“So what can you tell us about the Agency and its ogre program? We don’t know a lot beyond the basics, and we haven’t been able to make the people we captured talk yet,” Glenn asked, pulling a chair over and taking a seat across from the still-standing ogres as he spoke. Cal followed suit, figuring the man knew what he was doing.


    “They don’t erase our memories or anything like that if that’s what you’re asking, so I suspect we may know a great deal. What exactly do you want to know, or do you just want me to start at the beginning of everything I know,” Sean asked, looking around the room as he spoke.


    “Go ahead and start at the beginning for now, and we can interrupt with any questions we may have. Also, you’re all welcome to take chairs. You are fully allowed to be comfortable here. We don’t want you scared,” Glenn continued.


    Sean looked at Cal, seemingly for confirmation of Glenn’s offer. Cal nodded his agreement with what the man had said. “Thank you,” Sean said before grabbing his own chair, an action that was quickly mirrored by the other ogres.


    “As long as you are here, we will treat you like guests. I understand that this feels more like a prison than a guest room, but the more we work with you to make sure everything is safe, the more we can increase your permissions around the void house. Please understand we have a lot of innocent people and animals here whose safety is currently our first priority,” Glenn explained further.


    Cal watched the ogres for any noticeable reactions to this and managed to catch one of them smiling at the word animals. Not a devious or menacing smile in any way. It reminded him of a kid getting to play with a puppy or kitten. She just looked happy at the idea of friendly animals, and while that was a good reaction, it made him worry about just how long some of these people had been forced into this. Had this been the end goal for all the kids he had rescued? Were they just ogres he had encountered later in the loops?


    “Thank you again. Please understand before I start recapping that some of my early life is painful for me, not physically, just in memories, but I do think it’s important that I do it. I am aware of some of the children that you rescued here, and I want you to understand what they would have suffered had you not rescued them,” Sean said. That confirmed Cal’s worries.


    “My family and I were visiting a mine when I was a kid, and somehow, when I touched one of the pieces of copper ore, I thought I had heard a voice speak to me. My parents assumed it was just me being a kid, and in time, I even somewhat forgot about it, but one day, I was playing around with some rock samples my dad had given me, and I felt something again with the copper one, and then I heard that same voice again. This time, though, it didn’t go away, and we started talking to each other every night,” Sean started.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    “Ah, that was likely a mana spirit you made a connection with. Did they have a name?” Cal asked, wondering just how many mana spirits were still waiting around the planet for someone to find them, or had the Agency rounded up virtually everyone left not in the control of the Gryalth.


    “Yes, I know that now, but at the time, I had no idea what was happening, and I just enjoyed talking to my friend. I never got around to naming him, though, as within a few days of this, several men showed up at my door and told my Dad they were taking me. He refused. You can imagine what happened next. I have no idea if my parents are alive or not. The next several years were spent in an Agency lab with several other children, where we were poked, prodded, and tested. Most of us didn’t survive their tests. Those that did stopped hearing the voice of their mana spirit but began to be able to use magical abilities. Once that happened, we were fashioned with these collars. Any attempt to disobey was met with extreme pain; any attempt to remove them detonates them, instantly killing us,” Sean stopped speaking, apparently having finished that part of his story.


    “Hrm, I need to get those collars off you, but I imagine it’s going to be a very dangerous initial investigation. Is anyone willing to volunteer?” Andrew asked with an angry concern in his voice.


    “You can use me. I consent to anything needed in order to have these removed,” Sean answered without any hesitation.


    “Good. Cal, after we finish here, I want to take Sean back to the lab. I need to consult with Libby and Andy, assuming he’s up to it, and probably Bill, too. This is complicated, but I think it’s doable. I doubt they have anyone better, let alone with more experience working for them than me, so I’m sure I can do it,” Andrew said. Cal ignored the egotistical comment, partially because he thought it might be true but also because Andrew seemed genuinely upset at how these people had been treated.


    “Of course, let’s do everything to get those collars off and mapped out. We will need an easy way to disable them in the future without killing anyone,” Cal answered.


    “Yes, let’s add that to the high-priority list,” Harold added.


    “Alright, everyone, in light of the collars, I’d really prefer if the rest of you continue to stay here for now. It’s not your fault at all, but I can’t risk that,” Cal said apologetically to the surrendered ogres.


    “Trust me, we all understand. None of us wants to hurt anyone innocent again,” the woman who had smiled when he had mentioned animals earlier said. He was glad to hear it.


    “Thank you. Then I think Andrew and I will take Sean to the lab while Glenn, Harold, and my father continue a discussion with all of you,” Cal instructed and got several nods in return.