking. Okay, okay, damage control. What do I do? Admit the truth? No, no, that¡¯s worse! Wait¡­ maybe¡­ She put on the most unconvincing grin of her life. ¡°Uh¡­ y-yeah! That¡¯s him! Hehe¡­ hehe¡­!¡± Silence. Then¡ª ¡°AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!¡± They exploded with excitement, jumping up and down, convinced that Chloe had been trained by the world¡¯s most attractive martial artist. Meanwhile, Chloe stood there, internally screaming. I have ruined my own life. Panicking, Chloe took the only logical step¡ªshe ran. Like, full-speed, Olympic sprinting away from the disaster she just created. Ducking behind a school building, she caught her breath, only to realize she wasn¡¯t alone. The golden-haired boy stood there, arms crossed, watching her with an amused smirk. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± she blurted out. ¡°Clodan.¡± ¡°Okay, Clodan, listen¡ªI need your help. Please, do me a favor, and I¡¯ll do anything in return.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? And what exactly is this favor?¡± ¡°Just¡­ pretend to be my master who taught me martial arts. Just in front of my friends! Please!¡± She looked up at him with her best puppy-dog eyes. Clodan was silent for a moment, then smirked knowingly. ¡°I see¡­ so you want to deceive your friends?¡± Chloe gulped. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± He sighed, shaking his head, but there was amusement in his eyes. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll play along.¡± Chloe exhaled in relief¡ªuntil he added with a sly smile, ¡°But you owe me a big favor.¡± Chloe narrowed her eyes. ¡°How big are we talking?¡± Clodan leaned in slightly, his smirk deepening. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know¡­ Maybe something fun. I¡¯ll let you know when I decide.¡± Chloe groaned. ¡°That sounds so suspicious.¡± He shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s the deal. Take it or leave it.¡± Chloe pouted. ¡°Ugh, fine. But if you make me do anything embarrassing, I will get my revenge.¡± Clodan chuckled. ¡°I look forward to it.¡± Chloe sighed. What have I just gotten myself into? Unseen Threads of Fate Chloe entered her classroom, still feeling a little off from the day¡¯s earlier chaos. As she settled into her seat, a strange sensation crawled through her body¡ªa deep, unfamiliar energy, almost like a ripple moving inside her. Her vision blurred, and suddenly, she was somewhere else. A garden. The scent of fresh flowers surrounded her. A man stood there, dressed in elegant robes, his face obscured by the golden sunlight. His deep, soothing voice echoed in the air as he gently held a woman¡¯s hand. Though Chloe couldn''t see their faces, there was an unmistakable warmth between them¡ªa deep connection. Then, everything changed. The sky darkened. The soft breeze turned into a howling storm. The man was alone now, standing in a dark, eerie forest. Shadows twisted around him, and the warmth from before had vanished, replaced with a chilling sense of dread. Chloe gasped, snapping back into reality as someone shook her shoulder. ¡°Uh, hello? Earth to Chloe?¡± Emma waved a hand in front of her face. ¡°Are you in some alternate universe again?¡± ¡°You totally spaced out,¡± Jake teased. ¡°Were you having some top-secret main-character moment?¡± Lily and Ryan leaned in with mock seriousness. ¡°Tell us, did you see the future? Did we become billionaires?¡± Chloe shook her head, forcing a laugh. ¡°Oh, totally. You guys own a private island now. But I¡¯m charging you for spoilers.¡± They burst into laughter, but Chloe couldn¡¯t shake off the lingering feeling. What was that vision? And why is this happening to me?
After school, Chloe returned home, throwing herself onto her bed. She stared at the ceiling, replaying the vision over and over. Who was that man? Why did she see that moment? And why did it feel so real? The more she thought about it, the more restless she became. The logical part of her brain screamed that it was just her imagination. But her gut told her otherwise. ¡°This is insane,¡± she muttered, running her fingers through her hair. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡± After what felt like hours of spiraling thoughts, exhaustion took over, and she drifted off to sleep.
RING! RING! RING! Chloe groggily reached for her phone, nearly knocking it off the nightstand. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Hello?¡± she mumbled. ¡°WAKE UP, SLEEPYHEAD! We¡¯re going shopping!¡± Emma¡¯s excited voice practically screamed through the phone. Chloe blinked. ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°You heard her,¡± Lily added. ¡°We¡¯re going to the arcade first, then clothes shopping, and you have to come.¡± Chloe groaned, rubbing her eyes. ¡°Do I have to?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ryan said dramatically. ¡°Or we¡¯ll camp outside your house until you agree.¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡±
At the arcade, Chloe completely forgot about her weird visions as she got lost in friendly competition. She and Jake had a fierce air hockey match, while Lily and Emma battled it out in a dance game. Ryan, as usual, found himself stuck in a claw machine war. ¡°Okay, listen,¡± Ryan whispered, staring intensely at the claw machine. ¡°If I don¡¯t win this plushie in the next five tries, I¡¯m selling my soul.¡± ¡°You said that ten tries ago,¡± Chloe deadpanned. ¡°Yeah, well, this time I mean it.¡± They all laughed as Ryan failed yet again, and after teasing him mercilessly, they moved on to the clothing stores.
After hours of shopping (and Chloe nearly falling asleep in a corner while the others tried on endless outfits), they grabbed something to eat. As they walked towards home, something caught Chloe¡¯s eye¡ªa shawl displayed outside a small boutique. It was a beautiful blend of soft blues and warm purples, with intricate embroidery that reminded her of her grandmother¡¯s style. Without a second thought, she bought it.
That night, Chloe searched online for anything that could explain her visions¡ªspiritual meanings, ancient prophecies, weird scientific theories. But nothing seemed to fit. The more she scrolled, the more frustrated she became. ¡°Ugh, Google, you¡¯re supposed to have all the answers!¡± she huffed, shutting her laptop. Guess I¡¯m on my own with this one.
¡°Grandma, look what I got for you!¡± Chloe grinned as she held up the shawl. Her grandmother¡¯s eyes softened as she took the fabric in her hands, running her fingers over the delicate stitching. ¡°Oh, Chloe, it¡¯s beautiful.¡± Chloe smiled, wrapping it gently around her grandmother¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You always take care of me. I just¡­ wanted to get you something nice.¡± Her grandmother chuckled, placing a warm hand on Chloe¡¯s cheek. ¡°My dear, your love is the greatest gift I could ever ask for.¡± Feeling an unexpected wave of emotion, Chloe hugged her tightly. ¡°I love you, Grandma.¡± Her grandmother kissed her forehead. ¡°I love you too, my sweet girl.¡± As they sat together, Chloe felt a sense of peace she hadn¡¯t had in days. Maybe she didn¡¯t have all the answers yet. But for now, she had her friends, her family, and moments like this. And that was enough¡­ at least for now. As her grandmother hummed a familiar lullaby, Chloe¡¯s eyelids grew heavy. She curled up beside her, sinking into the warmth of her embrace. The melody wrapped around her like a comforting dream, and before she knew it, she was fast asleep.
The next morning, reality hit hard. Sitting in her classroom again, she slumped over her desk, feeling an overwhelming sense of boredom. The teacher droned on about historical events, but Chloe could barely focus. The peaceful feeling from last night was gone, replaced by a growing irritation. Jake, sitting beside her, poked her arm. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± ¡°No,¡± she groaned. ¡°I am suffering.¡± Ryan turned around from his seat in front. ¡°You look like you just lost a battle against life itself.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Chloe muttered. ¡°I was in a warm, happy place, and now I¡¯m trapped here.¡± Emma snickered. ¡°Wow, that escalated.¡± Lily smirked. ¡°It¡¯s just school, not a prison.¡± Chloe sighed dramatically. ¡°Same thing.¡± Jake chuckled. ¡°Hang in there, warrior. Lunch break is only two hours away.¡± Chloe groaned. ¡°That¡¯s an eternity.¡± And with that, she let her head drop onto her desk, waiting for the torture to end.