Quinn had long since decided that Vorden was… unusual. Not in a bad way, but definitely in his own world also after knowing about his family.
When Vorden noticed Peter lingering alone, he waved him over.
"Come on, you too. Don't just stand there looking miserable," Vorden called.
Peter glanced around, pointing at himself as if unsure.
"Yeah, you. you are the one standing beside Quin, who else would I mean?" Vorden replied with a smirk.
The three of them drifted toward the back of the group as the teacher led the tour through the academy grounds. They passed a battle arena equipped with the same kind of testing gear Quinn had seen out on the wasteland, along with several squared-off fighting stages ready for sparring.
From there, they were shown homerooms, combat-training halls, athletic facilities, and a handful of other specialized spaces. Del, their cheerful guide, explained each location in turn, but most of it washed over Quinn—until they arrived at the library.
"This is our library, split into three floors," Del explained. "First-years are restricted to the ground floor. Second-years may enter the second level. The top floor is reserved for military personnel only."
Quinn perked up at that. The academy's library held books the general public couldn't get their hands on. If he was lucky, the information he needed about his unusual ability might be tucked away on that first floor.
The tour eventually wound to a close, with Del stopping outside the student dormitories—the final stop on their walk.
--
"And here's where you'll be staying for the duration of your time at the academy," the teacher announced. "Once you've dropped off your belongings, you're free to explore. No lessons today—use the rest of the afternoon to get familiar with the place."
One by one, students were handed slips of paper with their assigned room numbers.
From the corner of his vision, Quinn spotted Vorden heading his way.
"Hey, Quinn—what room did you get?" Vorden asked.
"Uh… 23."
Vorden's face lit up. "No way! I got 23 too. Guess fate decided we're stuck together," he said with far too much enthusiasm.
"Maybe," Quinn answered, noncommittal.
Further down the hall, two other students exchanged hushed words.
"Whoa, what happened to you?" one asked, noticing his friend rubbing his shoulder.
"I don't know… some guy came out of nowhere, shoved me, and swapped our room numbers."
"You want to go get it back?"
The injured student shook his head. "Forget it. I caught a glimpse of his wrist—he's a level 5. We're better off letting it go."
---
Quinn soon finished unpacking and was more than eager to finally do something productive.
It was still only noon, so he had plenty of time to explore the academy and spend the day however he wanted.
He was sharing his room with two people, and to his surprise, he knew them both. One was Vorden—someone Quinn felt bitter about having as a roommate, but given the twisted system of the school, Vorden was still a necessary ally.
The other was Peter, whom he had only met recently.
"So, what do you guys want to do?" Vorden asked.
"Oh, I haven't finished unpacking," Peter said. "You two can go do whatever you want."
"I'm heading to the library," Quinn replied. "But it's probably too boring for you."
"Boring? Have you even seen my personal library? Come on now, let's go!" Vorden said, his tone unusually upbeat.
Why is he so enthusiastic? Quinn wondered.
At last, they reached the first floor, which was already buzzing with activity. Students filled the space, gathered around several circular tables scattered across the room. At the center of each table sat a softly glowing orb.
"Wondering what that glowing thing is?" Vorden asked with a knowing grin. "Public schools don't usually have them. Touch the orb, and it creates a private space—only the people you invite in can hear you. Lets you talk as much as you want without bothering anyone else.
"Technology really has come a long way," Quinn muttered.
He and Vorden picked a table close to a table already occupied by two other students. Just as Vorden had explained, Quinn could see their lips moving but couldn't catch a single word—proof that the orb's effect was limited to the table's range. Step away, and the privacy vanished.
After settling in, Quinn began browsing the shelves, gathering every book he could find on abilities. Most simply cataloged the different known types across the world. Vorden, less interested, wandered over to the fiction section and grabbed the first novel that caught his eye.
The two settled at their table, Quinn quietly thumbing through one book after another. After several volumes, his expression soured—nothing. Everything he read listed abilities he already knew, but not a single page hinted at anything resembling his own.
From across the table, Vorden had been watching. He'd noticed the specific section Quinn kept returning to and the titles piling up beside him.
"What's with all the books?" Vorden asked, leaning forward. "Looking for something in particular?"
Annoyed by the question, Quinn shot him a look. "Why are you talking like you don't know exactly what happened?"
Vorden stiffened. "Oh… right."
"Look, I'm sorry, Quinn. I truly am. I understand why you're angry with me. Honestly…" He trailed off, as if weighing his words. "You don't have to be afraid. It's my responsibility to protect you, and I promise—we'll find a way to stop the fate my grandfather has planned for you."
"How can I trust you? After all, you're family," Quinn replied.
"I don't usually talk about my family," Vorden said, his voice low, "but since you asked… I'll be honest. I don't even like them. Everything you saw about our 'family dynamics'—it's fake. My grandfather orchestrates it all. The people you thought were my parents aren't even my real parents. In fact, everyone on the island is connected like siblings, nothing more. And I hate Hilston more than you do. He ruined our ordinary lives. So when I say I won't allow you to become a Chained, I mean it. You're my friend, Quinn."
Quinn sighed. From his tone, he could tell Vorden was being genuine—or he was just an incredibly good actor. But somehow, he doubted the latter.
"I'm looking for my ability," Quinn admitted. "I want a book that might at least hint at what it is."
"So… you really don't know what your ability is? Well, maybe I can help." Vorden extended his hand. Quinn hesitated, then clasped it.
Vorden frowned almost immediately. "Strange… you don't have any MC cells I can copy. I can't replicate you at all. I don't get it." He released Quinn's hand with a small shake of his head. "I'm sorry, Quinn. I think this is something you'll have to figure out on your own."