Shade sat alone at his desk and was busy scanning the analytics displayed on the screen before him. The charts and graphs revealed the difference between the time Kingston ruled versus how he himself was performing.
TEC had seen a significant change in fortune under Shade's leadership. Finance reports showed they had grown, and morale appeared high among the members.
Earlier in the week, he had walked through the training grounds and witnessed that everyone was still resolute on following under his leadership despite Vanita's death.
Stanley's reappearance within TEC had also added an unexpected comeback to everyone's spirits. Members spoke fondly of him, and Shade could see the shift in their attitudes since Stanley had joined.
It was like watching a brother return from a long absence. Only, the brother was more like an uncle.
There was also their partnership with Libra, which had brought an undeniable sense of protection and respect from surrounding rebel groups. That was perhaps Shade's best move, as it was paying off tremendously.
Once news spread that Libra was in support of TEC's ambitions, all the other rebel groups felt compelled to do the same; they wanted no part in causing TEC members trouble.
Compared to Kingston, Shade had played the political game well.
Even the analytics on screen showed an increase in resources that could be allocated toward training and equipping his rebels. Successful tactics relied heavily on adaptability, something that he had learned early on.
He had grown up under strict guidelines and discipline, but he knew that leading a rebel group came with its own set of challenges.
The last thing he wanted was for his people to fall victim to the kind of surprise attack that had claimed Venita. She hadn't been prepared for an enemy who could manipulate the environment.
Wishing to prevent casualties like that, Shade pushed away from his desk and made his way to the training area. He had decided not to use his adaptability Band for this session but rather the Band that could transform objects into porcelain dolls.
The reasoning was simple: teaching his rebels how to counter those who could alter their surroundings required to be taught. He needed them to understand that in battle, maintaining awareness of one's environment was as crucial as any physical skill they might possess.
As he was close to approaching the training grounds, he reached for his main Band and removed it before sliding on the second one. Immediately, he felt heat seeping into his wrist.
Something wasn't right.
He attempted to remove the Band, but it clung to him as if fused. The sensation grew more intense, turning into a burning pressure. Calmly, he picked up his main Band and sought to adapt to the uncomfortable experience.
He slipped that Band back onto his wrist. Within moments, the heat subsided as his body adjusted.
Yet, to his astonishment, the second Band suddenly activated on its own. He watched as his own shoe transformed into a porcelain doll made of fabric.
'What was that…?' he asked himself.
He had unknowingly activated two Bands at once—a feat that was thought to be impossible.
In a world where Bands were tied to one's abilities, such a phenomenon like utilizing two Bands at once could shake the entire Bandit community.
Surely he had just imagined it.
Testing the waters, he deactivated the second Band and reactivated it, ensuring that this dual functionality wasn't a fluke. The doll reemerged, confirming his hypothesis.
How could this be happening? New Bandits emerged every day, and they all had good-enough Bands to affect normal citizens' lives. But he had never encountered a case like his before.
Bands, as he understood them, were still a mystery, and his ability to harness two at once set him apart from the rest. He had to ensure this remained undisclosed for the time being; the knowledge alone could incite fear or jealousy among other factions—including Libra.
He rolled his sleeves back down, covering the Bands.
Perhaps it was not merely a matter of chance—something about him could have plugged into the duality of Bands, but what? It was a question he felt compelled to explore further.
Right now, it wasn't the time to train or lead his recruits. Not after what he had just discovered. He needed to delve deeper into understanding why he could use two Bands at once, while others couldn't.
His first step was to scour the internet for any information on Bandits who had demonstrated similar abilities. As he browsed through various forums, he searched for any mention of Bandits using two Bands simultaneously.
The search yielded nothing substantial—no concrete evidence or reports of anyone else possessing this ability. There was simply nothing written or published, so he decided to instead focus on the emergence of Bands.
They had been around for less than two centuries, and despite their relatively short history, there was still much to be learned about them. AU, the most powerful organization in the world, had made significant strides in understanding Bands, but even they hadn't scratched the surface of where they actually came from.
He read about their initial appearances in various parts of the world, how they had been discovered by governments and organizations, and how they had been developed and refined over time.
But none of it shed any light on why he could use two Bands at once.
As he continued to search, a rumor caught his eye. It mentioned ancient texts hidden within a cave system located on the continent of Celestine.
Celestine was a landlocked continent, ruled by a royal system. More importantly, this cave was a place that AU had deemed off-limits. The reason for this was honestly never given by them, but Shade suspected that it might be connected to the existence of Bands.
Could it be that these texts held the secrets he was searching for? Perhaps.
He had access to restricted areas like Celestine as Cassian, so perhaps he could use his name to move through the system and gain clearance to venture there.
Shade's thoughts turned to Celestine once more. It was a long way to travel, but perhaps it was worth it.
Him being Magnus's son was a good-enough excuse to visit the continent. He would have to tread carefully, though – AU's restrictions were not to be taken lightly.
As he sat in his office, he was no longer thinking about his duties as leader. His mind was on his discovery of using two Bands at once.
If he could use two Bands, what would happen if he combined his main Band with another higher-ranked one? He could be unstoppable since now he had two powers—enemies wouldn't have an answer for him.
But these were only theories in his head.
Those ancient texts had to have been important. Why else would AU restrict a simple cave? Likely because they wanted to keep something secret from the public. More importantly, the Bandit community.
Even if that cave had nothing to do with him possessing two Bands, it was still worth looking into.