Xyros’s tone grew gentler, though no less firm. “The Va’Skari are not here to bully or control. They are here to see if you and your kind are ready to join something greater than yourselves. That readiness is not something they can decide for you—it is something you must prove to yourselves.”

  Zaria’s jaw tightened, a spark of defiance flaring within her. “And what if we decide we’re fine as we are? What if we don’t want to play their game?”

  Xyros’s mouth twitched, his amusement tempered with respect. “Then that, too, is your choice. The Va’Skari do not force the future upon anyone. But consider this—how often does an opportunity come along to rise above the limits of your current understanding? To become something more?”

  Zaria glared at him for a moment, her arms still crossed, before letting out a reluctant sigh. “Point taken,” she muttered, though the fight hadn’t entirely left her tone. “But calling this an ‘opportunity’ still feels like a stretch.”

  Xyros’s faint smile returned, his eyes glinting with something almost resembling admiration. “That, Zaria, is for you to decide. You’ve already taken your first steps. Let’s see how far you’re willing to go.”

  Xyros remained composed, though a trace of amusement flickered in his eyes. “The Va’Skari don’t concern themselves with resistance; they focus on showing others the advantages of unity and growth within their Dominion, offering guidance rather than coercion. Their interest in you and your species isn’t casual, Zaria. They’re always seeking fresh perspectives, technomantic potential, even allies who can further their reach.”

  She looked away, feeling the weight of his words settle heavily. Thoughts of home flashed before her—her family, her friends, her research colleagues. She pictured the gleaming stations above Ganymede, the quiet but resilient community of Mars, her old gaming guild friends… and Walter. What would happen to them if she failed? The thought lodged in her chest like a stone.

  Xyros’s gaze softened, a faint glimmer of understanding in his eyes. “I know this is overwhelming, but remember this—the skills you’ll learn here, the powers you’ll unlock… they’ll be your tools to survive, adapt, and make your own mark among the stars.”

  A chill swept over her as thoughts of home crowded her mind: familiar faces—her professors on Mars, the researchers back at the Astrological Cartography Institute, her gaming guild friends, and, of course, Walter, her loyal, scrappy little ferret. Her throat tightened. What had happened to Walter? The knot in her chest seemed to grow tighter, twisting her worry into something almost unbearable.

  Xyros observed her closely, his gaze softening with a rare understanding. “The weight of home,” he murmured, his tone laced with something akin to empathy. “It’s an anchor, one that will steady you when the Trials threaten to knock you down. Technomancy itself often comes to life in hardship; it draws strength from the very struggles we face.”

  Zaria attempted a laugh, though it came out thin, even hollow. “Right. And here I am, just now realizing I have… magic. Actual technomancy. All this time, I thought magic was for stage performers and holo-acts.”

  A hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of Xyros’s mouth. “Oh, Zaria,” he said, amusement softening his gaze. “What you’ll learn here will make parlor tricks look like child’s play. Technomancy is more than power; it’s a conduit—a bridge between technology and the mystical.” He paused, his eyes narrowing with something almost like pride. “Think back to the Scrappings. Your ‘average’ kick took them down because your latent potential, though untapped, guided you.”

  Zaria took a slow breath, letting the calm energy of the room wash over her. Now that she knew what to look for, she could see it: faint tendrils of technomantic energy running along the walls and floors, pulsing in a rhythm that seemed to infuse the entire room with warmth and quiet vitality. It was different from any tech she’d seen before—somehow alive, as if the energy itself held stories and secrets.

  Her eyes wandered across Xyros’s living space. The warmth around them was in stark contrast to the room’s sparse decor. Her gaze drifted to a stack of worn, leather-bound books, resting in one corner, a faint smell of aged parchment lingering in the air. A thick layer of dust coated a covered machine beneath a tattered cloth, half-forgotten among abandoned projects. She smiled faintly. For someone as ancient and powerful as Xyros, there was something grounding about the subtle clutter, a reminder of the solitude he must have lived in for ages.

  Just as she felt herself relaxing into the comfort of the room, a voice—smooth, resonant, and ancient—filled the space around her.

  “The Nexus Trials serve as both a proving ground and a bridge, connecting new species to the Va’Skari Dominion.”

  Zaria stiffened, the comforting stillness shattered. The voice didn’t echo like the other announcements; it didn’t even seem to come from a speaker. Instead, it was as though the room itself had spoken, vibrating through her bones. She straightened, her gaze darting around the space, searching for its source. The room’s warmth now felt charged with an undercurrent of something unknown, almost alive.

  “That… that’s different,” she murmured, glancing warily at Xyros, whose calm demeanor seemed unshaken.

  His expression remained composed, though a subtle flicker of something—perhaps amusement or calculation—crossed his face. “You will find that the Nexus has ways of communicating beyond the conventional,” he said smoothly. “Voices such as this are rare but not unprecedented. Consider it… a reminder that the Trials are vast and layered, more intricate than they first appear.”

  Zaria frowned, the cryptic response doing little to settle her unease. “What kind of reminder is that? And why me?” she pressed, trying to make sense of what she’d just heard.

  Xyros tilted his head, a serene smile playing at his lips. “That is something only time and your journey through the Trials will reveal,” he replied, his tone maddeningly even. “Perhaps the voice sees potential within you, or perhaps it’s the Trials themselves seeking to guide you in their way.”

  Her frustration bubbled beneath the surface, but she forced herself to stay calm. The voice hadn’t been hostile—at least, not overtly. And Xyros’s vague answers left her no closer to understanding its purpose. Still, the presence of that voice lingered, a new puzzle piece in the labyrinth she was navigating.

  For now, she decided, she would file it away with the growing list of unanswered questions. "Fine," she muttered, shooting Xyros a sidelong glance. "But if that voice starts giving me unsolicited advice, I expect you to warn me."