Stone walls pulsed faintly with Void energy as three figures knelt before the obsidian platform. Shadows crawled along the chamber, bending toward the presence at its center.
Koma stood with his hands behind his back, his silhouette sharp against the dark stone.
"Kaola. Hykee. Lokee," he said calmly. "Report."
"Yes, brother," Kaola answered, keeping her head bowed. "We searched everywhere until we reached a town. It was completely sick. The townspeople said he's traveling with a girl."
"That kind of sickness only comes from Yen," Hykee added, his voice low and rough. "Strong Yen."
Koma's expression didn't change. Not even a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
"So the little brat survived," he said. "He's a walking catastrophe."
"Orders?" Lokee asked.
"Investigate," Koma replied. "Bring Kota back alive. Bring the girl too. I believe it's Leiya."
Lokee looked up, confusion breaking through her usual discipline. "Leiya is alive?"
Kaola nodded. "Yes, brother."
Hykee let out a short, dry laugh. The three of them rose and left without another word. Void energy folded shut behind them, swallowing their presence completely.
Miles away, the cave trembled.
"We have to get you out of here," Leiya said. Her hands shook as she reached for the supplies. "Your pupils are leaking. There's a doctor three kilometers south."
"I don't care if the Yen consumes me," Kota said. He gripped the edge of a stone ledge, his knuckles white. "I won't stop until they suffer."
He broke into a harsh, rattling cough and wiped his mouth. His eyes were bloodshot.
"The air is getting dense," he wheezed.
Leiya's eyes widened as she felt the pressure in the room shift. The Yen was no longer just leaking. It was drowning the air around them.
"We need to leave. Now."
The base corridor echoed faintly as Koma walked past the others without slowing. He moved with cold, mechanical grace, ignoring everyone in his path.
Koa turned sharply, irritation flaring in her eyes.
"So that's it?" she snapped. Her voice bounced off the cold walls. "You only give orders to those three? I get it you can barely control Kova. But Kaola?"
She scoffed, quickening her pace to keep up with him. "It irritates me. She's not even that strong. She's not older than me."
Koma didn't stop. He didn't even blink.
Koa glanced at the weaker subordinates stationed nearby the ones assigned to guard Koma whenever he slept and Kova was away.
She wanted them to hear.
"I'm top three strongest," she said, her voice rising. "You know it. They know it. Everyone knows it."
Koma stopped.
The silence that followed was heavy and cold. He didn't turn around right away.
"Lower your voice," he said flatly. "It's giving me a headache." He tilted his head just enough to glance at her from the corner of his eye. "And you're the third strongest?"
He scoffed, the sound full of derision. "That's almost laughable."
Koa stiffened like he had struck her.
Koma continued, already losing interest. "I didn't pick Kaola to spare your pride. I picked her because she does what she's told."
His eyes flicked over her once, cold and dismissive. "You don't."
He turned and kept walking toward his private quarters.
"If that bothers you, fix it. Or don't. I don't really care."
He took a few more steps before speaking again.
"Rank the siblings. Strongest to weakest."
Fire burst from Koa's hands in a violent spark. She stepped forward, face flushed with anger.
"You're the strongest," she spat. "Then Kaola. Then Kova. Then the twins. Then me."
Koma didn't look back. "Explain why."
"Because I can't control my power," Koa said, her voice tight. "I lose my cool. I'm not the smartest."
Her fists clenched as the flames licked at her skin. "Why do I only get grunt work if I could…"
"Shut up," Koma said, cutting her off.
Her voice dropped to a whisper. The fire in her hands died down to a dull ember.
"What about Kana?" she asked.
Koma finally turned.
His stare landed on Kana, who was standing in the shadows of the corridor. His gaze was sharp and unforgiving.
Kana opened her mouth. "I…"
She stopped. Her hands clenched at her sides. Without another word, she turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness.
Koma looked back at Koa.
"Speaking of siblings," Koa said, her voice still trembling with suppressed rage, "where is Kova?"
"Doing a top-secret mission for me," Koma replied. He reached the door to his chambers and placed a hand on the cold metal.
"I'm going to rest. Wake me when Kova returns."
Koa gritted her teeth. The sheer dismissiveness in his tone was worse than any insult.
He was already stepping into the room, the heavy door beginning to swing shut.
"You can't just go to sleep," she said, stepping toward the closing gap. "I need answers."
The door clicked shut, leaving her alone in the silent hallway.