cholar Varia summoned them the next day—not just Echo, but all three.
Her lab was cluttered with artifacts: Corrupted specimens in stasis, ancient weapons, and holograms of battling cosmic entities.
"What you did on that freighter was not standard Specialist tactics," she said without preamble. "Bond-Energy Resonance is a documented but rare phenomenon. Usually, it requires decades of sync. You've achieved it in weeks."
"Is that a problem?" Leyla asked, her tone defensive.
"It's an opportunity. And a risk." Varia brought up a hologram of the battle recording. "See this energy signature? It's a blend of Moonstalker essence and… something unidentifiable. The Academy's AI flagged it. I was able to reroute the report to my department. For now."
"For now?" Echo pressed.
"There are factions within Aethelgard that believe any unusual power should be weaponized immediately. They would separate you, test you, break your bonds to see how they work." She looked at each of them. "You must learn to mask this too. Fight as a team, but do not let your energies blend openly."
She handed them three amulets—simple silver discs. "These dampen unique energy signatures. Wear them during missions. They won't hide you from deep scans, but they'll blur the edges."
Mira took hers. "Thank you."
Varia's expression softened slightly. "You three are a light in a very dark war. Do not let it be snuffed out by curiosity or fear."
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