Back at the Crossroads, the aftermath was a whirlwind of debriefs and medical checks. The Gravorgs were recovering, their stone physiology slowly purging the disabling toxin. The Tech-Adepts were undergoing system cleanses.
Echo, Leyla, and Mira were summoned not to Commander Selene, but to a secluded chamber deep within the Academy's administrative spire—the Council of Whispers.
It was a circular room with a round table, occupied by three beings:
· Commander Selene, representing the Vanguard.
· Scholar Varia, representing the Scholars of the Lost.
· A new figure, a Luminari—a being of contained stellar energy named Aurelion, representing the Diplomatic Corps.
"Your actions on Mycelia Prime have raised… interesting points," Aurelion began, his voice a soft hum. "You uncovered infiltrators, displayed unprecedented ability, and secured the Vitalis Nexus. You are to be commended."
"But," Selene cut in, her gaze fixed on Echo, "your method of neutralizing the Drakani traitor and impeding the Ravager does not match any registered human variant ability. Scholar Varia?"
Varia steepled her fingers. "The energy signature matches nascent bloodline awakening. Specifically, a Hemokinetic variant. Such bloodlines are rare, often feared, and almost always kept secret by the families that carry them. The question is: how does a human from a lost Earth carry the Sanguis Imperator lineage?"
Echo remained calm, his Charm and his blood's quiet authority radiating. "I don't know. The corruption triggered it. Perhaps my anomaly nature interacted with my dormant genetics."
"Perhaps," Varia said, not sounding convinced. "Regardless, this changes your strategic value. You are no longer just an asset against the Corrupted. You are a potential key to understanding them. Their higher tiers possess biological systems. If you can control blood…"
"I can disrupt them," Echo finished. "But my control is limited. It cost me my own blood to affect one limb of a Tier 7 for ten seconds."
"Then you must grow stronger," Aurelion stated. "We will assign you a Bloodline Mentor from the restricted archives. You will train, away from prying eyes."
"And the traitors?" Mira asked quietly.
Selene's face darkened. "The Drakani faction has been compromised. We are purging our ranks. But the corruption's influence runs deeper than we feared. It doesn't just convert—it convinces. It offers power, purpose, and a twisted sense of belonging to those disillusioned with Order."
The meeting ended with new directives: Echo would begin specialized training. Their team would be placed on high-priority, high-risk missions specifically targeting high-tier Corrupted to gather data and hone his bloodline.
As they left, Varia handed Echo a data-crystal. "Your mentor's name is Kassius. He awaits you in the Crimson Archives. He is… old-school. Do not disappoint him."