The vortex disappeared, severing their connection to the sunny outdoors. Tess pivoted on her heel, her gaze sweeping across the expanse of the entire room. Her eyes came to a halt as they locked onto a group of soldiers, diligently ferrying their belongings through one of the many tall archways spaced evenly around the grand room.
Through the space of several hologram screens, a lady with brown hair done in a bun and wearing glasses, caught sight of the newcomers the moment they emerged from the vortex. Dressed in a similar long green jacket as the blond man, she exuded an air of authority and purpose.
With a deft wave of her gloved hand, she commanded the closure of the holographic screens that floated in the air, their shimmering images fading away. Adjusting her glasses upon her nose with a composed demeanor, she advanced calmly toward the blond-haired man.
"Alright everyone, back to schedule," ordered the blond-haired man. As soldiers that crowded him began to move away, they removed their helmets revealing an astonishing array of vibrant hair colors—shades of red, green, yellow, and purple cascading from their heads in a kaleidoscope of hues.
What the heck? Tess Tess stood rooted to the spot from the crazy sight.
The rag-muffin glanced back at Tess, his brows furrowed in confusion as his eyes fell upon the multitude of heads adorned with peculiar hair colors. A fleeting thought crossed his mind, suggesting a possible connection between Tess and the soldiers. However, her piercing glare swiftly diverted his attention, prompting him to avert his gaze and sheepishly scratch his head.
Amongst the soldiers, the blonde man stood out prominently, his fair complexion setting him apart. He reminded Tess of Jeremy, albeit with striking green eyes instead of blue. As the soldiers in battle suits gradually vacated the area, the man's gaze fixated upon the group of five teenagers standing awkwardly together. The lady remained at his side, their eyes briefly meeting before they proceeded to approach the perplexed youngsters.
"Welcome," the lady spoke, her feet halting as the five teenagers instinctively drew closer, acknowledging her presence. "I am Lieutenant Annie Scott, second in command here at Primus," she introduced herself, extending a gentle touch to the man beside her. "This is Commander Li—" was all she said before he interjected with authority.
She did not say the man's name as he interrupted, "Thank you Annie, but they can address me as commander."
"Thank you, Annie, but they may address me as Commander," he declared, his imposing figure towering over Annie, his muscular physique evident even beneath his jacket. Methodically, he locked eyes with each of the teenagers in turn, his gaze penetrating and unwavering, before abruptly announcing, "I'll give you cadets some time to get familiar with the place. For now, orientation is dismissed." He turned his back to them and began to walk away.
Tess couldn't help but question the validity of this so-called "orientation." It hardly seemed to align with her expectations.
Annie graciously bowed to the group, her smile radiating warmth as she trailed behind the commander. Perplexed, the five teenagers exchanged glances, finding it peculiar to receive such deference when none of them held any notable status or importance.
"Hey, she's kinda cute," commented the rag-muffin, his words tinged with a hint of admiration.
"Isn't she twice your age?" resorted Szedra.
"What does that have to do with anything?" he snapped, annoyed.
It was evident that the two of them harbored a mutual dislike for each other. Sensing the potential for yet another argument, Tess resolved to comply with the commander's instructions and explore the surroundings before any further disputes arose. If she were caught attempting to sneak out, she could use their inevitable argument as a plausible excuse.
With that in mind, she set her sights on the archway through which she had observed the soldiers transporting their luggage. Determined, she embarked on her solitary journey, while her companions watched her recede into the distance. However, Zino, unable to resist the allure of company, skipped on her feet to catch up with Tess.
"Tess, wait for me!" Zino called out, her voice tinged with excitement.
Tess cast a fleeting glance behind her, somewhat displeased that it was Zino following her. Nevertheless, she acknowledged the extra company, recognizing that it wouldn't hurt to have a familiar face nearby. The rag-muffin walked alone behind them leaving Szedra and the black-haired guy. But they too decided to follow so they didn't get too left behind.
The commander's memory sparked as he realized he had forgotten to convey crucial information. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the multitude of floating screens surrounding him, focusing on the two individuals who were on the verge of passing through the archway.
The second Szedra and the guy saw a floating screen with the commander's face appear right in front of them, they stopped walking from shock.
"Before I forget," the commander's voice echoed from the screen, capturing their attention. "There's a meeting at seventeen o'clock in the Professor's office. It is situated directly in the heart of the compound, so locating it shouldn't pose a challenge."
Szedra and the guy exchanged glances, their surprise still etched upon their faces as they redirected their attention to the screen.
"Ensure that the message is relayed. All of you are required to attend," the commander added with firmness.
In an instant, the screen dissolved, leaving them once again facing the archway they had been approaching.
"This place is so weird,"the guy muttered to himself, shaking his head slightly before proceeding on his way.
Szedra heard his remark but chose not to respond, her silence serving as a reminder of the earlier reference to them as a married couple.
Tess and Zino ventured through the dimly lit archway, its walls warmly adorned with captivating paintings. Colorful depictions of people with unconventional hair hues, intricate skin tattoos, and mesmerizing eye colors adorned both sides. The ceiling of the passageway was lower than the previous room, and circular light bulbs on the lower levels emitted a subdued, yellowish glow.
As they traversed the corridor, Tess marveled at the stark contrast between the silence here and the cacophony of the previous room. The incessant hum of computers, the chatter of soldiers, and the clamor of machinery had left her feeling unsettled. Seeking solace, she removed her cap, allowing the cool air to caress her head.
"There are so many pictures," Zino remarked, momentarily captivated by one of the paintings. Tess chose to press on, leaving Zino engrossed in her own little world.
"Hey, wait up!" a male voice echoed from behind.
Tess turned to find the rag-muffin racing past Zino, still enthralled by a particular artwork. He caught up to Tess, and they continued their journey in silence. On several occasions, Tess noticed his lingering gaze fixed upon her hair, only for him to hastily divert his attention to a nearby painting.
Growing irritated, she halted her steps and confronted him. "Is there a problem? I can see you staring at my hair."
The boy's eyes widened, freezing in place as he stuttered, "P-Problem? There's no problem."
Tess started to move off when he cleared his throat and said. "I mean yes, there is a problem."
Tess resumed her stride, ready to leave him behind, but he mustered the courage to speak up. "I mean, well, I hate to be the one to say this, but you know that hair dye isn't permitted in the Mid-Sentry, right?"
"My hair isn't dyed, and I'm not wearing lenses," she retorted, swiftly dismissing his assumption, and continued walking, determined to put the encounter behind her.
"Oh." He looked back up and hurried to catch up with her once again. "Are you albino or something?" he asked, walking by her side.
"No. I'm an evolved talking Alpackha from the Northern Lands," replied Tess who was ready for some sort of stupid question. She looked at him and placed her cap backward on her head to show her face clearly. At her Academy, they called that a rebel look.
She quickened her pace, hoping to create some distance, but he managed to catch up to her once more.
"Where're my manners? I forgot to introduce myself. My name's Zack."
Tess let out a sigh before turning to face him as they continued walking. "Tess, but people call me Tee."
Zack smiled and responded, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Tee."
Before Tess could utter another word, Zino behind them placed one hand each on their shoulders and exclaimed, "And my name's Zino!"
Zack shook from fright. His eyes returned to their normal size as he realized Zino was just a regular human. He let out a heavy sigh and stepped aside to give Zino space to walk between them.
"What is wrong with you people? You keep scaring me," he muttered in a low voice, as if afraid to say it out loud.
Zino chuckled, covering her mouth with one hand. "Sorry about that."
"It's alright," he told her with a warm smile.
Standing together, it became apparent how tall and slender Zack was. Tess couldn't help but wonder if his short, curly dark brown hair was indicative of a gentle nature. He seemed like the kind of person who could fit into her new group of friends, but then she remembered him telling Szedra that he would kill her first. It made her reconsider her initial impression.
Meanwhile, Zino began talking about how captivated she had been by the eerie pictures on the wall. Tess and Zack feigned interest, allowing Zino to walk ahead while they concealed their lack of enthusiasm.
Tess couldn't help but notice the mini bag on Zino's back, designed to resemble a teddy bear. It had every shade of pink imaginable, exuding a playful and cheerful vibe.
As Tess approached a peculiar picture on the adjacent wall, her attention shifted away from the bag, prompting her to stop and focus on the artwork. Unlike the vibrant colors of the other paintings, this one stood out. The figure depicted had skin as pale as snow and hair as white as Tess's own. Determining the gender from the image alone was difficult.
Individuals with such light skin and hair, like Jeremy and the commander, were a rarity. Even among them, the person in the picture surpassed their complexion. In fact, the commander was only the tenth person with such fair features that Tess had encountered in her entire life.
She turned her gaze back to Zino and Zack, engaged in their own discussion.Deciding to change her perspective, she turned in the opposite direction and noticed Szedra and the other guy making their way towards them.
The contrast in their skin tones was apparent. Tess, with her rich complexion, was the darkest among them. Zino followed, a few shades lighter. Zack had a fairer complexion, while Szedra appeared more golden or yellow-toned. The other guy had what she believed was called a dark tan.
Recalling what she had read in academic books, Tess remembered that the demographic ratio of fewer individuals with fair skin was a consequence of the first Apocalypse, as stated in the books. As she stared intently at the painting, she couldn't help but wonder if that was how people saw her—a striking deviation from the average, bound to stand out in a crowd.
The space suddenly felt crowded as the other two caught up to them.
Zack shivered, a chill running down his spine. He tore his gaze away from Zino, only to be met with the presence of the girl who had attempted to kill him during his nap. A look of terror crossed his face as she approached them.
Zino noticed that Zack had abruptly stopped talking and followed his gaze to see what had captured his attention. "Hey, you finally caught up to us," Zino remarked with a playful tone, addressing Szedra as she joined them.
Szedra crossed her arms and stood beside Zino, responding, "I wasn't aware we were in a race."
Zack couldn't help but notice that Szedra hadn't looked at him once, as if he were invisible. It felt as though she was deliberately avoiding him, and this realization filled him with a sense of bitterness, furrowing his brows in frustration.
Taking a deep breath, Zack loosened the collar of his shirt that felt tight and stifling. He gathered his resolve and took a step closer to Szedra. When she turned to face him due to his daring proximity, he spoke, "We started off on the wrong foot, and I'd like for us to have a fresh start."
Szedra's left brow arched in response to his words.
Zack extended his hand for a friendly handshake and introduced himself, "My name's Zack."
Szedra glanced down at his hand but replied coldly, "I don't shake hands." She then walked away, positioning herself to examine a painting with her back turned to him.
"What's her problem?" Zack asked.
"Isn't it obvious? It's you," the other guy chimed in, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Just your typical married couple."
The casual manner in which he spoke those words caused Tess to chuckle. She shifted her gaze away from her painting, realizing that the person she had chuckled at was the same jerk with the camera. The smile quickly faded from her face upon seeing him.
Zack snapped, "Stop calling us that!"
"Yeah," Szedra added, moving closer to stand beside Zack. She redirected any anger she had felt towards Zack towards the other guy.
The guy in the thick jacket had his back turned to them, fully engrossed in observing a painting. Zino sensed the tension and positioned herself beside the two, her gaze fixed on the guy's back. She nudged Szedra on the arm closest to her and whispered, "What's his name again?"
Szedra simply shrugged her shoulders, indicating that she didn't know. She leaned towards Zack, who was standing beside her, and whispered, "My name's Szedra, by the way." Zack nodded in acknowledgement.
Meanwhile, Tess boldly walked over and addressed the guy directly, "Hey, jerkface, what's your name?"
The others stared at Tess with wide-opened eyes, then turned their attention back to the guy, waiting for his response.
Slowly, the guy turned his head to face Tess, his eyes barely open, displaying his indifference. "The name's Lanse, and don't forget it," he replied audibly, making sure everyone heard.
"Nice to meet you, Lanse," Zino cheerfully greeted him, flashing a bright smile.
Szedra rolled her eyes, dropped her folded arms, and walked away. Zack followed her, leaving Tess and Zino alone with Lanse.
Tess stood her ground and glared at the side of Lanse's head until he finally questioned her, "Is there something wrong with your eyes? Why do you keep staring at me?" He turned to face her.
Tess blinked, momentarily taken aback, contemplating whether she should retaliate by asking him about the numerous scars he bore. She had a witty comeback in mind, but she decided to take a different approach. "No, it's just that you have really nice eyes, and I wanted you to turn so I could see them more clearly."
Confusion furrowed Lanse's brows as he glanced above her head, noticing that the others had disappeared around a corner. "Hey, we found an elevator!" Zack's voice reached their ears.
Zino swiftly made her way towards the elevator, prompting Tess to follow suit. Lanse trailed behind Tess as they all headed in the same direction.