Ace groaned, slowly coming to, his head pounding. As he blinked his eyes open, the unfamiliar surroundings hit him. It felt like déjà vu—except this time, no one was dressed for a masked party.
"Finally, you're up," Xavier's voice cut through the haze. "Took you long enough."
"How long?" Ace's voice was thick with confusion.
"Three days. We've seen improvement," Wei answered with a glance at the monitors.
"At least pretty face has found his weapon" Phiona said.
Ace sat up, rubbing his head, and tried to shake off the dizziness. "And what's with the whole weapon thing?"
"Not like we usually rely on weapons," Phiona said, smirking, "but when things get tough, they help."
"Well, you really did a number on the base," a new voice chimed in.
Ace turned. "Wait. You didn't tell me your name last time."
"It's Sam," the guy said, flashing a grin.
Before Ace could respond, Wei cut in. "The blades you used... they've had an effect on you."
Ace frowned. "Huh? I feel fine. I mean, different, but nothing major."
Xavier handed him a mirror. "Take a look."
Ace stared into the reflection. His face. His familiar face. Except it was... different. Slightly older. More worn.
"So... I can still use the blades, right?" Ace asked, his eyes flicking to Wei.
Wei sighed, folding her arms. "You can use them, but you need to be careful. Use any weapon too much, and you'll burn through your life energy. Eidolons live longer than humans, sure, but if you push yourself too hard, you won't even see fifty."
"Great," Ace muttered, his mind racing. "So, no weapons, got it."
"Not no weapons," Wei clarified. "Just... regulate your use. Rest up when you need to."
Xavier cut in before the conversation could continue. "Now that you're awake, it's time for your first mission."
Ace raised an eyebrow. "Mission? What, like, the government's getting us to do their dirty work?"
"Not exactly," Wei said. "We found the location of one of the Escaped. He's gone on a rampage, and the government's attempts to stop him? Useless."
Ace blinked. "Wait. Why is this our problem?"
Xavier gave a half-smile. "Because if the Originals get their hands on these Escaped, they can convince them to join their ranks. And once that happens, the Originals get even stronger. We need to take them out before they do."
Ace mulled it over for a moment. "And you want me involved in this... why?"
"Because we're not just about survival anymore," Wei continued, her tone serious. "We have to fight back. If we kill, we grow stronger. And you've seen what the Originals are capable of. We can't just let them run wild."
"Alright, alright." Ace rubbed his temples. "So, where's this guy now?"
Xavier leaned forward. "Last sighting was in San Francisco. We expect him to be heading for Oakland. We move tomorrow. Sam and Wei have a way to track him using our radiation and frequency signatures."
Sam gave a playful smirk. "Guess I'm not just the lazy one."
"Well, I didn't expect you to be the brainy one," Ace shot back.
"We don't have a suit for you just yet," Wei added, "but Xavier has a spare you can use for now."
Ace groaned. "You've got to be kidding me. Fighting in a tuxedo?"
Phiona laughed. "Pretty boy doesn't want to wear a suit."
"Quit messing with him," Xavier interjected, standing up. "Get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
Ace glanced around. "Wait. Where are we?"
Xavier pointed to a door. "There's a free room. You'll figure the rest out tomorrow."
"Pretty boy, you can come lay with me," Phiona teased as she exited with Sam and Wei.
Ace shook his head, half-smiling. Then he grabbed his blades and headed to the room. The moment he touched it, he felt a strange drain on his energy. The blades started to glow again.
'Great. Gotta get Wei to make me a scabbard.'
As he settled into bed, his mind wandered back to a familiar face—Pisce. The golden hair. Her smile. He couldn't shake the feeling that she was still out there, still waiting.
'I'll make it through this. And then... maybe I'll actually get to know her better.'
He wasn't even aware when sleep overtook him, his Eidolon body still able to endure the long stretches without rest. His thoughts lingered on the task ahead.
---
Meanwhile...
In a far-off, less civilized land, something else was stirring. The city looked as though it had been built by nature itself, raw stone and jagged minerals forming makeshift homes and structures. At the heart of it all stood a towering spiral—seemingly the only symbol of civilization amidst the chaos.
Six Originals sat around a round table in what could only be described as a throne room, the air thick with tension.
"We've located one of the last successful experiments. He was last seen in San Francisco," one Original stated.
"We'll send some of our strongest Pure to capture him," another suggested.
"No," said a third. "One of us needs to go. We need him on our side. They were created to be stronger than us—eventually. We can't afford to let them join the sane escapes or work against us."
"I agree," said one of the Originals, his voice cold. "I'll go and show them our strength."
"You're the last person we should send," a female Original spoke up. "You're too volatile. Your kill instinct will cloud your judgment."
Another female nodded. "We need someone more... reasonable."
The one who had brought the news scowled. "I'll go".
The hot-headed Original, slammed his fist on the table. "Fine. But this is the last time. I'm not letting you hold me back."
"I move tomorrow," Damien grinned, a fire in his eyes.
---