Marshal Mathew Bates nodded when they introduced themselves. He spoke in his usual calm tone, "As you're aware, all five of you are automatically part of The Wild Hunt. Most of you have received professional training prior to this, accumulated benefits, and your hard work is paying off now."
"While some of you," He fixed his gaze on Adam, "Are humanity's secret weapon."
The others turned to look at Adam once more. They had no knowledge of him being a secret weapon. The reason they had been staring at him earlier was because the Marshal had personally escorted him to the base, so they felt maybe he was a big shot.
They were more or less right.
Noticing their gazes on the boy, the Marshal laughed and said, "Actually, each of you are secret weapons in your own right, as you four have already ingested the Power Orbs, right?"
"That is correct." Arthur Azrael nodded.
"Good. So, your training during these four months will focus on assimilating the Orbs and familiarising yourself with your new abilities. Afterwards, when the remaining 20 members are selected, you shall each become captains for teams of five. Quite the privilege, isn't it?" The Marshal chuckled.
At that moment, the red-eyed lad with a fiery gaze raised his hand.
"You may speak."
"You mentioned that four of us have ingested Orbs. There's five of us here." Aaron pointed out.
The Marshal nodded subtly and sighed.
"Well, since you'll be teammates from now on, what's the use of keeping it secret." He turned to look at Adam, "He doesn't need the Orbs. He's a…special case."
"Special case?" The girl, Arden Jhumpa, flashed a puzzled look. "Do you mean he has certain abilities, without having consumed any of the Power Orbs?"
"Precisely." Mathew Bates nodded. "Anyway, that's not important right now." The Marshall stood straight and his demeanour suddenly turned cold and oppressive.
"Training won't be easy. In fact, you'll wish you weren't selected. You might think the others have it rough, as they have to go through preliminary examination and filtering, but you guys will be the ones shouldering all the burden before they catch up."
"Your biggest nightmare is me. Your saviour is me. I will shred every ounce of weakness to its last atom, and I will create new strength, teeming with life, that knows not what it has lost, but what it's been given."
Viktor Bolakale frowned suddenly. The Marshal's words were awfully familiar, but he couldn't place his finger on where he had heard those words, or something similar.
"Do you understand?" The Marshal asked.
"Yes, sir." They chorused, with the exemption of Adam, who appeared quite lost.
"Louder!" Mathew Bates demanded in a fierce tone.
"YES SIR!"
He then nodded, "Good. That will be all for now. I will show you to your quarters, rest up. Training begins tomorrow." Then, the Marshal turned around and opened the door of the office. The kids quickly followed behind him.
As they walked out of the office and along the sturdy glass wall, Adam nonchalantly glanced at the others outside. Then, something in him stirred and he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.
Suddenly, his vision narrowed and sped along the distance. His eyes filtered through the number of teenagers out on the camp's grounds and landed on a girl with raven-black straight hair. Her eyes were pitch black and she had an uncanny beauty.
Nina… He muttered. She said she would be applying, but Adam didn't think she would actually go through with it.
Adam groaned and trembled slightly due to the sharp pain that suddenly struck his temples.
What just happened? He muttered inwardly, but kept walking, albeit slowly. Just now, he had thought of Nina for a second or two and glanced outside. He held no hopes of spotting her through the large number of applicants, but his vision had suddenly broadened and 'zoomed' in.
It felt like his eyes left his body and searched through the crowd, then relayed the information to his brain in an instant, giving him a view that would be otherwise impossible.
A new ability? He wondered, not completely surprised or fazed by what had just happened. No, it couldn't be a new one. It's similar to what the Foresight rune allows.
Was I right about the dream theory? It's a high level power that I shouldn't have just yet? So, this enhanced cognition or perception is the basic ability of the rune? Is that why the dreams stopped coming?
Adam decided to think about it later. He increased his pace and quickly met up with the others.
…
Upper Ring, Stellar Transport Bureau.
Councilman Jacob Azrael and Claw walked out of the grand building and proceeded towards the private vehicle waiting for them. Claw felt his insides churn and he strongly resisted the urge to crouch and puke.
When he travelled to the Middle Ring, a similar feeling of nausea had washed over him. Now, it was even worse. However, in front of the councilman, he had to compose himself.
With staggering steps, he finally entered the vehicle and heaved a sigh of relief. This time, there was a man in the front seat. He started the hovering car and they took off.
As the car zoomed across the awe-inducing street that resembled a vast garden, Claw had his gaze stuck on the dignified structures. He realised that the higher the Ring, the more it felt like Old Earth. Back in the Lower Ring, there were very few private homes.
Everyone lived in condos, and it was densely packed with people. There was nothing like green grass or landscapes like hills and mountains. The only thing they could see were dangling cables or half-ruined rectangular structures that served as homes. Half-collapsed machines and scraps was what dictated that Ring.
Soon, they got to a grand estate that boasted a fine white colour. Claw presumed this was the residence of the Councilman. It was beautiful to say the least. Trees that couldn't be found anywhere–as they were too expensive to obtain–lined the stone path.
They alighted from the vehicle and Councilman Jacob walked forward, to a particular spot in the expansive garden. Claw would've assumed they were going to proceed into the house instead, but the next thing he saw made him shake his head in utter amazement.
The garden–particularly the area in which the Councilman stood–parted like steel sheets and birthed a couple of descending stairs.
Claw stared at the man, then at the steps that led to some underground bunker.
How extravagant!