Quinn's team soon dispersed. The girls went off in their own directions, while the boys lingered a little, chatting and stretching their legs.
Vorden, however, felt a storm of conflicting emotions brewing inside him. Quinn was making more friends — first Layla was invited to the team, and now Fex. He tried to keep his inner turmoil in check, at least for now, especially with the little one dozing peacefully in the corner.
"So… who's this Truedream guy? Is he really a big deal?" Fex asked casually.
The group froze, all eyes turning toward him. It was hard to imagine someone from Earth being unaware of the names of the Big Four families.
Fex noticed the reactions and waved his hands. "Whoa, relax. Why the creepy stares? I don't know him — is he really that important?"
Quinn shrugged. "Honestly? I'm not the best person to ask. Vorden probably knows more."
All attention shifted to Vorden, who took a deep breath before speaking.
"Truedream isn't like the other powerful families," Vorden began. "Most of the old families have passed down their abilities for generations. Their powers have been around long before the rest of the world even knew they existed. Traditionally, three families have always been at the very top of the hierarchy."
"The three?" Quinn prompted.
"Exactly," Vorden continued. "The Truedream family is a little different. First, the family itself is full of various types of ability users, and that's tied directly to the nature of their powers. But more importantly, Truedream himself discovered his ability later in life. As far as anyone knows, he's the first to wield this power.
"His ability is unlike anything else. We don't even know if it can be inherited or taught. The military, who work with him, like it that way. Truedream has enough influence that anyone who challenges him risks losing their powers. Some say his actions even led to the creation of the Pure faction."
"Once your ability is taken, there's no way for your body to generate another. It seems his power can prevent mutant cells tied to your old ability from regenerating. And as you know, without an ability, survival in the outside world is nearly impossible."
It was true. In the wider world, most tasks that didn't rely on abilities had been automated. Citizens received a universal income, but it wasn't enough to live comfortably on Earth, forcing many to move to shelters on distant planets — some well-protected, others far less so.
Despite Vorden's detailed explanation, Fex remained unimpressed. Even if Truedream stripped him of his ability, his vampire powers were untouchable. And judging by appearances, Truedream himself seemed surprisingly weak, so Fex didn't understand why others treated him with such fear.
After their conversation ended, the boys made their way back to their rooms, ready to rest for the night and prepare for the challenges ahead.
.