Beware of Oblivion

The dorm was quiet as the three of them returned, the long day of patrolling weighing heavily on their shoulders. The clock struck 7 PM as they entered, their stomachs empty and patience frayed.

Kieran, as expected, was the first to grumble.

"I'm starving," he groaned, throwing himself onto the couch. "And I swear, if I have to hear one more person mutter 'monster' under their breath while avoiding us, I'm going to lose it. Patrolling sucks! I'm not doing it next time."

Visconti smirked as he leaned against the kitchen counter, shrugging off his jacket. "Yeah, good luck explaining that to the instructors. Patrolling is mandatory, genius

"Yeah, yeah," Kieran muttered, waving his hand dismissively.

Elijah shook his head, already heading to the kitchen. "I'll make something quick. Just sit tight."

Kieran immediately perked up, following Elijah with his eyes. "Make extra for me! Like, double portions."

Visconti rolled his eyes. "You have the appetite of a bear. Maybe that's your true gift is."

Within thirty minutes, Elijah had prepared a simple but hearty meal: fried rice with scrambled eggs and some stir-fried vegetables.

They sat around the small dining table, quietly eating as the exhaustion from the day started to lift.

"Okay," Kieran said, leaning back after his second helping. "That's a bit better. You're a lifesaver, Elijah."

"Don't mention it," Elijah replied with a small smile, sipping water from his glass.

As they settled into the evening, the conversation turned light, bouncing from random observations about their day to funny anecdotes.

It wasn't long before Kieran brought up a topic they hadn't really discussed before.

"Alright," Kieran said, pointing his fork at Elijah. "How'd you get your power? You tell us first."

Elijah paused mid-sip, lowering his glass. "It's not really that dramatic or anything," he began, shrugging. "I got my power the day after my second-year high school Esper test."

Visconti tilted his head. "That's kind of late, isn't it? Most Espers awaken during middle school."

Elijah nodded, forcing a casual tone. "Yeah. The test came back negative, so I thought I didn't have any Esper potential. Honestly, I was fine with it. Life felt simpler that way."

Visconti raised an eyebrow. "So what happened?"

Elijah paused, carefully choosing his words. "The next morning, I woke up, and everything felt... heavy. Like, literally heavy. At first, I thought I was sick, but then I realized it wasn't me—it was everything around me. My desk collapsed under its own weight, my books crushed themselves, and I couldn't even lift my phone without it feeling like a brick."

Kieran's eyes widened. "That's... intense. How'd you figure out it was gravity manipulation?"

Elijah hesitated but pushed forward. "My brother, Augustus, was the one who helped me figure it out. He has experience with Espers, so he knew what to look for."

"You've got a brother?" Visconti asked, intrigued.

"Yeah," Elijah replied, his tone carefully neutral. "He's... not around much, though. We don't exactly have the best relationship."

Kieran frowned. "Why not?"

Elijah shook his head, brushing off the question. "It's complicated. Anyway, I spent the next few months trying to control it. It wasn't easy. Gravity manipulation is... unpredictable. One wrong move, and you can cause a lot of damage."

"Did you ever—" Kieran began, but Elijah cut him off.

"No," Elijah said quickly. "I was careful. I had to be."

He avoided their gazes, feeling the weight of the secret he would never share. His family's infamy as a notorious villain lineage was a truth he intended to take to his grave. If they knew he was related to Augustus, one of the most feared villains in the world, everything would change.

"Well," Visconti said after a moment, breaking the tension. "At least you've got control over it now. That's what matters."

"Yeah," Kieran added, grinning. "And your power is pretty awesome. I mean, gravity manipulation? You could literally crush enemies with a thought!"

Elijah managed a small smile. "Yeah, I guess."

"Alright, Visconti," Kieran said, pointing at him. "Your turn."

Visconti smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, mine's way cooler than Elijah's. Get ready to be impressed."

Visconti leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. His usual smirk played on his lips, but there was a hint of something darker in his eyes. "You want a story? Fine. Mine's not like Elijah's. It's more... chaotic."

Kieran grinned. "I like chaotic. Keep going."

Kieran leaned forward, his elbows on the table. "Come on, spill it. Knowing you, it's probably some over-the-top drama."

Visconti chuckled, a touch of bitterness in his voice. "You're not wrong. Ever heard of 'The Great 17 Families'? Well, the Zenon family is one of them."

Kieran rolled his eyes, waving his hand at him dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. How many times are you going to bring that up. "I'm from the great Zenon family" blah blah blah." Kieran said imitating Visconti's voice.

'The Zenon family of the Great 17 Families. They are ridiculously wealthy. Like, ruling-the-economy wealthy.'

"Yep, that's the one," Visconti replied. "Rich, powerful, influential, and utterly dysfunctional. The Zenons are like a soap opera, but with higher stakes."

Kieran's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

"Don't let the money fool you. Being part of the Zenon family isn't a blessing. It's a nightmare." Visconti said, his tone flat. "But still, I'd choose to be a Zenon over anything."

Kieran raised an eyebrow. "Nightmare? You're literally rich. How bad could it be?"

Visconti then continued, his tone casual, as if he were recounting a mundane event. "The head of the family—Lord Zenon—had... let's just say, many children. Too many. The family tree is more like a family web, with branches crossing all over the place. And when there's that much power and wealth at stake, people get... ambitious."

Elijah frowned. "Are you saying—"