Minutes before the blast.
Rapid foot taps on the floor echoed through the desolate street as Calyx and Haze raced to the location they were given, hopeful to see Irene safe and sound as they were told.
As they ran, they noticed the area was absent of any infected, as Rogan had informed them. This added a new layer of relief for them as they took the next turn into another street, and that's when they saw it—Irene's vehicle parked outside a store.
They dashed towards the store at full speed, then pushed open the door, busting through it. Their eyes met Irene, who sat at the far end, panicked as she raised a firearm at them.
"Haze, Calyx?" Irene said after processing the situation for a moment.
"Mom!" "Aunt!" Haze and Calyx exclaimed as they ran into her open arms.
"Oh my, I'm so glad you boys are alright," Irene said, embracing both tightly, relief washing over her.
"Yeah, you too," Calyx replied, turning to the weapon she dropped to hug them.
"Is that a gun?" Calyx asked.
"Yes, Rogan gave it to me in case any infected still came. Why are you both roaming the streets without one? Why are you roaming the streets at all? It's a mess out there," Irene reprimanded, worry in her tone.
"Don't worry, we can take care of those," Haze said with confidence.
"Look at you talking big. Those things aren't just teenagers you love getting in fights with; only Quasars can win against them," Irene warned.
"Well, guess what I am?" Haze asked, a grin stretching across his face as excitement bubbled within him.
"Huh, what do you mean?" Irene squinted her eyes, slightly confused.
"Stop trying to make it suspenseful," Calyx smacked Haze on the head.
"On our way here, he awakened as a Quasar," Calyx informed Irene, and her facial expression changed. It wasn't one of shock like they had expected, but more of a knowing look and a resigned smile.
"So, it finally happened, huh?" Irene said, letting out a sigh.
"I wonder what your father would think. Well, we did expect it, but seeing you now, would he have changed his mind?" Irene had a reminiscent look on her face.
"Mom, what are you talking about?" Haze asked, confusion now shifting to him, a confusion that Calyx shared.
"I never told you this story; honestly, part of me wished I would never have to, but it seems destiny sometimes plays things differently.
As you know, your father was a Quasar, and one of the best on Shelfer's planet, yet the planet seemed to fall behind. The planet's Quasars had not come close to exploring the reaches of Exar realm, as most other planets in the coalition had.
This had caused them a loss in many regards, financially and politically mostly. You see, Quasarite crystals are one of the most expensive items in the universe, and the more a world government had, the more power it possessed. However, obtaining them was far from easy, and getting potent Quasarite for the high-end crystals would mean going deeper into Exar.
For the planet and its Quasars, they had been stuck at Reach Two, finding it too dangerous to tread further, and it had remained like that for years. Until the government had enough—enough of being looked down upon, enough of lacking resources. So, they took away the choice from the Quasars. They had to go to the fourth reach, whether they liked it or not.
Of course, your father declined. He knew the dangers and wasn't planning to lose his life and leave his family behind. Some other Quasars followed his decision; however, the members of the government didn't take no for an answer. So, they did what you wouldn't even expect from corrupt and evil men like themselves—expose an entire school full of children to Quasarite, a school of which, among them, were the children of Quasars that rejected their offer, but most others having nothing to do with it.
Many kids died that day, Quasars called to their children's schools and having to take their lives with their own hands as those kids were now monsters, and it was their job to kill them.
However, among the infected kids, you were fine. You had just turned two, and I remember your father said when they had found you, you were hiding in a locker as quietly as you could—it was almost unbelievable.
That's how you were exposed to Quasarite, and after many days of not turning, we concluded you were a Quasar, but to young to fully awaken. While that happened, the world's government denied any involvement with the incident, but those to whom the message was meant had gotten it.
It was plain and simple: "Do as we say, or we will kill the family you wish to stay with." In addition to using the attack as a reason why they needed to explore Exar further, so your father's hands were forced. But he made a deal with them—if he were to die, I should be allowed to leave the planet with you, and a great sum of money should be sent to me along with images of his corpse, to which they agreed.
He also made me promise if he died, I should never let you be a Quasar, and I should show you those images to convince you just how terrible a job it was. I could not bring myself to show you the pictures, so I let you find them on your own, hoping the message was passed." Irene concluded her story. At this point, tears were rolling down her eyes.
Calyx and Haze were quiet. All of it was just so much to process for them, and in that moment, they were speechless until Haze spoke up.
"Do you still not want me to be a Quasar?" Haze asked, his green eyes locking with Irene as his white hair fluttered from the gentle breeze.
Irene took a moment as she gazed at Haze.
"I'm sure your father thought when thrown into the treacherous life of a Quasar, you would be alone, just like he was. But that's not the case. You have Calyx, and I know you both will always have each other's back. So if you want to be a Quasar, then do so. I have no doubt that your father would be proud," Irene said as she embraced Haze once more, squeezing tightly. Then the ground beneath them began to tremble, following the deafening sound of the nova blast fired miles away from them.