The morning light slipped through the high, curved panels of the glass dome, casting soft golden rays across the cold floor. Dust floated in the air like memories—slow, silent, untouchable.
Elliot stirred beneath his worn blanket, the hard steel beneath him groaning softly as he sat up. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced around. The dome was quiet. No alarms. No drills. No Vos. Just sunlight.
He looked up at the cracked glass panels, shielding his eyes. This place—this dome—was more than just shelter. It had been his battlefield, his home, and his prison all at once.
He stood up slowly, stretching sore arms and legs, then walked toward the main room. That's where he saw Vos, standing in silence near the center pillar, his arms folded, eyes locked on a file glowing in his optic screen.
"You're up," Vos said without turning.
"Barely," Elliot muttered, still groggy. "Did training start already?"
"No training today."
Elliot blinked. "What do you mean no training?"
Vos turned, his golden eye dimming slightly as he looked at Elliot. "Because you're leaving. Today."
Elliot narrowed his eyes. "Leaving for what?"
Vos stepped forward. "You're going to school. The Military Academy."
Elliot stared at him like he'd just spoken another language. "School? What school? What are you talking about?"
"I've arranged for your transfer," Vos said. "The Vanguard Military Academy. You'll be leaving the dome within the hour."
"No." Elliot shook his head. "No, you said I'd be trained here. That I was different. That Bloodform was the key—"
Vos raised his voice slightly. "And it is powerful. But that doesn't mean it's safe."
Elliot clenched his fists. "So you're sending me away because you don't trust me with it?"
Vos stepped closer, voice calm but heavy. "Bloodform is not a toy, Elliot. It's not a badge of honor. It is a last resort. A cursed weapon meant only for vampires. Every time you use it, it chips away at your humanity. It drains your soul energy like a leech, and one day... if you rely on it too much, it will consume you."
Elliot looked down, anger mixing with doubt. "But I'm not like other people. I can handle it."
Vos shook his head. "This isn't about being different. It's about being ready. Bloodform won't help you against everything. In your journey, you won't only be fighting vampires. There are human enemies too—people more dangerous than bloodsuckers. Mercenaries. Warlords. Betrayers. And against them... soul energy is your true weapon."
Elliot looked up slowly. "Soul energy?"
Vos nodded. "It's what powers real warriors. Controlled, precise, spiritual strength. The kind of power that doesn't take your humanity—it strengthens it. And it's something I can't teach you here."
"So that's why the academy," Elliot said softly.
"Yes," Vos replied. "There, you'll learn to channel soul energy. You'll learn how to fight without becoming the very monster you swore to destroy."
Elliot turned away, silent.
"You think I'm abandoning you," Vos said after a moment. "But I'm preparing you for something bigger. I'm not always going to be by your side."
Elliot didn't answer. He just walked to his cot and picked up his small pack of belongings. His hand trembled slightly as he zipped it closed.
"You said I was hope," Elliot whispered. "Don't send hope away."
Vos stepped beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "That's exactly why I'm sending you."
They stood there in silence as the light through the dome grew stronger—morning turning into mission.
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