"You see, that's what happens when you listen to that strange voice," Liam said, as some, like Billy, struggled to breathe. The lack of oxygen was evident in the area, and several members of the group were beginning to feel dizzy.
At that moment, a familiar voice called out from behind them:
"Hey, kids, can you get off my back?" Dustin said, referring to Riota and Floud, who had landed on top of him after the rough landing.
As everyone began to fall, Lita quickly used her nature powers to create a network of roots and vines that sprouted from the ground, cushioning the fall of several companions before they hit the hard terrain. Hela, on the other hand, employed her necromancy to manipulate bones and form ethereal platforms that supported those still disoriented.
Claude reacted with agility, creating multiple copies of himself to catch those who hadn't yet regained their balance, ensuring no one got hurt upon landing. Benny also sprang into action, stretching his elastic body to form a kind of floating net that intercepted several teammates just before impact.
A few more were saved by Andre's hair, which extended like protective tentacles, wrapping precisely around those about to collapse uncontrollably. Finally, Aiden and Podbe were aided by the combined psychic powers of Leila and Mark. These two created a mental field that gently lowered them as if an invisible force cradled them until they were safely deposited on the ground, avoiding any fractures or injuries.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group tried to adapt to the hostile environment, some regaining their balance while others still battled the vertigo caused by the altitude. Despite the circumstances, everyone was unharmed thanks to the quick intervention of their teammates and the diversity of abilities within the team.
Despite the initial difficulties, everyone managed to avoid serious injuries thanks to the rapid response and the variety of skills within the group, once again demonstrating how their unity and coordination were essential to overcoming any obstacle.
"Is everyone okay?" Aiden asked, concerned, though everyone was short of breath due to the high altitude. Everyone except Dustin, who seemed immune to the effects of altitude sickness.
"What is this place?" Floud asked, trying to stay conscious as she felt the effects of altitude sickness starting to take hold.
"Well, it looks like a fortress," Billy responded, making an effort to speak, though the lack of oxygen was evident in his halting voice.
"We shouldn't have listened to that voice," Abel complained, looking at Aiden with a mix of frustration and exhaustion.
Just then, the voice spoke again, this time with an almost casual tone:
"Good thing you came. We're in an ancient fortress, over four thousand meters above sea level."
"You idiot! You should've told us that before!" Cain shouted, visibly irritated as he tried to catch his breath.
Dustin, sarcastically, added:
"Oh, boss, you always have to be in places like these, huh?"
"Boss!" everyone exclaimed in unison, turning their gazes toward the figure emerging from the shadows cast by the rocks.
A man with black hair slowly appeared, a confident smile on his face. Just as he was about to introduce himself, everyone lost consciousness, collapsing one after another.
"Oops!" the man said casually, as if he had just made a minor, inconsequential mistake. "I guess I should've warned all of you about this."
"You think?" Dustin retorted with evident sarcasm, crossing his arms as he watched some members of the group still struggling to recover from altitude sickness.
"Well, I'd better help get them inside and help them recover," the man added, advancing toward the group with a calm but determined stride.
One by one, everyone began to close their eyes, succumbing to the dizziness and exhaustion brought on by altitude sickness. Josh, still fighting to stay conscious, managed to see the mysterious figure approaching with steady steps. Beside him, Dustin was already in action, carrying the others one by one, ensuring no one was left unprotected as they tried to adapt to the hostile environment. First, he lifted Riota, Akira, and Floud, who had fallen near him, placing them in a safe spot before returning for the rest. His energy seemed inexhaustible, even amid adversity.
In the end, one by one, everyone gave in to the heaviness invading their bodies and minds. The exhaustion, combined with the effects of altitude sickness and the mysterious energy of the place, slowly pulled them into a deep lethargy. Their eyelids closed without resistance, as if an invisible force cradled their thoughts and plunged them into a collective slumber.
The sound of the wind faded, voices died away, and the world around them fell silent. Only Josh remained conscious for a few more seconds, but even he couldn't fight the wave of drowsiness enveloping him. Finally, the last pair of eyes closed, and the group lay motionless, completely surrendered to the embrace of a deep and unknown sleep.
In this state, Aiden began to experience small flashbacks of what had happened after the battle with Zeus. He vividly remembered walking alone, with no one by his side, through a massive door. His hands and feet were shackled with heavy cuffs, as if he were a dangerous villain. Upon entering, several lights flickered on abruptly, illuminating a room filled with world leaders gathered for an extraordinary summit. The boy found himself at the center of all their gazes, surrounded by voices resonating in his ears.
"You are someone dangerous," the leaders declared in unison, their tones oscillating between fear, concern, and greed.
Some murmured that it was a mistake to leave him free; others argued that someone with so much power should be controlled. Questions piled up: What would happen if he opened another portal, like the one that brought the guardian Urion? Or the last one where he returned alongside Zeus, bringing with him visions of unknown terrors?
Some leaders were visibly worried, others seemed lost in thought, and a few even appeared excited about the idea of using him as a weapon. They spoke of seeking new worlds to populate, exploring unknown dimensions, and exploiting his power for their own benefit. But what all the voices had in common was fear—fear of the unknown, fear that a child might not be able to handle such immense power without losing control.
"What if he sends the planet somewhere else? Or worse, destroy it completely?" interrupted Hela, one of the leaders from SQUARE, present at the summit alongside her country's president.
Her sharp voice cut through the general murmur like a lightning bolt, leaving an uncomfortable silence in the room. All eyes turned to her as her words hung in the air, heavy with a mix of fear and warning. The tension was already palpable, but her intervention added an extra layer of gravity to the atmosphere, as if she had voiced the worst fear lurking in everyone's minds.
Bronjort, with a serious expression, opened a massive door and entered the room. Everyone fell momentarily silent at the sight of him, though the underlying tensions remained.
"Calm down, I can handle this," Bronjort declared firmly, watching as the others crowded around the young Aiden.
Hela, however, couldn't hold back and fired another barb:
"You? The same person who runs an agency of secret agents with powers—the very one that failed to defeat Zeus. If it hadn't been for that dog, we would've already been dominated by that man."
The other world leaders began murmuring again, making their dissatisfaction clear. Bronjort raised a hand, asking for calm, and continued:
"It's true that we experienced firsthand a sense of helplessness, unable to see what was being distorted in the shadows during the battle with Zeus. And precisely because of that, today, more than ever, we need heroes who can serve and support the world. If my agents need improvement, we have her… The one who can change everything."
His statement left everyone silent, intrigued by who "she" might be and what role she would play in the immediate future.
"Are you referring to that woman?" they all asked in unison, exchanging glances among themselves.
"Yes, exactly. Who better than her to take charge of everything and make them stronger for the protection of the planet? They will be the first line of defense against any problem that arises," Bronjort declared firmly, though his tone betrayed a hint of insecurity.
Some leaders hesitated; others nodded in approval. After a brief debate, they reached an agreement: yes, they would accept the proposal, but with strict conditions. Aiden had to wear a tracker to monitor his location at all times, along with a power inhibitor similar to the one Adrian had created to immobilize Zeus. As an additional measure, someone had to stay with him 24/7.
Hela, always calculating, suggested assigning Jake as Aiden's permanent bodyguard. Her suggestion sounded practical, even logical, given the circumstances. What Hela didn't know, however, was that Jake wasn't just a loyal ally to the group: he was actually an undercover agent. He worked directly for Drake's agency, whose operations were under Bronjort's strategic control.
Behind his friendly and discreet demeanor, Jake harbored secrets that could change everything. While Hela believed she was making a tactical decision, she was actually playing directly into the hands of a much more complex espionage network than anyone in that room could imagine.
With no further discussion, all these decisions were agreed upon. Aiden, still processing what had happened, watched as Podbe entered through another door. Before leaving, Bronjort approached the boy, his expression serious but charged with expectations. His gaze was piercing, as if trying to see beyond the words he was about to speak.
"Well, kid, I expect great things from you," he said firmly, his voice resonating with a tone that brooked no argument. "Don't waste this opportunity… this 'freedom'—and I use that term loosely—that I managed to secure for you. If it weren't for me, you'd be locked up in a cell alongside your great-uncle. Don't let me down."
His last words were almost a whisper, but heavy with meaning, like an implicit warning. Bronjort held Aiden's gaze for a few more seconds, making sure the message was clear before turning and walking away, leaving the boy frozen under the weight of his words.
Though his tone was firm, inside Bronjort felt a pang of sadness. He knew the decisions made weren't fair to Aiden, but he couldn't hesitate or show weakness in front of the others—especially not in front of Hela and the other members of SQUARE, who were only looking for an excuse to replace him with someone "more competent" according to their criteria.
At that moment, a voice interrupted Aiden's memories:
"Hey, kid, wake up! Wake up already! I think the altitude hit him harder than the rest."
Aiden's eyes shot open, feeling Podbe's wet tongue licking his entire face.
"Agh! Stop it, Podbe! Enough!" the boy exclaimed, pushing the dog away with a mix of laughter and annoyance.
"I see you had another nightmare," Riota commented as she watched Aiden get up, noticing the cold sweat covering his forehead.
"Yes," Aiden whispered, trying to hide his agitation.
"Podbe… did you just talk to me?" Aiden asked, his voice filled with a mix of astonishment and hope, quickly turning toward the dog.
Aiden's heart was pounding. It had been months since the incident, and during all that time, Podbe had remained silent, unable to utter a single word. Hearing a voice that seemed to come from him stirred a wave of emotions in the boy: nostalgia, joy, even a hint of relief.
But then, Aiden's smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. The voice he had heard wasn't Podbe's. It belonged to someone else, someone who now stood before them, observing them with a calm but mysterious expression.
"It wasn't me," said the person who had brought them to this place, breaking the moment with deliberate calm. Then, with a teasing yet friendly tone, he added:
"What's with the long faces, kids? Good thing you're awake, kid."
The disappointment in Aiden's eyes was evident, but he quickly tried to mask it. However, his shift in mood didn't go unnoticed by some of his companions, who exchanged worried glances.
"It's nothing," Aiden lied, trying to conceal what he had seen in his memories. Then, with curiosity, he asked:
"You're the one who's been talking to us, right?"
The man in front of him nodded. He appeared to be about thirty years old, dressed like a classic archaeologist: a leather jacket, sturdy boots, and sunglasses hanging from the collar of his shirt. His appearance reflected a mix of Chinese and Latin American heritage, with almond-shaped eyes that shone brightly against warm skin and jet-black hair. The intense green of his gaze sparkled like emeralds under the light, giving him a striking contrast.
"What is this place?" Aiden asked, looking around curiously as he tried to process their surroundings.
The man smiled calmly before responding:
"This, kid, is my little base. My grand monument, my beloved fortress: 'Waqrapukara.' It's like a home to me. I'm something of a hermit."
The place looked like a blend of a modern bunker and an ancient technological sanctuary. There were beds, advanced machines, and artifacts that seemed to integrate seamlessly with the ancestral technology of the site. It was clear that this place served as both a refuge and a secret laboratory.
"Don't worry about tourists bothering us here," the man added calmly. "They only come to see the exterior; inside, I'm the only one who can enter."
He paused briefly before continuing:
"I apologize for bringing you all here so abruptly without considering how the altitude would affect everyone. Fortunately, thanks to these herbs I've infused into your systems using this machine"—he gestured toward a sort of transfusion device connected to several tubes—"you're now immune to the effects of altitude sickness. I'm really sorry," he added sincerely.
Akira, amazed by the place, thought to herself: I have so many questions to ask him… This site is incredible.
The man, noticing everyone's attention on him, decided to introduce himself formally:
"You must be Aiden, right? That's what your friends said when they talked about you. Oh, excuse me! Where are my manners… I'm Professor Yu-Wen Teller Valle, an archaeologist. Or, well, since you use codenames, you can call me Agent E-1."
"Aha! So that's why Dustin called you 'boss,'" Amaya commented with a mischievous smile.
"And, if we may ask… Why have we never seen you before?" Timmy and Floud asked in unison, exchanging curious glances.
Yu-Wen responded calmly:
"Well, I enjoy traveling and exploring various cultures and strange places full of history, like this great fortress that I've adapted as my home. That's why I don't spend much time at the agency."
Aiden, always direct, interjected:
"Sir, please tell us more."
Yu-Wen smiled kindly:
"I'd prefer if you called me Yu, if that's alright with you, kid."
"Alright, Yu," Aiden replied, adjusting slightly.
Dustin, ever serious, added:
"Hey, don't get too familiar with him, boy."
"Relax, everyone can call me Yu if they want," the professor responded with a relaxed gesture.
"Yes, sir," the others chorused, some with a hint of discomfort at such familiarity.
Yu returned to the main topic:
"Now, about what you mentioned earlier, kid… I can help you rescue your friend. That's why I contacted you."
Billy, always impulsive, interrupted:
"He's not his friend!"
Maria quickly clapped a hand over his mouth, shooting him a stern look.
"Professor, please continue," she said diplomatically.
Yu nodded, ignoring the interruption:
"As I was saying, I can help you, but you, boy, are the key that will lead you there. You, my young friend, will use this."
With a dramatic flourish, Yu-Wen pulled back some curtains, revealing something behind them that left everyone speechless.