After leading Jessica to her room and leaving her alone, Chala walked toward his office. A hunter waited near the door. "Report," said Chala simply as he opened the door. "It's about the weird mist user. The one who goes into the mist for a few hours and then runs away. We made a map." The map was open on the desk, and Chala studied it carefully. "As you can see, Sir, there is no logic to their movements…" The hunters' leader held up a hand, cutting him short. "They are going to the old Guardians' stronghold, but why?" He pondered for a while, drumming his fingers on the table. "Something doesn't add up. I'll go after them myself. I leave tomorrow." The lower-ranked hunter bowed. "I have an announcement to make. Gather the hunters tomorrow at the castle entrance." The messenger paled, "Another announcement?" Chala locked eyes with him, and he quickly looked down. "Yes, another announcement."
Over forty hunters shuffled on their feet, unsure why they were reenacting the previous day's scene. On top of the stairs, Chala stood arms crossed, scanning his men with cold authority. This time, Dhorros was absent, already on the warpath to complete his mission with his team. The hunters had seen the young woman at Chala's side; they guessed she was a new recruit, but they didn't know more. Grent did know more. He had missed the fight the previous day, so he made sure to be here this time. He wouldn't miss another historical event. He smiled and waved at Jessica, but she didn't seem to see him. Swallowing his disappointment, he thought he would try to catch her after the speech. He had gathered some books she would find interesting, and he looked forward to spending more time with her. Chala will probably announce that we have our second scholar, and that, like me, she is to be protected and never leave the base. At least we will be together. That's not so bad.
Chala's raspy voice soon broke his reverie.
"Today, we welcome a new hunter, Jessica." The crowd clapped, and some cheered. When the silence settled again, the leader continued. "A relic has chosen her. And so her path is set. She accepted the weight of the relic with courage worthy of the heroes of old." After a pause, he added, "If some among you are still doubting my decisions to prevent a world-ending event, your doubts end now." He scanned the crowd, holding the eyes of those who dared to. "And believe me when I say I would have preferred to be wrong about it all!"
Then, he gestured for Jessica to step toward the crowd. The young woman felt dizzy. Her palms were sweaty. She remembered what Chala had asked her to do. With a trembling hand, she took the sphere from her pocket and held it high for the gathered hunters to see.
Time froze, all eyes were locked on the relic, unblinking. Then a loud thud was heard as a hunter fell to his knees, then another, and just after, everyone followed suit. Everyone but Grent, who remained standing, mouth gaping and eyes wide. He didn't join the hunters as they ceremoniously said the words.
Jessica felt shivers down her spine as her fate was sung through countless voices, carrying a rainbow of emotions: "We salute the sphere."
Later that day, Chala knocked on Jessica's door again. She opened. Her eyes were dark on her paler-than-usual skin. A gust of wind from the open window made her strawberry-blonde hair fly around. Chala took a step back and froze for an instant. "What?" Said Jessica with a croaky voice, "You look like you've seen a ghost." Her mentor sighed deeply. "Jessica, I'm sorry. I have to go on a mission. An important one. It can only be me. I'll be back in a few days." She pinched her mouth and forced herself to nod. As he walked away, Chala said, "Learn all you can about the hunters while I'm away." He stopped and looked back. "Learn all you can about the relics."
The mismatched-roof house was lit by some sunrays that pierced the clouds. Jessica tried to find the happy feeling she had last time. But it wasn't there. She got irritated, and she felt a shiver of rage coursing through her veins. She stopped walking and cocked her head. That wave of emotion wasn't from me. Her hand found the cold sphere in her pocket. Caressing it softly, she sent her thought towards it: Was it you? Are you upset? But the relic didn't answer.
Her irritation flared up again, and when she reached the house, she opened the door without knocking.
A puzzled Grent asked, "Who goes there?" Then, after an instant, he added, "Jessica?" His voice sounded like he wasn't sure. The young woman entered the house slowly, and strands from her hair shone like a halo around a darker shadow. The door slowly closed behind her.
The two young hunters faced each other. The silence stretched between them, like a hundred razor blades shining in the dim light. "I wanted to come see you…" said Grent finally.
Jessica didn't answer. It seemed like her hand moved on its own, grabbing something in her pocket. She took out the sphere and held it at arm's length between her and Grent. Her voice sounded hollow, distorted, tainted with old fury. "I saw you. Why didn't you kneel?" The male scholar gaped. Throat dry he asked, confused. "What? Jessica, what are you doing?" The sphere left Jessica's hand and hovered in the air. Its solid surface started to ripple, like a lake under a soft breeze. "I am the Sphere. Kneel." Grent took a step back and asked, "Jessica, what's happening?" Jessica's voice was a weak sob, "Please, Grent, do as it says, I can't control it much longer." The young man nodded. He slowly knelt, bowed his head, and said the words: "I salute the Sphere."
The ripples on the relic subsided, and it resumed its solid appearance. Slowly, it hovered back to Jessica's outstretched hand. When she had stored the shadow weapon in her pocket again, she let herself fall onto a stool. Her head in her hands, she pleaded, "Grent, I need your help." The scholar sat on a stool next to her. He offered a hand, and she took it. He squeezed lightly and answered, "I'll do what I can."