The moment the contract was sealed, the faint hum of energy still lingering on Hugo's skin, Barns was already on his feet again.
The older man adjusted his cuffs, the crisp fabric whispering against his sleeves as he glanced at Hugo with that familiar half-smile — one that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Come on," he said, voice steady. "We need to be on the move."
They left the clerk office behind, weaving back through the corridors until they reached the elevator again.
The ride down was silent except for the faint mechanical hum.
The mirrored walls reflected Barns' composed expression and Hugo's calm, unreadable one beside it — two figures, one seasoned and weary, the other young but unnervingly certain.
When the elevator doors slid open, the sound of the station below rushed in like a tide.
The train station was just as busy as when they had first arrived.
Streams of recruits, contractors, and clerks moved through the concourse.
Barns walked briskly, weaving through the crowd. Hugo followed close behind, the faint echo of their footsteps lost among hundreds of others.
Once they reached a quieter platform, Barns stopped beside a different train — sleeker, its body lined with faint blue conduits of energy running like veins along its sides.
He motioned toward it.
"I'm taking you to meet Cadre Five," he said, glancing at Hugo. "Since you'll be joining them, it's only proper I hand you over personally. The original plan if you had accepted the academy program was for you to finish your signing, go through orientation, and head back home to celebrate with your mother."
A faint smile ghosted over his face. "But it seems you're going to be late for dinner."
Hugo gave a quiet nod. "She won't mind."
They boarded the train.
Inside, the cabin was almost empty — just a few passengers seated far apart, the kind who looked like they didn't want to be spoken to.
When the compartment filled up, the doors sealed with a low click, and the train shot forward with a sudden burst of acceleration that pressed Hugo slightly back against his seat.
The lights dimmed automatically to a soft blue hue. Through the tinted window, tunnels of smooth steel blurred past in streaks of white and violet.
Hugo turned toward Barns. "Are we heading out of the city?"
"Yes," Barns said, checking something on his wrist device. "This station here is just the administrative center. All the paperwork for recruits, contracts, sponsorships — it happens here. But the Keep itself isn't limited to this facility. It spans the entire continent through a network of domains and subdivisions."
He looked up, meeting Hugo's eyes. "The academy, for instance, is a few hundred kilometers west. You'd have been heading there next week if you'd agreed to the academy. But since you're now with Cadre Five…" He smiled faintly, gesturing out the window. "We're going to the Bunker."
"The Bunker?" Hugo repeated, watching the endless dark of the tunnel beyond the glass.
Barns nodded. "It's one of our primary underground facilities. A stronghold where most Vanguards live when stationed within the Keep. The academy graduates also stay there — the ones preparing for their first Gate."
He leaned back slightly in his seat, folding his arms. "It's less… glamorous than it sounds, but it's where real work begins."
Hugo nodded, his gaze drifting again toward the window.
The reflection of the blue tunnel lights slid across his face. He didn't ask any more questions, and Barns didn't push conversation further.
The train continued deeper, and the tunnel began to widen. The sound shifted — the faint rumble beneath their feet growing softer, the vibration of air around them subtly changing.
After nearly thirty minutes, the train slowed, then came to a smooth halt. A faint chime rang overhead.
"We're here," Barns said, standing up.
They stepped off the train and into another vast underground station — but this one was different.
Massive pillars of black stone supported the ceiling high above, engraved with faintly glowing sigils that pulsed with slow blue light.
The sound of distant machinery echoed through the space — rhythmic, mechanical, like a sleeping heart.
Dozens of Vanguards were moving through the area — most wearing light tactical uniforms with different insignias stitched across their shoulders.
Some carried weapons slung over their backs; others were in small groups, laughing or discussing upcoming expeditions.
Even without understanding the hierarchy, Hugo could tell. These people weren't trainees, they were active, battle-hardened, and alive in a way that only constant risk could shape.
Barns led him through a side corridor lined with reinforced glass, beyond which other trains came and went in constant rhythm.
After a while, Barns spoke again, his tone casual — but his words carried meaning.
"You haven't asked, so I'll tell you anyway," he said, walking at a steady pace. "A cadre is a small, specialized team of Vanguards trained together for specific objectives. Gate exploration, high-risk extraction, resource location, anomaly studies — things like that."
He looked ahead, his expression softening slightly. "They're not ordinary teams. Each cadre is made up of the top recruits from the academy's last batch. The best of the best. The rest usually end up with more stable postings — administrative work, logistics, or in my case, recruitment."
His tone didn't sound bitter. If anything, there was pride there — a quiet contentment, as if he had found his own way to serve.
"The one you've been assigned to — Cadre Five — ranked fifth overall last year. A solid record. "
He looked forward again, expression unreadable. "You'll be fine as long as you follow orders. And you don't have to worry to much, you'll have someone looking out for you within the team."
Hugo turned toward him, brow furrowing slightly. "Who?"
Barns gave a small smile. "Your cousin, Blake."