The sun was blasting it's heat down on everyone on the training grounds. My feet were firmly rooted on the ground. The focus right now was just to restore my connection or attraction to the magic particles around me. Usually this comes from the core of my being like some kind of power source. I was just barely hanging on because it was like I was on some kind of tight rope. If I didn't focus just for one second then I would instantly just lose the connection. This was frustrating beyond belief. It didn't matter how much time I put because the result was the same. The connection was just far too faint for me to reach out and use. Trying to focus on a connection to magic was just extremely difficult for me now and that's just a fact. Something was just blocking my flow. Siv was barely watching me as I tried to focus on trying to do whatever it was I was doing. He was just completely uninterested in my troubles. He got up to his feet despite the broken shin and twirled around his throwing knife.

Siv: Is that really all you got? I mean they really did a number on you huh but I didn't expect it to be that bad. At this rate, you might as well give up.

Arc: I'm trying here. It's just not the same as I remembered it to be. There's has to be something that I can do to get it back.

Siv: What did it used to be? Like some kind of bladder problem, cause that's what your face is telling me.

Arc: I used to be able to draw it in like a giant spark inside then I would harness it like a pulling motion. Something simple like that.

Siv: Then I guess it's the same for everyone else. I basically do that too but a bit different. What about you Nitra?

Nitra: I tend to make it flow within my body like some kind of passageway. Instead of using wind current like something of an external energy, I use my body as a conductor of it then shoot it out.

Siv: Strange. Everyone has their own I guess. Maybe instead of searching for your old connections, you should try to find a new one. Have you ever felt that faint feeling when you're doing something else. Try to focus on that. It's better than the condition you're in that's for sure.

Arc: I've felt it a bunch of times before but I could never pinpoint it out. It's always so loose so I'm not quite sure.

Siv: When were those times? Just re create it or something I don't know. I'm not a professor at this shit. It just do.

Arc: Life threatening? It's when I needed it the most. But it would never be the output I would want. It's always small. Though it was just enough to get by.

Nitra: This is going to be harder than I thought.

With every hour or so I would return to Siv for some training. However, I could barely find that connection. My strength for this internal battle was starting to wane. It started to become a bit depressing that I barely got enough rest. Thinking over and over on how it was easy to command the magic so easily. How could this change me so drastically. Seeing Nitra use her powers so easily was starting to get under my nerves too. Though I know I shouldn't be feeling that because just a few cycles ago I would have easily done the same. Now there's nothing I could do but stand by the watch tower for something. From time to time, I could feel the connection. But it's faint as always. This teasing of sorts was also getting on my nerves, all I need is a direction or guide to this. Just as I was about to go out on an outburst. I spotted Nex waiving then climbing up the watchtower. He looked a bit worse for wear. His combat gear was stained with sand and blood. Nex gave a weary smile as he finally made it up the watchtower. All I could see up here was the destruction of Hyer as well as the number of people trying to get operations running again. A couple of cycles ago they finally got the power back on for most of the industrial part of the city. Some people were able to do the things they used to do but at a regulated time. Just like some kind of weird prophecy huh. The walls were basically crumbled, streets mangled with bodies, and buildings reduced to ashes. Just a few places left still barely standing. Nex sat next to me while I kept an eye out. He looked a bit happy despite having a bloodied suit.

Nex: Feeling better? I heard from Nitra that you weren't feeling so good.

Arc: Yeah. I've been trying to get my powers back but… It's taking some time. I know it's there. I just can't reach it the same way I used to.

Nex: Wish I could help. There's not much I can do in terms of anything. But I'll be here I guess.

Arc: Actually maybe you can help me out. Though it could be a long shot.

Nex: Anything. Just say it.

Arc: Take me back to Talos. I want to meet with Eliza. I think she's the only one that could help me.

Nex: I guess we can do that. However, before you go. I need to tell you that we found the ship. Though I think you should know that they're gone. I'm not sure how to say it. It seemed like they just abandoned it and left. The only thing left are the mutants and vermins that were still in the hatchery.

Arc: That's strange. Why would they just straight up and leave their ship? What about the important stuff like files?

Nex: So much for our plan to attack them while they're docked. But there's no trace of them left. Not even people that would usually be left behind like mechanics or engineers.

Arc: Something just doesn't feel right. The evacuation seems a bit too seamless.

Nex: I don't know what they're thinking that's for sure. They just know what to do/.

Arc: Anyway. Let's get to Talos. I need to talk to Eliza about something. Maybe she has the key to something.

Terra: Take my hand!

Arc: WHAT!?

Nex: Huh? What's wrong?

Arc: Wait… What just happened?

Nex: Are you alright? I just asked you to take my hand.

Arc: No, I thought I heard something else. I'm not quite sure. But yes, let's go.

I started to touch my forehead to notice that I broke out in a cold sweat. What is this? I could feel my skin starting to feel a bit cold. This is a bit strange. My feet, my teeth, and my hands. I can't seem to shake off this feeling. As I held onto Nex's hand, he looked at me with concern. As soon as I touched his hand, we were already behind the giant ice vault looking towards the great library. A surge of nostalgia started to hit, it felt like I hadn't been in this place in forever. Like somehow, I knew deep down I would never return. The place hadn't changed since we left. That's obviously a good thing since we wouldn't want Eliza to be in danger. We walked towards the now familiar library only to be greeted by Able! Looked like he returned immediately right as the mission was over. His parts were already repaired and shiny. Despite not having an facial features or having that kind of programming, I could somehow tell that he was excited to see us. This golem is always full of surprises. Maybe I am turning soft, just being able to feel a bit of happiness from seeing Able was proof of it. Though deep down I shouldn't be turning out like this.

Able: Welcome again friend! It's good to see you!

Arc: A welcomed sight. Good to see you again Able.

Able: Woohoo! Eliza will be pleased.

Nex: Good to see you again Able. Thanks again for the help.

Able: Anything for a friend! This will be fun!

We continued on towards Eliza's room. Somehow something in me was a bit different now. I just couldn't put my finger on it. Entering this giant dome of a library, Eliza was busy typing something with a metal casket next to her as we entered the room. The place looked a bit busier than usual the last time I was here. There were tons of research papers printed on the floor along with massive amounts of what I assume to be energy giving snacks. From the looks of her hair, she was staying up quite a bit. Nex walked up to her first to see if she was alright. We had to navigate around the books, metal scraps, toolboxes, and crumbled papers just to arrive to her desk.

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Nex: Hey, Eliza. You alright? You look like you haven't slept in days.

Able: She's been able to stay up for 3 days now. Quite the number.

Arc: What's the ratio of days to cycles?

Nex: I don't know. I'm not sure if our knowledge of time is the same with theirs.

Arc: Hey, Eliza! We're here!

Eliza: HWAAAAH! Oh! It's you boys. You scared me! Don't just sneak up on me like that! I'm already an aged woman.

Nex: You don't look aged at all.

Eliza: Oh! You know how to talk to women hahahaha.

Arc: We didn't sneak up. We even talked pretty loud behind you. Thought for sure that you would've heard us.

Eliza: My bad, I was already in the zone there. Are you guys hungry? I haven't eaten in days. Let's head over to the kitchen first. I could use a few munchies. Been working relentlessly on my next big project. Able was just a prototype, with the codes you guys gave me. I can finally reach the apex of my true research.

As we walked towards the kitchen, Eliza talked about the various things she got from the data that we returned. Half of the things she was talking about didn't make any sense to me. Parts of what she said was also gibberish but she seemed so passionate that I didn't want to stop her. Eliza seemed pretty happy too while she was making some food. She started humming a song from her people though the beat was definitely quite foreign to me. Honestly, it made me a bit lonely because I haven't heard music forms from our humans in a long time. Maybe this isn't being lonely? I'm not sure.

Nex: What's the name of that composition? It sounds quite nice.

Eliza: Oh you mean the song? We don't make it sound so formal like that hahaha. It's a pretty old song actually. Maybe I'm just a bit of a young hearted gal but it's from a band that little girls listen to. "Love bug" by Jones Brothers. Though I'm sure you two never heard of them or the song. It wouldn't make sense.

Arc: It's nice. I wish I could hear some more.

Eliza: Maybe if you visit Earth.

Arc: Maybe…

Able helped pass some plates around that I thought I'd never eat from again. This place still definitely needed some more cleaning. Then again, nobody here actually uses the kitchen for anything. Though it does feel like something I would want now. So this was another dish of theirs. I touched the pellets on my side and I couldn't help wondering why we eat these pellets even at the Platform. If we aren't in danger then why do we have to carry these wherever we go. A meat stew with tomatoes they say…

Eliza: You seem to be in a good mood Arc. Did something happen?

Arc: Nothing, I was just thinking about something. Though I don't think it's important anymore.

Eliza: Nonsense, it's always good to talk about something over dinner. Personally, I think it's great seeing you two again. Though I thought for sure that you two would bring in your friends.

Arc: Well they're all pretty injured from the operation.

Eliza: I can see that. I tried not to stare but I can't help stare at your new eyepatch Arc.

Nex: We're not sure if we can get it fixed or not.

Eliza: I can probably check on it later. I have some medical background too. Though I'm no doctor. Peter was the doctor.

Arc: I saw Peter.

Eliza: You did huh…

Arc: He's a lot more different than you than I initially thought. If I were to say anything, I was wondering what you saw in him.

Eliza: Ambition. That's what I saw in him. I wanted to play the part of something bigger than anything that I could've hoped. He saw things in a spectrum that I wished was common knowledge.

Nex: That sounds admirable.

Eliza: It was. Or at least until things started to get harder. He told me that I wasn't worthy to share in his ambition when I said that what he asked for was impossible. I guess that's when we started to drift apart. He doesn't like the notion of being walled off from something great. He believes that every man has the chance to do something great but most are just afraid of the power that comes with it. Tell me Arc, when you looked at his eyes. Was he scared?

Arc: No.

Eliza: He never is. I guess that's what makes joining him so appealing. Maybe he's never scared or maybe his eyes are just dead.

Nex: Do you have an idea on what he wanted?

Eliza: Tell people his plan? No, that's not the way he operates. Sometimes I wished he would just share something about it. Maybe then I would've been able to help him. But if I were to guess, he wants something that could surpass human capabilities. Something to tear the tether of this reality.

Arc: If that's so then maybe it has to do with magic. He was quite interested in knowing more about the Platform after all.

Eliza: It could be a stepping stone for him. I could only guess that his brain practically exploded when he discovered your friends. Anyway, so what did you two come here for?

Arc: Just me, I needed to see you again. I wanted to know more about your science. What we learned was far different to what you know. I want to accomplish something else.

Eliza: Did something happen?

Arc: I lost my powers. Well not exactly the correct term either but you seem to have a grasp on something that I want to learn more about. I want to train under you and be able to understand my magic from a different perspective.

Eliza: That sounds quite intriguing actually. Quite the method if I say so myself. Why though? You seemed quite versed with your magic when I met you.

Nex: They did some neural scrambling. Now his abilities are not so functional now.

Eliza: Neural searching? I've never thought I'd find a facility that had that capability. It's quite a dangerous procedure.

Nex: How dangerous?

Eliza: Initially it was used for helping brain diseases or mental problems that can't be treated with drugs or therapy. But when our military got hold of that technology.

Arc: Brainwashing, mind alteration, and even history wiping. All of it can be changed.

Nex: But theoretically it has a lot of applications for good.

Eliza: You two seem quite familiar with how neural manipulation works.

Arc: That's cause that's exactly what the Platform does. Instead of calling it what you call it, we call it cognitive magic. We've extensively used it for generations. Not only have we perfected it, we've implemented it in our lives.

Eliza: How can your people be so sure it can't be used for evil?

Arc: We aren't.

Nex: We just have to trust them. So far we wouldn't know if they did try something.

Arc: Though, I know that they aren't hiding much.

I can't be sure to say that I have some cognitive resistance because they might see that as a threat. It's best that I just do as I'm told. If there's one thing that I do know is that resistance to the Platform is futile. They know what to do to those aren't in line. Wait? How would I know that? I can't seem to gauge where that came from. Eliza looked at me and she seemed concerned. Seems like I showed what was on my mind. Another recent slip up. Soldiers shouldn't show something unnecessary on their faces.

Eliza: I guess I can stop my research for a bit. It's the least I can do.

Arc: Thanks.

A cycle had passed when I started to feel completely exhausted. This wasn't the kind of training that I expected. Eliza had placed another set of books right on the table. They were all written in english so I could barely understand them. Though It seemed as though Nex wasn't also excluded in this kind of "training" either. Rather than learning sciences, Eliza had to make him learn the intricacies of language. So in the end, he became my translator for things that I could understand. The problem with our specific Adamian cognitive language magic is that we only know what we can hear. So if I read something out of another native species book without them having said it before then I wouldn't be able to understand it. I think Nex was already starting to grow thin of energy. There's only so much English someone can read and get bored or tired.

Nex: When you said that we would train. I thought you meant with some physical training or magic based training. Instead, I'm back to the Academy reading the basics.

Arc: Didn't you have high grades in the Academy?

Nex: Yeah, but that doesn't mean I remember the other stuff besides what we use. The real world doesn't work like that.

Eliza: Do you both have different school systems?

Nex: No, we have only one system for school because we're quite small in population.

Eliza: Well usually our humans would study for at least the first 20 years of their life and some even more.

Arc: People willingly do this stuff?

Eliza: How long did you guys study academics?

Arc: A couple thousand cycles?

Nex: No, I think at least three thousand cycles. Or at least that's what my recommender said to do.

Eliza: Recommender?

Arc: Those are the people that usually tell you or reference you to enter a specific colored class. As you can see from Nex's combat suit, we're under the yellow class.

Nex: There are other colored classes that we don't know about. Strange with the amount of clearance we have, we still don't have information on all of them.

Arc: I know that some classes are more specific than others. Like how Turquoise is mainly in charge of aquatic planets or systems classes. Some classes are built for specific purposes while others are just quite random.

Eliza: This truly does pique so much interest. I'll be sure to read about it when I take a visit.

Nex: I don't think you realize what going to the Platform means Eliza.

Eliza: What do you mean?

Nex: The Funding Numbers might never even want you to leave once you enter. That's why I asked you explicitly if you want to go or not and if you're a hundred percent sure.

Eliza: I mean, I still have my research here. Though I don't think it should be a big problem to move it up to where you guys are. Besides, I don't think anyone would miss me when I'm gone. My children have already passed a long time ago. Don't think my grandchildren would even recognize me either. Sorry, I didn't mean to make this sound so sad. I'm just saying I don't think it would be so hard moving forward. Just another step for me.

Eliza wiped her glasses then walked off towards her computer. I guess she has her own problems too. As I buried myself into the books again, it made me think about what else is there to the Platform. When will all of this end? What's the point in all of this stuff? I understand that it's all for the glory of humankind. But now there are others. What's the point to all of this? No, I should be grateful that the Platform kept us alive for so long. It's been a cycle since I had some rest. I don't think anyone would mind if I took a short eye rest.

?: I don't think he'll be able to break through this alone.

?: No, the only way they could would be if their cognitive magic was beyond a S class magician. So far there hasn't been a student with those capabilities.

?: Hey, y'know if they find out about this then we'll be terminated or labelled as traitors to the Platform.

?: It's better we try and get out our message to whoever is looking for this than dying with the truth and not doing anything at all.

?: Someone has to do it. They'll never be able to find it in him. There's just no way.

?: You better be right. A lot is riding in this kid. He won't even know that something important is on him. But I guess that's our fault.

?: He'll bear our sins. I'm sorry little one.

?: Later in time. He'll come to appreciate it.

?: It's already hard knowing that he's going to have to go through so much hardship.

?: Juxo, take care of him okay? Be sure he'll be safe up there. Don't let them know.

Juxo: Yeah, I got it. I can't guarantee what he'll choose in the end though. If he stays loyal to the Platform then there's nothing that I can do.

?: Just watch over him until then.

Juxo: If that's what you want then. So this is him huh?

?: Stay safe.

?: Adam be with us.

?: For hope.

?: And for the divide.

?: And to the pure.

Juxo: That they may rest with the souls of the past.

I jumped out of my sleep into a cold sweat. However, I may have accidentally hit my knees too hard on the desk that it woke up Nex too! Wait why were both of us sleeping! His eyes were weary from not having rest but it didn't seem to phase Eliza that we were dozing off.

Nex: Huh? What just happened? Oh wait! What does "concatenate" mean? I gotta hop into the next book. Ahhh… This is so tiring.

Arc: I'm just barely into this hardbound volume and I passed out.

Nex: You don't look well. Did you have a bad dream

Arc: I didn't sleep.

Nex: I slept because you slept.

Arc: Fuck, we should be focusing. But I had quite the strange dream... Though it didn't feel like a dream. I wasn't quite sure if it meant anything at all.

Nex: What happened?

Arc: It had something to do with Juxo but if it was a dream why did it feel so different from one? Or if it was a memory then why wasn't it one that I could remember? Everything feels so strange right now. It's like things are crashing down and I just can't stop it.

Nex: Hey! Hey! Calm down alright! Breathe for a bit okay? Just breathe. You need to stop freaking out.

Arc: Yeah… okay… I just need to breathe.

Nex: Maybe… it has something to do with what they were looking for.

Arc: What they were looking for?

Nex: Whatever they did to you, they did for a reason. Maybe you shouldn't fight it. The more you know the better. Was there anything else in there?

Arc: No, I was sent back out. Though I could remember a few things.

Nex: Like what?

Arc: A funeral.