The Elder Caledor's calm voice cut through the tension, providing a much-needed reassurance to Zod. The cadet's relief was palpable as a small smile graced his face, his faith in his own potential bolstered by the Elder Caledor's words.

  "With time, your abilities will manifest," the Elder Caledor continued, his tone steady and unwavering. "They may start as simple abilities that can be done by sense enhancement sorcery, like your teammate Miss Char."

  Tee blinked several times upon hearing her last name mentioned, her brows furrowing as she felt a sense of being singled out. She had deliberately kept her ability hidden from everyone but her new comrades after their shared death experience.

  The fact that the Commander and the Elder Caledor were aware of her ability, as well as her Xenogene sent an unsettling shiver down her spine. It raised disconcerting questions about just how much they knew about her, extending beyond those two secrets alone. Tee pushed aside the itch on her neck, where her curse mark resided, determined not to let her unease show. Thankfully her hair was let out, its ends hiding both sides of her neck.

  The Elder Caledor's dull blue eyes shifted towards Tee, but she maintained a stoic expression. Revealing strong emotions, especially anger, was a sign of weakness. She needed to show that she had not been defeated and that she was not easily predictable.

  His words hung in the air, carrying a weight of revelation. "It enables her to surpass the limitations of ordinary vision," he explained. "She can be present in one location while her special sight allows her to perceive and be aware of events in another, all without being noticed or sensed by the average person."

  The Elder Caledor then turned his gaze to the other teenagers gathered around him. "The abilities you will gain through your Ultramana linkage will transcend the boundaries of what has been achieved through sorcery or Vergants. They will be abilities beyond anything you could have imagined."

  Kie asked a burning question, “Are we immortal? This is the second time we’ve faced death and healed.”

  "I can understand why you would think that, but it is not so," the Elder Caledor replied, his words causing Zod's shoulders to slump in disappointment. His comrades, however, weren't disheartened by the answer.

  Had the Elder Caledor confirmed their immortality, they might have left the room immediately, convinced of the madness of it all. The Elder Caledor's response salvaged some of the credibility of his previous statements, which had begun to accumulate doubts. His calm voice added to the illusion, making him seem wise and deserving of respect, despite the gibberish he spoke.

  "Eon's legacy does not grant you immortality, for he perished while destroying Severin's physical body," the Elder Caledor elaborated. "The Ultrama is activated by your will to live. If you lose that will to keep fighting or if you cease to believe in your own abilities, you can die."

  Saeda spoke up, seeking clarification. "What happens if one of us dies? Are we weaker as a whole?"

  "The legacy of Eon resides only within the living," the Elder Caledor explained, turning to address her directly. "If any member of your group should perish, their share of the legacy will be evenly distributed among those who remain."

  She pressed further, her voice tinged with a sense of urgency. "And if we all die?"

  The Elder Caledor swallowed hard, meeting the girl's unwavering gaze with a pained expression. He mustered the strength to answer Saeda's question. His dull blue eyes wandered from her face, fixating on the white sheet covering her bed. The weight of a disturbing future settled upon his mind, and his voice softened as he spoke.

  "Young lady, should all of you meet such a fate, it will mark the end of this generation's legacy," he began, his tone heavy with sorrow. "Yet, from the ashes, another generation will inevitably rise. However, their journey may be cut short before they even have the chance to take their first steps, as the forces that oppose us will seek to destroy us all."

  Tee listened intently, every strand of gray hair that cascaded from the Elder Caledor's head down to his waist becoming more pronounced in her perception. His words carried a weight that settled heavily upon her heart, instilling a sense of urgency and the realization of the immense challenges they faced.

  The Elder Caledor continued, bringing their attention back to the present. "As the Sentinels of the planet, it is crucial that no one else interferes," he explained, his hand absentmindedly stroking his beard. "You may have wondered why we did not come to your aid."

  Tee couldn't help but question his words. Was it because they were never meant to intervene? Were they simply left to fend for themselves in that dangerous game? His pause swirled suspicion within her.

  The Elder Caledor's next statement only fueled their growing unease. "It is evident that Sade possesses knowledge on how to deactivate the Sealed Bond protecting the fragment," he pondered aloud. "That is why you were able to snatch it so easily."

  Sid… the man Tee knew before her encounter with the so-called Harbingers. An unsettling feeling rose at the hearing of his name. Her ears listened intently.

  "You were there?" Kie blurted out, his voice filled with disbelief, as if he had stumbled upon an unsettling revelation. It seemed as though the Elder Caledor had been present, bearing witness to the exact moment when he snatched the golden rock.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Kie's intense gaze locked onto the Elder Caledor, his dark red eyes brimming with curiosity. With a hint of defiance, he inquired, "How were you able to see the exact moment I snatched the fragment?"

  Facing Kie directly, the Elder Caledor met his challenging stare and calmly replied, "We, the esteemed elders, oversaw the entire sequence of events as they unfolded."

  The room fell into a stunned silence, interrupted only by the sharp intakes of breath from the five recruits. Tee instinctively grasped the logical reasoning behind the Elder Caledor's claim, considering his integral role in orchestrating the intricate plan at Primus. Suppressing any signs of panic, she discreetly scanned the room for telltale signs of unease, hoping the Elder Caledor hadn't accidentally divulged crucial information.

  With a compassionate tone, he addressed them, "I implore you to grasp the weight of our predicament. Our sworn duty prohibited any form of interference. Furthermore, a potent disruption enveloped the entire vicinity, making it arduous to discern the precise events that unfolded."

  Kie’s shoulders relaxed slightly at those words. He realized that Elder Caledor had not seen him flee to the forest like a coward.

  “The GPS in each of your telecoms could locate exactly where each of you was.” The Elder Caledor shook his head as he said, “However, group teleportation being already activated meant going there ourselves was the only way to bring you back. That was not an option. So we waited until it was all over.”

  "Oh, my," Miko gasped, her hand instinctively rising to cover her gaping mouth in shock.

  Saeda, devoid of any visible emotion, stated matter-of-factly, "You waited until we died."

  The Commander interjected, interrupting the bleak atmosphere. "You did not die," he clarified, his voice carrying a hint of reassurance.

  "We could not risk the lives of others any longer. Nay, not when the Verge hath made known the Sentinels." the Elder Caledor's words rushed out at a faster pace than before. "Such sacrifices will no longer be made. The outcome, as foreseen by the tragic loss of our Vergants, was predictable. Their fate differed greatly from yours."

  The Elder Caledor's tone turned chilling as he declared, "The Harbingers clearly pose a grave threat to our planet. It falls upon the Sentinels to put an end to their machinations. No external intervention shall be tolerated. Those who perish in their attempts to assist now bear the weight of their own choices."

  It was the first time the five teenagers heard such coldness emanate from the Elder Caledor's lips. Was that an isolated incident or a glimpse into his true nature?

  Continuing his explanation, the Elder Caledor revealed, "Once the Harbingers departed with the fragment, the disturbance subsided, granting us visibility of the area. With the danger dissipated, our immediate priority was to retrieve and bring you back here, ensuring your well-being. After undergoing cleansing pods to purify your bodies, no further intervention took place until your present healed state," he concluded.

  A profound silence ensued, marking the longest lull in the conversation since they had entered the room. The mention of cleansing pods triggered an uncomfortable sensation at the side of Tee's neck, where her curse mark resided.

  Her mind wrestled between the prospect of the sole solvent capable of removing the concealer and the unsettling possibility of her curse mark being exposed. Dread filled her.

  The Commander leaned away from the window, nodding in agreement with the Elder Caledor. It was time for them to depart, leaving the cadets to process the overwhelming information they had received.

  "You will undoubtedly have further questions, and it is natural to require time to digest all of this," the Elder Caledor assured them. "When the moment comes, do not hesitate to bring your inquiries to us, the elders. We will provide you with comprehensive answers to the best of our abilities. For now, please continue your rest."

  The Commander nodded and left the room with Elder Claedor.

  "Get more sleep?" Saeda shook her head disapprovingly. “That was the best sleep I had in years.”

  “What time is it anyways,” Zod asked.

  "I can't sleep," Zod admitted, despite the Elder Caledor's advice to rest.

  Recalling the Commander's words about their long slumber, Zod decided to follow Kie as the latter led the way towards the tall doors.

  "I'm so glad to see all of us alive again," Zod said with a wide smile, turning around to face the others who followed behind Kie. He continued walking backward to maintain eye contact with Tee, Saeda, and Miko. "Even if we didn't technically die," he added.

  Tee grew frustrated at Zod's face obstructing her view of the door and increased her pace.

  "That includes you too, Tee," Zod said to her as she attempted to pass him.

  Tee turned to face him directly and spoke plainly, her words cutting through Zod's heart like a knife. "Zod, I would return the compliment, but I would be lying."

  Her words struck Zod deeply, causing him to halt his backward walking as she passed by. Saeda walked past him without acknowledging him, and it was double stabbing.

  "I'm happy to see you," Miko reassured him with a smile, reaching out to hold his hand and guiding him towards the door.

  Zod's smile returned, and he allowed Miko to lead him along, grateful for her presence.

  Finally, Tee’s room door slid shut behind, sealing her off from the outside world. Leaning her back against it, she could feel her heart pounding, threatening to burst out of her chest. The weight of the shattered reality pressed upon her.

  She felt her neck, but it was smooth as it should be. The mark was hidden again. They had put a concealer on it like the last time. Were they encouraging her to keep her secret? Or was that part of some greater plotting. Or maybe they didn’t want to upset her, fearing it could trigger her mutation. Whatever a MegaSapian looked like, she didn’t want to know.

  Not long after, Saeda was in the kitchen, reaching for a new plate only to discover a dirty speck on its surface. Intrigued, she inspected several more plates and found similar spots. Frustration welled up within her as she realized the consequences of Tee's rushed and inconsiderate job. Saeda couldn't help but label Tee as a lazy slug in her mind.

  Witnessing Saeda's mounting anger, Zod wisely took a step back, seeking some distance to avoid getting caught up in the turmoil. Recognizing that some time spent outdoors might help Saeda cool down, Zod pondered the idea of suggesting a short break from the kitchen.

  Meanwhile, something unsettling caught Kie’s eye in the mirror.

  “What the heck?”