Two days had passed since Kay returned from the asteroid belt.
His energy had stabilized at 0.85. His body had mostly recovered from the spatial folding exhaustion, though his muscles still ached when he moved too fast. Ella had patched up the ship's hull, and Max was already grumbling about teaching Kay "bone-breaking" techniques—though they hadn't started yet.
Kay sat on the broken doorstep of his hut, staring at the distant Core Star. His father, Kane, was inside, coughing less than usual. The old hermit had brought some medicine, saying it would help.
Three days until the exam.
Three days to prepare.
But the universe had other plans.
The morning sun had barely cleared the shantytown's rusty rooftops when a sleek black hovercraft descended into the slums. Its polished surface reflected the grime around it like an insult.
Kay stood up slowly. He recognized that hovercraft.
The door hissed open. Karl stepped out, flanked by two men in crisp federal uniforms—badges on their chests, stun batons on their belts. Federal Enforcement Officers.
Behind them, Lila held her datapad, recording everything.
"Kay of the slums," one officer announced, his voice loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear. "You are hereby accused of stealing a heirloom crystal from the Karl family estate. Come with us for questioning."
Neighbors peeked out from their shacks. Whispers spread like fire.
Kay's jaw tightened. He knew. Karl knew about the relic.
"I didn't steal anything," Kay said evenly.
Karl stepped forward, a cruel smile on his face. "Then why does my family's energy scanner show a spike matching our lost crystal's signature—coming from your pocket?"
He pointed at Kay's chest. The crystal was hidden under his shirt, but it pulsed faintly, as if responding to the accusation.
The officers moved toward Kay. "Hands behind your back."
Kay's fists clenched. He could run. He could fight. But fighting federal officers meant no exam. No academy. No future.
Think. Think.
"Wait."
The voice came from the shadows of Kay's hut. Old and raspy, but carrying iron.
The hermit stepped out. He leaned on a wooden cane, his back bent, his eyes milky with age. But when he looked at Karl, there was nothing weak in that gaze.
"Who are you?" one officer demanded.
"Someone who knows the difference between theft and inheritance." The hermit reached into his ragged coat and pulled out a small data chip. "Before you arrest this boy, perhaps you'd like to see what I found in the federal archives last week."
He tossed the chip to the officer who had spoken. The man caught it, frowned, and inserted it into his wrist scanner.
The screen lit up.
Lines of text. Official seals. A date stamp from twelve years ago.
And a name: Lord Valerius Karl — Karl's father.
The officer's expression changed. He scrolled. His face went pale.
"What does it say?" Karl snapped, stepping closer.
The officer looked at Karl, then at the hermit. "This… this is a classified record. It states that Lord Karl… illegally obtained federal research data on ancient relics. Theft of government property. The penalty is—"
"Lies!" Karl's voice cracked. "That old man is lying!"
"The federal seal doesn't lie," the hermit said calmly. "And I have copies. Many copies. If this boy is arrested today, those copies go to every news outlet in the Federation by noon."
Silence.
The slum alley was so quiet you could hear the rusted sign swinging in the wind.
The senior officer exchanged a glance with his partner. Then he looked at Karl. "Sir… we cannot proceed with this arrest without further evidence. The accusation of theft against this boy—do you have definitive proof that the crystal in his possession is your family's?"
Karl's face turned red. Then purple. His hands shook.
"This isn't over," he hissed at Kay. Then he turned to the hermit. "You'll regret this, old man."
The hermit smiled. "I've regretted many things. This isn't one of them."
Karl stormed back to the hovercraft. The officers hesitated, then followed. Lila gave Kay one last cold look before stepping inside.
The hatch closed. The hovercraft rose and sped away, leaving only dust and whispers.
Kay let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.
"You saved me," he said to the hermit.
"I bought you time." The hermit's voice was grave. "Karl won't forget this. He'll come for you during the exam. That's where he plans to destroy you."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know his father." The hermit sat down on the doorstep, suddenly looking every one of his years. "Valerius Karl and I were colleagues once. Before he sold his soul for power."
He looked at Kay. "The file I showed them? That's just the tip. I have a whole archive—years of their dirty dealings. Tax evasion, bribery, even… contact with outsiders."
"Outsiders?"
"Aliens. Non-human species from beyond the Federation's borders." The hermit lowered his voice. "Your father never told you why he really retired, did he?"
Kay shook his head.
"He found something. On his last mission. A relic similar to the one you found. But before he could report it, Valerius Karl erased the records and had your father discharged." The hermit paused. "Kane kept the crystal for you. He knew one day you might need it."
Kay looked through the cracked window at his father, who was sleeping fitfully on the cot.
"So Karl's father is working with aliens?"
"I believe so. The files I have contain coordinates and symbols that don't match any human language." The hermit pulled out a small notebook—handwritten, worn at the edges. "I've been trying to decode them for years."
He handed the notebook to Kay. "Take this. Study it when you can. The exam is in three days. You'll need every advantage."
Kay tucked the notebook into his pocket next to the crystal.
"What about Karl? His energy is 0.97. I'm only 0.85."
"Numbers aren't everything." The hermit stood up, his back cracking. "You have something he doesn't. You've bled for your power. He was handed his on a silver platter. When you face him, remember that."
Kay nodded.
"One more thing." The hermit pointed toward the slum market. "The exam has three rounds. Energy test. Combat arena. And survival in an abandoned space station. Karl's family has influence there. Expect traps."
"I will."
The hermit walked away, disappearing into the maze of shanties. Kay watched him go, then turned back to the hut.
Kane was awake now, sitting up on the cot. His face was pale, but his eyes were clear.
"You heard?" Kay asked.
"Enough." Kane coughed—a dry, rattling sound. "That old hermit… he's the only reason I'm still alive. Trust him."
"I do."
Kane reached out and gripped Kay's wrist. His fingers were thin, but his grip was strong. "Three days. Train. Don't hold back. And when you face Karl's son…"
"I'll win."
Kane smiled—a tired, proud smile. "That's my boy."
Outside, the sun climbed higher, burning away the morning chill. Kay stood in the alley, rolling his shoulders. His energy was steady at 0.85. Not enough to beat Karl's 0.97 on paper.
But the hermit was right. Numbers weren't everything.
He had spatial folding. He had Ella's devices. He had Max's combat training.
And he had something Karl would never understand: hunger.
Kay walked toward the junkyard where Max and Ella were waiting. The exam was in three days.
He was going to use every single one of them.
End of Chapter 8