Changes

Alex Zane felt the weight of the world on his shoulders as he zipped up the small backpack that contained all his possessions, a few changes of clothes and a newspaper with a headline about an accident in which several people had died. At the age of 18, he was leaving the orphanage where he had spent his entire life. When he reached the door, he looked back and saw the small cubicle he had spent practically his entire life in, a bed and a headboard were the only things they had in the old room. As she descended the stairs, the principal, a stern but fair woman called Mrs. Mullen, watched from the doorway.

- Don't forget who you are, Alex. The outside world may be cruel, but you're stronger than you think," she said, with a rare smile.

Alex nodded, swallowing. The orphanage wasn't a perfect home, but it was the only one he knew. Now he was alone. Without a family, without a roof over his head. There was only one option for him: to join the military academy.

With a one-way ticket, he boarded the special transport that took young men to the academy. Looking out of the window, he saw the skyscrapers cutting across the horizon, imagining what the future would be like and wondering how far he could get.

The military academy, known as the Genesis Academy, was famous for its rigorous training programs and for preparing young people to become elite soldiers. Arriving at the end of the route, Alex and a group of young people of apparently the same age came across a huge complex, with several state-of-the-art facilities awaiting them. When Alex arrived at the entrance to the academy, he was greeted by a group of uniformed cadets and a high-ranking officer.

- Welcome to Genesis Academy. I'm Captain Rourke. Let's see what you're made of. Genesis doesn't take kindly to jokes. If you test the limits, you'll be severely punished.

The first few days at the academy were intense. Alex underwent a series of individual physical and mental tests, being constantly observed by instructors and superiors. He excelled in the endurance and agility tests, drawing the attention of some superiors, but he still didn't fully understand what the academy really expected of him.

A week after his arrival, Alex was summoned to a medical operating room. As he entered, he saw several pieces of high-tech equipment and a large glass capsule filled with a translucent liquid. Two doctors in white suits were waiting for him.

- Welcome to your genetic start-up, Zane," said one of the doctors. - This is an essential part of training at the Genesis Academy. This procedure will activate your latent potential.

Alex hesitated for a moment, but knew he had no choice. He was instructed to undress and enter the capsule. As the glass lid closed over him, he felt himself submerged in the liquid. A slight tingling sensation ran through his body, and a breathing mask was placed over his face.

The procedure began, and Alex felt his body relax as a series of data and holographic graphs appeared before his eyes. The Evolution System was activated, and a holographic interface projected itself in front of him, showing his physical state and a section marked "Latent Potential". He looked quickly when it was 

- The system is analyzing your DNA and activating specific genes to improve your abilities," explained one of the doctors over the intercom. - Don't worry, everything is under control.

After what seemed like an eternity, the procedure finally ended. The glass lid opened and Alex was helped out of the capsule. He felt strange, as if he had a new energy pulsing through his veins.

Before he could even look at the holographic interface, all the cadets who had just gone through the initialization were summoned to an auditorium. After sitting down, he saw Captain Rourke on stage.

 - Now, all of you are ready to start training. Teams of five will be formed by the performance of the boot and you've known hell after that. Good luck to you all, and as my first order as your captain is: DON'T DISAPPOINT ME!!!

On the screen, ten teams were formed. In the fifth group were the names: ZANE, ORLAN, EMERYS, CLARX and MAECK. Trying to find each other, a chatter broke out in the auditorium, then in one of the corners group five gathered, two men and three women. 

The first to speak was the other boy. - My name is James Maeck, I come from a military family, and I joined to follow in my father's footsteps. Said the burly young man of 1.90 who certainly seemed to care about the etiquette imposed by the army. 

Rolling his eyes in boredom, Emerys retorted. -Nobody cares what family you come from, you ogre. What really matters is whether your skills are useful, and that's it. By the way, my name is Anna Emerys. She was of average height, with long curly red hair and a few freckles on her face.

Soon after the discussion the others introduced themselves, Jane Orlan a tall girl, at least 1.80 tall and with a big bust, wore her black hair in a bun. And Lya Clarx, who seemed very shy, a short blonde with blue eyes.

Finally, Alex spoke: - I'm Alex Zane, without a family and alone.

After the dramatic silence, he tried to break the ice himself, but first another officer appeared to give him information.

- You've passed the first stage of your evolution," said the officer who had just entered the room. - Now, you'll be able to see your statistics and skills in real time via the Evolution System. This will help you monitor your progress and reach your true potential.

Alex nodded, still processing everything that had happened. When he looked at the hologram floating in front of him, he saw that a new skill was listed: Matter Manipulation. He had no idea what that meant.