About an hour later…
Under the bright morning sky, N-L's civilians stopped in their tracks, gawking and snapping pictures at the sight of the ancient, horse-pulled carriages heading toward the Capital gates, escorted by armed North soldiers.
Inside one of these carriages, Dae tended to Dom's wounds while he recounted everything that had happened over the past two weeks.
When he finished, a heavy silence fell over the tiny wooden cabin. The weight of the revelation settled around them.
Lucy was the first to break it, punching a hole in the cabin wall while her sharp teeth ground in frustration as she imagined what Dom had gone through.
Dae narrowed his eyes, mind racing. "This is a lot to take in," He murmured, his hands frozen around Dom's wounds.
"Yeah," Dom added, a conflicted stare on his face.
Dae then looked curiously at Noah. "And you know about this?" He asked.
Noah nodded stiffly. "It's something only high-ranking scientists and the Scouts know about," He said, then frowned. "I guess… that's one of the reasons they tried to kill me." He let out an awkward laugh, prompting Dae to raise a brow.
Lucy growled, dark claws scraping the cabin walls. "Next time I see that old man, I'll rip him apart," She snapped, eyes glowing menacingly.
Seated in the corner, Roy raised a brow at the damage she caused to the cabin. "You do know this is government property, right?" He asked, glancing at Dom, who frowned at the thought of potential expenses.
"So…" Dae said, applying a wet swab to Dom's wounds, earning a pained hiss, "…you're from a race of ancient, mysterious clan of mages--likely the original mages--but they've been hunted for centuries, and you don't know why."
Dom nodded, teeth gritted against the sharp pain.
Dae then turned to Roy, who calmly poured a glass of cold wine. "And because of the contract, you couldn't tell us about them either," He added.
"Correct," Roy replied, taking a sip.
"That explains why I've been exposed to nothing but trouble since I met you," Dae grumbled, stitching Dom's arm as he gave a pained chuckle.
Lucy's expression remained furious. "Does this mean those bastards will hunt us now… because we know too?" She asked.
Dom sighed, a deep frown etched on his face. "That's why I didn't want to tell you in the first place," He admitted.
Seated opposite him, Lucy gently kicked Dom's shin, flashing him a grin. "You don't have to hide anything. I'll kill anyone who tries to hurt you," She declared, teeth and claws bared.
Noah flinched at their threatening sharpness.
"Not sure I'd want you to kill them… but thanks," Dom said, smiling through the pain as Dae tied the last fresh bandage and settled beside him.
"Nothing we can do about it now," Dae said, putting the medical supplies aside. "Let's just hope Tony's authority can keep us protected for now."
Lucy nodded, while Dom slipped a jacket over his torso, revealing more bandages and the severed lower half of his lab bodysuit covering his legs.
Noah leaned back, massaging his temples. "I still can't believe you guys are friends with the Dragon," He said.
Dom scoffed proudly. "You're not the first to doubt me," He replied, glancing at Dae, who rolled his eyes.
"Dominic," Roy said, drawing attention to himself. "What's your plan for their accommodation?" He gestured to the carriage beside theirs, where subjects stared out the windows, conflicted expressions fixed on the city around them.
"Even though I found out during our search for you, I never planned on freeing them," Roy said calmly. "Throughout my years, I've seen cities do even worse to their citizens."
Dom frowned, imagining the horrors Roy was hinting at.
Roy swirled the wine in his glass as he continued, "I only went along with this because you're technically still my Captain for this mission, and Tony would have roasted the other part of my face if I failed to bring you back."
Dom chuckled sheepishly.
"But now that I've offered support, I'm curious…" Roy added, meeting Dom's eyes with a serious intensity. "… how do you intend to go from here?"
All eyes focused on Dom, who rubbed the back of his neck with another sheepish laugh.
Roy's eyes widened. "Don't tell me… you don't have a plan?" He pressed, lowering his glass.
"I'm not surprised." Dae scoffed, and Noah nodded in agreement.
Roy stared at Dom for a moment, then sighed heavily. "You really are just like him," He muttered, draining his cup.
"Can we really leave?" Noah asked, noticing the scary-looking soldiers marching by the side through the window.
"Yes," Roy said as he poured another glass. "I found evidence linking the subjects to both the North and South. To protect their public image, they have no choice but to allow you to quietly migrate." He then turned to Dom. "Unless you want me to leak the truth."
Dom shook his head. "We've already caused enough trouble. If we leak it, who knows what they'll do to cover it up." He said, clenching his fists.
Roy smirked, impressed by Dom's answer. "Smart choice, Captain." He remarked.
"But…" Dae cut in, "…where would they stay?"
Dom folded his arms and furrowed his brows. "I told them that they could go anywhere they wanted, but they all insisted on staying in the South-land." He muttered, his frown deepening as he rested his head against the cabin wall behind him. "And I'd feel bad if I just dumped them somewhere."
Lucy frowned in thought. "But our den isn't big enough for all of them," She added.
"And the Main Division doesn't have the room either. Would HQ take them?" Dae asked.
"And leave them in the hands of the bastards that sold me off. Fuck no." Dom snapped.
"Then… what's your plan?" Roy asked.
They all went silent, minds racing… just as Noah sheepishly raised a hand. "Um…what about that village you saved months ago? It should be big enough."
They all stiffened; the thought of Lupus never occurred to them.
"And since it's Tony's property now…" Dom murmured, a smile growing. "…staying there will be the safest option for them." He turned to Noah, grinning. "Dude. You're a fucking genius."
Noah beamed at the compliment.
Satisfied with an answer, Roy pulled out his comm. "I'll let Tony know," He said as he dialed the contact.
"And that place has a big Rapore reserve, right?" Noah asked.
Dom nodded.
"Then we just need to mine it," Noah said with a bright smile. "…then I'll use it to create tech to protect ourselves and fortify the village in exchange for taking us in."
Dom stiffened, eyes glowing menacingly.
Dae raised a brow at Noah. "But won't mining Rapore destroy the forest and poison the village?" He asked.
Noah then flinched at the terrifying, hostile gazes of Lucy and Dom.
"Whoa, relax," Noah said, leaning back with his arms raised. "You guys are still using outdated tech. Since the North is loaded with mining sites, we experimented and found an efficient way to mine the ore without destroying the environment."
Dom and Lucy visibly relaxed.
"Impressive," Dae muttered.
Noah sighed with relief just as Dom's expression shifted into a curious smirk.
"What do you need?" Dom asked.
Noah rubbed his bearded chin thoughtfully. "First, I'll need to modify your version to extract a small portion of the ore to build better mining tech. Do you have some of the mining equipment with you?"
Dom glanced at Roy, who rolled his eyes but immediately requested the equipment through his comms.
"And a couple more tools," Noah added, reaching into both pockets and ripping out two slim black boxes, perfectly sewed to fit their shape. "I only managed to grab the essentials from the lab."
"What's that?" Lucy asked, leaning in curiously.
Noah beamed proudly. "Another one of my creations." He said as he pulled one open, revealing its eerie dark interior.
As he did the same with the second, Roy's eyes widened. "Is that spatial magic?" He asked, closing his comms.
Noah nodded, placing both boxes in front of him. He dipped his hands inside, and they watched as his hands vanished into the void, swallowed whole--only to reemerge, laden with tools and tech dangling from his fingers.
Dom's smirk deepened in realization. "So that's how you did it," He murmured.
Noah grinned knowingly. "It was the only way I could move things without attracting attention," He explained, dumping the items back into the boxes, the void swallowing them up without a sound.
Dae picked one box and peered into the eerie darkness within the box, despite the adequate lighting around them. "A portable spatial gate," He said.
"A Pocket Gate," Noah corrected. "Or P-Gate for short."
Dae curiously pushed his hand inside, frowning at the emptiness surrounding his fingers. His hand moved freely, unable to touch the walls, despite their proximity from the outside.
"How exactly do you bring them out?" Dae asked, pushing his hand to his elbow, giving the disturbing illusion of an amputated limb.
"With this anchor," Noah said, holding up his normal hand, the metallic ring catching their attention. "I linked each item to different frequencies. The ring interprets them, and with my mental picture and mana, I can summon a specific item."
He dipped his hand inside the second box and brought out his smartphone.
Dae removed his hand, while Lucy excitedly dragged it out of his grasp. With a giggle, she shoved her arm into the device, marveling at the strange sensation surrounding her consumed arm.
"And you invented this?" Roy asked, curiosity in his eyes as he watched Lucy play with it.
Dom grinned, arms folded. "Told you he's a genius." He said.
Dae narrowed his eyes. "Why're you acting so proud about it?" He scoffed, but Dom ignored him.
Noah smiled sheepishly, happy with their compliments, just as the carriage suddenly came to a halt.
Peering out the window, they realized they had finally reached the city gates. As the escorts explained the situation to the guards at the gate, Dom noticed Noah's longing look at the city behind them--his home.
Dom frowned, understanding Noah's quiet pain, then forced a smile as he nudged Noah. "Any regrets?" He asked.
Noah frowned at the flying cars above, the sounds of numerous talking billboards and the flashing colors of the city he still loved. "A shit ton of them…" He said, then glanced at Dom with a smile. "… but I still think I made the right choice." He noticed the subjects in the other carriages looking at the city the same way. "We all did."
Dom's smile softened, satisfied that his actions were not resented. As he tried to adjust himself, a pained grunt escaped his lips, drawing their worried attention.
"I'm fine." He said, raising a hand just as Lucy took it, her eyes darkened with emotion.
"…We were supposed to be at home by now…" She said, "…having a birthday party…and eating cake…and dancing…"
Dom's frown deepened as he remembered what today was and the plans he had made. He glanced at Dae, who looked away, a conflicted look on his face as well.
Lucy gripped his hand tighter, tears streaming down her cheek. "I'm sorry I didn't find you faster." She said, voice shaky with emotion.
Noah frowned at the sight. Even Roy's eyes darkened as a hint of regret crossed his face.
Dom looked at his friends, realizing how frustrated they must have been over the last two weeks. But instead of a frown, he smiled warmly as he squeezed Lucy's hand.
"And I'm sorry I made you worry." He replied as he reached up to wipe the tears from her eyes. A blush filled her cheeks at the soft, gentle gesture--her already full heart overflowed with love and devotion.
He then turned to Dae and nudged him teasingly. "That goes for you too, Grinch."
Dae scoffed and rolled his eyes, but a hint of a smile tugged at his lips.
Finally, the cabin shuddered as the carriages moved again.
As some subjects audibly bid the city farewell, Dom leaned back with his hands crossed behind his head. "Today might be the best birthday I've ever had." He said.
Noah raised an eyebrow. "How?"
Dom grinned cockily. "Not only did I help pull off an incredible jailbreak… I got reminded of the awesome team I have."
Lucy's cheeks flushed as a wide grin spread across her face, though it quickly faltered. "But… we lost…" She muttered, remembering how helpless she was when Aera pinned her down. "… if not for Mr—"
"That's not what I meant," Dom interrupted, tapping his foot lightly against hers. "As Tony said, there's no rush." He turned his gaze to the window as their carriage rolled through the capital gates. "Yeah, it sucks that we lost again, but we just have to get stronger next time."
His words lifted the regret in her heart. Her smile returning, she nodded. "Yeah… you're right. I won't let that girl win next time." She declared boldly, and Dom raised his thumb with a blinding grin.
Dae, however, didn't smile along with them. His eyes stayed locked on Dom's other hand, his fist tightly clenched and trembling. A clear sign of the frustration hidden beneath his grin.
"Besides…" Dom added as he sat up. "I did get an awesome birthday gift." He looked at Noah, who smiled back.
Lucy frowned as she sniffed Noah, a gesture that made him uncomfortable. "But he's so weak," She said, and Noah flinched.
Dae narrowed his eyes at Noah. "His mana level is E class, and he doesn't have an attribute, so he's clearly weaker than an average soldier," He added.
Noah lowered his gaze, shoulders slumping under the weight of their harsh words.
Dom's eyes shot toward his friends, glare sharp, but it softened as he caught the corner of Dae's smirk.
"But judging by his tech skills and his surprising resourcefulness in our fight," Dae said, meeting Noah's eyes with a rare, friendly gleam, "… he'll be a valuable member."
Noah's eyes widened. He had always been praised for his abilities as a scientist, but now--beyond Dom or Luke--someone else recognized his potential beyond the lab.
Dom nudged Dae's shoulder with a teasing smirk. "So you can be nice." He said.
"As long as it's not to you." Dae scoffed.
Dom laughed at the sharp retort, shaking his head.
"Oh yeah," Lucy said, turning to Noah. "What was that thing you used to fly around? It looks fun."
"Oh, just a hoverboard," Noah said with a shrug. "It's not really a big deal. It's actually a toy that a lot of teens play with. Like riding a bike."
Dae furrowed his brows. "But you managed to turn it into a weapon…" He said, glancing at Noah's average frame. "With that and the way you moved with it, it's unbelievable that you've never been in real combat before."
"Well…" Noah said as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "… I did some training on my own."
"Seriously?" Dom asked.
Noah nodded. "Since I can't fight with magic, I learned to use any weapon I built. Guns, shields, bombs, and other combat tools. And… since I can't run fast or fly--"
"You used the board for mobility," Dae cut in.
Noah smiled. "Yeah, and I got pretty good with it, especially when I had Luke teach me how to actually use them in-" His smile faltered, vanishing the moment he remembered his friend.
Even though it wasn't the best moment, Luke was the one person Noah would miss most--more than even his biological parents.
Dom noticed Noah's fallen expression and quickly shifted the subject. "Do you have another one? I want to see it."
Noah slumped back, thinking of the currently broken state of the previous one during the fight. "I guess I'll have to make another," He muttered, frowning. "I really liked that one."
Dae studied him curiously. "Is there anything you can't make?"
Noah shrugged. "I only learned how to build basically anything tech-related, and I'm somewhat good at hacking. So I'm not good with biological or chemical stuff." He explained. "Plus, I had a lot of free time, so I read a lot of things in the library."
Dom gave him a sympathetic nod.--remembering all his attempts to beat the boredom between tests.
"Then you're going to have a hard time in the South," Roy interjected, drawing their attention. "The South values its traditional lifestyle. Do you really think they won't hunt you for creating advanced tech like that?"
Noah rubbed the back of his neck, frowning. "Yeah… I figured it wouldn't be that easy." He paused, then a hopeful smile appeared. "But Dom said the Dragon will protect me. Right?"
Dom nodded. "Yeah… hopefully."
Noah's eyes widened. "Hopefully? Hopefully?" He asked, and Dom shrugged.
"Hey," Noah snapped, sitting up with his eyes now wary. "I went with you because you said I'd be free and safe. Now you're telling me there's a chance I could still get in trouble?!"
Dom raised his hands in defense. "Hey. Tony will definitely protect you. For sure. 100%. But… anything can happen, you know?" He gave a sheepish smile. "Prepare for the worst, expect the worst, as my Pops always said."
Noah stared at Dom for a long moment, then glanced at Lucy, who shrugged, and Dae, who rolled his eyes.
"You're the one who followed him," Dae said calmly.
Noah sank back into his seat, pale, hands on his head. "I made a mistake," He mumbled.
"Too late to turn back now," Dom chuckled, then patted his lap confidently. "Welcome to the team, Genius."
As Noah began to dread his life choices, Roy quietly watched, staring out the window. "You don't know how deep you're in until it's too late," He whispered as a thought surfaced.
A faint, blurry image of a youthful Anthony holding out his hand to his younger self.
He then shook off the memory, smiling faintly, and sipped from his wine as the carriages continued their journey beyond the capital city…