Kai stood alongside Team Zephyr near the entrance of the Grove. The towering trees swayed gently in the artificial breeze, their leaves rustling like a gentle whisper, beckoning them to venture forth into the unknown. This was a different approach than he first entered and Kai was excited to see new parts of the Silo with his team at his back.

An older man with a lithe, rugged figure finished meeting with another of the teams and then walked over towards Zephyr. As he drew closer, Kai couldn't help but study the man's weathered features and pronounced limp. The man's eyes were sharp and piercing, his gaze sweeping over the assembled team with a critical eye.

Kira stepped forward, her posture straight and unwavering. "Edward," she greeted him with a curt nod.

Edward returned the gesture, his expression unreadable. "Kira," he said, his voice a deep rumble. "I trust your team is ready for their assignment."

Kira didn't hesitate. "We are," she affirmed.

Edward nodded, reaching into the pouch slung across his chest. He produced a tattered map, its surface marked with intricate lines and symbols that Kai couldn't decipher. Unfurling it, Edward traced a predetermined route with his finger.

"Your assignment is twofold," he began, his words clipped and precise. "First, you will acclimate the new recruit, Kai, to the team's operations and protocols."

Kai felt the weight of Edward's gaze settle upon him, and he instinctively straightened his posture, meeting the older man's eyes with a steady, unwavering gaze. Edward nodded and flashed him a smile that looked rare on the weathered face. "Happy to have you onboard, son. The Grove needs as many capable hands as we can get."

"Second," Edward continued, "you will scout for newcomers. The census reports have increased substantially over the past month, leading the Grove to believe that another large spawning wave is imminent."

Kai's did a mental double take at the mention of a "spawning wave," but he remained silent, choosing not to interrupt the briefing. Instead, he filed the phrase away, making a mental note to ask about its meaning later.

Edward rolled up the map and handed it to Kira, who accepted it with a solemn nod. "You know the drill," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Scout the perimeter, guide any newcomers to the Grove, and report back with your findings."

Kira nodded once more, her expression steely and determined. "Understood," she replied.

With a final sweeping glance over the team, Edward turned and strode away, his imposing figure disappearing into the verdant foliage of the Grove.

Kira wasted no time, immediately turning to address her team. "You heard the man," she said, her voice carrying an air of authority. "Bastion, Rowan, you'll take point. Chris, you'll cover our rear. Kai, you're with me."

The team members nodded in acknowledgment, their expressions focused and resolute. Kai felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins, the thrill of the unknown and exploration rising through his mind. His footsteps were light, his emotions unburdened after the peaceful days of rest inside the Grove.

As they began their journey, Kai fell into step beside Kira.

"Kira," Kai began, his voice low. "What did Edward mean by 'spawning wave'?"

Kira glanced at him, her expression betraying a hint of surprise. "You haven't been briefed on the Silo's population dynamics?" she asked, her tone tinged with curiosity.

Kai shook his head, his brow furrowing. "No, or if Sarah mentioned it then it was lost in the amount of information. It was a bit overwhelming after weeks alone or just with one other."

Kira nodded, her gaze shifting back to the path ahead. "The Silo's population doesn't grow or replenish in the traditional sense," she explained. "Instead, new arrivals show up sporadically but in predictable trends. There are large lulls and then huge waves of spawning. The spawning waves always correspond with a beast wave."

Kai's eyes widened as the implications of her words sank in. "So, you're saying that there are more people coming? A lot more? Beast wave?"

Kira's expression shifted and she laughed, putting a hand on Kai's shoulder. "Precisely," she affirmed. "And it's our job to find them, guide them to the Grove. Relax, Kai. No one can understand everything on their first days. Our mission will take us four days, Ed gave us one of the longer routes. Ask your questions and I will do my best to answer them while we are in friendly territory. Once we move out into the wider echelon, we go silent unless its critical."

Kai continued to pepper Kira about how the Silo worked and the Zephyr team leader was happy to answer anything that she knew. It took them an hour to make it out of the settled area around the Grove. The difference in the team was palpable from the moment they crossed a line marked on the ground and walls. There, a vibrantly traced symbol of the Grove was stamped.

"This marks the end of the settled Grove territory. From here on we can expect to encounter other humans, beasts or Valorn, though the last rarely. Only one community in this area is hostile to us and the beasts should be low in number unless we stumble on a core or dungeon that has cropped up since the last patrol went this way." Kira told him.

The rest of the team gathered around Kira and she passed out four tokens. Kai took his and noticed it was similar to the one Ezra gave him but heavier. It had a hole punched through it and a necklace chain accompanied it. "These are our communicator tokens. They can't do much but squeeze it strongly and it will vibrate all tokens linked to it in range, which is about one thousand feet. Use them if you need to communicate with the team for any reason."

Kai watched the rest place their tokens over their head and around their necks before doing the same. He was wearing an improved version of his homemade battle armor that the Grove provided. Leather and sheets of metal carefully crafted to allow good mobility and strong protection from blades and claws, so he hoped.

Slung across his back was his scrapbow, with a new supply of one hundred bolts bought from the Market Overlay with his credits from registering his class. His spear was at his side and his bag was packed with food and supplies for five days. The Grove was generous to its scouts, that couldn't be denied.

Kira gave out a few more commands and kept the formation the same. Two in the lead, Kira and Kai in the middle and one at the end. For the next hour they kept that formation and followed the map in Kira's possession. The team alternated roles every few minutes to prevent fatigue or complacency, Kira mirrored Kai to help him learn the expected behavior.

* * *

Kai followed Kira into an expansive chamber, his eyes widening as he took in the familiar sight. The vast, semicircular space bore an uncanny resemblance to the atrium he had once called home, complete with a row of rooms lining the curved wall and three hallways leading off into the unknown. A pang of nostalgia washed over him, memories of his time with Anya flooding his mind.

As if sensing his unease, Kira turned to him, her expression questioning. Kai shook his head, pushing the memories aside for the moment. "This chamber," he began, his voice hushed. "It looks a lot like the one where Anya and I stayed."

Kira nodded, her eyes scanning the chamber with a practiced gaze. "These types of chambers are quite common throughout the Silo," she explained. "They're the most typical form of spawning chamber, with ten individual sanctuaries."

Kai's brow furrowed as he processed her words. "Spawning chamber?" he repeated, the unfamiliar term rolling off his tongue.

Kira signaled to the rest of the team, and they immediately fanned out, taking up strategic positions at the entrances. Satisfied with their readiness, she turned her attention back to Kai.

"The Grove has identified around fifty of these chambers within our extended search territory," she elaborated. "When newcomers arrive in the Silo, they often wake up alone in one of these sanctuary rooms. Families, though rarer, sometimes arrive together in the same room."

Kira's expression grew somber, and she lowered her voice. "Unfortunately, many arrivals are killed before we can find and gather them. When a sanctuary gets a new arrival, the beasts in the area become more active, almost as if they can sense it. We can't prove it, but the Grove strongly suspects there's a connection."

Kai nodded slowly, his mind processing the information. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness at the thought of newcomers being preyed upon by the Silo's dangers before they even had a chance to understand their situation.

As the other members of Zephyr secured the entrances, Kira began moving from door to door, knocking firmly and announcing their presence and purpose. "This is Kira of the Grove Scouting Team Zephyr," she called out, her voice carrying through the chamber. "We are here to offer assistance and guide any newcomers to the safety of the Grove."

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Kai followed Kira's lead as she moved from door to door, knocking firmly and announcing their presence. The chamber remained eerily silent, with no response from within the sanctuaries. Kai couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease.

"Should we just open the doors and check if anyone's inside?" Kai suggested, his curiosity piqued. "They might be too scared to answer."

Kira turned to him, her expression a mixture of confusion and surprise. "We can't just open the doors to sanctuaries we haven't claimed," she explained, her tone patient but firm.

Kai met her gaze, opening and closing his mouth in bewilderment. Without a second thought, he stepped forward and placed his hand on the door of the nearest sanctuary. To his surprise, the familiar option to open it appeared, and with a gentle push, the door slid open, revealing an undisturbed, empty sanctuary.

Kira's eyes widened, and she quickly signaled for the rest of the team to join them. "Look at this," she said, her voice tinged with a mixture of awe and curiosity.

Under Kira's watchful gaze, Kai proceeded to open and close each of the sanctuary doors, demonstrating his ability to access them without any apparent restrictions. The team members exchanged puzzled glances, their expressions a blend of fascination and wariness.

"How are you able to do that?" Kira asked, her eyes fixed on Kai. "Have you been able to open sanctuaries since you arrived in the Silo?"

Kai nodded, his mind racing as he tried to recall any specific skill or ability that might explain this phenomenon. "Yeah, I've been able to do this since the beginning," he confirmed.

"What grade are you, Kai? Do you have a skill that allows you to access sanctuaries?"

"I'm a B-grade," Kai replied, mentally reviewing his skills. "But nothing really stands out about opening doors." He paused, considering the possibility that his Scavenger's Luck skill might be the source of this ability. "Maybe it's related to my Scavenger's Luck skill?" he suggested, reading the description aloud to Kira.

Kira listened intently, her brow furrowed in contemplation. "It's a bit of a stretch," she admitted, "but it's the only thing that makes sense right now."

Kai nodded, inwardly pleased that his unique ability had piqued the team's interest. Kira's eyes sparkled with excitement as she exclaimed, "This is awesome! As far as I know, you're the only B-grade on the scout teams since Edward's injury. This will be a game-changer for searching for arrivers and survivors."

Chris chimed in with a sly grin. "It'll also be a game-changer for gathering that sweet, sweet loot." A ripple of laughter spread through the group, and Kai couldn't help but join in, reveling in the feeling of being useful to the team.

With a deft hand, Kira marked the chamber as empty on her map, her movements precise and efficient. As the laughter subsided, she signaled to the team, and they immediately fell into a strict silence, their demeanors shifting to one of focused alertness.

* * *

With Kai's newfound ability to access the sanctuaries, they were able to investigate every room that had previously eluded Kira and her team. Chris seemed particularly delighted with each discovery, his eyes lighting up whenever they stumbled upon a stash of supplies or valuable loot.

After clearing the fourth empty spawning chamber, Kira called for a halt, her voice carrying a tone of authority that commanded respect. "We'll make camp for the night," she announced, her gaze sweeping over the team. "Kai, if you wouldn't mind opening one of the sanctuaries for us?"

Kai nodded. Stepping forward, he placed his hand on the nearest sanctuary door, and with a gentle push, the door slid open, revealing a spartan but welcoming interior.

As the team settled in, Kai took a moment to observe his new companions. Chris, was already unpacking his finds from their explorations, his eyes gleaming with mischief as he showed off a particularly shiny trinket. Rowan, was busy studying the maps and notes they had gathered, planning out their route for the following day and piecing it together with previous maps and locked doors.

Kai listened with amusement as Chris excitedly catalogued the day's haul, his calloused fingers gently running over each scavenged item. The pile of discarded electronics, tools, and spare parts had grown significantly since their departure from the Grove.

"Just from today alone, we should be able to fetch at least a hundred credits," Chris declared, his voice brimming with pride. "Not a bad haul, eh?"

Kai couldn't help but chuckle at his companion's enthusiasm. As a scout for the Grove, his salary was directly tied to his contributions, but as long as he remained an active member of Kira's team, his basic needs were covered. Food, supplies, weapons, and armor – the Grove provided it all, allowing him to focus solely on the mission at hand.

Still, the prospect of earning extra credits was always enticing. With a little financial freedom, he could indulge in some of the luxuries that the Grove's merchants had to offer. "You're right," Kai agreed, sharing in Chris's celebratory mood. "A hundred credits is nothing to sneeze at. Maybe we can splurge on something special when we get back."

As the team shared a simple meal of pre-cooked rations and water, Kai couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie wash over him. These were his new comrades, his new family in this strange and unforgiving world.

"So," Kai began, his voice breaking the comfortable silence. "How long have each of you been in the Silo?"

Chris's voice carried a somber weight as he began to recount his arrival in the Silo. "It's been just over a year for me," he said, his eyes distant, as if reliving the memory. "I arrived with a group of nine others, but by the end of the first week, only three of us were left."

Kai felt a chill run down his spine at the haunting revelation.

"The beasts claimed the rest," Chris continued, his voice thick with emotion. "I was ready to die, out of hope, when a scouting team from the Grove found us."

Kai's heart swelled with gratitude for the Grove and the safety it provided. He couldn't fathom the relief Chris must have felt upon being rescued from the brink of oblivion.

"The other two survivors work in the Grove now, doing different jobs," Chris added, his tone carrying a hint of pride. "But I owe my life to this place. That's why I try to find others to help, to repay the debt I can never truly settle."

Kai listened intently as Bastion shared his own story of arriving in the Silo. Unlike Chris's harrowing tale, Bastion's arrival seemed almost fortunate in comparison.

"I came in with a group of five others," Bastion began. "We were lucky, I suppose. We spawned right near one of the Grove's scouting routes, and a team found us the very next day."

"We didn't have to fight a single beast," Bastion continued, his tone tinged with gratitude. "The Grove took us in, gave us shelter and safety, and offered us a place among their ranks."

"At first, I was assigned to guard duty," Bastion said, his lips curling into a wry smile. "But let's just say that standing watch over the same patch of trees day after day wasn't exactly my idea of a fulfilling existence."

Kai couldn't help but chuckle at Bastion's candor, imagining the restlessness that must have taken root within the man's soul. For someone like Kai, who thrived on exploration and discovery, the monotony of guard duty would have been a tough assignment.

"So, when the opportunity arose to join one of the scouting teams, I jumped at the chance," Bastion continued, his eyes alight with a spark of excitement. "Despite the inherent danger, there's something about exploring the Silo, uncovering its secrets, and helping others that just… speaks to me."

Kai found himself nodding in understanding, a kindred spirit resonating within him. He, too, had felt that same pull, that insatiable curiosity that drove him to delve into the unknown, no matter the risks.

"I know it's not for everyone," Bastion added, his gaze sweeping over the others in the sanctuary. "But for me, this is where I belong. Out here, in the thick of it, making a difference one step at a time."

Kai watched as Kira abruptly stood up and exited the sanctuary without a word, her sudden departure leaving an air of unease in the small room. Instinctively, Kai called out to her, but Bastion's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Let her be," Bastion said, his voice low and solemn. "It's not my story to share, but know this: Kira lost her sisters during her spawning."

"Her family was together," Bastion continued, his gaze distant as he recounted the tale. "A rarity for all five of them to arrive in the same spawning wave, about a year and a half ago."

"A large beast wave accompanied their arrival," Bastion said, his voice barely above a whisper. "The community they had joined was overrun, and only a few survivors remained when the Grove rallied to their defense."

"Don't bring it up unless she does," Bastion warned, his gaze meeting Kai's. "And keep it to yourself."

Kai nodded solemnly, his heart heavy. Rowan sat his water bottle down with a clunk, breaking the silence that had built.

"It was about three months ago when I first spawned in," Rowan joined in. "My group consisted of five others, and we were fortunate enough to avoid any major encounters with the beasts in those first few days."

"Thankfully, we suffered few casualties," Rowan added, his voice regaining its earlier enthusiasm. "And when we finally stumbled upon the Grove we had begun to doubt there were any other survivors."

"Most of my group decided to continue on their own path," Rowan said, a hint of wistfulness creeping into his voice. "But for me, the Grove felt like a place I could call home, at least for a while."

"As for why I joined the scouting team," Rowan continued, a sly grin spreading across his face, "well, the thrill of discovery is hard to resist."

"Chris and I have made a bit of a game out of studying the market overlay," Rowan added, shooting a conspiratorial glance toward his teammate. "We like to keep an eye out for valuable scavenged parts and gear, and we've started collecting them for side income during our runs."

"Of course, we share any profits with the rest of the team," Rowan was quick to add, shooting a playful look at Chris. "It's just a bit of fun, really, and it helps keep us motivated during those long, uneventful stretches."

Kira returned to the sanctuary, her expression unreadable as she scanned the room, taking in the relaxed camaraderie that had settled over the group during her absence. Clearing her throat, she commanded the attention of the team.

"It's time to turn in for the night," she announced, her gaze falling upon Kai. "Kai, would you be willing to open a few more sanctuaries for us? It'll be more comfortable than cramming ourselves into this single room."

Kai nodded. "Of course," he replied, rising to his feet.

"Well, that's certainly handy," Chris quipped, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Scouting trips just became way more fun."

Kai chuckled in response, appreciating the levity Chris brought to the situation. Moving on to the next door, Kai repeated the process, opening it with the same effortless ease.

Once all the sanctuaries in the chamber had been unlocked, Kira turned to the team. "Alright, everyone pick a room and get settled in," she instructed. "We'll reconvene here at 0700."

Removing his pack, Kai began to prepare for the night, taking stock of his supplies and ensuring that his weapons were within easy reach should the need arise. As he settled onto the narrow cot, his mind drifted to the stories shared earlier. Everyone had a story to share, that had always been true, but the stories of the Silo were harsh and depressing.

With a deep breath, Kai pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the present moment. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new discoveries, and he would face them head-on, alongside his newfound companions.

For now, he needed rest, a chance to recharge and prepare for whatever lay ahead. With a final glance around the sanctuary, Kai settled back against the thin mattress, allowing the weight of exhaustion to claim him as he drifted off into a dreamless slumber.