The silence shattered when Theo moved. His hand slid to the dagger at his side, steel whispering against its sheath. In one fluid motion, the blade gleamed in the amber glow of the thermal lamp, its point leveled at Jace's throat.
"Who are you really?" Theo's voice was cold, sharp, each word deliberate.
Jace froze, his breath catching. "W‑what are you talking about?"
Theo's eyes narrowed. "How did you do it?"
Jace blinked, panic rising. "Do... do what?"
Theo's jaw tightened. "The Grinder. You were at the center when it exploded. I saw it with my own eyes."
The memory slammed into Jace—light, fire, the deafening roar as the Grinder's core tore itself apart. He remembered the blast, the way the world seemed to collapse inward, and his body screaming in agony.
"Grinder?" Jace stammered. "You mean... the zombie?"
Theo's expression faltered. His dagger lowered slightly, confusion flickering across his face. "Zombie?" he repeated, as if tasting the word for the first time.
Jace shook his head, frustration boiling over. "Look, I don't know what those things are, and I don't know what happened back there. I wish I could tell you, but I'm beyond confused at this point. And it frustrates me because I don't know shit. I feel... I feel fucking stupid."
Theo studied him, dagger still in hand but no longer pressed forward. His eyes searched Jace's face, weighing every word.
"I don't know what ploy you're making," Theo said slowly. "Are you a spy from another Citadel?"
Jace's voice cracked, raw with desperation. "Do you really think a mere kid had to be caged in a bunker just to be a spy? To be found like this?"
The dagger wavered, Theo's grip loosening. His suspicion didn't vanish, but something in Jace's tone—something in his trembling honesty—made him pause.
For a long moment, neither spoke. The lamp hummed, shadows shifting across the broken concrete.
Finally, Jace swallowed hard, forcing the words out. "Can we talk this out... in a rational way?"
Theo's blade lowered, the edge catching the light one last time before he slid it back into its sheath. His gaze remained cold, but less certain now.
"You'd better hope your words are true," Theo said. "Because if they're not... you won't get another chance."
Theo's gaze caught the faint shimmer in front of Jace's face. He frowned. "What is that?"
Jace blinked, realizing the overlay was visible. The translucent panel hovered in his vision, glyphs pulsing faintly. He tilted his head toward it. "It's... my status window. Look."
Theo leaned closer, suspicion sharpening again, though his weapon remained sheathed.
Mana Rebound: 79%
Jace shook his head, frustration boiling. "I don't know. It's been ticking down ever since I woke up. I've never seen it change before."
Theo's eyes flicked back to him, sharp and calculating. "Do you feel it? The effects?"
Jace hesitated, uncertainty clouding his voice. "I... guess? My skull feels like it's splitting apart. Trembling, nausea, fatigue... like I'm about to explode from the inside."
Theo's grip tightened again, though his confusion was clear. "That's the textbook description of Mana Rebound. But you shouldn't be able to experience it. You don't have a Core. You don't even have mana."
Jace's voice cracked. "Then why am I feeling it?"
Theo's silence stretched, the lamp's hum filling the void. His gaze lingered on the fading glyphs, unsettled. Finally, he exhaled.
"I'm not sure why this is happening to you, kid. For now, all I know is that it doesn't make sense. Once we get where we're headed... we can arrange your Initiation."
Jace blinked, confusion cutting through his fear. "Initiation? What is this, some kind of fraternity hazing?"
Theo's eyes narrowed, irritation flashing across his face. "No. Initiation is where children between 10 to 15 are tested. Their Cores are measured, their potential Authority revealed. It's the only way to know what power you're meant to hold."
Jace frowned. "And if you fail?"
Theo hesitated, his jaw tightening. "It's... better not to."
The weight in his tone made Jace's stomach twist. He didn't need the details to understand — failure carried consequences, something whispered of like a bad omen.
Jace swallowed hard, forcing a weak smile that didn't reach his eyes. "So... I guess we'll see when we get there."
Jace exhaled slowly, the panic easing but never fully gone. His eyes lingered on the fading glyphs, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Aether... if that's what this is, how does it even form? The pulsing energy gnawed at him from the inside, the word itself alien yet strangely familiar.
"Wait," Jace said, his voice low, "is Aether formed from the Great Fracture you mentioned before?"
Theo's gaze hardened. "Yeah. That's the common history passed down to us."
Jace frowned, unease twisting deeper. "Then tell me exactly what history you guys have. This is bothering me... more than a bit."
Theo's silence stretched, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The lamp hummed, shadows shifted across the broken concrete.
Jace's question hung unanswered, heavier with each passing second. What exactly was the Great Fracture... and why does it feel like I'm standing inside its shadow?