Innate Ability.

It is a capability possessed from birth, without the need for learning or practice. They are congenitally encoded in the user's body, specifically in the right prefrontal cortex of the brain.

Most Ascendants are born with an innate ability that manifests after they have gone through the awakening.

That was the only reason I could think of for there to be an artifact in this orphanage that nullified teleportation, making it absolutely impossible for anyone to escape.

I realized it a long time ago. How would I spend the rest of my life here?

When I discovered the terrible truth, I was about to turn five. At most, I had another eight years in this place.

Since then, I had been meticulously preparing. I perfectly understood that the number of lives I could save would be limited. That was the harsh reality of this world.

"We won't leave anyone behind."

It was a dream ideal.

The reason why I had given up until recently. But that's precisely why... I wanted to believe in Cassie.

I wanted to believe it was possible to take all the children, even though initially I had flatly refused out of fear that all the work that had cost me to develop this plan for five years would go to waste.

I watched as my words had exactly the effect I expected. Cassie raised her head and looked at me with her bright crimson eyes while her face visibly paled as she realized I wasn't joking.

For his part, Reinhardt clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

—How do you know?

Asked Cassie with a shadowed face, her voice barely a whisper.

—I read it in a diary.

I replied calmly. It was true, I had known since I found and deciphered that diary.

That was enough to make Reinhardt's train of thought come to a complete stop. He sat on the left bed next to mine, frowning while looking at me with evident skepticism.

—You're telling me that such important information comes from a simple diary, do you expect me to believe that?

Cassie narrowed her eyes dangerously, as if my attitude was frustrating her. Her cheeks puffed up and her lower lip protruded in a slight pout.

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I understood that she didn't find it funny that I was playing with them at this moment, after all, the mass teleportation scroll was really our only hope.

I shrugged with indifference. Seeing my calm attitude, Cassie began to calm down gradually. I cleared my throat before continuing:

—Don't misunderstand me, guys. The diary I read, —which by the way was written in a coded language—, explained in one of its pages that before us, there was a group of children who discovered the truth about the orphanage.

Cassie collapsed onto my bed, bringing her hand to her forehead, lost in her thoughts.

It was logical to assume that there were others before us, this orphanage seemed to be decades or even centuries old.

Predecessor children who tried to escape but in the end couldn't overcome this terrible reality. It made sense that they had left vital information encoded for future generations, hoping that someone could eventually escape.

—So, what did the diary say?

Asked Reinhardt crossing his arms.

I raised my right hand while explaining:

—When they were trying to escape, they discovered that the orphanage had a hidden room and that in that room there was an artifact capable of nullifying teleportation spells.

Reinhardt's face hardened instantly upon hearing my statement.

—There's a secret room... In this house? But... how is it possible that children managed to cast a teleportation spell in the first place?

Cassie blinked and stared at me with her mouth open while she seemed to be doing mental calculations. Her question was valid and logical.

—Cassie, it's no coincidence that you found the medallion.

I told her, noticing how her hands trembled slightly on the sheets.

—Although the book didn't mention it as such, —which is why I couldn't recognize it when I saw it—, it was said that one of the children had the ability of teleportation. Your medallion must have been discovered first by one of those children.

I looked at her carefully, surprised by her reaction. Her attention seemed to be focused on something else. I expected her to react dramatically as she always did, but instead, she tilted her head back and, looking at the dormitory ceiling, let out a long sigh.

—And besides the artifact, what exactly was in that room?

She asked, suddenly sitting up, sketching a small smile without looking directly at me.

It was obvious that there had to be a reason why our predecessors had failed even after having a magic scroll in their hands.

—What was there was a monster.

I replied in a neutral tone.

—A monster?

My indifferent response made Cassie bite her lips, turning pale while she curled up and grabbed her head.

—Aaagghhh! You're scaring me.

I sighed at her reaction. Although her personality had matured a bit after discovering the truth, she was still a fearful child.

—What kind of monster?

Asked Reinhardt, making me look at him fixedly.

—A monster with the ability to alter memory.

Upon hearing this, Reinhardt breathed deeply.

—So... The reason why our predecessors couldn't escape was because...

—Yes —I interrupted him—, most likely the monster altered their memories while they were trying to locate the artifact.

—This changes everything...

Muttered Cassie, head down.

—Why didn't you tell us before?

—Because until now it hadn't been relevant.

I replied with indifference, letting out another sigh.

—I didn't want to add another worry until it was absolutely necessary. Besides, I know the location of the hidden room.

Reinhardt suddenly got up from the bed next to mine.

—I suppose you know that because of the diary, right?

—That's right.

I nodded to confirm.

—So... What we should worry about now is...

Reinhardt couldn't finish his sentence.

—Deactivating the artifact.

Interrupted Cassie's cheerful voice, hope shining in her eyes.

—You know what you have to do, right?