The moment we passed through the great gate of Magìo, something inside me stirred an urge, a trembling sensation, like the faint pulse of a memory I couldn't quite grasp. It was that same eerie feeling I'd felt back during the crash. The one when the world seemed to shatter into pieces, yet I was somehow left untouched.
A sudden urge, deep and unsettling, swept over me, like something was waiting beneath the surface, watching.
I blinked, pushing the sensation down, folding it into the recesses of my mind as we entered a narrow corridor beyond the gate. The walls were smooth, cold stone glowing faintly under the pale light of runes etched with delicate precision. At the corridor's end, a soft glow flickered, a beacon in the dimness that drew us forward.
Our pace quickened almost instinctively. The air shifted around us, charged with unspoken energy as my vision sharpened, adjusting to the contrast between shadow and light.
Then, we stepped into the heart of the campus.
Before us stretched a vast open field. The grass beneath our feet was impossibly green, vibrant in a way that defied nature. Trees dotted the perimeter, their leaves shimmering with a faint golden hue as if kissed by sunlight even in this twilight hour. Scattered around were tables, ornate and wrought with intricate designs, like relics from another age.
In the center of the field stood a podium, simple but commanding. Five figures were already gathered there, their eyes sharp, calculating. They whispered among themselves, their gaze piercing as we approached. It was as if they were weighing us with invisible scales, judging each heartbeat.
"Welcome!" A voice rang out, clear, strong, and unyielding.
A woman stepped forward from the group. She was in her mid-fifties, but carried an aura of timeless authority, like she had seen centuries pass. Her eyes glimmered with a knowing light as she walked confidently to the podium.
Doc. Ruan and Head Prof. Darien exchanged a brief glance before motioning us forward. "Go seat," Darien said softly.
Chairs had been arranged in a semi-circle around the podium, fifteen in total. Each chair was unique, crafted from different materials and styles.
One was carved from dark mahogany, polished to a mirror shine with intricate silver filigree tracing its curves. Another was a sleek, modern design, smooth, white leather stretched taut over a titanium frame. There was an antique throne-like seat, its faded velvet faded to a deep crimson, suggesting stories of power and age. A simpler wooden chair bore hand-painted symbols I couldn't decipher but somehow felt familiar.
The rest varied, each distinct, almost like they held a personality of their own.
We settled in, some still silent, others exchanging nervous glances. I chose a seat near the middle, its surface cool, but strangely comforting.
"Welcome, welcome!" The woman's voice carried again, this time softer, more examining as her eyes swept over us. "You all look stunned. Some, bored," she said with a faint smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Her gaze landed on Asmera, who was sitting upright, hands folded neatly in her lap.
She nodded approvingly.
"I am Dean Veilla Akanni," she announced, voice firm yet melodic. The tone was strange, a mixture of high and low notes, like piano keys struck in quick succession. It was unsettling yet somehow soothing, pulling our attention like a spell.
Her eyes locked on me for a brief moment, making my skin prickle.
Dean Veilla cleared her throat and continued. "You have all been chosen for a reason far greater than mere chance. The tragedies you have survived, the trauma that awoke something dormant inside you… it was not by accident."
Her words settled over us like a veil, heavy and significant.
"You carry within you the hidden gifts, the abilities that others fear, that the world tries to deny. You are the new batch of protectors, the Hynborn."
Her declaration hit me like a sudden gust of wind, unexpected, undeniable.
The room fell into silence so thick it pressed against my ears. My mind raced with questions, too many to grasp at once.
Protectors?
Hynborn?
How could she possibly know?
The strange forcefields I barely understand… the inexplicable things my body does?
It felt surreal. Like a puzzle piece sliding perfectly into place, yet revealing a picture I was afraid to see.
Dean Veilla's gaze softened slightly, sensing our confusion. "Each of you hides a secret, an ability forged in pain and survival. You are not alone. This hidden city, this institution, is built on that truth."
Her voice lowered, barely above a whisper but sharp enough to cut through the fog of my thoughts. "You are part of a society unseen by the world, an ancient legacy tasked with protecting humanity from dangers they cannot perceive."
I swallowed hard. The secret we had all carried, unknown even to ourselves until now, was no longer a shadow, it was a destiny.
She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in.
"We will teach you control, understanding, and strength," she promised. "But know this, this path will test every fiber of your being."
I felt the eyes of everyone in the circle on me. Some looked fearful. Others, resolute.
I dared to meet their gazes, realizing we were bound by something stronger than trauma or accident. We were chosen.
The strange urge from before, the pulse that echoed back to the crash, it wasn't just a memory. It was a call.
And I knew, without fully understanding why, that the real journey was just beginning.