Walking into the bright yet solemn canteen, Talen instantly noticed the band of three.
They were sat a corner table for four, all eating.
Calistis sat next to Kestis. Her body feasting, while her mind wondered, lost.
Next to her, Kestis ate hungrily stuffing his gaunt face with food. His eyes glued on her.
Opposite them, the giant ate his food in a calm manner. Similarly, he was lost in thought.
''You could've at least visited.'' Talen spoke, sitting next to Valen.
Eyes locked on Kestis.
Looks of admiration, suspicion, and disgust all landed on him, one after another.
Valen was the first to speak. ''This is your second raising from the dead, you truly are something.'' He chuckled, hugging Talen.
While he was struggling out of the crushing embrace of Valen, he heard Kestis mumble. ''Dammit.'' Under his breath.
Pushing Valen off him, Talen asked. ''Not so happy to see me are we?'' Eyes locked on Kestis.
leaning in on him, he continued. ''Were you planning or hoping i die?.'' He chuckled.
Kestis glared at him, not even trying to hide his displeasure. ''I should celebrate, throw a banquet, or bow in eternal gratitude for your safe return, huh?'' He declared, staring daggers into Talen.
Leaning back, Talen chuckled. ''I have a suggestion.'' Taking in a deep breath, he continued, tone flat. ''How about you tell me how you did it.''
Slamming his fist on the metal table, Kestis declared. ''Tell you what exactly, how i warned you against travelling upstream.''
Taking in a deep breath, Kestis sat back down.
''If you and that fool had died, then i would celebrate for that is a just punishment. However.'' He paused, glancing at Calistis. ''Your foolery almost cost the life of the princess.'' He sneered, eyes burning with distasteful hate.
'He's really good.' Talen thought, admiring Kestis's acting skills.
If he hadn't known him, or experienced the malicious manipulation he used, Talen would've believed him wholeheartedly.
Placing his clenched fist on the table, he glanced at Kestis. His eyes threatening. ''I'll tell you something.'' He said.
''You're not completely to blame for Henry's death, i as at fault too.'' Sighing, he continued. ''I should've seen through your crap, However.''
His eyes glowed a faint shade of purple, the Nether around and inside him began flowing in an erratic manner creating a hazy sense of pressure around him. His glare at Kestis, conveying the pressure.
''You should watch your back, watch it closely.'' He threatened, his voice a low rumble.
Talen was not planning on letting him get away with what he considered to be murder however, he had no evidence and even if he killed Kestis with no evidence, It will only lead to more complications.
Leaving him be for the mean time was the best option, for he knew Kestis had an agenda against him. He shifted his chips all on Kestis, acting on the agenda again.
'One more time, I dare you.' Talen thought, the pressure of his glare intensifying.
Kestis seemed to shrink under the pressure, gasping for each breath. Nevertheless, his eyes burnt with fearless disgust, while he battle for each breath. His body drowning in his own sweet sweat.
''That is enough.'' Calistis declared, smashing her fist onto the table.
The dull sound of metal sounding through the hall, she too began to feel the pressure.
Taking in a deep breath, he somehow was able to calm the flow of Nether inside him in-turn the Nether around him.
Glancing at the two, Calistis sat back, sighing.
She didn't care what Talen did to Kestis however, considering the possibility of them forming a squad, she had to crush their feud.
''This is useless and a waste of time. Whether he did what you accuse him of doing or not, you need proof.'' She muttered.
But truly, her intentions were to stop Talen from killing.
Putting into account his mysterious background and unique abilities, any complications could end his life.
'He is too valuable.' She thought, glancing at Talen.
''Even I do not like him and his guts, but what choice do i have.'' Valen added, attempting to comfort Talen.
''Yeah.'' Talen sighed.
''You indigenous barbarian.'' Kestis mumbled, his breathing a bit measured.
Glaring at Talen, he limped away, hand on his heaving chest.
''He has no humor.'' Talen remarked, shrugging.
Calistis and Valen continued with their meal while Talen walked to the food dispenser to collect his.
It was the usual filling sludge, that tasted like cardboard.
He sat back down eating, as he did Calistis's eyes zoned out on him.
She was lost in thought, contemplating what ask Talen first. Every aspect of his was a complete utter mystery, which to crack open first if possible was a much harder task than actually breaking through.
Dropping her spoon into the remains of her sludge, she sighed. ''How?'' She asked, simply and bluntly.
Spoon froze mid way to their mouths ],as they raised their heads glancing at her, eyes asking for more to the question.
'His Zone.' Valen thought, trying to dismantle the nature of Calistis's question.
Swallowing his bite, Talen reply. ''I can't read mind, unfortunately. So what do you mean?''
Rubbing her temples with a sigh, she explained her question. ''How do you fight and kill Tempest, with.'' She asked, her tone tinged by slight impatience and envy as she spoke.
Finishing his meal, Valen peeked at Talen. Similarly, he was curious.
Although, his achievements can be trailed backed to his unique Zone, which was undoubtedly a significant helping hand. He wasn't the first Enhanced to defeat a Tempest.
What the two were curious about was made Talen unique in his conquest, apart from his Zone.
However, as Valen glanced at Calistis he knew he why she asked.
'Still stuck.' He thought, clicking his tongue.
Nevertheless, he was curious.
Talen's eyes darting in-between the two, noticing their intent and lack hesitation, he sighed.
What they asked wasn't much of a secret to keep, so he reluctantly felt comfortable answering.
''I just use everything i have to stall them, find their weakness and strike.'' He answered nonchalantly, returning to his cardboard meal.
He saw the subtle anticipation building up in their eye, fade way as quickly as it came.
Sighing, he mumbled. ''Sorry to disappoint.''
As he suspected, his honesty was perceived differently by the others.
To Calistis it was something she had grown used to and appreciate, to her what Talen's honesty was the survival technique of hiding his cards. Nevertheless, she was pleased
After all, even she wouldn't lay out all her cards out before potential competition, for many reasons
''Very well.'' She whispered.
With a smiling heart and still face, she stood up plate in hand and left.
Valen on the other hand perceived Talen's honesty with no cunning or hidden intentions behind it. To him it was the simple phenomenon of genius being terrible teachers.
'Truly incredible.' He thought, glancing at Talen.
Eyes sparkling with amaze.
Gathering his dishes, Valen stood, tapping on Talen's shoulder's, he said. ''Do no worry, i understand.'' Walking away.
The two left Talen puzzled, he could not decide whether they truly over-complicated such an easy process. Or, they wouldn't trust him, just like he did Kestis.
''What a full circle.'' He mumbled with a chuckle. ''But it really that simple.'' He muttered.
He remained in the canteen for a while longer, once he was done pushing down the sludge he went back to his room.
He laid on the staring at the brightest light source on the ceiling, lost in thought. Hands creasing the blue scarf
'If i can control my blood, then what can i do.' He wondered, other hand stroking his long silky hair.
Unable to come to a single answer, he gave up.
There were too many option however, he couldn't decide on which was a close estimate or even which he could do realistically.
'I don't know what is more of a headache, ascending or my ability.' He thought, rubbing his temple.
Taking in a deep breath, he whispered. ''Maybe I'm looking at this from the wrong angle.''
He has been in enough life or death moments to know, the answer is never easy to find, unless you know where to look. Even then, it was no easy task.
'What about the how? How can i control the blood?' He considered, sitting up on the bed.
He continued pondering the 'How' of his ability, taking into account many factors, when he suddenly remembered Doctor Evans words.
''The body is broken down by Nether and rebuilt by it.'' He paraphrased, a smile of realisation parting his lips.
Closing his eyes, Talen focused in on his newly unlocked sense, trying to feel every beat of Nether in the room and inside of him.
He sense strings of Nether floating around in the room however, just as it was on Roku. The sense was fragile and muffled. But he could sense it.
Honing in harder on the Nether inside him, Talen got a much stronger clearer feel of Nether than ever.
His entire body was a host of Nether, just as the Doctor said. Although Talen couldn't sense at a cellular level he still felt it.
And just as he suspected, the bulk of his Nether flowed through his body inside his blood.
Opening his eyes, Talen smiled, a smile that quickly faded.
The rooms light had deemed.
''At ease.'' A familiar holographic voice, ordered.
With slow minimal movements, he looked up.
There where the brightest light source in the room, was now a hologram displaying the face of Admiral Ashen.
''You're so creepy.'' Talen sighed, rubbing his temples.
''What have you uncovered.'' Ashen asked plainly.
Scratching his neck he answered. ''By controlling the flow of Nether in my blood stream, i can control the blood in-turn.''
Ashen remained silent for a while, in thought.
''Very well, that opens the door to endless possibilities.'' He remarked. ''Nevertheless, your performance was stellar. And for that i have a reward for you.'' Ashen announced, tone flat.
Talen was pleasantly surprised by Ashen's remark, even though, his stay on Roku was pleasantly fruitful he didn't consider it would be that impressive.
So impressive in-fact Ashen would comment on it.
''You flatter me.'' Talen replied, chuckling. ''So what's the reward?'' He asked.
Again, Ashen remained silent for a while before finally speaking.
''The co-ordinates of your village destroyer. Ignis''
Although his tone carried no weight or feel to them, his words were enough.
Clenching his fist, Talen felt the silk of the scarf wrap around his fingers. 'Finally.' He thought.
''Moving on.'' Ashen continued. ''After your affair with Ignis had been taken care of, you will form a squad with the remaining survivors.'' Ashen explained.
His words flowing out but only their sounds where register in Talen's mind, not the meaning behind them. He was still glued to the name, Ignis.
''Talen.'' Ashen called, his tone higher than usual.
''That was all procedure.'' He said, as if he was moving all formalities out of the way.
His eyes moved, finally locking onto Talen's.
''Our bound will transform, once you slay the Tempest you will stand beneath me. Therefore, I will warn you.'' Ashen spoke, his tone lighter than ever.
He spoke for the first time to Talen, like a person not a potential weapon.
''The world you are about to step into, 7734 is heaven compared to it. Nothing is truly impossible.'' He continued, each word adding to Talen's shock.
Ashen remained silent, seeming to have words in his mouth, with no way of speaking them.
Though his eyes were on Ashen, he was similarly too lost to notice.
After a while of heavy silence, Ashen glanced to the side. Following that, his display began to falter.
''The only limit you have is the mind.'' He muttered, as the hologram died.