Tell me more," Kai said, voice flat, but the twitch of his ears betrayed him. Curiosity. The kind that slipped under his skin before he could deny it.
Tara leaned back in her chair, folding her hands on the desk with deliberate calm. "Alright. The victims were Resonants. All initiates. All unbonded. No guardians, no soul companions—just like you were."
She tapped the holo display, flickering it to life. "First one was found deep in the subway tunnels. Body posed in a circle of their own blood. Soulprint missing—completely gone. No fuzz-out. No residue. That's not just rare. That's surgical. Soulprints linger two to three days after death, even in clean kills. This one? Hollow."
Grainy images surfaced—distorted for security clearance, but Kai's gaze sharpened. Ritualistic. Limbs outstretched like they were waiting for something. Symbols carved with cruel precision along the arms and chest. Not decorative. Intentional.
"Second victim—alley near the east market district. Third in an abandoned warehouse off Sector Twelve. All young. All isolated. No resonance trails. No witnesses. Concord suspects a rogue with a soul-extraction boon, but nothing in the databanks matches the technique or signature. Whoever's doing this... they know exactly what they're after."
Kai scratched his chin, slow. His fingers brushed the faint line of stubble he never cared enough to shave. A cold stir bloomed behind his ribs. Faint, familiar. Like Velnix whispering through his bones.
"There are two active scenes left," Tara added. "If you're interested, someone on-site can fill you in. Or don't. But these aren't random killings, Kai. They're hunting Resonants."
He stared at the holo-images another moment, then stood. "I'll keep an eye out," he said, tone dismissive. But his eyes lingered a second too long on the sigils. Something in them itched.
Without another word, he left. The office door clicked shut behind him with a soft finality.
Outside, the Nynxreach grounds bustled with life—students shouting across training platforms, drones buzzing overhead, laughter leaking from an open sparring ring. Kai pulled his hood low. He moved through the campus like a shadow that didn't want to belong, phone buzzing quietly with Tara's coordinates.
He ignored it.
A nearby holo-board flashed class options. One caught his eye: Wilderness Survival – Applied Tactics. No groupwork. No combat trials. Just practical knowledge and silence.
"Might as well," he muttered, heading toward the western wing.
-
The Wilderness Survival classroom was nothing like the rest of the sterile academy. It smelled faintly of moss and burnt resin. The walls flickered with holo-trees, swaying gently as if breathing. Floor panels shifted underfoot with crunching dirt-texture. Fifteen students clustered on wooden benches, their chatter hushed as the instructor entered.
He was old—not elderly, but seasoned. A long scar ran down his jaw, and one arm had the unmistakable gleam of synthbone replacement.
"Sit up," he growled without introduction. "This ain't pretend. Survival out there? It's not academic."
He pointed to a jungle projection on the wall. "First rule in unknown terrain: mark your path. Those who don't will most likely get lost and starve."
Next came a frozen mountaintop. "Cold zones kill faster than demons. Hypothermia scrambles your resonance, you're walking meat. Shelter first. Snow trench. Birch branches. Burn dry wood only. Wet logs signal your location with smoke. Might as well scream."
A girl raised her hand. "What about spiritual guardians? Can they warm you up?"
"If you're lucky," the instructor said. "Pain-absorbers like Velnix can suppress frostbite. But resonance requires mental clarity. You start shivering, you lose focus. Then you lose control. Then you die."
He shifted to a case study. "Omen Event survivors lasted through group formation and shared body heat. Everyone wants to be a lone wolf until they freeze to death."
Kai leaned back, arms crossed. His attention drifted, but his instincts didn't. he knew this was important but part of him wasn't listening thinking about that job Tara mentioned. Velnix hummed as an orb beside his head.
The instructor clicked through more slides. "Water's next. Melt snow—don't eat it raw. Drops your core temp. Use cloth filtration. Anything stagnant?. Boil it. Always. Even if it tastes fine."
He brought up a hologram of a survival pack. "Knife. Cord. Tarp. No more than ten kilos. And if you've got a teleport boon use sparingly Fatigue hits harder in the wilds. If you fall in a snow cave, build a fire at the deepest point—smoke moves toward oxygen. That's your out."
Another voice cut in. "And caves?"
The man's tone turned grim. "Avoid 'em. Especially during snow. Avalanches don't knock politely. If you must enter, mark your way back every three meters. Snow shifts. Your mind will too."
Sparks flew during the demo—flint against carbon steel. Students fumbled, mimicking the technique. Kai didn't try. He watched a boy cut his thumb and shake his hand, wincing.
"Survival's ugly," the instructor said, glancing at him. "Better to bleed now than freeze later."
The class ended. Kai slipped out before the lights reset, ignoring the practice drills behind him.
"Useless," he muttered. But his brain logged the cave tip. Mark your exit. Light at the back.
-
The Nynxreach courtyard was thinning. Evening haze rolled in, gold slipping to slate-blue. Kai walked slowly, hood drawn, hands in pockets. His head buzzed—not from fear, but friction. He didn't like riddles. But soulprints being devoured?
That was personal.
He ducked behind a support beam near the east gate, avoiding a cluster of initiates practicing stun boons. His fingers brushed the message still unopened on his phone. Coordinates. Entry points. Time stamps.
Behind him, a familiar voice cut through the air like a thread pulled taut.
"Kai."
He turned too late. Neo was already there, leaning against a rune pillar, arms crossed. His jacket caught the dying light, and his scars—thin, silvery lines across his cheek—shimmered like memory.
Kai stopped, annoyed. "What."
Neo's tone was easy, but something coiled beneath it. "Forn saw you sneak out of Tara's office. She's worried. You've been dodging everyone."
"I've been busy."
"You've been hiding."
Kai didn't answer. His body shifted toward the gate.
Neo stepped closer. "so what are your plans?"
"I'm thinking of doing a mission" Kai said, brushing past
"Alone" he adds.
Neo caught his sleeve—not hard, just enough to pause him. "You're not alone anymore, you know. We're your team. You act like we're weights on your ankles."
Kai stared at Neo's hand gripping his sleeve. His jaw flexed. "I'm used to being alone. It's easier."
Kai jerked his arm back, sharper this time.
"
"You don't have to do it alone you know? We're your frien-" neo smiles but was cut off.
"Look just leave me be. Just because we did a mission together doesn't mean we're buddy buddy." He scowls
Then
Kai turned and walked fast, shoes scuffing against the stone. He didn't look back. Neo didn't follow.
The academy lights dimmed as he crossed the threshold. Past the wards. Past the safety net. Zone Alpha's streets flickered ahead—half-lit and humming with drone patrols. Screens played muted newsfeeds. Concord agents playing cards . Civilians glanced his way, then looked away.
He pulled out his phone.
Tara's coordinates glowed like a challenge.
A lone blip in a dark maze.
He let the city swallow him.
Alone.