"War always reaches the depths of horror because of idiots who perpetuate terror from generation to generation under the pretext of vengeance." - Guy Sajer (The Forgotten Soldier)

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The sky outside had darkened into a dusky grey by the time Sera descended from the rooftop, her boots lightly tapping against the staircase that wound along the side of Aegis's boathouse like a weary spine.

Behind her, Raul moved with a more deliberate pace, his usual casual grace tempered by the gravity of what they had just discussed. Laura followed last, her expression unreadable—tight-lipped and pale, her shoulders drawn inward like she was physically bracing herself.

The trio stepped into the main lounge of the boathouse, where most of Aegis had already gathered. Warm lamps glowed in amber tones along the walls, casting elongated shadows that moved like ghosts against the varnished wood. But the warmth didn't reach the room.

Not tonight.

Lucie was sprawled in her usual corner of the couch, her fire-kissed hair hanging over one eye, fingers absently fiddling with a bracelet around her wrist. Tatius lounged nearby with his boots propped up on the edge of the coffee table, the flicker of sand dancing at his fingertips betraying his restlessness. Ness was perched on the armrest beside him, adjusting the strap of his pouch. Claudia leaned against a wall, arms folded elegantly across her chest, her pale green eyes narrowed.

Kailey and Neil stood together near the window, silent and watchful. Neil's expression was as neutral as always, but Kailey's lips were pursed in concern.

Letha sat at the edge of the bar counter in the small open kitchen, her pale braid glimmering faintly in the soft light as she raised an eyebrow. "Well? Are we going to be looped in, or are the top three just going to keep whispering on the roof?"

Everyone in Aegis knew that they had received some kind of request that had led to Sera, Laura, and Raul having several long discussions on the rooftop. And when that happens, all of Aegis knew that whatever is happening is Very Serious.

Laura hopped up onto the counter beside Letha, letting out a slow exhale and resting her elbows on her knees. "You'll be looped in," she muttered, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "But you're not going to like it."

Sera stepped to her usual place near the door, leaning against it with one boot heel pressed against the floor, her arms folded. She swept her gaze across the room, taking in each and every one of them.

Her expression was calm, but only on the surface. Beneath it, her eyes were taut with the kind of weight that came from knowing something too big, too dangerous, to speak aloud without thinking it through a hundred times first.

"Neil," she said quietly. "Put up a silencing barrier."

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Neil blinked, exchanging a glance with Kailey. "You serious?"

"Very."

A flicker of golden-white light shimmered into existence as Neil raised his hand. The faint hum of his Gift filled the air like static as a dome of invisible energy expanded out from his fingers. The entire room was instantly cocooned in silence—soundproofed from the outside world.

Lucie straightened in her seat. "Seems serious."

"Because it is," Raul replied as he dropped into the couch beside her, his usual smirk absent.

"We got a request," Sera said at last, her voice low but unflinching. "From one of the encrypted channels we use. At first glance, it seems ordinary. A simple delivery request. On the surface."

"Okay…?" Ness frowned. "That's not exactly news. That happens every other day."

"We've been flooded with requests ever since the witch hunt began," Claudia added, her arms still crossed. "Half the time, we can't even respond to all of them. What makes this one different?"

Sera exchanged a look with Raul, then Laura. Laura gave a solemn nod.

"It's the requester," Raul said simply. "Someone named Rex."

There was a ripple of confusion across the room. Kailey tilted her head. "Never heard of him."

"You wouldn't have," Sera murmured. "He's not from the underground. He's not a Gifted. He's a Normal. And one I haven't seen in over ten years. I honestly didn't think he was even alive anymore."

Tatius frowned, sitting up straighter. "That doesn't explain why this is such a big deal."

"He's asking us to retrieve a package," Raul said, tapping a few keys on the portable computer perched on his lap.

From the center of the coffee table, a soft light ignited. A hologram flared to life, displaying a rotating 3D map of a town Aegis is familiar with—a mess of zigzagging streets, shanty alleys, and a heavy fog-like overlay above the skyline.

"Zalfari," Ness muttered. "Figures."

Lucie snorted. "Lovely. Can't wait."

"He wants us to collect a shipment from a black-market dealer named Jorrik Bael," Raul said, pulling up a new data screen. "Weapons, food, medical supplies, and encrypted communications hardware—top-shelf contraband. Stuff you don't find lying around. Jorrik's well-known in certain circles. Keeps shop in the lower districts of Zalfari's Forgotten Quarter. Reputation for being ruthless, but trustworthy—if you pay on time and don't screw him over."

"Never dealt with him," Claudia admitted, "but I've heard of him. The kind who'd sell you a bleeding heart in a jar if you asked nicely."

"The package is already paid for," Raul continued. "Rex just wants us to pick it up and deliver it to the eastern outskirts. This place."

With another keystroke, the image shifted. A bleak and desolate expanse appeared—dull greys and yellows colouring the land like bruises. The map jittered slightly, clearly reconstructed from grainy old scans.

Tatius's eyes narrowed. "Wait. I know that place. That's—"

"A forbidden zone," Raul confirmed. "It doesn't exist on official maps anymore. It's called Zone 0 in old documents."

"The official story is contamination," Kailey murmured. "Radiation. A nuclear meltdown over a decade ago."

"No one goes there," Ness added, frowning. "Not even the hunters. It's supposed to be lethal. It's either execution or prison time if you're caught."

Claudia looked toward Sera, her voice carefully even. "So why are we going?"

Sera didn't speak for a long moment. She stared at the rotating map in the air, her eyes unreadable. Finally, she sighed, her voice low and calm. "Because that nuclear incident…wasn't a nuclear incident at all."

Silence followed. The kind of silence that had nothing to do with Neil's barrier.

"What… What do you mean?" Kailey asked quietly.

"We'll retrieve what the client wants first," Sera said, pushing off from the wall. "And I'll tell you the truth on the way. All of you are coming." She sighed. "I never did think that this could go hidden for long, anyway, despite what the officials in charge believe. Besides, by now, I think all of you are ready for the truth."

Laura's eyes flashed with a rare edge of fear. Raul remained quiet, but his shoulders were rigid.

"This is connected, isn't it?" Claudia asked, her voice sharp. "To the ESA. To the hunters."

"And to something else," Sera replied. "A dark part of Eldario's history that most people would rather forget."

She let the words settle. The weight of them. The implications. Aegis had seen plenty of hell—fleeing burning towns, carrying wounded children, and even watching people they loved disappear into the darkness of a system rigged against them.

But this was different. This was a truth so deeply buried, that it had its own grave marker.

Outside, the wind howled low against the boat's windows, like the world itself was mourning. Aurora was far behind them now. So was safety. If such a thing had ever existed in Eldario.

Lucie broke the silence first, her voice dry. "So… Forbidden land, death sentence, suspicious client, and a buried conspiracy?" She leaned back on the couch, tossing her braid over her shoulder. "Guess we're finally hitting all the bingo tiles."

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