Temporal Dominion

Lucian's breath came ragged as the burning sensation in his chest faded, leaving behind an eerie stillness. His vision returned to normal, the flickering image of the future gone as if it had never been there.

But he knew what he had seen.

Elara's outstretched hand—a second ahead of time—reaching toward him before she actually moved.

Elara gripped his arm tighter, her silver eyes filled with concern. "Lucian, what do you mean you saw the future?"

Lucian swallowed, his throat dry. "I mean… I saw you move before you actually did. It was like—" He hesitated, searching for the right words. "Like I was looking at two versions of reality at the same time."

Elara's brows furrowed. "That's… not possible."

Lucian almost laughed at that. "You think?"

She ran a hand through her hair, exhaling sharply. "No. I mean—Evolvers don't have abilities related to time. Powers are tied to biology, to physical or elemental manipulation. Not… whatever this is."

Lucian leaned against the hallway wall, his mind still spinning. "Then why do I have it?"

Elara was silent for a moment before murmuring, "Maybe… because you were never like the rest of us to begin with."

Lucian clenched his fists. He had spent his whole life being different, but not in a way that ever meant anything. He was powerless—until now.

Now, something inside him had awakened.

And it terrified him.

Elara's gaze softened. "Lucian, I think we need help."

Lucian tensed. "You mean telling someone?"

She nodded. "Maybe a professor—"

"No." The word came out sharper than he intended.

Elara's eyes narrowed. "Lucian—"

"No," he repeated, quieter this time. "If we tell the academy, we don't know what they'll do. If this really isn't an Evolver ability, then it's something they won't understand."

And things they didn't understand? The academy contained.

Elara's lips pressed into a thin line. She knew he was right.

After a long pause, she sighed. "Then what do we do?"

Lucian exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "First, I need to figure out what's happening to me. If this is an ability, I need to control it."

Elara nodded slowly. "Then we start tomorrow. We test it."

Lucian hesitated. The thought of experimenting with something that could manipulate time itself felt dangerous, but he needed answers.

"Alright," he said.

Elara gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Get some rest. We'll figure this out."

Lucian nodded, even though he doubted sleep would come easily tonight.

As he entered his dorm room and shut the door behind him, he let out a slow breath.

Then, as if in response to his thoughts—

A whisper echoed in his mind.

Soft. Faint.

"…Not yet."

Lucian's fingers curled into a fist.

Something was coming.

And he had the sinking feeling that whatever it was, he wasn't ready.