Ashes: Book 1 of the Shadows Series - By Tristan Carver

Beneath the Surface

As Daylen walked away from the main hall, the weight of the ceremony still hung over him. The sun had set, casting long shadows across the streets of Veritara, and the celebratory buzz from earlier was slowly fading into the quiet of the evening. His parents had left him to mingle with other Elite families, basking in their son's success. But Daylen couldn't bring himself to stay. He needed space, a chance to think about everything that had happened.

The streets were mostly empty now, save for a few groups of people still talking excitedly about the results. The names and classes whispered in the air like an ever-present reminder of the rigid system they all lived within. Daylen tried not to listen, but it was impossible not to catch fragments of conversation.

"Did you hear about that boy? Kael Marek? He's just a step above Classless," one girl said, her voice hushed as if speaking the words might summon someone to correct her.

"Yeah, I heard he barely made it into the Exempt Class," another replied. "Can you imagine being that close to the bottom?"

Daylen stopped in his tracks. Kael Marek. The name echoed in his mind. He didn't know much about the boy—he was just another face in the crowd at the ceremony. But the mention of Kael's near-Classless status struck a chord in him. How could someone's worth be so narrowly defined, hanging by the thinnest thread of genetic fortune?

Daylen couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity. Exempt Class—the name said it all. They were not at the bottom, not condemned to the struggles of the Classless, but they were exempt from the privileges that came with higher ranks. It was a precarious position, always teetering on the edge of societal dismissal.

His own placement as Elite had felt hollow, but what did it feel like to barely avoid the lowest of the low? How could Kael live like that, knowing that one small slip could send him crashing down into a life of hardship and struggle?

As Daylen continued walking, he spotted Kael up ahead. He was sitting on the edge of a fountain in the center of a small plaza, staring out at the water as it glistened under the streetlights. He looked alone, distant, lost in thought.

Something about the scene drew Daylen closer. He approached slowly, unsure of what to say or if he should even say anything at all. But the words came before he could stop them.

"Kael, right?" Daylen's voice broke the silence between them.

Kael looked up, surprised at the interruption. His eyes were sharp, guarded, as if he was used to being approached with judgment or pity.

"Yeah, that's me," Kael replied, his voice steady but distant. "And you're Daylen. The Elite."

The way Kael said it made Daylen wince. It wasn't a compliment, more like a statement of fact, stripped of any admiration. Daylen didn't know how to respond. What could he say? Congratulations on not being Classless?

"Yeah," Daylen said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "That's me."

Kael raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "What do you want, Daylen?"

Daylen hesitated. He didn't really know what he wanted. Maybe it was the strange sense of kinship he felt with Kael, or maybe it was just the fact that Kael didn't seem to care about the social hierarchy that had dominated Daylen's life up until now.

"I don't know," Daylen admitted. "I guess I just... I don't know if I'm supposed to feel like this."

"Like what?" Kael asked, his tone more curious than hostile.

"Like none of it matters," Daylen said, the words spilling out before he could stop them. "The ceremony, the rankings, all of it. I'm an Elite, but I don't feel any different than I did yesterday. And you're in Exempt, but... you seem like you don't care either."

Kael's lips curled into a small, humorless smile. "That's because I don't."

Daylen sat down on the edge of the fountain beside him, the cool mist from the water drifting over them.

"How can you not care?" Daylen asked, genuinely curious.

Kael shrugged, his gaze fixed on the rippling water. "When you're this close to the bottom, you learn pretty quickly that caring doesn't change anything. It's not like I can change where I am. I barely scraped by to get into Exempt. One wrong move and I'd be down there with the Classless."

Daylen was quiet for a moment, letting Kael's words sink in. It was strange, hearing someone talk so openly about the system in a way that wasn't filled with pride or ambition. Kael spoke about his placement like it was a simple fact of life, something he had no control over. And maybe that was what struck Daylen the most—the idea that so much of their lives were determined by factors beyond their control.

"I don't know how you do it," Daylen said finally. "I've spent my whole life trying to be perfect, trying to live up to everyone's expectations. And now that I've made it, it feels... empty."

Kael glanced at him, his sharp eyes softening just a fraction. "That's because it is empty. The system doesn't care about who you are. It just cares about what box you fit into."

Daylen looked down at the water, his reflection shimmering in the ripples. For the first time, he felt like someone truly understood what he was feeling. Kael didn't pity him for his Elite status, didn't envy him or resent him. He simply saw through the façade, the same way Daylen was starting to.

They sat in silence for a while, the only sound the gentle trickling of the fountain and the distant hum of the city. Daylen found a strange sense of peace in Kael's company. Maybe it was because, in Kael's world, the rankings didn't define them. Maybe it was because, for the first time, Daylen didn't have to pretend to be someone he wasn't.

Eventually, Kael stood, brushing off his pants. "I should get going."

Daylen nodded, though he didn't want the conversation to end. "Yeah. Me too."

As Kael turned to leave, Daylen called after him. "Hey, Kael?"

Kael stopped and looked back, his expression unreadable.

"I don't know what's going to happen next," Daylen said, his voice quieter now. "But... thanks. For talking."

Kael gave a small nod, his lips twitching into something resembling a smile. "Don't mention it."

And with that, Kael disappeared into the shadows, leaving Daylen alone by the fountain. But for the first time since the ceremony, Daylen didn't feel alone. He felt like maybe, just maybe, there was someone else out there who understood.

As he walked back home, the weight of the Elite status still hung heavy on his shoulders, but it didn't feel as suffocating as before. Because now, Daylen knew there was more to life than the rankings. There was more to people than the labels they were given.

And maybe, just maybe, he wasn't the only one who thought so.