Snapping her eyes back open, she felt a rush of panic as she released the crystal. Pain seared through her hand, mingled with the metallic tang of blood as the crystal met the ground with a dull thud.


    Surveying the room, a wave of embarrassment washed over her, unnoticed amidst the chaos. Her heart clenched as she observed the boy''s plight, mirroring her own harrowing experience during the ritual. A small crystal emerged from his trembling form, tethered to therger one, before the connection shattered, leaving him crumpled on the floor.


    Driven by a surge of adrenaline, Jade darted forward, shoving aside one of the assants with determination etched into her features. Their confusion met her resolve as she grasped the crystal, her mind racing to unravel the tangled web of events."


    As she ced her hand on the crystal, the indicators became clearer and easier to see.


    "Weakness Heat"


    "Power: Restriction"


    "Code Break: N/A"


    "Crystal Count: 4/4"


    "Time stamp: 459070240812"


    "Designer: 3rd in Command, Arch Angelic Division Captain"


    Following the shes of these words and codes, Jade shouted to the Director to get a piece of paper as they carried the boy, who was slowly starting to wake up, away. She ryed everything she was seeing to the Director as her hands began to burn more.


    Suddenly bombarded by endless images of her life, from Ty and more family friends, and everything going back to the day she was born, the images began to speed further back. Images of the crystal being moved and transported in military-grade vehicles and transportation that looked simr to the early 1900s flooded her mind.


    shes of the crystal sitting in ava bath filled Jade''s mind, each crack quickly healing over. Despite the intensity of these visions, it became evident that the breaking point for the crystal was nowhere near. It would require temperatures akin to those of the sun to even begin to crack it.


    Thousands more images shed before her eyes as the memories embedded within the crystal stretched far back. Eventually, she stumbled upon a white throne room, where a creature shrouded in light stood before a brilliant white sun. It raised its hand toward the crystal, and thousands began to pour out from its depths.


    As fatigue overwhelmed her, Jade crashed to the floor, her hands burning hot red as blisters began to form.


    Her hands were shaking as she ryed everything she observed, not pausing to see if the Director was noting it all down. The flood of information overwhelmed her, feeling as if her head might burst, until darkness enveloped her senses.


    Waking up, Jade found herself encircled by Rosa and the Director. Confusion and a piercing headache clouded her thoughts as she attempted to speak. Rosa''s voice, calm and reassuring, reached her, "Hey, it''s okay, take it slow."


    "Right, right, sorry," Jade managed to say, her voice weak. She turned to the Director, concern etching her features. "Director, how did everything go? Did you get all the info you needed if any of it is useful?"


    The Director, holding a notepad, responded, "I verified all the info you gave me, and I was able to confirm your details about the crystal and its previous location." His words suggested that Jade''s efforts, despite the physical toll, had yielded valuable insights.


    Top of Form


    Her hands trembled as she recounted everything she was witnessing, barely noting whether the Director was documenting her words. The flood of information felt overwhelming, her head throbbing under its weight until darkness enveloped her.


    Awakening to find herself encircled by Rosa and the Director, Jade''s confusion was palpable. "Hey, what happened? Where am I?" she managed, despite the intense headache that gripped her.


    "Hey, it''s okay, take it slow," Rosa soothed.


    Regaining a bit ofposure, Jade turned to the Director. "How did everything go? Did you get all the info you needed if any of it is useful?"


    Holding a notepad, the Director confirmed, "I verified all the info you gave me, and I was able to verify the details about the crystal and its previous location."


    Breaking the crystal seemed daunting due to the immense heat required, a challenge the Director was contemting. "There are some scientists stating they can simte the heat of the sun in underground bunkerbs meant for testing atoms. But for now, I want you to continue focusing on your tests and see if you can derive anything from that flesh sample and the shard."


    With Ashaiki''s return looming, Jade knew her focus must return tobat soon. "Yes, Sir, I should have the best results figured out in the next two weeks."


    "One week, actually," corrected the Director, revealing Jade had lost a week to sleep.


    The revtion stunned her. "Excuse me, what? There''s no way. What did I miss? Where is V? Also, I had some questions about my parents; do they know I''m dead?"


    Jade''s sudden awakening, coupled with the loss of time, brought a surge of questions. The Director''s raised hand signaled a pause.


    "Yes, the misinformation about your parents was a deliberate decision, influenced by Ashaiki. You should discuss any concerns with her upon your reunion," the Director rified, shedding light on the deception.


    "V is faring well; he''s made considerable progress in learning to read and write in English, for reasons unknown to us. As a result, I''ve had him assisting with some administrative tasks," he continued, providing an update on V''s unexpected academic pursuits.


    The conversation took a somber turn as the Director mentioned the increasing casualty rates. "There has been an uptick in casualtiestely, reducing our facility''s personnel to the low sixties," he revealed, underscoring the gravity of their situation.


    Jade digested the information, her concern evident. "I see. I don''t imagine it''s getting any easier for the other departments, however that may be," she spected, aware of the broader implications.


    "Correct. While they''re managing to maintain their numbers for now, as the King of Nothing has indicated, we''re seeing a concerted effort from enemy forces focusing on our. It''s only a matter of time before we face a significant threat," the Director exined, highlighting the escting conflict.


    He further detailed the challenges they faced, including encounters with creatures capable of speech and taunting. "Many groups have begun to encounter misinformation, and creatures can speak and even taunt them," he noted, adding ayer ofplexity to their battles.


    Concerned, Jade asked, "What happens if an entire team is wiped out?"


    "In such cases, Master Gojaro or another Master would intervene to manage the situation. They are spread thin, so their involvement is reserved for critical situations. We have yet to let a creature breach our defenses," the Director assured, emphasizing the safeguards in ce despite the dire circumstances.