Silent Awakening: Sign-In To Destiny

Asher stood before the mounted armour suit inside his private workshop. The cool, metallic scent of steel and nanomesh lingered in the air, tinged faintly with ozone from the powered tools. His fingers brushed across the smooth plating of the Wraith prototype—the armour gleaming under the overhead lights, polished to a mirror finish.

"System," he murmured, stepping back, "Begin diagnostics. Full suite."

> \[Initiating Full Diagnostics...]

> Structural Integrity: 98.7%

> Power Efficiency: 91.4%

> Neurolink Response Time: 0.08s

> Motion Sync Calibration: Completed

> Adaptive Sensors: Functional

> Suggested Enhancements: Optional thermal shielding, internal battery reserve expansion

He nodded slowly, reviewing each detail on the floating interface projected in front of him. The results were promising—far beyond what he'd expected for a suit crafted by an eight-year-old boy, even one powered by an otherworldly system.

"Alright," Asher muttered, pulling on the glove interface embedded into the workstation, "Let's see how it moves."

With a hydraulic hiss, the armour split open at the back. He climbed inside, letting the plating close around him like a mechanical shell. A brief pulse ran through the frame as the neurolink snapped into place with his spinal sensors. His vision blinked to darkness—then opened into the overlay HUD of the suit.

> \[WRAITH ARMOUR ONLINE]

> Combat Mode: Disabled

> Passive Defence Mode: Engaged

He took a single step.

The motion was effortless.

No strain, no imbalance. His breath caught for a moment as the suit adjusted seamlessly to his form, distributing pressure evenly across his limbs.

He walked, then jogged, then sprinted across the length of the room.

The silent hum of energy followed each step, and his movements remained fluid, almost unnoticeable to someone who might be watching from outside.

> \[Attributes with Title Boost Applied:]

> – Blunt Force Resistance: 86%

> – Heat Resistance: 51%

> – Blade Shear Resistance: 73%

> – Adaptive Conformity: 100%

> – Noise Signature: Nullified

"Beautiful," he whispered. "System, mark this configuration as Armour Series One, Variant A."

> \[Designation saved.]

He spent the next few hours in testing.

Jumping. Rolling. Crawling. Simulating urban navigation through tight spaces. Practicing escape maneuvers.

It wasn't just about how much damage it could take—but how it felt. How it responded to instinct. He needed the armour to feel like a second skin, not a burden.

Finally, after running all the data and confirming integrity, Asher stepped out of the suit.

His face was flushed, eyes alight with focused satisfaction. He wiped sweat from his brow and pulled on a fresh shirt.

Just then, a knock echoed at the hidden workshop door.

He opened the biometric lock and saw his mother standing there with a soft smile.

"Done playing superhero?"

He smirked. "Yeah, yeah. You won't understand why I'm doing this."

She mumbled:" I do."

"Did you say something, mother?" Asher said. 

Seraphina stepped inside, letting her eyes roam across the room again. "You named it?"

"Wraith. It's not for show. It's for survival."

She nodded, her expression unreadable. "I trust you know what you're doing, Asher."

"I do."

He led her back to the dining room, where the evening meal had just been laid out.

His father was already seated, scrolling through news feeds on a holographic panel. Celia joined them quietly, pouring Asher a glass of juice.

Asher sat down and picked at his food.

"I wanted you both to know," he said finally, "The armour isn't just a hobby. It's a system. A layer of defence. If anything happens—if anyone ever tries to get close to me again like last time—I won't be unprepared."

Lucien looked at him, then nodded slowly. "We'll trust you, then. But you're still our son, Asher. Let us protect you too."

Asher looked at them both.

"Then help me build a future where I don't need protection. Just preparation."

His parents didn't reply right away.

But the silence felt warmer than most words.

That night, after dinner, Asher returned to his room.

He sat cross-legged on the carpet, facing the system interface one more time.

"System. Let's start designing Armour Series Two. Lighter, faster, urban mobility-focused."

> \[Parameters locked. Initiating design protocols.]

Asher smiled to himself.

This was only the beginning.