Chapter Nine 

Part One: The Next Step To Climb  

 Duo led the trio up the stairs of The Beacon. One step after another she trekked; it was almost methodical. Surprisingly, they weren’t being accompanied by Soleria Illow. She was nowhere to be seen. The sounds of their footsteps echoed throughout the stairwell. 

“So, what’s next on our schedule Mrs Duo?” Asked Fives while looking up at the Captain as they climbed.

“I will get you to your new living quarters and you will spend the night there. I will be the one to wake you up bright and early tomorrow.” She informed him sharply. 

Fives grinned as he looked back at Dart and Quill, who were just a few steps behind him. Quill lifted an eyebrow at her teammate as his deep orange eyes twinkled. 

“Oh bright and early huh? So we’re getting put right into action…” Dart was less than enthused to hear that. Usually she’s all for waking up first thing in the morning, but this wasn’t sitting right with her. “I don’t even know what we’ve been assigned to do yet.”

Fives didn’t see this as a negative unlike everyone else, they seemed ticked off but he was ecstatic. Quill took note of that. 

“Huh You seem… oddly happy about that, Fives.” She muttered, “Why? I thought you hated manual labor, and waking up early if I recall.” 

“Well yeah, but the sooner we get training the sooner we can become Abyssus Units and explore the world!” He cheered. 

Dart glanced up at Duo. The Captain didn't say a word as they continued her way up the stairs; her ashen brown hair bounced with every step she took. 

“I refuse to get started until I know exactly what Soleria Illow is planning to do with us. Hell, we might be walking straight into our death for all we know.” She Snapped. 

Duo briefly peeked at Dart, but almost immediately returned her sights forward, up the stairs. Despite Dart’s constant mouthing off, Duo did indeed understand where she was coming from. She understood the frustration of going along with a plan they never signed up for, at some point she was much like that. 

“Hey, listen up.” Began Duo. “I’m not entirely sure what Intrinsic Illow has planned for you, but I trust Arsyle Cosme and I trust his judgment. He supports her-”

Dart scoffed before she could even finish her sentence.

“Tch. I’m sorry but I’m not going to take “I’m not entirely sure” as an answer.”

They reached the top of the stairwell. It was a single corridor with 8 room doors lining the walls. Duo turned around and confidently faced the trio. Her silver eyes were just as stern as ever. 

“you have my word no harm will come to you, or your teammates, Dart.” 

Dart paused for a moment. The daggers in her cobalt eyes slowly dissipated. She seemed sincere, and she had no right to refute Duo’s promise.

 Dart took a deep breath and her fiery aura vanished with it. “Right.”

Duo faintly smiled at the unit, but her smile faded quickly as she remembered she had a mission to carry out. “Right. Well then.” 

She adjusted the military hat upon her head and pointed down the hall. “In each room is a bunk bed and a single bed. There’s plenty of space to move around as well. It shouldn’t be nearly as cramped as your rooms in the Enclosures.”

Duo walked over to the first door in the Corridor and swiped her hand across the panel; the door slid open with a hiss.

The trio looked inside. It was almost exactly the way the Captain explained it, but it was far more incredible to them than Duo realized. It was a square room with bunk beds on the left and another decent sized bed parallel to the other wall. Other than the beds, the room itself was perfectly symmetrical with a cabinet and desk mirrored on both sides. The room also had a faint blue glow from the lights that were overhead.

“Since none of you have had any sleep since the attack on your Enclosure, I suggest you all get some good rest.” Duo gave the three children a faint smile. “You’ll know more tomorrow, until then.”

“Good night Captain lady! See you tomorrow morning!” Waved Fives. 

“Thanks for taking us here! Night!” Added Quill with a beaming smile. 

Dart didn’t say a word as Duo left back down the hall. The room's doors slid shut behind the Captain; her footsteps faded as she walked down the hall. 

Meanwhile, Soleria Illow was standing in front of The Beacon tower all alone once again. She watched as the sun dipped behind the giant walls of the Federation on the horizon. The sunset brought with it a beautiful array of orange and pink. She faintly smiled at the spectacle. Soon all the remaining day light faded from the sky, revealing twinkling beads of white light in the sky accompanied by the 3 moons. They were stars. Soleria marveled at the blackened sky; it was a cosmic masterpiece to her. Her Golden eyes shimmered. Since she’s from the Cores, the Intrinsic city landscape is in a perpetual state of light. She wasn’t capable of seeing the night sky like this until this very moment. 

Then out of the corner of her eye, she saw a group of people approaching her. Soleria turned to see Arsyle; he was being followed by a team of six Abyssus Units. He was walking towards the Beacon while jotting down something in his notebook, per usual. 

“Arsyle!” Called out Soleria as she perked up. Arsyle looked up from his notepad and lifted his eyebrows.

“Go inside that building there, you’ll be getting your next orders soon.” He informed Crest and the Delta squad as he split off from the group to join Soleria.

They all followed his orders and entered The Beacon. Crest shoved the giant metal doors open as Glitch cheered him on in the background.

“Hello there Illow.” Greeted Arsyle. “I’ve brought Crest, and the Delta Squad. I’m assuming My bodyguard brought over Batch:26A successfully?” He Asked as he checked two things off his list in his notebook. 

“Yes! The Captain you sent did a wonderful job!” Exclaimed Soleria. She was more than pleased with how her first day as an Observer went. Although she didn’t get to interact with her crew much, she still enjoyed meeting them. 

“I figure.” He responded blandly. He’d already checked it off his list. “I’ll be here tomorrow with your other Batch. They’ll be from the Base-Rim Enclosure.”

Soleria paused. She didn’t quite know where that was but she just nodded her head like she did. Arsyle briefly looked up at her with his somewhat cold glare. She tensed up and chuckled awkwardly. 

“Illow. Please look into studying up on the protocol of being an Observer. In addition to that, you should also get to know basic information on the Human Restoration Project and Abyssiti.” Suggested her Intrinsic companion. 

Soleria sighed. “Alright…I’ll get right on it.” She was less than enthused to have to study, but it wasn’t like she was going to be able to wing such a task as this. She had the weight of all of humanity on her shoulders. It was the least she could do to prepare. 

“I suggest using the 5th Core’s Data center…it’s down the street from the Courthouse. Just ask the person at the front desk to disclose any of that information to you.” He Added.

Soleria nodded her head once more. She actually knew someone that worked at the Data center, although she hasn’t talked to her in years. 

“Thanks Arsyle Cosme.” She paused; she thought about Millue Constance for a moment. Arsyle has never given her vibes of insincerity, but then again she never put much thought into his behavior. Was he like Millue? Only in this so they could get something out of it? “I can’t be thinking like that.” Told Soleria to herself. “At the end of the day he’s helped you, and that’s all that matters.” 

She looked over at her fellow Intrinsic. He stood tall next to her; he was writing away in his notebook. Arsyle was so engrossed in what he was writing, Soleria was positive he didn’t sense her gaze.

“Heh. We’ve been quite busy the past few days huh?” Chuckled Soleria, trying to start up a conversation with the stoic individual.

Arsyle slightly nodded his head in agreement, still not looking up from his notes. “Hm? Ah. Some more than others, but yes we have.”

Soleria looked up at the stars overhead; her eyes full with optimism. The shattered moon shone through the nighttime clouds. “You know Cosme…” she began as she placed her hand onto her heart. Arsyle briefly looked up from his notebook. “I feel like things are really about to change around here.” 

Arsyle let out a heavy sigh. He looked back down at the paragraphs of information he’d been writing since he arrived at the Southern Enclosure. It was about Soleria. “Only a fool would assume things would be changing for the best.”