The palace had grown quieter in recent days.
Too quiet.
General Saijew hated quiet.
Battles made sense.
Training made sense.
Orders made sense.
Silence did not.
Silence left room for questions.
Questions left room for doubt.
And lately…
Saijew had many questions.
The old general walked through the palace corridors with his hands clasped behind his back.
His thoughts drifted back toward the documents.
Sous.
Sofia.
The rampage.
The vial.
The Pharaoh.
Pieces of a puzzle.
Pieces that refused to fit together.
A faint metallic clink pulled him from his thoughts.
Saijew turned a corner.
Ren sat alone near an open balcony.
The boy hadn't noticed him.
His attention remained fixed on the golden wrist brace resting in his hands.
The same bracelet he had taken from Ahn.
The same bracelet that had nearly gotten him killed.
Saijew approached.
"You've been staring at that thing for days."
Ren nearly jumped.
"General."
Saijew sat beside him.
Neither spoke immediately.
The old soldier looked toward the horizon.
Toward the distant city beyond the palace walls.
"You never went on the excursions."
Ren blinked.
"What?"
"The other recruits."
Saijew shrugged.
"Abydos."
"Bubastis."
"Sais."
"Khemenu-Aset."
"You stayed behind every time."
Ren looked away.
For a moment.
Only a moment.
But Saijew noticed.
Interesting.
"Never really cared for sightseeing."
The answer came too quickly.
Saijew hummed.
A lie.
Not a particularly good one.
But he let it go.
For now.
Instead, he pointed toward the bracelet.
"Do you know what that actually is?"
Ren looked down.
"The bracelet Seth gave Ahn."
"Partially correct."
Saijew folded his arms.
"That is the Golden Wrist Brace of Seth."
Ren's eyes narrowed.
The general continued.
"Ancient artifact."
"Extremely dangerous."
"It amplifies combat instincts."
"Strength."
"Speed."
"Violence."
"It also increases rage."
Ren frowned.
"Sounds useful."
Saijew laughed.
"Only to idiots."
That got a grin from Ren.
The general continued.
"It doesn't create power."
"It removes restraint."
"Every hateful thought."
"Every violent impulse."
"Every murderous instinct."
"The bracelet grabs them and turns them into fuel."
Ren looked back toward it.
The golden metal suddenly seemed less impressive.
"And the downside?"
Saijew's expression darkened.
"It eats you."
Ren blinked.
"What?"
"Life force."
The words hung in the air.
"The stronger the power boost, the more life it consumes."
"The angrier you become, the faster it feeds."
"Eventually…"
Saijew tapped the bracelet.
"…there's nothing left."
The silence that followed lasted several seconds.
Ren stared at the artifact.
Ahn had used this.
Repeatedly.
Without hesitation.
Without fear.
"Then why would Seth make something like this?"
Saijew chuckled.
"You're asking the wrong person."
Ren frowned.
"No seriously."
"Why?"
The general thought for a moment.
Then answered honestly.
"Because Seth isn't a god of balance."
"He's a god of ambition."
"Conflict."
"Storms."
"Power."
"People like Seth believe victory matters more than cost."
Ren looked toward the horizon.
The answer bothered him.
A lot.
Quietly he asked:
"Would you use it?"
"No."
The answer came instantly.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm old enough to know every shortcut has a bill waiting at the end."
Ren laughed.
For a moment the tension faded.
Then footsteps approached.
Saijew already knew who it was.
Poison.
The assassin-in-training looked worse than usual.
His injuries had mostly healed.
Mostly.
But his expression hadn't.
The usual confidence was gone.
The smirk was gone.
Something heavier had replaced it.
Poison stopped before them.
"Ren."
Ren looked up.
"What?"
Poison hesitated.
Which immediately caught Saijew's attention.
Poison never hesitated.
"I need to ask you something."
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"Okay?"
Poison looked down at his hands.
Then back at Ren.
"That red power."
Ren immediately knew what he meant.
The transformation.
The power that had emerged during the fight with Ahn.
Saijew glanced at Poison, then at Ren.
Poison's jaw tightened.
"I need to know how you did it."
Ren frowned.
"I don't."
"Don't lie."
"I'm not."
The frustration in Poison's voice was obvious.
"I lost."
His fists clenched.
"I didn't just lose."
"I got destroyed."
The memory flashed through his mind.
Blood.
Pain.
Failure.
Helplessness.
Both of them nearly dying.
Because he wasn't strong enough.
Because he wasn't fast enough.
Because he failed.
Poison looked away.
"I was supposed to protect people."
His voice lowered.
"Instead I almost got everyone killed."
Neither Ren nor Saijew interrupted.
The silence allowed him to continue.
"I don't care what it takes anymore."
Poison's crimson eyes hardened.
"I need to get stronger."
Ren studied him carefully.
Then sighed.
"The truth?"
Poison nodded.
"I don't know how I did it."
The answer wasn't satisfying.
But it was honest.
Ren looked down at his own hands.
"It wasn't something I controlled."
"It felt more like…"
He struggled to find the words.
"…something answering me."
Poison's expression darkened.
Not useful.
Not actionable.
Not enough.
Saijew finally spoke.
"Power isn't your problem."
Both boys looked at him.
The general pointed directly at Poison.
"You fight like you're alone."
Poison frowned.
"What?"
"You carry everything yourself."
Saijew stood.
"You think every battle depends entirely on you."
The old soldier shook his head.
"That's not strength."
"That's arrogance."
The words hit harder than any punch.
Poison looked away.
Because part of him knew the general was right.
Without another word, Saijew continued down the hallway.
Leaving the two boys behind.
His destination remained unchanged.
Sofia.
Minutes later he found her sitting alone within one of the palace gardens.
Reading.
Or pretending to.
The moment she saw him approaching, her shoulders stiffened.
Guarded.
Just like before.
Saijew sat nearby.
Neither spoke immediately.
Eventually Sofia sighed.
"What do you want this time?"
The general almost smiled.
At least she was honest.
"I have questions."
"Obviously."
"And?"
Sofia closed her book.
Her orange eyes studied him carefully.
"You think something happened to Sous."
The general didn't react.
Which was reaction enough.
Sofia noticed.
"You think somebody caused it."
Still nothing.
Sofia sighed.
"You really aren't going to stop digging."
"No."
A small smile appeared on her face.
At least he was honest too.
For nearly half an hour they spoke.
Questions.
Answers.
Observations.
Memories.
Little things.
Small details.
Nothing definitive.
Nothing useful.
And yet…
Saijew felt like he was getting closer.
Closer to something.
He just didn't know what.
Then—
BOOOOOOOM.
The entire palace shook.
Stone exploded.
Dust erupted into the air.
The garden wall vanished.
Completely vanished.
Sofia immediately jumped to her feet.
"What in the gods—"
A massive cloud of debris rolled across the courtyard.
Guards rushed forward.
Servants screamed.
Saijew's hand immediately moved toward his weapon.
Then three figures emerged from the dust.
Covered in dirt.
Covered in scratches.
Very much alive.
Kibo.
Valentina.
And Abraham.
The three stared at the destroyed wall.
Silence.
Valentina slowly pointed at Kibo.
"I blame him."
"I said I didn't know how to land."
"THEN WHY DID YOU TRY IT?"
"I THOUGHT I'D FIGURE IT OUT."
Abraham adjusted his crooked glasses.
His expression somehow remained completely calm.
"We have successfully returned to Egypt."
Another piece of stone fell from the ruined wall.
CRASH.
"…mostly successfully."
The entire courtyard stared at them.
Nobody spoke.
Finally Saijew pinched the bridge of his nose.
Closed his eyes.
And muttered:
"…I should have stayed retired."
For several long seconds…
No one spoke.
Dust continued drifting through the courtyard.
Half the garden wall now decorated the palace floor.
Kibo slowly scratched the back of his head.
"…Sorry."
Saijew sighed.
"We'll discuss the wall later."
His attention shifted immediately.
"For now…"
His expression became serious again.
"Tell me everything."
The courtyard emptied quickly.
Guards secured the perimeter while palace servants began clearing rubble.
Within minutes, Kibo, Valentina, Abraham, Sofia, and Saijew sat inside one of the palace briefing chambers.
Saijew folded his hands.
"Start from the beginning."
Abraham nodded.
"They took us through what they called the Shadow."
"We arrived somewhere in Greece."
"Specifically, an abandoned sanctuary hidden within the mountains."
Saijew remained silent.
Listening.
Analyzing.
Abraham continued.
"There were children there."
"Lots of them."
"Not prisoners."
"But… not exactly free either."
Valentina leaned forward.
"They weren't all Greek."
Saijew looked toward her.
"What do you mean?"
"There were Egyptian children."
"Greek children."
"Some looked Nubian."
"Others looked like they came from places I've never seen before."
She frowned.
"They weren't separated."
"They all lived together."
Kibo nodded.
"They didn't really care where anyone came from."
"They cared more about getting them away from wars."
Saijew quietly stored the information away.
Children from multiple nations…
Interesting.
Abraham adjusted his glasses.
"Valerie and Calix were leading them."
"They weren't cruel."
"They fed everyone."
"They protected everyone."
"They even tried explaining why they kidnapped us."
"They believed children shouldn't become soldiers."
The room grew quiet.
Sofia lowered her eyes.
Saijew didn't interrupt.
He simply listened.
Kibo finally spoke.
"I still think they're wrong."
Everyone looked toward him.
"They stole us."
"They stole other kids."
"I don't care what their reason is."
He clenched his fist.
"That isn't freedom."
Valentina nodded immediately.
"They wanted us to stay."
"They kept saying we'd understand eventually."
Abraham sighed.
"But…"
"They never forced us."
Saijew's eyebrow lifted.
"They didn't?"
All three recruits shook their heads.
"They tried convincing us."
"They argued."
"They blocked our escape."
"But…"
Kibo finished the sentence.
"They never used their contracts."
Silence.
Saijew leaned back slightly.
"You're certain?"
"They never activated them."
Valentina answered immediately.
"They fought us."
"They were stronger than normal."
"But they never used whatever powers they have."
Abraham nodded.
"I believe they intentionally restrained themselves."
"They were fighting children."
"They didn't want to seriously injure us."
Saijew's expression became unreadable.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"And your awakening?"
Kibo looked down at his hands.
"I don't fully understand it."
He slowly stood.
Blue light briefly shimmered behind him.
Nine radiant wings unfolded from his back.
The room became illuminated once more.
Even Sofia stared.
The wings folded again almost immediately.
"I…"
Kibo searched for the words.
"I realized hope doesn't mean waiting."
"It means doing something."
"I don't know why…"
"…but after that…"
"They appeared."
Valentina smiled.
"They're awesome."
Abraham nodded.
"They're incredibly versatile."
"They fly."
"They can be used offensively."
"They can intercept attacks."
"And from what we observed…"
"They're manifestations of Kibo's own intent."
Kibo laughed awkwardly.
"I was kind of figuring them out while escaping."
"You destroyed an entire wall."
"…I'm still figuring them out."
Even Saijew couldn't stop himself from smiling.
Then his smile disappeared.
He reached toward the communication device resting against his ear.
Click.
"This is General Saijew."
Several seconds passed.
Static.
Then a voice.
"…Go ahead."
The Pharaoh.
Saijew immediately noticed something strange.
Behind the Pharaoh's voice…
Wind.
Sand shifting beneath footsteps.
A distant rattling.
Almost like stones…
No.
Not stones.
A strange rhythmic sound.
Followed by something soft.
A faint hiss.
Barely audible.
Saijew frowned.
"…Your Majesty?"
The strange sounds stopped instantly.
Only wind remained.
"What is it, General?"
The Pharaoh sounded composed again.
Almost too composed.
Saijew pushed the thought aside.
"Kibo."
"Valentina."
"Abraham."
"They've returned."
A brief silence.
"…Returned?"
The Pharaoh repeated.
"On their own?"
"Yes."
"They escaped Greece without assistance."
Another pause.
Then…
A quiet chuckle.
"…Excellent."
Relief.
Genuine relief.
"They're alive."
"I'll return shortly."
The transmission ended.
Click.
Saijew stared at the communicator for another second.
Strange.
He could have sworn…
No.
Perhaps the desert had been playing tricks.
He slipped the earpiece back into place.
No time for distractions.
Instead, he switched frequencies.
A different channel.
One used exclusively by the remaining recruits scattered across Egypt.
Static.
Then voices answered one after another.
"Emma here."
"Poison."
"Luna."
"Magnolia."
"Matthew."
"Ren."
"Amelia."
Sous's voice came last.
"…I'm here."
Saijew smiled faintly.
Good.
Everyone was listening.
He spoke only six words.
Simple.
Direct.
Calm.
"Come back."
A brief pause.
"Your vacation is over."
Silence answered him.
Then, one by one…
"Understood."
"We're heading back."
"We'll be there soon."
"On our way."
Across Egypt, children who had only just begun seeing the world turned toward home.
None of them knew why.
Only that General Saijew had called.
And General Saijew never called without reason.