Djinn of Heroes: The Seven Wonders

A step towards tomorrow

The harsh, incessant beeping of an alarm sliced through the quiet morning air, dragging Soren Amari from the depths of sleep. His head felt heavy, his body sluggish, as if he had been pulled from some distant, lingering dream. His eyes fluttered open, squinting at the early morning light streaming in through the window. It took a few moments for him to remember where he was.

The floor.

Soren blinked, confused at first. He wasn't in his bed. His body was sprawled out on the hardwood floor of his living room. The remnants of a dream—a battle, flames, and wind—lingered in his mind, but it all seemed too distant now, too fragmented to make sense of.

With a groan, he pushed himself up onto his elbows, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. The floor beneath him was cold, and his joints ached from the awkward position he'd been in all night.

He rubbed his face, trying to clear the fog from his mind, and then—

The alarm.

It was still blaring, an irritating, shrill noise cutting through the stillness.

His eyes shot wide open.

"Crap," he muttered, scrambling to sit up, the remnants of his dream quickly fading into the back of his mind. U.A. Entrance Exam.

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

He was late.

Soren bolted upright, his pulse quickening. The time on his phone confirmed it: was 7:45 AM. The exam started at 9:00 AM, and his house was a good 40 minutes away from U.A. Academy. He couldn't afford to waste another second.

Panic flared in his chest, but he forced himself to breathe. He had trained for this moment for years, and he wouldn't let something as trivial as being late ruin his chances. Still, there was no denying the pressure that weighed down on him now. His dreams of becoming a Pro Hero were within reach, and today would decide everything.

His legs were stiff as he hurriedly pushed himself to his feet, his mind racing. What now? He grabbed his phone from the coffee table, checked the time once more, and cursed under his breath. No time to waste.

Soren dashed to the kitchen, snatching his middle school uniform from the chair where it had been tossed the night before. His house was small—just a modest two-bedroom place on the outskirts of the city, far enough away from the bustle of downtown but close enough for convenience. The simplicity of it matched Soren's lifestyle, one built around efficiency, independence, and an unwavering focus on the future.

But today? Efficiency was in short supply.

As he threw on his navy blue jacket, the fabric rough against his skin, he moved with a speed and precision born from years of practice. His mind was scattered, thoughts flashing through his head faster than he could process them, but he pushed them aside. Focus.

8:00 AM.

Soren glanced at the clock on the wall as he rushed back to the hall, the rush of adrenaline beginning to hit him in full force. His breath was shallow, his heartbeat quickening as he quickly grabbed the rest of his gear: his entrance exam ticket and his wallet.

Everything was thrown hastily into his bag. No time to double-check.

He grabbed a banana from the counter, knowing he wouldn't have time to eat much else, and shoved it into his pocket.

By now, he could hear the distant hum of cars on the road outside, the sound of the world continuing as though he had all the time in the world. But not him.

8:10 AM.

Soren cursed under his breath again, mentally calculating how much time he had left. His house was in the suburbs—too far to simply walk. The buses wouldn't cut it, and even if they did, there was no guarantee he could get there on time.

He grabbed his jacket, slipped it on, and rushed out the door, slamming it shut behind him. His shoes hit the pavement with rapid thuds as he bolted down the street.

He wasn't going to let this slip through his fingers.

The city streets were alive with movement, but Soren barely noticed. People milled about on their morning routines—some going to work, others heading to school—but his world had narrowed to a single objective: U.A. Academy.

The feeling of the pavement beneath his feet, the sharp pull of his legs as he sprinted faster than most would consider possible, felt like second nature. His body was built for this kind of speed, and his breath came in controlled bursts, despite the pressure mounting on him. He wasn't about to let a little thing like time get in his way.

8:30 AM.

His legs burned from the exertion, but he pushed harder, ignoring the tightness in his muscles. His mind was focused entirely on reaching U.A. in time. He had no intention of missing his chance.

He could see the sprawling cityscape in the distance, U.A. Academy's towering structure rising against the horizon. His stomach churned in anticipation, and he picked up his pace, cutting across the road with precision. Others were heading in the same direction, but Soren's focus was razor-sharp.

His thoughts flickered back to the dream, to the battle that seemed so real. Was it just a dream? Or was there something deeper, something he didn't understand yet?

He would think about it later.

8:45 AM.

He was getting closer. Soren had never been more grateful for his speed, for his training, as he sprinted the last stretch, his legs pumping furiously. He reached the gates of U.A. just as the first few students were filtering in. He was cutting it close, but he was going to make it.

With his heart pounding in his chest, Soren dashed up the steps, barely breaking his stride as he approached the registration booth. A student sat behind it, looking up with a raised brow but not saying anything as he handed over his entrance ticket.

"Name?" the attendant asked, not missing a beat.

"Soren Amari."

The attendant scanned the list, eyes flickering over the paper for a moment before nodding. "Just in time."

Soren didn't even acknowledge the words. His pulse still raced, his breath heavy, but his mind was already on the next step: the exam itself.

He wasn't here to be average. He wasn't here to settle.

He was here to show U.A. who Soren Amari was.