The Hall was quieter than usual.
I walked through the corridors, my footsteps echoing off the stone walls. The violet runes pulsed gently, casting everything in their familiar glow. My palm itched, and I glanced down at it.
The eye was closed.
"Am tired," the Voice murmured, its voice barely a whisper. "Talk later."
Then it was silent.
I blinked. For a moment, it was like there was nothing there—just my palm, ordinary and empty. If I hadn't known better, I might have convinced myself the whole thing was a dream.
But I did know better.
I kept walking.
Lyra was waiting for me in the training yard.
She was standing next to a table, and on that table was something that made me stop in my tracks.
A suit.
It was sleek, matte black, with segmented armor plating that caught the light. Gunmetal grey chest plates, shoulder guards, forearm bracers, shin guards. Along the seams and edges, glowing cyan trim pulsed faintly, like the runes on the walls.
"What is that?" I asked.
Lyra looked at me like I was an idiot.
"Your suit."
I blinked. "What for?"
She stared at me for a long moment. Then she sighed.
"Eren. We're going into battle. Did you think you'd be fighting in your civilian clothes?"
"I mean—" I gestured vaguely. "I didn't think—"
"Stupid," she said flatly.
"Huh?"
"You heard me." She picked up the suit and shoved it into my hands. "Put it on. We have a briefing in ten minutes."
I stared at the suit. It was lighter than I expected, the fabric smooth and cool against my fingers.
"Where did this come from?"
"The Order's quartermaster. Every Hunter gets one." She paused. "You're a Voidwalker. You get the best."
I looked at the suit again. The glowing cyan trim pulsed softly, almost like it was alive.
"This is biotech," I said slowly. "Right? The quartermaster mentioned something about—"
"Yes. It's biotech. It responds to your energy signature. It'll grow with you, adapt to your power." She looked at me. "Now stop asking questions and put it on."
I opened my mouth to argue. But Lyra's glare could have melted steel.
"Fine," I muttered. "Where do I change?"
The suit fit perfectly.
I stood in front of a mirror, staring at my reflection. The matte black bodysuit hugged my frame, the armor plates sitting exactly where they were supposed to. The cyan trim glowed softly along the seams, pulsing in time with my heartbeat.
I looked like a Hunter.
I looked like someone who belonged here.
The emblem on my chest caught my eye—a triangle overlapping a hexagon, geometric and sharp. I touched it, feeling the cool metal beneath my fingers.
"You look like you belong," the Voice murmured.
I nearly jumped. "I thought you were sleeping."
"I was. You woke me up." A pause. "You should wake me up more often. This is interesting."
"Interesting?"
"Something new. A new suit. A new team." Another pause. "A new beginning."
I didn't know how to respond to that.
So I just stared at my reflection and tried to believe it.
Lyra was waiting for me in the Hall's main chamber.
She'd changed too. Her suit was similar to mine, but sleeker, with silver accents instead of cyan. Her starlight blade was strapped to her back, and she looked like she'd been born in that armor.
"Good," she said. "You're not completely hopeless."
"Thanks. I think."
"Come. The others are waiting."
The others.
I followed Lyra through the Hall, my heart pounding. A new team. Five of us. Lyra, me, and three strangers.
I didn't know if I was ready for this.
I didn't have a choice.
They were gathered in a small courtyard, away from the main bustle of the Hall. Three figures stood in a loose circle, their suits gleaming in the afternoon light.
The first was a girl with pale skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes that reminded me of the sky on a clear day. Her suit had gold trim, and she carried a bow that seemed to be made of pure light.
The second was a girl with dark skin, dark hair, and warm brown eyes. Her suit had green trim, and she wore her hair in a short, practical cut. She had a staff strapped to her back, the wood carved with intricate runes.
The third was a guy with Asian features, sharp eyes, and a quiet intensity that reminded me of Zed. His suit had red trim, and twin daggers hung at his hips.
They turned when we approached.
"So," the blonde girl said, her voice light and curious. "This is the famous Voidwalker."
I felt my face heat. "I wouldn't say famous—"
"He's humble," the dark-skinned girl said, a smile playing at her lips. "That's refreshing."
"Or he's just awkward," the guy said flatly.
I opened my mouth to defend myself. Lyra cut me off.
"Everyone. This is Eren Kalu. The Voidwalker. Eren, this is Grace, Mark, and Michael ."
The blonde girl—Grace—waved. "Hi."
The dark-skinned girl—Mark, apparently—nodded. "Welcome to the team."
The guy—Michael—just stared at me with those sharp eyes.
I felt like I was being evaluated. Weighed. Measured.
"So," I said, trying to break the tension. "We're a team now?"
"Temporarily," Michael said.
"Michael," Grace said, elbowing him. "Be nice."
"I'm always nice."
"You're never nice."
"I'm nice when I need to be."
I looked at Lyra. She just sighed.
"Children," she said. "All of you."
The briefing came quickly.
We gathered in a small chamber, a holographic map of the continent projected above the central table. A woman I didn't recognize stood at the head of the table—a Senior Officer, judging by her uniform.
"Two days ago, we received a request from the Abuja unit," she said. "They've been experiencing an increase in Rift activity. Multiple openings. Low-to-mid tier creatures, but the frequency is escalating."
She tapped the map. A series of red dots appeared across the region.
"We need to send a team to assess the situation. Provide support. Eliminate any threats."
She looked at us.
"You five have been selected. You'll leave tomorrow morning. Get your supplies ready."
I felt my stomach drop. Tomorrow. That was soon.
The officer's eyes landed on me.
"And Eren—don't overdo it. We can't afford to lose our greatest asset."
I blinked. "What?"
"You heard me." Her gaze was sharp. "You're the Voidwalker. You're valuable. Don't do anything reckless."
I opened my mouth to protest. But the look on her face told me it wouldn't help.
"Yes, ma'am," I said quietly.
The briefing ended.
We filed out of the chamber, the weight of the mission settling on my shoulders. Grace was chatting animatedly with Mark, their voices light despite the seriousness of the task ahead. Michal walked ahead, silent and brooding.
Lyra fell into step beside me.
"You okay?" she asked.
"I don't know," I admitted. "This is a lot. A new team. A new mission. A new..."
I stopped.
"A new what?"
I looked at her. "A new life."
She was quiet for a moment.
"Is that a bad thing?"
I thought about it. About everything I'd been through. The Rift. The Voice. The red Rift. Kael. The serpent.
"No," I finally said. "I don't think it is."
That night, I sat on my bed, staring at my palm.
The eye was open again, its red iris watching me.
"Eren."
"Yeah?"
"Are you ready for tomorrow?"
I was quiet for a moment. "I don't know. I don't know if I'm ever ready for anything anymore."
The Voice was silent for a long moment.
"Being ready isn't about knowing what's coming. It's about being willing to face it anyway."
I looked at the eye. "That's surprisingly wise."
"Don't sound so surprised. I'm older than I look."
I almost laughed.
"You're an eye in my hand. You don't look like anything."
The eye blinked. "Fair point."
I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Tomorrow," I said. "New team. New mission. New everything."
"Yes."
I closed my eyes.
"Together?"
A pause.
"Together."
End of Chapter