Lyla stood in the dimly lit corridor of Base 105, her knuckles rapping sharply against Jane's door. Beside her, Akira shifted his weight, his eyes scanning the metallic walls of the base.
"Who is this guy we're here to see?" Akira asked, his voice low and guarded. "Is he really worth the trip?"
Lyla offered a mysterious smile, her eyes glinting with a mix of exhaustion and hope. "He has a spiritual entity residing within him. Trust me, Akira, once you see what he can do, you'll understand."
She knocked again, more insistently this time. After a few moments of muffled movement from inside, the door creaked open. Jane stood there, her expression tense and her posture defensive. She didn't fully open the door, instead peering through the gap at Lyla and the two strangers behind her.
"Lyla? What's going on? What are you doing here this late?" Jane asked, her gaze darting to Akira and the small girl, Rin. "Are these... the ones from the radio?"
Lyla nodded solemnly. Seeing the confirmation, Jane finally stepped back, swinging the door wide to reveal Leo sitting on the edge of the bed. Lyla walked in with a commander's confidence, followed closely by Akira and Rin.
Leo stood up as they entered, his eyes locking onto the newcomers. The silence in the room was heavy until Akira broke it. "So, you're the one, right? The guy Lyla's been talking about."
Leo smirked, though his eyes remained wary. "Which guy would that be? The one who's tired of being everyone's secret weapon?"
Lyla took a seat, gesturing for the others to do the same. "Look, guys, I have something important to discuss. It's the reason I brought them here." She pointed toward Akira and Rin. "This is Akira, the Commander of Base 140, and this is Rin. They've come a long way because they need your help, Leo. They need someone who can wield a specific sword."
Rin stepped forward, her small voice cutting through the tension. "You... you're Nova's host, aren't you?"
Leo blinked, surprised. "You know about Nova?"
"She is an Origin," Rin said simply, her sharp eyes never leaving his. "In my world, she is legendary. Her name is spoken with both awe and fear."
Lyla leaned forward, her expression turning sharp. "That's exactly why we're here. Leo, you could be our ultimate trump card in this war."
Jane shook her head, her confusion turning into frustration. "Wait, wait, wait. What are you all talking about? What sword?"
Akira took over, his tone grave. "We possess a weapon of immense power. It is said that whoever can successfully wield it to its fullest potential will gain abilities that are almost beyond comprehension. The energy it contains is... well, it's insane."
Leo let out a dry, skeptical laugh. "Let me get this straight. You were in Japan, and you flew all the way to the U.S. just to find someone to hold a blade for you?" He paused, his smirk fading. "And you said 'successfully.' That implies that something very bad happens to anyone who *unsuccessfully* tries to wield it, doesn't it?"
Akira didn't look away. "We came here because Rin needs protection. No one can know about her—not the other bases, and certainly not the Harbingers. She's a demon, Leo, just like the ones attacking us. But Lyla believes that because of the spiritual being inside you, you might be the only one capable of handling the weapon without being consumed by it."
Jane looked at Lyla, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Lyla, you can't be serious. You're asking him to gamble his life on a myth?"
"Calm down, everyone," Lyla said, her voice rising slightly. "I know how crazy this sounds. But look at the world outside. We are being hunted by Harbingers and their King. We need every advantage we can get."
Leo sighed, the weight of the world feeling heavier than ever. "So, you're putting the entire burden on me again? Just so I can help defeat these crazy species?" He rubbed his temples. "Fine. Which weapon are we even talking about?"
"The Dual-Blade Katana," Akira answered.
Jane practically flared with anger. "No! Absolutely not! Lyla, Nova told us how dangerous that weapon is. It's cursed! Do you want to kill him?"
Rin interrupted, her voice calm despite the heat in the room. "Nova *can* wield it. Now that she has a physical host, she can channel at least one percent of its power. Even that one percent would be enough to change the tide of this war."
Leo closed his eyes, listening to the voice echoing in his mind. After a moment, he spoke. "Nova says no. She won't allow me to touch it. That blade is filled with an insane amount of Dark Energy. If I'm not careful, it could corrupt me, or my body might just shatter under the pressure. I might not even be able to lift it."
Lyla stood up, her composure finally breaking. "Why can't you guys just do this for me? Just once!" she shouted, her voice trembling with raw emotion. "I've been doing everything I can to keep this base running. Do you have any idea how much work it is to take care of every single person here? I don't have an assistant, I don't have a second-in-command I can trust with everything... I'm carrying a burden too! Please, Leo. Just try."
Leo looked at her, seeing the desperation and exhaustion in her eyes. "Lyla, you should understand better than anyone. That's a cursed blade. No human has ever survived wielding it."
"Actually, someone has," Rin said softly. "A member of my lineage once held its power. You have an Origin inside you, Leo. Beg her. Convince her to try."
Jane stared at Leo, her eyes burning with a mixture of fear and fury. She couldn't believe they were even considering this. Leo looked at her, then at the floor, before finally speaking. "Nova... she said she'll think about it."
Lyla let out a long breath, her shoulders sagging with relief. "Thank you."
She turned to leave, but as she opened the door, she was nearly knocked over by a soldier who was about to burst in. The man was covered in soot and panting heavily. "Commander! Emergency! We just got word... Caspian is in trouble!"
Jane pushed past Lyla, her face pale, but not from worry for Caspian. Her blood was boiling from the conversation they had just had. The news of Caspian's base being attacked was just the spark she needed to ignite the explosive anger she felt toward Lyla for putting Leo in such danger.
"Where is he?" Jane demanded, her voice cold as ice.
"At his base," the soldier gasped. "It's under heavy assault!"
Jane didn't hesitate. She walked to her bed, pulled a heavy metal box from underneath, and flipped the latches. She grabbed her sword and pulled on her combat gloves. Then, she reached into the box and pulled out a **Spiritual Pill**.
Leo immediately grabbed her hand. "What the hell are you trying to do, Jane?"
"Back off, Leo," Jane hissed, wrenching her hand away. She didn't care about Caspian—she just needed to hit something, to vent the fury that was threatening to consume her. She looked at Lyla, her eyes cold and terrifying. "I'll bring him back here. And I'll bring the head of whoever is attacking him."
**To be continued...**