Riven followed Lyra through the narrow halls of the Nova Arcanum underground facility, his steps steady, though his eyes kept scanning everything around him. The corridors were sleek and sterile, softly lit with pale blue overhead lights and lined with curved glass panels that occasionally flickered with mana pulses. Every inch of this place whispered secrecy.
Lyra didn't speak much at first. She merely walked ahead, her presence commanding despite her silence. She moved like someone who belonged in places others didn't even know existed. Riven had seen confidence before—but this was something else entirely.
After several turns, they passed a reinforced vault door sealed with glowing arcane sigils. A subtle hum vibrated from it as they passed. Riven raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. Classified?"
Lyra stopped and turned to glance at him over her shoulder.
"I can't show you yet. If you want to know what's inside…" Her lips curved slightly. "Join Nova Arcanum."
Riven gave a dry look. "That supposed to be a recruitment pitch?"
She shrugged. "You're alive. You cleared a dungeon you weren't supposed to. That already makes you interesting. But if you want answers, you'll have to earn access."
"Sounds like a cult when you say it like that," he muttered.
Lyra smirked faintly. "We don't do chants. Just secrets."
They continued walking. The corridor opened into a sleek observation wing, lined with relic lockers, training chambers, and reading terminals. One side was walled entirely in reinforced glass, overlooking a chamber filled with suspended relic fragments—some softly glowing with residual energy.
"This wing is off-grid," Lyra explained, voice steady. "No direct system link, no broadcast surveillance. Perfect for relic research and post-dungeon isolation."
"You bring all your guests here?" Riven asked.
Lyra didn't smile, but there was a flicker of amusement in her eyes. "Only the ones who survive things they shouldn't."
Riven stepped toward the window, peering into the relic vault. One of the suspended shards gave off a faint pulse as if it recognized something in him.
"Most of Nova Arcanum's personnel have been told this was a misclassified C-rank," she said. "And thanks to the relic you used, the system didn't override that report. But if you'd walked out of that gate without it…"
"They'd be digging through my life and tearing apart Nullshift."
"Exactly. But Nullshift is still intact. And no one's touched you. Because I didn't let them."
She turned to him, silver hair catching the glow of overhead lights.
"And for the record," she added, "no one's investigating your wrist device either. Because to everyone else, it's just a supplemental relic—likely one I gave you. A mana-converter. Nothing more."
Riven looked at her, more thoughtful than surprised. "You really went that far to cover for me?"
Her gaze dipped briefly. "Don't make me repeat myself."
"Right. It's an investment."
She turned away, motioning for him to follow.
After a few more steps, she glanced at a rune-slab glowing in her palm. Her brow furrowed faintly.
"I've been called to a relic audit," she said, tone a little less sharp. "Might take a while."
Riven raised a brow. "So I'm being abandoned in a secret facility?"
"Hardly," she said, signaling to someone waiting near the corridor—a young woman dressed in Nova Arcanum black, her stance straight and disciplined. "This is Arien. She'll escort you back to the surface."
Arien bowed her head. "Mr. Kade."
Before turning, Lyra looked back at Riven.
"Try not to pick any fights. And maybe—try not to trip over your own brooding."
He smirked. "I'll practice falling with style."
She rolled her eyes and disappeared down the hall.
Riven and Arien walked together toward the elevator.
"You've been assigned to babysit me?" he asked, glancing sideways.
Arien gave a small smile. "Escort. Not babysit. You're not that helpless."
He snorted. "Not yet."
They passed another secure checkpoint, where Arien pressed her ID slab against the barrier and it flickered open.
"I heard about what happened," she said after a moment.
Riven arched a brow. "You mean the dungeon?"
"Most of the reports say it was misclassified. But… a few of us saw the readings. It wasn't."
"You believe everything you read?" he asked.
"No. But I believe someone wanted to bury the truth. And only a handful of people have the clout to do that."
They reached the elevator and stepped inside. As it ascended, Arien remained quiet, standing beside him with a professional stillness.
Riven glanced at her. "You don't talk much."
"I wasn't assigned to talk."
"You're worse than Lyra."
"She taught me," Arien replied, deadpan.
Riven actually chuckled.
They stepped out of the lift into a surface-level corridor, far less sterile and much more mundane. A transport pod was waiting outside the gate—sleek, matte black, no insignias.
"Where exactly are you dropping me?" he asked as they exited the building.
"Close to your district. You'll get a clean exit and a fake log trail."
"I'm flattered."
"Lyra insisted."
He gave a small nod and paused before entering the pod. "Tell her… thanks."
Arien nodded. "I will."
He slid into the pod and let the door close behind him.
The vehicle moved silently through the night, cutting through the quiet streets. Riven sat still, watching the faint reflections in the tinted window. Somewhere along the ride, he reached down and tapped the Omnitrix.
It pulsed softly.
Still in silent mode, the interface shimmered. He scrolled through it with a practiced hand.
Heatblast. Artiguana. Diamondhead.
Three.
Just three.
But each one held more than just power. They were answers. Clues. And a warning.
He looked at the interface a moment longer and muttered, "It's time I see what else you can do."
The pod continued into the quiet city night.
End of Chapter.
Thank you for reading.
{(A/N)I keep forgetting some importance so I need to check other chapter 😂}