The Burden of Power

The morning after I returned from my so-called family reunion, I woke up in a cheap internet cafe and wandered around the city for a bit before eventually finding my way back to the academy. An unsettling feeling gnawed at me—I couldn't shake the suspicion of what that stepfather of mine might attempt next.

"Fear's a funny thing," I muttered to myself as I walked up to the towering gates of Hero Academy, my so-called home away from home. I could have killed more time outside, but there were a couple of simple reasons why I was back already. One, I was broke. And two, the dorm bed was looking pretty comfortable compared to the alternative of crashing in another dingy cafe.

Finding the main gate shut, I slipped in through a side door, hoping to go unnoticed. As soon as I entered the dorms, though, I ran right into David, the dorm manager, sweeping up the front steps. He stopped, looking at me with a raised eyebrow.