Entering the office room of the Head General, was the Head General herself.

She was a middle-aged woman who had dark straightened hair shaped into a sharply cut bob, and wore a dark blue business suit. If it weren’t for her suit’s colors matching the uniform colors of the military, then they would’ve thought that she wasn’t part of the army at all. The way she dressed made her look more like a cut-throat business woman than a hardened soldier.

Still, as soon as she made her presence known, her stone cold face made all three men immediately bow.

"At ease, men," The Head General spoke, and the others sat down normally.

She sat down in her respective seat, and pressed on a few buttons bringing up the initial report on a projector.

"We have been aware that these odd attacks have been happening on the beast planets for a while," She began, "Lately, it seems like these attacks are happening much more frequently, and if we take a look at the history of these attacks, they take place closer, and closer to our starting planet, Earth."

"Do you think they’re aiming for the city station?" Mike asked.

"That would make sense, but why only send solo dalki?" She brought up, "I believe these singular dalki attacks are sent as scouts. It’s been years since the last war, and they have no idea how much stronger we’ve become since then. They are testing the waters, and it is very likely that the war will be starting again soon. I give it 3 years, tops."

All three men thought about the threat of war, and what it would entail. Still there were other matters to discuss, and they knew that the war against the dalki was always destined to come. They discussed other matters, like funding, management, and test scores. Things that seemed normal compared to their earlier conversation.

"Speaking of test scores, we have a visit from Mr. Truedream in a few weeks," The Head General mentioned, "Have we prepared some students for him?"

Duke nodded with a wide smile, "I think he’ll be very happy with this year’s cream of the crop."

The Head General nodded, "If that’s the case, then this meeting is dismissed."

Organizing a stack of papers, the Head General got up, preparing to leave, when Mike stood up, hand raised.

"I know this may be a personal matter, but..." Mike began, "How is Paul?"

"Paul?" The Head General’s stern cold facial expression cracked, but only for a split second, "He’s alive. That is all that matters."

—

It was late afternoon on military base 2, and as Erin’s team went back to her dorm room, Peter was wondering what everyone was now.

He had seen Layla’s body stitch itself back together like she had a regenerative ability, but he knew she had telekinesis, then saw Fex and Erin use a level of speed and strength that only those with high level beast gear could manage, but they weren’t rich enough to have such things. The only person who was normal was Quinn, making him subconsciously stick by his side.

Despite most of them being boys, Erin was the de facto leader of the group, so everyone was following her to the girl’s dorm room.

"Don’t worry, our other roommate doesn’t come by very often," Layla said to Peter, "Actually, she rarely stays here at all unless it’s curfew."

Peter just awkwardly nodded.

Fex walked up to the front with Erin, and began whispering, "Are you seriously going to tell him everything? You know if you do, you’ll have to turn him at some point, or wipe his memory."

"Is it really such a big issue if someone like him knows?" Erin replied, "There are bigger issues than people knowing about vampires, like the fact we almost died to a dalki today."

Fex sighed, "Fine, but I at least tried to warn you. Remember that vampire law is incredibly strict. If he or Layla freak out and tell everyone and their mom, then I fear I’m going to have to take drastic measures."

Erin glared at Fex as he slid a finger across his neck.

Eventually, the group arrived at the girl’s dorm, and they all took a seat on either the beds, the floor, or the singular desk chair. There was a bit of an antsy energy as everyone didn’t know how Peter would react.

"Are you sure your other roommate won’t be here?" Quinn asked again, noting the third bed.

"Yes, I’m sure of it!" Layla snapped, before immediately retracting herself.

"I’ll get to the point. Me and Fex are vampires," Erin began, "Near the beginning of the school year, Quinn bumped into me with some old book and it turned me into a vampire. Apparently, becoming a vampire had also removed my ice ability, leaving me with the chance of learning a new one."

Immediately, a few of them gasped, and they didn’t know what to take of it, Peter especially. He was shocked that she had practically confirmed vampires were real. It explained the umbrella, and the red lines she shot out with her hands, but then his thoughts were interrupted by Quinn, who seemed both embarrassed, and mad.

"Why’d you tell them about the book?!" Quinn shot back.

"What difference does it make?" Erin replied, "I don’t want to keep secrets, and it’s not like we gain anything from hiding it. The book disappeared anyways."

"Actually, that’s the first time I’ve heard about someone getting turned by a book," Fex brought up, then pointed at both Quinn and Erin, "That... isn’t actually some sort of inside joke between you two, right?"

Quinn looked mortified, as he didn’t know what to say, but then Layla perked up.

"Quinn, that book was originally yours right? Where did you get it from?"

"I uh—"

"Yeah, where DID you get it from?" Fex questioned, his eyes glowing red.

Quinn immediately closed his eyes, and waved his hands around frantically.

"That’s my problem to worry about"

Peter, meanwhile, was confused, and getting lost in all of this talk about some book. It wasn’t really explaining how Erin’s ability changed. Was the book some sort of ability book? But ability books didn’t just stop existing like how they said it did, and if it was, then it seemed like Fex’s and Erin’s actual abilities were different. He had seen Fex create strings, and Erin make shadows.

"Uh..."

Everyone turned to look at Peter, who seemed to have spirals in his eyes as he was processing everything.

"Right, we were supposed to explain all of this," Layla sighed, "Erin told me this, but when you had... pushed her into the red portal planet, she found an ability book that gave her the shadow power."

"Oh yeah... I did do that..." Peter whispered, before looking down at his hands on his lap in shame.

"It wasn’t him that pushed her. Erin had accidentally gotten herself caught in the portal when she was trying to save me," Quinn corrected.

Peter didn’t lift up his head, but he smiled a little, knowing that Quinn still had his back.

Suddenly, Layla’s stomach audibly growled, and everyone turned their eyes towards her.