Brian savored the warmth of his kofrix as it slid down his throat, each sip like a symphony on his tongue. He reveled in the rich chocolate and the smooth, velvety undertones of vanilla that danced through his mouth, an exquisite blend far superior to any Earthly brew he'd ever known. He closed his eyes and let out an involuntary sigh of pure satisfaction.

“Thank you for meeting me, you two,” Jax said.

Brian sighed deeply. “We were bound to have this conversation eventually.”

"So that mission was a real shitstorm, huh?" Jax downed his kofrix in one sip.

Brian just shook his head, looking away again. Sophia gave Jax a warning look while taking a sip of the hot kofrix.

"Too soon?" Jax asked. "Yeah, that was bad. Sorry."

Sophia turned back to Brian, rubbing his hand gently. "We did everything we could. You know that, right?"

Brian closed his eyes. "It wasn't enough though, was it?" His voice was hoarse. "Kael's dead because we weren’t stronger than Vipros."

"That's bullshit and you know it," Jax cut in sharply. Brian's eyes snapped open in surprise.

"Kael was a warrior," Jax continued, his voice hard. "He knew the risks. But he believed in your combined strength, just like we do every day."

Brian stared at him for a long moment before dropping his gaze again. "Doesn't make it less shitty," he mumbled.

Jax's expression softened. "No, it sure as hell doesn't," he agreed quietly.

The three of them sat in silence again. After a while, Jax spoke up. "You remember how he always lectured us about maintaining a balanced stance? Drove me crazy." A hint of a smile ghosted across his face.

Despite himself, Brian huffed out a small laugh. "Yeah, he was pretty obsessive about that."

"I'm gonna miss that crazy bastard," Jax said, shaking his head.

"Me too," Sophia agreed sadly. She looked over at Brian. "But the best way to honor him is to keep fighting. We can't let what happened slow us down."

Brian took a shaky breath, finally lifting his head to meet their eyes. "That’s why I’ll continue training. I’ll make all the alphas be afraid of me."

Jax grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. "That's the spirit! Kael would kick our asses if he saw us lazing about like this."

“One more cup?” Brian gestured to Jax.

“Bring it!”

Sophia giggled from across the small káfx table, her own cup of Arcasium's kofrix cradled gently in her hands. "You really do love that stuff, don't you?"

"Can't get enough." Brian called to the server, raising his empty mug. "Another cup, please,"

Sophia arched a brow in concern. "Isn't this your fifth cup already? You should be careful not to overdo it."

Brian nodded in agreement, rubbing his chin in mock contemplation, but he couldn't resist reaching for his newly refilled mug. "You're right, but I'm hopelessly addicted to this incredible flavor. It's like Earth's coffee, but somehow better." He paused, frowning slightly as a new thought struck him. "It's strange, though, isn't it? Valteria has all these Earth-like vegetables, but no animals, only monsters. Must be some strange natural selection at work here."

As if on cue, a sudden vibration against his thigh startled Brian. He fumbled for the messaging device tucked into his pocket, still unused to its presence. The bright screen displayed a message from Dr. Fenn, requesting his immediate presence. He glanced up at Sophia, his brow furrowed in surprise.

"Looks like I've got to go see Dr. Fenn," he said, standing from the table and tossing a few solars down to cover their bill. "I wonder what he wants so soon."

“Wow Brian, you are loaded!” Sophia teased him.

“It was payment for Serdna’s mission,” he chortled

"Remember, be cautious around government officials, Brian," Sophia took another sip of her kofrix. "And don't forget to take it easy on the kofrix."

"Of course," he assured her with a half-smile, his anxiety already racing ahead to the impending meeting with Dr. Fenn. Brian wondered what the brilliant scientist could have possibly discovered in such a short amount of time?

***

Stepping into Dr. Fenn's lab, a symphony of beeping machines and bubbling liquids greeted Brian. Dr. Fenn looked up from his microscope, his eyes looking big behind his spectacles.

"Ah, Brian! Thank you for coming so promptly," he said, gesturing for him to come closer.

“Of course, this is all I’ve been thinking about.” Brian walked towards the scientist. “You’ve learned something already?”

"I must admit, I didn't expect to call you back this soon, but your case was just too fascinating to put aside."

The curiosity in Dr. Fenn's eyes was contagious, and Brian felt his own interest piqued. He couldn't bear the suspense of what new discovery had been made about his blood that warranted such excitement. As if reading his thoughts, Dr. Fenn launched into an explanation.

"First of all, your blood is quite different from that of the aestari. Yours contains traces of iron, making it slightly darker than our own, which has some copper mixed in, giving it a brighter hue." Dr. Fenn chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, I’m babbling. What's truly amazing is that your blood is infused with valtite at a molecular level!"

Brian blinked, processing the information. He supposed it made sense, considering how unique his Valtite System abilities were compared to the locals.

Dr. Fenn continued, his words tumbling out one after another. "See, aestari can harness and manifest valtite around them, but you, my dear boy, are partially made of the stuff! That could explain why your Valtite System gives you so much more information about the energy around you, as well as why scanners show you having the same signature as the monsters here in Valteria. They're endemic to this world, and valtite is ingrained in their very beings. Aestari, however, are not native to Valteria, and that's why we can harness valtite but don't have it infused in our bodies."

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Brian took a moment to digest this revelation, his mind was on overdrive. He felt an odd combination of pride and uncertainty at the thought of being so intrinsically connected to valtite, but he didn’t know what that truly meant for him.

"Wait, you're saying my blood is infused with valtite? And, hang on, does that mean I can manifest it more naturally? Or are you saying I could potentially have more control over it? Are my abilities unique even among the people of Valteria?"

Dr. Fenn snickered, overwhelmed by Brian’s rapid-fire questions. "Hold on. Yes and no," Dr. Fenn replied, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "I mean… The power of your manifestation will probably be similar to that of other decimators. But your connection to valtite should give you greater control. It's quite remarkable, really."

Exactly! Like stat allocation! The doctor’s words were making sense inside Brian’s brain.

"Here it is," Dr. Fenn announced, drawing Brian's attention back to the present. The scientist held up a sleek, silver weapon that gleamed under the lab's bright lights. "Your very own channeling device, custom-made for you."

Brian reached out hesitantly, taking the weapon in his hand. It was lighter than he had expected, and though its blade was shorter than Sophia's katana, it dwarfed his old dagger. He felt a pang of disappointment at the lack of familiarity, but quickly pushed the feeling aside. After all, this new weapon was tailor-made for him - it was bound to be an adjustment.

[Shortsword (Flicker)] - The blade can enhance the user's valtite manifestation. Notably, it possesses a mild proficiency in channeling void energy.

“You are awfully shaking. There's no need to be fearful,” said Dr. Fenn.

“It’s not that… It's a caffeine overload.” He exclaimed, trying to steady his shaking hands.

"Alright then, give it a try," Dr. Fenn urged, gesturing to a small dummy set up nearby. "Manifest your valtite and see how it feels."

Brian eyed the dummy warily as the raw energy of his uncontrolled void tentacle flashed through his mind. He didn't want to risk causing damage to the laboratory, or worse, to himself, but Dr. Fenn's encouraging smile left him little room for argument.

Taking a deep breath, Brian gripped the weapon tightly in his right hand and focused on the familiar sensation of valtite energy surging within him. He braced himself for the wild tendril to erupt from his hand, but instead, the black, almost purple energy smoothly wrapped itself around the blade, forming an elegant and ominous sword.

The sight left him dumbfounded, his previous concerns melted away as the valtite remained securely anchored to the weapon. It felt more natural than any of his prior attempts at wielding valtite, and he turned to Dr. Fenn with a wide grin.

"Doctor, this is incredible." He carefully moved the blade left and right. "It feels like an extension of myself, like this is how it’s supposed to work."

Dr. Fenn beamed with pride at Brian's praise, but urged him to test the weapon further. Brian hesitated for a moment, then took a few experimental swings at the dummy. The energy flickered around the blade as it sliced effortlessly through the air, leaving a trail of purple-black in its wake.

With a deep breath to steady himself, Brian positioned his feet and raised the valtite-imbued weapon before him. He studied the dummy, focusing on where he would strike. As he grew more confident, he brought the blade down upon the dummy with a powerful swing that effortlessly cleaved it in two. The power he felt coursing through the weapon was overwhelming, unlike anything he had ever experienced before.

Ability Acquired: [Void Edge (Trace)] – This ethereal weapon has the power to erase anything it cuts, disintegrating matter and energy alike with a single slice.

"Unbelievable," Brian whispered, his voice barely audible as he stared at what remained of the dummy. His mind painted pictures of how easily he could have defeated Vipros if he'd possessed this weapon at the time.

"Remarkable, isn't it?" Dr. Fenn chimed in. "As I calculated, your blade doesn't actually cut. Instead, it absorbs whatever it slices and sends it into the void."

Brian looked at him incredulously. "So, I can cut through those monsters without any physical effort? That's... wow! Just... wow! I mean, that's almost hard to believe."

"Exactly," Dr. Fenn replied, his tone filled with enthusiasm. "Were you always this talkative?"

“Sorry. It just feels way too strong for me… It's like trying to contain a thunderstorm in a jar." Deep down, Brian was also worried about accidentally slashing himself. If that happened, it wouldn’t just be a nasty cut that would heal after some time; part of his flesh would literally disappear from Valteria.

Dr. Fenn chuckled lightly, the sound tapered off into a thoughtful hum. "A fitting analogy, Brian. Valtite is indeed a tempestuous force. And like any force of nature, it's coveted by those with grand designs."

Brian felt he got caught off guard. “Wait, what do you mean by that?”

“Forget it, what I meant was that valtite is our future. Its power... limitless, its potential... boundless." Dr. Fenn readjusted his spectacles.

“Is that your vision doc?” Brian paused. “Or is that the government’s goal?”

“You and I are the government! We are eager to harness this power, but we lack respect for its essence–"

Before they could delve further into the conversation, the lab door swung open with a creak, revealing a stern-looking man in a white uniform adorned with a silver stripe. His piercing gaze swept the room, seeming to take in every detail in an instant.

"Dr. Fenn," the man said firmly, causing the doctor to fluster and fumble with his spectacles. "I will not tolerate such discussions in a government facility."

"Ah, Ramiel," Dr. Fenn stammered, hastily composing himself. "I wasn't expecting you so soon. What brings you here?"

"Inspection time," Ramiel replied curtly, his steely gaze never leaving Dr. Fenn.

Dr. Fenn chuckled weakly, “oh, it’s that time again?”

"May I introduce Inspector General Ramiel Thorne?" Dr. Fenn said as he gestured toward the stern figure.

“Nice to meet you, I am Brian.” he nodded politely as he appraised Ramiel’s character.

“I guess you are the one that cleared the dungeon under Havenstone,” Ramiel sneered.

“You heard about that?” said Brian, taking his hand to the back of his head.

“Is the only thing the higher ups talk about.” Ramiel replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got an inspection to complete.”

"Draven," Dr. Fenn called out to the silent researcher in the corner, who looked up from his work. "We need your assistance with the inspection."

"Hello, Draven," Brian greeted him, feeling a pang of shame for not remembering the man's name earlier.

"Excuse us, Brian," Dr. Fenn said, turning back to his latest creation. "We must complete this inspection swiftly. After all, we wouldn't want this lab to turn into a calamity, would we? But in the meantime, please, enjoy your new weapon."

“Thanks for everything.” Brian exited the lab, his chest suddenly constricting. Calamity. Silas, the grivaxian beta, had uttered the term, and Dr. Fenn’s mention of the word now brought memories of the Valtite System flooding back.

Tracked Event: ‘The Calamity’

Time Until Event Starts: 1 Cycles, 3 tetrads, 4 Lums, 5 Sols, 22 Minutiae, and 32 Nivosecs

Chance of Occurrence: 66%

As soon as the thought occurred to him, information materialized before his eyes—something he had seen in his 'interdimensional' dream. Why hadn’t he remembered it sooner? The ominous countdown made his skin crawl, but he noticed that the chance of occurrence was now 66%. Hadn’t it been in the 70s in his dream? He wondered if he had done something to reduce the percentage or if something else had happened elsewhere.

He wondered how he might learn more, but if his mental gaming software had taught him anything, it was that this had to be the final challenge. How difficult would it be? He knew he would continue inquiring, but it seemed there was little he could do at the moment. So, he decided to ride it out... for now, at least.