There's a peculiar hush in the seconds that follow a farewell.
The boundary between outside and in—the world of molten iron and battered dreams, and the ordered strangeness of Alteker was thin as glass. One blink, and I was through it: heart not quite caught up, nerves trying to convince my feet they belonged here.
Crossing the Alteker gate, a metallic arch embossed with the command insignia. I found myself facing headquarters: a perfect ring of steel, a colossal shell embracing the entire Wetlands sector from every direction, sunk quietly under the steady pulse of deep-sea pressure.
The design was ingenious: each entrance aligned exactly with a cardinal direction, opening directly into one of the four major districts. It was intentional—a tactical arrangement so Alteker personnel could respond in a heartbeat whenever security called, or conduct routine checks for leaks, current fluctuations, or hairline fractures in Orcicea Dome's shell.
The moment I stepped inside, my eyes were seared by a brilliance that hit like a conjured sunburst. The interior walls didn't just reflect light, they radiated it, each shining panel emitting a pure white glow from within, as if the very bones of the building pulsed with captive starlight.
I squinted against the glare, but after a few steps, my vision began to adjust and the burning whiteness lost its edge.
"Is it always this blindingly bright in here?" I asked, shielding my eyes with an upraised hand.
Adonis chuckled, clearly no stranger to bewildered stares like mine.
"The Commander's got a thing for light, says it keeps everyone honest. There was even talk of making the Alteker uniforms neon orange back in the day. Folks nearly mutinied, some threatened to quit on the spot. So, dark green it is," he said, tapping the utility-laden uniform draped over his frame. "Instead, they turned HQ into a giant lantern."
"Strange man. And not exactly the picture of professionalism," I murmured, not bothering to hide my skepticism.
Adonis laughed under his breath, genuinely amused by my half-muttered honesty.
Just as we turned into the main corridor—shadows and depth warping beneath the unnaturally bright lights—I plowed straight into someone.
"Ow—hey, watch it!"
The figure tumbled backward with a startled yelp, landing awkwardly on the polished floor. A girl—short-haired, slightly disheveled—blinked up at us from behind a pair of oversized, classic-rimmed glasses. Her uniform was unmistakably a structured outer jacket in deep crimson with clean white lining peeking from the collar and sleeves, paired with a short black skirt and knee-high black socks that clung snugly to her legs. Despite the formality of it, the entire ensemble looked slightly rumpled, like she'd sprinted halfway across the district just to be here.
She was shorter than me, though judging by her face, we were probably the same age. Or maybe she was older? Estimating age based on height was a social gamble few recovered from gracefully.
"Ah! Sorry! Are you okay?" I asked, already reaching out a hand to help. Adonis moved in flawlessly beside me, extending his own.
"Th-thank you…" she mumbled, brushing off her skirt as though chasing imaginary dust. Her fingers trembled faintly in mine before she quickly adjusted her glasses and gave the tiniest, awkward nod.
"A-Adonis!" she exclaimed, a little too stunned, her voice squeaking with admiration that felt a shade too intense for this dim-lit hallway.
Adonis tilted his head slightly, recognition dawning almost instantly. "Gelemia—wow, it's been ages. You're back from study up-top?"
She nodded quickly, still flustered. "Yeah, just for a bit. Captain sent me to deliver a letter to the headmaster."
He scoffed. "What, too busy sipping tea to walk it down himself? Figures."
"I wish I had that luxury," she said, laughing softly, though something bitter clung to the edge of it. "But hey… low-tier interns like me don't exactly get to negotiate. At least they still let us inside Alteker so long as we're enrolled in the upper school."
Then she glanced past Adonis and caught sight of me, really saw me and her expression shifted instantly: curiosity tinged with bashfulness crinkled her features.
"Um… sorry, but… who's this?"
Ah. So they'd finally acknowledged I existed.
"I'm Fionn," I said, offering a polite nod and the warmest smile I could conjure under the emotional traffic jam. "Adonis's younger brother."
Her eyes widened, dramatically, almost cartoonishly so.
"Oh! So you're the one he's always talking about—that one!"
Wait... that one?
"What do you mean 'that' one?" I asked, cautiously squinting.
"I've heard all about you," she said, way too cheerful. "They say you're super smart… and cute!"
A strangled laugh burst unexpectedly in my mind.
"Can't blame her," Erin chimed in, smug and self-satisfied like a cat stretching under a sunbeam. "Takes one glance, then boom, obvious."
Oh, come on.
Could you not just appear out of nowhere like that?! I snapped inwardly, distracted and slightly scandalized. I'm still trying to figure out whether I should be paying attention to actual people… or your running commentary.
And… seriously, what was with that smug tone just now?
Before I could even line up a comeback, Adonis chimed in again.
"Anyway, I've got to head out, Captain waiting for me near one of the patch zones." He cast a glance toward Gelemia before casually adding,
"Oh right—Fionn mentioned he's curious about the place. Think you could walk him through it a little?"
"I can manage that," Gelemia replied, unfazed. "Besides, I have to deliver something to Captain anyway."
I shot Adonis a death glare, silently beaming my most pointed protest: You're really pawning me off on someone new?
He just clapped me on the shoulder, his touch annoyingly reassuring. "Hey, I know the ins and outs here, but nobody's more thorough than Gelemia."
He continued, "No worries, very few make it to upper studies after joining Alteker. Gelemia's one of the rare ones memory and know-how way above the curve."
And there it was Gelemia, catching the compliment with a glint of pride, her nose nearly tilting skyward by a fractional degree.
"So, you'll be in the safest hands," Adonis nodded, then vanished, his figure swallowed up by the blinding white of headquarters.
"Go on, bond, you two," he quipped over his shoulder, the words almost a tease.
Now it was just me and Gelemia, a curious silence stretching between us. Quiet, but not empty.
"Heh… you brothers are quite the odd bunch," she said, gliding ahead playfully. "Adonis stays cool, Ashsa's a live wire… and you—"
She paused, staring at me longer than strictly necessary.
"You're… hard to pin down. Sort of negative, but not really. It's like you absorb the energy of everyone around you."
I snorted. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
She laughed. "Take it however you want. Anyway, let's get moving. We'll start the tour… south first."
South, I thought. Hozi's warning echoed in my mind—a vague nudge about something off in the southern sector of the headquarters.
With barely contained enthusiasm, Gelemia pointed down the corridor toward her chosen sector. "First stop: Alteker's legendary restroom review!" she announced, completely straight-faced.
I hesitated for a few seconds. ...Is this girl actually qualified to be a guide?