The Commander came forward after casting a pointed look at the young couple. It didn't take long for the man to explain why he had scrutinized them with such intensity as they passed.

"First of all, let's welcome Ethan and Mia into the Sentinels," he announced, clapping to encourage the people to do the same.

Mia felt like burying her head under the ground like an ostrich, and the tension in Ethan's body told her he felt the same way she did, even though his face was still impassive. The control he was able to exert over his facial expression and the way he seemed to keep his composure despite everything was still impressive to see. She tried to smile, which turned more into an embarrassed grimace, and waved her shaking hand to greet the crowd, whose applause didn't subside for a good thirty seconds. Her over-developed hearing even registered a few whistles and exclamations of encouragement.

"We never said we were officially joining the Sentinels," Ethan muttered, leaning toward the blonde. "We got screwed."

"It's too late now," she whispered back, breathing softly in a vain attempt to calm her nerves.

Zerkan then recounted the episode of the convoy and Wang's death, although he gave very few morbid details, unlike the first time she had heard this story. He then explained the reports that the few Sentinels who traveled as spies through the region had brought back recently, particularly on the movements of certain troops and the mobilization of recruits, Impervia being in the process of gathering an army in preparation for the battles to come. For now, she didn't know where Callis was yet, so they were safe here, but for how long?

The Commander then came to how the Arena had been captured by Solomon and his students held hostage so their families would not oppose Impervia and her allies. They hadn't encountered much resistance, since half of the students supported her cause. The other pro-human half quickly gave in to their superior numbers of Solomon's troops and the anti-human students. At least there had been very few deaths and serious injuries, but the hostage-taking had a devastating effect on the alliances between humans and their magical allies since the families were unwilling to sacrifice their children for people they didn't know, which was totally understandable.

"We are currently working with Colonel Finnegan to come up with a school release plan. As time is short, the operation will be launched soon. Now I leave the floor to the Colonel."

Mia noticed that he did not give details regarding the exact date and the course of the operations. Logically, the city was hidden and the inhabitants were forbidden to leave, there should be no spies, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Now is not the time to be naive, Mia! she ordered herself in her head.

"Thank you, Zerkan," Robert said after the Commander had finished his report. "I don't want to be the one asking your children, your siblings, and your parents to die in the name of the Resistance and for the safety of Callis, but I have no choice. You who dream of freedom and travel, you who no longer want to live in hiding and in fear that one day a new genocide will happen, I must ask you to fight for this dream. We cannot rely only on our Sentinels and our guards, we need a real army. We need to show our strength through our technology, but also through our numbers. Three thousand of you recently joined our army to actively participate in change and the advent of a new era for the human species. Three thousand of you dared to bear arms to fight for the future of an entire people. It's not enough. Impervia's own son took up arms to stand up against his mother's tyranny," he said, waving at Ethan. "Don't let him fight alone! The retrograde ideas and the thirst for power of this woman belong to the past, it is time that she learns it willy-nilly! Please join us and fight alongside us for the future!"

The guards and a few soldiers posted with their rifles reacted immediately with a stand-up after their Colonel's speech ended, then determinedly punched the location of their hearts with their fists shouting in perfect synchronization "for the Resistance!". Faced with such a tirade and such conviction on the part of the soldiers, the people of Callis ended up vigorously applauding the intervention of the Colonel. There was a heartbreaking side to the idea of ​​this man trying to convince all these individuals to risk their lives for others, but what else could he do anyway. Facing magical creatures of vastly superhuman power and speed, they could not win this war without fighting head-on. And for that, they needed soldiers.

"I thought we were both celebrities," Mia whispered again, a teasing smile on her lips, "but turns out it's mostly you that they want."

"If they expect me to challenge my mother to single combat to end her life, they're going to be very disappointed. I'll never face her, I'm not completely crazy."

"There are enough experienced fighters that they don't have to ask a son to kill his own mother, right?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised. They haven't asked me seriously yet, but I bet you what you want it's gonna happen."

"That's a really twisted request, but... I guess you're right."

It's not like they risked my life for Ethan to go wild a few days earlier.