A Timekeeper’s Awakening

The Grand Master and Cron walked down the academy's hallways. Cron admired the architects' masterful placement of each brick, which was beautiful in his eyes. There were no imperfections; it was as if the brick had been placed there with precise angling.

When Cron looked at the Grand Master, the Grand Master had a smirk. Cron was confused at the gesture but decided to ignore it. They didn't say a word to each other until they made it to the Grand Master's chamber.

The Grand Master opened the door for Cron to walk in. Cron was amazed by the chamber's decor. Candle lit up the room, and pillars that held the ceiling gave the room an epic feel. In the corner was a tall rectangular box. It had four boxes with handles to grab. It also looked aged, as if it had stood there for a long time. The grand desk was in the middle of the room, and the chair behind the desk was fitting of one with the title of Grand Master. Then, in front of the desk were two typical wooden chairs.

The Grand Master gestured for Cron to sit down. With a pounding heart, Cron walked to the chair and waited for the Grand Master to speak. As the Grand Master walked to his chair, he studied Cron momentarily before speaking.

"A boy without an Orgone? I can't say I've never heard of that before. But a boy coming to Onyx Academy with an Orgone, now that is new. Tell me how you got in?"

Cron decided to tell the truth, but he kept the part about his dad being dead to himself. "I sent in an application, and later, I got an acceptance letter."

The Grand Master scratched at his bread. "Hmm, what is your full name?"

"My name is Cron Orus."

The Grand Master's face change to a face of recognition. "Ah, that must explain it. You're the son of Tez Orus, correct?"

Cron nodded. "Yes, sir."

The Grand Master chuckled. "No need to be so formal here. Nobody is here. Anyway, that explains why you were able to get an acceptance letter. The individual who looked at your letter must have seen the last name Orus and sent you the acceptance letter immediately."

Cron wasn't sure what response to give, so he nodded. But he did want to know one thing: it was eating at his soul as he sat down. "So, are you kicking me out of the academy?"

The Grand Master looked at Cron curiously. "Why would I do that?"

Cron looked at the Grand Master expectantly. He thought he wasn't allowed to stay since he didn't fit in. "Well, because I don't have an Orgone like everyone else."

"That may be true, but with that comes a new perspective."

Cron was confused. "A new perspective."

"You see," the Grand Master started. "You can look at this as a new way to learn. And the teacher can find a new way to teach. Who knows, you might see something others don't. Because you lack an Orgone, you could point out something we have been complacent with."

"Like what?" Cron asked.

"Who knows, but I warn you, your academic will be challenging. Don't come into this thinking you get a special pass. I want you to study as hard as you can. I want you to become more intelligent than your entire class. If you can do that, then I have no reason to expel you from my academy."

Cron was equally excited and nervous at his new opportunity at the academy. "Oh yes, you'll see me in the library every day, studying as if my life depended on it!"

The Grand Master chuckled. "No need to take it that far, but yes, please do well in your classes. I hope to hear great things from you, Cron Orus."

Cron excitedly nodded. "Yes, yes, I will!"

The Grand Master smiled at Cron's excitement. "Glad to hear it. Also, if anyone is calling you Timeless, notify me immediately. I don't take kindly to slander like that."

Cron nodded. "I will, Grand Master!"

The Grand Master smiled. "Good to hear. Now, I believe the presentation is over in the Grand Auditorium. This is considered a free day, so you may go to your dorms or explore the campus. Curfew is nine o'clock on the dot."

"Yes, sir. I'll make sure I remember that!" Cron said with excitement as he stood up.

The Grand Master laughed. "Have fun then, Cron."

Cron was excited about the opportunity that was granted to him. He thought he would have been kicked out if the academy had found out, but the generosity of the Grand Master allowed him to start his new life as he wanted to. Cron ran through the halls to find the library to start studying and begin his journey to becoming the new Cron Orus.