Back at Base Omega, the metal airlock sealed behind them with a hiss as the transport van pulled into the underground hangar. Kael stepped out first, watching as the sedated Dr. Kaas was wheeled away in a containment gurney surrounded by six armed guards and two technicians monitoring Arcana pulse levels.
Luna stood beside Kael, her expression unreadable.
"He knew something," she said quietly.
Kael nodded. "And he said the exact words my father did… in that dream."
She touched his shoulder. "Maybe this is the first thread. Maybe you're not as lost in that fire as you think."
Kael didn't reply.
Interrogation Room 3
Behind mirrored glass, Kaas sat shackled, arms twitching slightly—side effects from exposure to unstable Arcana. His gauntlet had been removed, locked behind several layers of containment and tech analysis.
Edith stood outside the room with Kael, arms folded.
"We'll interrogate him properly soon," she said. "But he's been muttering since we got back."
Kael tilted his head. "Muttering what?"
"Names. Coordinates. One word keeps repeating."
She tapped a pad and audio played.
Kaas's voice, weak and cracking:
"Drake… drake… fire doesn't forget… the drake returns…"
Kael's chest tightened. His family crest—a crimson drake—the symbol that adorned their robes, their weapons, their home.
Edith turned to face him fully.
"This isn't just about black-market weapons anymore. Kaas may be a link to something buried. Something big."
Kael's voice was low. "He knew me. Not just from records. It was personal."
Natasha's Office
That evening, the senior leaders met in Natasha's quarters—frosted glass walls, maps pinned with crimson string, and a whiteboard riddled with names. Evan, seated in a reinforced chair, leaned on his railgun like a staff.
"The gauntlet Kaas used," he said, "wasn't entirely his design. There are signatures—craftsmanship—too refined for him."
Natasha twirled her rapier between her fingers, eyes sharp.
"Someone provided him with the tools. Maybe a supplier. Maybe a syndicate."
Edith stepped forward, placing a data chip on the table.
"Before Kaas passed out, he said: 'the sickle carves paths the fire cannot burn.' Does that ring any bells?"
Natasha's fingers paused mid-spin.
Evan's jaw clenched.
But neither spoke.
Dorm Wing – Later That Night
Kael sat alone in the common room, the flickering light of a small fire in the center grate dancing across the floor. He replayed the mission again and again.
The way Kaas looked at him.
The way he screamed about the past returning.
He opened his palm and summoned a flicker of flame. It danced harmlessly over his skin. Contained. For now.
Luna sat beside him. No words.
Just silence. Understanding.
Then she said softly,
"Whatever's coming… we'll face it together."
Kael looked at her, nodded, and let the flame fade.
But in his mind…
He saw the charred face of his father, repeating:
"The past always catches up."