"Ariel, you'll accompany Jason to Zone S in Chicago," Blake said firmly, his voice low but commanding as he looked at the digital map spread across the war table.
"You're assigned to protect the area. But if things get out of hand, return immediately."
His tone carried both authority and concern.
Ariel stood a little straighter as she nodded.
It was obvious to everyone now—Ariel was strong. Too strong for a girl her age. She had awakened with power most adults couldn't even dream of.
But she was still just a child. Barely fourteen.
Blake had wrestled with the decision for a while. He couldn't train her—she had already surpassed him in combat. Her raw strength, speed, and instincts were leagues above his own. Such was the difference between a Primordial and a Supreme Alpha.
In the end, he came to one conclusion: The battlefield would teach her what he couldn't.
Let her witness real combat. Let her feel the weight of decisions, the pressure of leadership. There was no better teacher than survival.
Still, he wasn't about to send her out alone. That's why he paired her with Jason.
Jason would act as her guardian—monitor her progress, guide her when needed, and pull her back if things spiraled out of control.
"I'll go prepare, Father," Ariel said softly. She gave a short bow and turned to leave, her boots tapping quietly against the floor. Her long coat fluttered behind her as she walked through the steel door, vanishing into the crowd of Awakeners outside.
Behind her, Blake let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
Zone SS+, located in the heart of the capital, was the most fortified area in the United States.
The military camp was stationed at the front—rows of armored vehicles, drones, and soldiers moving in formation. Behind them were the ministers, commanders, and top government leaders.
Every country had something similar. Their strongest zones were always structured the same way—military at the front, politicians at the back.
It was strategic. If the Geminis attacked, the frontline would act as the shield, buying time for the leaders to escape or retaliate.
There was a reason the zones were structured so strangely.
After Zone SS+, there were no Zones SS, S+. It jumped straight to Zone S.
Why?
Because the President and his inner circle had absorbed most of the country's defense. They took the strongest military weapons for themselves. The remaining security forces had to stretch themselves thin—dividing up what was left to protect Zones S through E.
Zone F? It was on its own.
No one dared say it out loud, but everyone knew: Zone F had been abandoned.
SS+ didn't just mean high security—it meant a level of protection that even Zones S through E combined couldn't match.
But now, with the appearance of Awakened, everything had changed.
People no longer depended on soldiers. They could fight on their own. After all, military weapons were useless in the first place. Zones no longer mattered as much as they once did—at least, not for defense.
Still, many people remained in the zones.
Why?
Resources.
Factories had shut down. Nobody had the time or energy to work regular jobs. The entire world had shifted into survival mode. With manufacturing halted, the only things keeping people going were the stockpiled food and supplies.
And those were rationed based on the zones.
If you wanted to eat, you stayed inside a zone.
It was the government's way of maintaining some form of control.
People could awaken all they wanted—but they still needed water, medicine, food, and warmth.
That's why Zone S in Chicago mattered. It was a key distribution point, housing supply depots and food reserves that served thousands. If it fell, chaos would spread like wildfire.
Now that the Geminis had struck again, the world could no longer stay quiet.
A real response was needed.
The tension in the room was thick, like a storm about to break. The sound of heavy boots echoed down the hall moments before the door burst open. Two Awakened soldiers, clad in sleek black armor, stood at attention as the Prime Minister of the United States stepped in.
He was a tall man in his mid fifties, dressed in a dark suit that looked untouched by the chaos outside. His face was calm, but his eyes were cold and sharp.
"We've just received word," he began, his voice firm as he stepped to the center of the room, "that the other four Primordial Awakened have gathered. They'll be arriving shortly."
He paused, then added, "They want Ariel to join them… in Ravenloch."
Jason, who stood near one of the digital screens, narrowed his eyes. The Prime Minister glanced at him briefly—with clear disdain.
"Ravenloch?" Blake repeated, confused and angry. "Why would they go there? Aren't the Primordials supposed to be protecting the high-priority zones?"
"They say they discovered something during the first wave," the Prime Minister replied. "Apparently, the elite Geminis were the ones commanding the rest. And now, all seven have gathered in one place—Ravenloch. Their plan is simple: take out the head, and the body falls."
Blake clenched his fists and opened his mouth to respond, but just then, a young soldier burst into the room. He looked like he'd sprinted the entire way.
"Mr. President!" he panted. "It's Ms. Ariel. She's… she's escaped the zone!"
The room went dead silent for a second.
Blake shot up from his seat, his voice booming. "What did you just say?!"
"She—she bypassed security. No one saw her leave. We just found out she's missing."
Blake's mind raced. "How? Why would she leave? Jason—!" He spun to face his son. "Go find her. Bring her back. Immediately."
Jason leaned back slightly, looking unbothered, even as the air in the room grew heavier with tension. He folded his arms and gave the Prime Minister a cold stare.
"When are the Primordials arriving?" he asked flatly.
"In an hour or so," the Prime Minister replied.
Blake slammed his hand on the table. "Jason, don't play games! You need to find her—now!"
Jason turned to his father, eyes narrowing. "The days when older siblings had control over their younger siblings are long gone," he said calmly. "Let's say I find her—what then? You think I can drag her back by force?"
He paused and looked away, his face twitching slightly as a painful memory resurfaced—Ariel crushing his family jewels during their last spar. His voice dropped lower, almost bitter. "I'm not doing that again."
Blake was breathing hard, filled with worry and frustration. "Then what do you suggest?" Jason had always been the smartest of Blake's children—a quiet genius.
Jason's gaze drifted to the large screen, where Ravenloch was blinking red. "If she left on her own, there's only one reason," he said. "Earlier, she pointed to Ravenloch. She seemed panicked. Said we had to go there."
He exhaled and continued, "That kind of reaction doesn't come from strategy—it comes from fear. Fear for someone."
Jason turned fully now, facing his father. His voice grew firmer.
"She's the only one in this family who still knows where Zane is. If she's gone to Ravenloch, it's because she knows he's there... and that he's in danger."
Once again, the room fell silent.
"At this point…" Jason said, his voice quiet but firm, "no one can stop her."
The room fell into silence again, heavy with the weight of truth. The President, Blake, let out a long breath, then scoffed in frustration.
"Tch."
He ran a hand down his face, clearly struggling to keep his composure. "Jason, I've already sent your brothers to the other Zones. That means you'll have to go to Zone S alone."
Jason raised an eyebrow. "And what about Ariel?"
Blake sighed. His shoulders dropped slightly, as if the fight had gone out of him. "We leave her be… for now. The Prime Minister said the other Primordials are heading to Ravenloch too, so she won't be alone. It's out of my hands now." He looked down at the polished table, his reflection staring back at him with tired eyes. "She made the choice to leave."
He shook his head slowly.
"She's just fourteen. But she's already acting like she owns the battlefield."
His voice was laced with a mix of disappointment and worry. Ariel's presence had boosted their chances of survival by a huge margin. Her power alone could have changed the course of the final battle.
There was only one day left before the tutorial ended. One day before the real chaos began. And now, when they needed her the most, she was gone.
Blake clenched his fists beneath the table, his jaw tightening.
"Zane," he muttered bitterly under his breath, "as usual… you're such a damn pain."
Meanwhile, far from the safety of the zone walls, Ariel was on the move.
She had been running nonstop for a while now, her golden hair whipping behind her like a radiant banner. The landscape blurred around her—buildings flashing by, trees swaying from the force of her speed. Her boots barely touched the cracked asphalt as she sprinted through abandoned roads and broken highways.
What shocked her the most… was that she was running faster than most cars.
"Wooo," she whispered under her breath, amazed by how the world seemed to slow around her. "I've really gotten stronger."
But there was no time to stop and admire it. Her heart pounded not just from the run—but from worry. Every second felt like a countdown. The closer she got to Ravenloch, the heavier her chest felt.
She leapt over a rusted school bus, flipped mid-air, and landed cleanly on the other side. A gust of wind followed in her trail, blowing up dust and loose debris.
She whispered under her breath, 'Big brother Zane… please be safe.'