[Base 105 - Lyla's Room]
"So, guys, I have something to tell you," Lyla said, her voice serious. She was dressed in a comfortable hoodie and sturdy footwear, her hair tied back neatly with a rubber band.
Leo looked up. "What's on your mind?"
"Well, what I want to tell you is actually a question for Nova," Lyla replied. "She needs to be the one to answer."
Jane glanced from Leo to Lyla, her brow furrowing. "Be quick about it. You even changed your outfit before calling this meeting—are you sure it's nothing serious?"
"It's serious enough," Lyla said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "But it could also be a huge opportunity. You see, my friend Velora told me she found a feather. A massive one."
Leo's expression shifted instantly. "Wait—Nova says I should ask: is it white or red?"
"It's white," Lyla confirmed. "And the feather is literally as tall as we are."
Annie's eyes went wide as she looked at Leo. "Wait... a white feather? I hope it's not what I'm thinking."
"It probably is," Leo said, his voice dropping an octave. "Because that feather belongs to an Angel."
The room went silent. Everyone was visibly shocked, except for Lyla, who didn't even flinch. "It seemed obvious it was an Angel. Since the missing survivor might be here, we need to find them—whether it's a he or a she."
Leo managed a small, tense joke. "Don't worry, the Angel is definitely a female." He laughed briefly, then his expression turned solemn again. "Nova wants to take over. She needs to speak with you directly."
"Good," Lyla said. "I have plenty I need to say to her as well."
Annie watched with a faint smile, her mind racing. *Finally, I might actually get to see an Angel soon.*
Nova took control of Leo's body. This time, there was no dramatic physical transformation; only his eyes changed, glowing with a brilliant, piercing blue.
"Why didn't his physical appearance change this time?" Lyla asked, curious.
Nova smiled through Leo's lips. "It's not always necessary. Besides, I've realized that forcing a full physical shift too often is dangerous for his human vessel."
"Fair enough," Lyla said, crossing her arms. "So, what did you want to tell us?"
The room became deathly quiet as Nova began to speak. "If it's true that an Angel has landed on this planet, we must find her immediately."
"What happens if we don't?" Jane asked.
"She might go berserk," Nova explained, her expression clouded with thought. "I don't even know how she ended up on your planet. It is incredibly far from our domain."
Lyla leaned forward. "That brings me to my question. When exactly did *you* land on our planet, Nova?"
"A few months ago," Nova replied. "Shortly before the invasion began."
Annie watched her sister closely. *I wonder where Lyla is going with this...*
"Okay," Lyla continued. "Let's assume you've been here for a couple of months. You said spiritual beings need a host to survive on Earth—something about our atmosphere or elements not being compatible with your forms. So how did you survive for two months without a host?"
Annie blinked. "Wait, why didn't I think of that?"
Nova took a slow breath in and out. "I landed in an isolated area. There were no humans for miles. As an Origin, I can survive much longer than a Harbinger—certainly longer than the two months you mentioned. But even my power has limits. My form was starting to fade, to unravel... that's when I found Leo."
"I thought so," Lyla said. "The reason we can't always see spiritual beings is because they're 'fading.' You must absorb or retain energy to stay anchored here. Without a human host to filter our elements, your bodies eventually break down."
Annie clapped her hands in realization. "Wow! That's a perfect explanation. Sis, you're actually smarter than me today!"
Lyla smirked, closing her eyes and soaking in the compliment. But Jane wasn't finished. "Wait... does that mean the 1st Harbinger can survive on our planet without needing a host at all?"
"That is correct," Nova confirmed.
"But how?" Jane pressed. "How was he able to manifest a physical body when you couldn't?"
The room fell silent as everyone looked to Nova for an answer. Nova shook her head slowly. "I can't explain that. My energy is superior to his—he can rival me, but he cannot defeat me. I have never fought him directly, but he is like walking destruction. Even I feel his presence when he is near. Once, he released his energy just to execute an assassin who tried to kill the King before the King had reached his full strength. The mere release of his power disintegrated the man. He didn't even have to draw his sword."
Lyla shivered. "No wonder you told us to stay away from the top three." She paused, her mind shifting to the recent tragedy. "What about the child who attacked Base 140?"
"Ah," Nova said. "She is the younger sister of Xyne, the 3rd Harbinger."
Lyla froze in shock. "What's her rank?"
"She should be high-rank, but her power easily surpasses the 7th Harbinger. She wields pure Dark Energy—not the red aura you've seen, but true darkness. She is extremely dangerous to humans. And don't be fooled by her appearance; she isn't a child. She is over four hundred years old."
Lyla closed her eyes, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. "How am I supposed to deal with all of this?"
Jane reached out and placed a supportive hand on Lyla's shoulder. "Calm down. We're in this together. We'll help you."
Lyla took a deep breath, then remembered one more detail. "Nova, you said there are ten Harbingers. But before the invasion, a demon appeared and called himself the 11th Harbinger. What about him?"
"He isn't a true Harbinger yet," Nova explained. "He was sent ahead to scout, but he never returned to our world."
Annie looked at Lyla with a soft, sympathetic expression. "Well, that's enough heavy talk for today. Let me go get us something to eat."
Before she could move, a soldier burst into the room, panting. "Commander! A demon has arrived at the gates... and he's with a man claiming to be the Commander of Base 140!"
Lyla stood up instantly, shedding her coat to reveal the shapeshifted weapon at her hip. She had retracted her scythe into its compact "stick" form. "Lead me to them," she commanded.
Lyla and the others hurried to the waiting room. There, they saw a small girl sitting beside a battered man. Lyla's eyes narrowed as she recognized the man.
"Akira?" Lyla asked, her voice tight. "Who is this?"
Akira stood up slowly, his movements pained. "That's not a very nice way to greet an old friend, Lyla."
"I see you've been working on your English," Lyla said, her frown not wavering. She pointed at the girl beside him. "I'll ask one more time: who is this demon?"
To be continued...