"So…" I began, trying to mask my nerves, "this sightseeing is cool and all, but how are we getting to your HQ?"

  "Masayori, Shen Wei," Calder said, voice calm like he hadn't just ignored me. "Let's begin."

  The three of them moved with uncanny speed.

  Calder placed a hand against the forest floor. Energy pulsed outward in controlled waves, etching a massive circle of glowing runes into the earth.

  My breath caught. Real magic. Not an illusion or trick, actual magic. Layers upon layers of symbols twisted over one another in dizzying complexity. I activated Discerning Eye, but it rebounded off invisible walls. The formation was far beyond my comprehension.

  Of course.

  Masayori and Shen Wei moved in sync, weaving energy into Calder's formation. A shimmering, translucent barrier sprang up. I stumbled back, crashing into it. Solid, like stone.

  Energy pulsed along my skin, goosebumps spiking in its wake.

  The circle blazed bright blue. Shadows warped along the trees.

  "Teleportation magic!?" Button's voice cracked.

  I felt my chest tighten. This was no elemental trick. It was structured, requiring more teamwork. My head spun just imagining it.

  "Prepare yourselves," Calder said.

  The world folded inward. Reality warped around me.

  I felt weightless, disoriented. A strange tingling burned through my core. This was surreal, awkward, dangerous, and intoxicating all at once.

  When the nausea subsided, we were somewhere else. Air light, my knees weak. Calder stood steady, unshaken. But the rest of Squad 4, they were wiping blood from their noses.

  Guess teleportation takes a lot out of you.

  "Where are we?" Button asked, attempting cheerfulness. She looked pale.

  I forced myself upright.

  Ahead of us stood towering white gates, flanked by two angels. Wings folded neatly behind their backs, eyes sharp, assessing the surrounding area.

  Calder stepped forward, and the angels opened the gates without a word.

  The angels' eyes lingered, cold and unblinking. Their judgment pressed into my back, relentless, long after we walked past.

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  "Welcome… to Genesis Headquarters," Calder said.

  "This place is huge!" Button exclaimed zipping around the group.

  The compound stretched farther than I expected. Five massive structures stood within a vast clearing, two on each side, and a towering central building that dominated the space.

  Guards stood at intervals, watching our every move.

  This some kind of military?

  The trees surrounding the compound rose unnaturally tall, forming a perfect perimeter.

  It looks almost like a... cage.

  We entered the central building and walked through long, sterile corridors until Calder stopped at an office door.

  He knocked.

  "Enter."

  The voice on the other side was calm, too calm for my liking.

  The air thickened the moment we stepped inside. It didn't feel heavy, but compressed, claustrophobic.

  The angel behind the desk didn't move.

  Was this a trap the whole time?

  "I am Mastema," he said. "Acting Master of Genesis."

  His sharp eyes locked on me.

  "And you carry something that does not belong here."

  My chest constricted.

  Of course it wouldn't be that easy.

  "Lucifer left a trace," he added, voice eerily calm.

  Masayori and Shen Wei adjusted position.

  The exit was covered.

  There was no escape.

  "Explain."

  And I did.

  Every word felt like tightening a noose around my own neck.

  Silence followed, and it was deafening.

  Then—

  "Lucifer does not waste effort," Mastema said. "If he marked you, it was for a reason."

  My stomach dropped.

  "Am I under arrest?" I asked.

  A faint smile.

  "No."

  Mastema leaned back slightly.

  "You are under consideration."

  That was worse.

  "You are a risk. But risks can be weaponized."

  The word weaponized lingered.

  "I am offering you a place in Genesis. Squad 4 will oversee you."

  Oversee...

  Not protect.

  If I refused?

  No one said it, and they didn't need to.

  "Will I be monitored?"

  "Yes."

  "Will I be restrained?"

  "If necessary."

  There it was.

  This was a cage with polished bars.

  But outside this building?

  Lucifer...

  "I accept."

  "Good," Mastema said.

  Then, softer—

  "If he planted something in you… we will find it."

  But I felt unsatisfied. I needed more out of this 'deal'.

  I took a deep breath.

  "Would I be allowed to get some training?" I asked.

  A small smile formed on Mastema's face, though it wasn't reassuring.

  "Of course."

  Although uncertain, it was a path forward.

  "A new member," Calder said. "Welcome to Squad 4."

  Shen Wei gave a small nod.

  "I finally have another sparring partner," Masayori added with far too much enthusiasm.

  That worried me more than Lucifer.

  But either way…

  I was officially part of Squad 4.

  "Calder," Mastema continued, "begin his training immediately."

  "Of course," Calder bowed before leading us out the office.

  Behind us, Mastema's voice lowered.

  "Keep watch. If Lucifer truly placed a seed in him… we must know why."

  Squad 4's compound was smaller, but far from modest. Calder explained that the squad was recently formed, which explained the excess space.

  We entered a reinforced training chamber, doors sealed behind us.

  Their tech seemed pretty advanced, more than I've ever seen at home...

  Inside was a matted arena at the center, with a full gym lining the back wall.

  I couldn't get Mastema's words out of my head.

  "What happens if I fail?" I asked.

  Masayori grinned.

  "You won't die."

  She paused.

  "Probably."

  Shen Wei didn't correct her.

  "What will I be learning first" I say, slightly afraid.

  Calder met my eyes.

  "You will begin with energy control."

  The arena lights flickered on.

  For the first time since arriving, I felt small. Not just weak, insignificant. And that terrified me.