The silence was overwhelming, as Rowan walked back to the technocratic city, crossing the barren plains that were flat yet slightly sloped in certain areas. In the stillness that filled the atmosphere and suppressed emotions, Rowan felt as if someone was watching him. With his sharp instincts, he could trace the presence of the nearest living creature in the area where he stood.
Two figures in dark red cloaks appeared, and on their cloaks were symbols painted or marked with color, but not stitched. The two figures stood not far off, in the middle of the barren plains where Rowan was. It seemed they knew Rowan was aware of their presence, and they began to approach him. Closer and closer, step by step, the dark red-cloaked figures finally stood right in front of Rowan. They remained silent, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty, wrapped in caution.
Rowan gazed at them with a piercing stare and began to speak in a whisper that barely broke the silence, "Who are you two?" The figures behind the dark red cloaks revealed their faces, and one of them replied, "We are the natives of this land. And who are you?" There was a brief pause as a sense of confusion stirred in Rowan's heart. Rowan responded, "I am merely a traveler. Why don't you live in the technocratic city?"
This time, the two figures looked at Rowan, their eyes narrowing at him as if something was wrong, or there was a deeper issue at play.
At that moment, the two mysterious figures asked Rowan a question, "Do you know Professor Fyodor?" Rowan, who had never heard the name before, immediately responded, "No, never." The two figures then invited Rowan to a special place, they said—a place that served as a pivotal point for the technocratic society, or perhaps a secret location.
Rowan, who had initially intended to return home, was now forced to follow the two dark red-cloaked figures to a mysterious place he knew nothing about. The two figures walked in silence, not uttering a single word. "Oh, maybe they have their own customs," Rowan thought to himself, trying to remain positive, though the situation felt slightly absurd.
From a distance, Rowan saw worn-out buildings that resembled workshops, storage units, or perhaps a base or fortress. Their steps finally halted as they reached the place. Upon closer inspection, Rowan noticed it was filled with defensive fortifications and old, weathered outposts.
A few minutes before entering the fortress, they were suddenly attacked by a group of soldiers. Rowan was quickly pulled inside the fortress, where he peeked through a narrow opening to see what was happening outside. In an instant, the soldiers were taken down as if shot by multiple snipers from afar. The precision was terrifying. As Rowan focused on the insignia on the soldiers' arms, he realized with certainty—they were from the technocratic city of Cosmos.
The once calm atmosphere turned tense, as Rowan prepared himself for any potential danger or challenge that could arise. The two dark red-cloaked figures remained silent, not daring to speak in front of Rowan. Finally, one of them broke the silence, saying, "Relax... we only killed criminals and terrorists."
Rowan, with sharp eyes and a wary posture, responded in a voice that matched the intensity of the situation, "Terrorists? Criminals? I believe you've just killed soldiers from the city's military!"
One of the dark red-cloaked figures lost their temper, challenging Rowan to a fight. However, Rowan declined, knowing that his strength alone could easily destroy the place they were in. Despite the figure's rage, the other cloaked companion tried to calm them down, urging them not to let their emotions take over at this moment.
After that, the two dark red-cloaked figures revealed their secret: they were members of the Thal'Zek sect, and they despised the advancements of the technocratic city and its obsession with the occult, which opposed their understanding of technology. Rowan was shocked by their revelation, realizing that these two were not the only ones—many more were hiding within the fortress and the decaying base. Rowan could feel his magical power resonate within this place, recognizing that it was truly a blind spot for the city's society and a hidden refuge from the soldiers' knowledge.
But shortly after, Rowan recalled their reputation for slaughtering the weak, and he began to suspect that they might be trying to lure him into a trap. With this in mind, Rowan asked them directly, "Why do you massacre the weak?" They responded firmly, "It is not us, but their society that slaughters the weak."
The situation seemed to shift as they tried to reverse the narrative, but Rowan held firmly to his belief that they were vile in nature, refusing to be swayed by their words.
Rowan remained silent and left the fortress. After distancing himself from it, he heard someone shout from inside, "Don't reveal the location!" Keeping his composure and emotions in check, Rowan continued on his way home.
The cosmos above was filled with stars, like shimmering salt scattered across a dark canvas, enhancing the night's ambiance. Yet, there was no sun, no moon, making it feel as though they were on the moon or even in another galaxy within the vast Zentarix Zetta, which defied imagination and reason. Rowan reached his destination—the office of Professor Miguel. As he entered the office, he was greeted by Professor Miguel and another professor whose name he had heard before, Professor Fyodor.
At that moment, Miguel and Fyodor were discussing the creation of Rowan's clone. When Miguel saw Rowan, he called him over. Between Miguel and Fyodor, Miguel said, "This is something difficult to find; his power is already capable of building a very strong civilization!"
Feeling somewhat nervous but summoning his courage, Rowan spoke up, "I want to ask something." Fyodor responded with a greeting, "What is it?" Rowan asked, "What is the main purpose of my clone?"
Professor Fyodor responded with an eloquent answer, "We will use it for a noble purpose, to purify all lands with divine power and uphold justice in civilization and society." As soon as Fyodor finished speaking, he received a call from someone urging him to go to his office or another location. Rowan, at that moment, remained silent and said little, while Fyodor left abruptly, casting a suspicious glance at Rowan as he departed.
After Professor Fyodor stepped out of Professor Miguel's office, Miguel asked, "Would you like to see something amazing?" Rowan, with a hint of excitement, replied, "Sure, what is it?"
Miguel led Rowan into a secret underground chamber he had never seen before. They navigated through a complex maze of corridors and eventually arrived in front of a room with a massive vault-like door.
Professor Miguel opened the door, and the sound of metal scraping echoed in Rowan's ears. When the door creaked open, Rowan saw a robot with a program displayed on a computer titled "The Ultimate: Hollow."
"This is the framework for your clone," Professor Miguel said with a tone of grandeur, as if presenting something truly magnificent. "I'm using a robotic framework with a super-intelligent brain to control it."
Rowan asked Professor Miguel, "Who is Professor Fyodor?" Miguel glanced back at Rowan and replied, "He is a professor specializing in technology here and also a former military commander." When Rowan asked, "Why does it matter?" Miguel responded firmly, "It doesn't."
Rowan simply replied, "Nothing important."
Professor Miguel then declared, "In a few days, the city will advance, along with a more powerful civilization." He added confidently, "This project won't take long, just a few more days…" with assuredness in the success that was sure to come.
At that moment, Rowan asked a question that took Professor Miguel by surprise, "At the time the sect was discovered, did the military know what they were doing?" This question, which was entirely off-topic, made Miguel uneasy. He responded firmly, "I don't know, and that's none of my business!"
Rowan, unwilling to argue further and aiming to maintain his composure, chose to remain silent, trying to gather more information through observation.
At the end of their conversation, Professor Miguel said, "You can go and take a walk, but tomorrow you will be taken to the research facility, and you won't be able to leave due to the ongoing studies."
Rowan stepped out of the special metal room, giving a light wave to Professor Miguel as he said, "See you tomorrow." Instead of going anywhere, Rowan went to his room to reflect or, more precisely, to meditate.
Since then, Rowan's confidence was overshadowed by a strong sense of suspicion. Questions echoed through his mind endlessly, along with a heightened sense of vigilance about potential threats. Despite this, Rowan planned a mission for himself to train without using magical powers, except in cases of severe danger.