Elias continued, "I just think it’s important to enjoy what life can offer sotis. I know things will only get harder, but if you don’t take ti to appreciate the rare monts when it’s not, then what’s the point?"
For a mont, she said nothing. Then, she exhaled, nodding. "Yeah... I get that." She flicked her gaze over to another plate. "I know Paul’s been struggling too."
Elias huffed a laugh. "Yeah. Turns out his favorite dish is..." He paused for effect, watching her expectant stare. "... a peanut butter and banana sandwich."
Kikaru blinked. "R-really?!"
Elias shrugged, taking another bite of his al. "Seems so."
Kikaru scoffed, shaking her head. A small, unexpected laugh slipped out. "That’s... honestly kind of fitting." Her smile faded slightly, her fingers grazing the edge of her plate.
"It’s too bad Colby is missing out," she murmured. Her voice softened, uncertainty creeping into it. "I don’t even know how he’s doing right now, to be honest..."
Elias smirked, but this ti, it wasn’t playful. "I wouldn’t over-worry about him." He set his chopsticks down, tilting his head toward her. "I spoke with Geras. Even though his shard was taken, he said he had so plans for him."
Sowhere Else – Training Facility
The air was still. The only sound was the slow, controlled breathing of a figure in the dark.
Colby’s body moved in rhythm, muscles contracting, sweat dripping as he pushed through the final reps.
"Ninety-eight."
"Ninety-nine."
"One hundred."
He collapsed onto the cold ground, his chest rising and falling in steady, deliberate breaths. His right eye was still bandaged, his torso wrapped in tight layers where his shard had once been ripped from his body.
A mont later, the silence was shattered.
Two figures lunged at him from the shadows, wooden sticks whistling through the air.
Colby rolled, barely dodging the first strike as it splintered against the ground. The second attacker ca in from behind, but Colby turned just in ti, catching the first opponent’s wrist and using their own montum to throw them off balance.
The second landed a sharp blow against his back.
He grunted, dropping to one knee, sweat rolling down his forehead. His breath hitched, but his focus never wavered.
Then—
The lights flickered.
A blinding white filled the space, exposing the entire room.
It was a massive underground training hall, its walls lined with reinforced panels, the floor scarred with impact marks. The ceiling stretched high, faint chanical hums vibrating through the structure.
At the far end, a reinforced door hissed open.
Two figures entered.
Commander Geras walked in first, his uniform crisp, his expression unreadable. Beside him, a tall man with long white hair, a badge pinned to his chest that read: Head of the Science Division.
Behind them, a cart rolled forward, its wheels clattering against the floor. On top of it sat two covered trays.
Geras observed Colby for a mont before stepping forward. "How are you holding up?" His gaze flickered toward the bandages. "... And your eye?"
Colby wiped his forehead, taking a slow breath. "I’m fine," he said firmly. "I just want to get back to a good state... and get my Ikona back."
The scientist adjusted his glasses, his fingers tapping against a tablet. "You’re showing 200% increases on all vitals since the procedure." He glanced at Geras. "But we shouldn’t push things too far yet. He still needs rest."
Colby’s fingers curled into fists, frustration evident in his posture. "I don’t want rest. I want progress."
Geras smirked. "You’ll get your progress. But first—your friend put together a al for you."
Colby’s brows furrowed. "My—"
Before he could finish, a small figure darted past Geras, bounding toward him.
"Hey, brother!"
Colby barely had ti to react before a blonde-haired girl in a red dress launched into him, wrapping her arms around his torso.
His eyes widened in shock. "How did you—?"
Geras lifted a hand. "Unlimited resources." His smirk lingered. "I told you, I would take care of all the problems so you could focus on what matters."
Colby stared down at the girl in his arms, his mind still catching up.
She squeezed tighter. "I missed you so much."
He hesitated—just for a second—before slowly wrapping his arms around her in return.
Colby reached for the water bottle resting on the cart, twisting the cap off with one hand while his other carefully pulled back the lid of the first tray. A wave of warmth and familiar aromas rose into the air, hitting him with an unexpected sense of nostalgia.
He took a slow sip, swallowing before murmuring, "He really made all of this?"
Geras gave a slight nod. "Yes. I provided him with so docunts, and he cooked nonstop for about three hours."
Colby’s brows furrowed as he lifted a piece of carefully seared at, the edges perfectly crisp, the scent rich and layered. It wasn’t just thrown together—it was deliberate, crafted with precision.
The scientist beside Geras adjusted his glasses. "Though, I should ntion..." He smirked slightly. "... he didn’t clean any of the dishes. Said sothing about it being below his pay grade."
Colby let out a short chuckle, shaking his head as he set the piece of food back down. "That old guy sure knows how to surprise people..." He took another sip of water, exhaling slowly as his body finally started to relax.
His gaze drifted toward the dim lighting overhead, his mind racing back to everything that had happened. He could still feel the phantom ache where his shard had been torn from him.
He clenched his jaw slightly before muttering, "I hope to stand by him again in the future... wherever that may be."
The girl at his side, still nestled against his arm, looked up at him with wide eyes.
"You will, right?" she asked, voice quiet but firm.
Colby hesitated, then ruffled her hair gently. "Yeah." His grip on his fork tightened. "I will."
"For that to happen, you’ll need to prove yourself and make this project a success," Geras stated, his voice steady but carrying weight.
Colby exhaled through his nose, nodding. "I’ll try my best, of course."
— anwhile —
Elias sat comfortably at the tables brought in, taking slow bites of his al. A perfectly cooked fillet of salmon, lightly seared with minced garlic, capers, and a splash of lemon juice, sat atop a bed of creamy mashed potatoes, garnished with freshly chopped parsley. The warmth of the dish, the balance of citrus and buttery textures, felt strangely comforting after everything that had happened.
To his side, Dot’s hovered, her tiny eyes lighting up as she noticed the miniature version of the al set out just for her.
She gasped, flitting in place before landing next to the doll-sized plate. "You really rembered what I liked the first ti?!"
Elias smirked, resting his chin on his hand as he watched her excitedly pick up a tiny piece of salmon. "Of course. I imagine the next few days will only get harder. Might as well enjoy the small wins when we can."
Dot’s humd happily as she dug in, her wings fluttering in delight.
A few hours passed, the warmth of the al giving way to the inevitable exhaustion that settled over the room. As 10:00 PM rolled around, people began heading toward their pod rooms one by one, their conversations winding down into murmured goodnights.
Elias stretched, rolling his shoulders before clapping his hands together. "Alright, before we crash out for the night—"
Heads turned.
"Tomorrow morning, we’ll be doing a group workout, led by Kikaru and Paul."
A few groans ca from the more sluggish mbers of the team, but Elias pressed on. "They’re the most physically fit out of all of us, and they have the best sense of structure. We need a routine, sothing to keep us sharp. Everyone okay with that?"
Most nodded, albeit so with less enthusiasm than others.
"Great," Elias continued. "After the workout, we’ll regroup for a sit-down discussion—going over our abilities and how we sh together."
That earned so confused looks.
Tidwell leaned back against the couch, arms crossed."Didn’t we already do that when we first t? Do we really need to go through it all again?"
Elias nodded. "Yes, we do." His tone was firm, but not harsh. "We all got the sa system notification—90 shard users will remain after two weeks. That’s soon to be 13 days. We need to start from scratch and make sure we’re not just individuals but a unit. Missions can co at any mont, and if we don’t fully understand how we can—"
Tidwell threw his hands up. "I get it, I get it! Please don’t turn this into one of your long-ass speeches. Fine, I’m in."
Dot’s chuckled, waving to Tidwell’s Ikona as she floated toward Elias’s chest.
"Goodnight, everyone," Elias said, watching as the last of the team disappeared into their pod rooms.
The door slid shut behind him.
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