A NEW BEGINNING

Vin’s Shopping List:

Micro-inversion stabilizers (5 pcs)

– To keep balance in the multi-function modules. The old ones are whistling… it’s driving me nuts… seriously.

7Q-type ferromagnetic coils (10 pcs)

– For patching up the control panels, because these things always burn out when we least need it.

Flexo-gas valves (2 pcs)

– These are past calibration and I am not putting out another full-system fire when they blow.

Tempered contact screws with precision threading (50 pcs)

– Tiny stuff, but critical. Especially when, like an idiot, you spill the whole box under the bench.

Bioprotocol chips (4 pcs)

– For the werren synchronizers. Let them feel like I care.

Vortex-Mini resonance plates (6 pcs)

– Snapped all of them during the last fix. Seriously fragile little things, but whatever.

Catalytic cores for the spongus reactor (2 pcs)

– No idea what I did to the last set, but they’re totally burned out. Like, completely fried.

Thermodynamic shield sealant (1 tube)

– Keeps the circuits from overheating. If I’d known how amazing this stuff is, I would’ve been using it ages ago.

High-frequency grid filters (4 pcs)

– They do something important. Probably. All I know is the system keeps throwing errors without them.

X-grade gaframid lubricants (3 tubes)

– Because without it, everything spins way too damn slow, and I don’t have the patience for that.

Diagnostic probe for energy shafts (1 pc)

– Because I am done sticking my hands in there. Never again. Ouch…

Antistatic microfiber gloves (3 pairs)

– That last “incident” with static nearly cost me my fingers.

A bottle of something strong (10 pcs)

– So I can have a drink when this whole mess inevitably goes to shit… again.

Ela, the Beacon, technical chamber

Vin snapped the last piece into place and stepped back to assess the result of his work. Tonot’s repaired body was still battered, with a visible dent left on one of the upper plates, a raw physical reminder of Reng’s brutal strike.

"Well, now he’ll definitely be misaligned," she sighed and shifted her weight nervously.

"Doesn’t run on plating," Vin said wearily. "We can even out the exterior later. What matters now is what’s going on in that head of his."

She nodded. "How long will it take before he wakes up?"

"We need to initiate the standard synchronization protocol, so it’s going to take some time. If everything goes right, the parameters will realign and once he boots up, then we’ll see..." he tried to explain briefly. His voice sounded exhausted. His eyes were bloodshot, and dark circles hung heavy under them, the mark of a night spent in the workshop without sleep.

"Will it work?" she whispered, as if afraid of the answer.

She was terrified that it wouldn't. What would she do without Tonot? She still didn’t know what happened to a Mediator who lost their werren. But just the thought filled her with dread and a strong sense that it wouldn’t be anything good.

"Honestly? I don’t know," he admitted with a sigh. "Something will definitely change. But whether it’s what you’re hoping for... I wouldn’t dare promise that."

Ela stared at Tonot’s frozen face. He still gazed into nothing with that slightly surprised expression, like he had been caught off guard by what was happening and never got a chance to do anything else. She kept replaying the events of that morning. It had happened so fast, so chaotically. And yet, she knew it wasn’t over. It was the beginning.

She wiped her forehead wearily. She hadn’t slept either. She couldn’t. With every breath, she felt time slipping away. And with each passing moment, the chance of completing the most important part of the plan grew smaller.

Finding Reng.

She took a deep breath, rubbed her tired eyes, and walked out of the workshop. She knew she would have to speak with Borin. And from the very beginning it had been clear that the conversation wouldn’t be pleasant. Ever since they had faced each other in the Circle, they hadn’t spoken. Until then she had felt some kind of sympathy toward him, and he likely had toward her too. But now, because of his connection to Reng, she saw him in a completely different light. And she had no doubt that his opinion of her had shifted just as much.

She found him exactly where he always spent his mornings. He was watching a basic simulation, one in which he regularly excelled. The rest of the team trailed far behind, just as one would expect from someone like him. Until Reng came along, she had never really thought about it, but now she realized that Borin was anything but a team player. The signs had been there all along. But now he didn’t even bother pretending.

She went down and intercepted him right at the entrance.

Without any pleasantries, she went straight at him. "Where is he?"

Her tone was sharp, meant to hide the worry behind it. But the cocky modificant saw right through her. If anything, it amused him. His lips curled into a mocking grin. He seemed completely at ease, pleased with how things were playing out, while she struggled to keep her frustration and anxiety under control.

"Come on, Borin," she pushed harder. "Where did you take him?"

"Where do you think," he shrugged with maddening indifference. "Exactly where someone like him belongs."

She froze. She had lived in the Beacon long enough, but she had never heard of such a place. Then again, why should it surprise her? The Beacon was a world of its own, full of secrets behind its walls. Of course there would be a place for those who broke the rules. Still, the thought unsettled her. What could they be doing to him in there?

"Where is it?" she demanded again, more urgently than she meant to.

She cursed inwardly. She didn’t want it to be obvious how afraid she was for Reng. But she couldn’t help it.

Borin gave her a curious look, eyes sweeping from head to toe. His smile widened a little more. He was starting to unnerve her. Until recently, she had found something about him fascinating. But now, in his gaze, she saw something else. Something that made her feel a twinge of fear.

"You have no idea how shocked I was when it finally clicked what you are. I had you right under my nose the whole time and never realized that Reng got himself gutted like a krelinyak during those festivities of yours...," he said bluntly, reaching out and touching a strand of hair that had slipped loose from her bun. She flinched, her eyes widening with distaste at his boldness. But her reaction only entertained him more.

"Reng and I disagreed on plenty of things, but I’ve got to admit, he wasn’t wrong about you. You’re worth the trouble. Which brings me to a thought. Now that he’s out of the picture, maybe I could step in for him. What do you say? We used to share a lot of things. Why not share you too?"

"Try touching me again..." she warned, her voice trembling slightly.

Even though she tried to stand her ground, fear clenched her stomach like a fist. She knew all too well that if Borin decided to hurt her, she would have no chance of stopping him.

And she wasn’t even sure if anyone around her would take her side.

She couldn’t ignore how the other modificants finishing their training greeted Borin as they left.

As if she no longer existed.

Did they know Tonot was out of commission? Without a doubt. That kind of news didn’t go unnoticed in the Beacon.

"What are you going to do?" Borin stepped forward, challenging her, forcing her to back away.

She nervously took two steps back to increase the distance between them. That made him laugh.

"This isn’t fair, Borin," she hissed, now desperate. "I just want to know where he is. I’m genuinely scared for him."

He sneered at her but after a moment of consideration shrugged indifferently, clearly already bored with the game. It no longer entertained him and reeked of trouble that wasn’t worth the risk.

"Ask Nylen," he finally said, flat and careless. "His mod took over. But if you ask me, I doubt there’s anything left of him worth saving. Where Kresh gets involved, the Beacon’s not planning for anyone’s future. And Reng made one hell of a mistake. There’s no way out of this one, and soon you’ll have no one left to comfort you. So keep that in mind."

Ela frowned. She knew exactly who Borin was talking about. Kresh was a remarkable creation, yes, but she had never liked him. It was hard to see him as a person. She couldn’t understand why someone like Nylen kept someone like that at his side. But clearly, he had his reasons. Nylen was the kind of man who hated getting his hands dirty, and Kresh was more than happy to do it for him.

Still, she wondered if that wasn’t the only reason. She had noticed long ago that everyone here was playing their own game. The reassignment of modificants under direct command of various werrens and their mediators was just one part of a quiet internal power divide. She used to believe the Beacon was a unified system, a single whole. Now she knew how deeply she had misunderstood it. Just as Tonot had secretly trained Reng for his own ends, Nylen had Kresh and was playing by his own rules.

She realized now just how wide the gap was between her and the other mediators. Maybe the whole system was falling apart simply because she wasn’t strong enough to give Tonot more influence within the Beacon.

Borin gave her one last smirk before throwing out his parting words.

"And if I were you, I’d get moving. While there’s still something left of him to save."

Ela felt the last traces of admiration she had once felt for him dissolve into pure contempt. She hated that smug grin. She hated how easily he had betrayed someone who had once been his friend. But there was nothing she could do about it.

And right now, she had bigger things to worry about.

She needed to contact Nylen. As quickly as possible.

Her lips pressed into a tight line, her mind torn between anger and fear. She knew that this next meeting wouldn’t be pleasant either. But she still needed answers.

And Nylen was the only one who had them.

***

She got lucky. That same evening, she was already on her way to Nylen’s quarters, while her anxiety painted frantic grey-blue waves across the Beacon’s walls. She tried to calm down, but it was no use. A day and a half had passed since the events that had turned her world upside down. Far too long. All she could do was hope it wasn’t already too late.

"I was starting to wonder how long it would take you to reach out," Nylen greeted her, surprisingly warmly. There was a quiet note of satisfaction in his voice.

Ela couldn’t help but notice that, unlike her modest room, Nylen lived in a spacious apartment with a view of Prim. It caught her off guard. She had believed everyone lived under the same conditions, but once again, she had been wrong. How many more disillusions was she yet to face?

Nylen offered her a seat at a long table, set for two. The obvious informality of the situation felt unsettling. She could sense she was playing a dangerous game, and for now, Nylen was the one holding all the cards. She could only guess where this was going.

"I’m looking for Reng," she blurted out without hesitation. There was no point in circling around the reason she came. They both knew it.

Nylen only smiled slightly. "Sit down and try to relax, dear. Reng is safely locked away. As far as I know, he hasn’t suffered any permanent damage. Not yet."

Ela sat down stiffly, trying to keep her composure. Still, her thoughts spun in endless circles, imagining all the things that could have happened to Reng.

"You have to release him," she said firmly, even though she knew she had no leverage to support her request. "This is all one big misunderstanding. You have to believe me."

Nylen leaned back comfortably, watching her closely. "Release him? That’s a bold request, considering he damaged Tonot so severely we’re not even sure the unit will ever function again. I don’t think I need to stress what a loss that would be. For the Beacon. And for you. I trust you realize that."

Ela nodded. "Of course. But I believe it will all be cleared up. Vin is confident the shell damage isn’t fatal. And I know Tonot won’t be pleased if anything happens to Reng in the meantime."

"Really?" Nylen raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "That tells me you haven’t known Tonot long enough. You’re still new here. There have been others like Reng. Plenty of them. And the fact you’ve never heard of them? There’s probably a reason for that."

She felt her head swell with pressure, as if her skull might burst. Was Nylen lying to shake her confidence? Maybe. But something told her he was telling the truth this time. Reng wasn’t the first. He had just made it further than the others.

"In any case, Tonot has been drawing attention for a while. His behavior is... unusual, to say the least. And while we all agree that his modificant project is highly valuable, even impressive, there are still certain details that raise questions. And I’m not the only one asking them. And because I believe your modificant is involved somehow, I’ll be honest. I’m going to get the answers out of him."

Ela’s throat tightened. Tonot had clearly underestimated Nylen’s ability to see and sense the things left unspoken.

"You don’t have to keep him locked up just to make him talk," she tried again. "Reng is rational. He’ll cooperate."

Nylen leaned in, his voice lowering into something almost intimate. "You and I both know there are things he would never tell me. Especially those that concern you."

Ela gave a faint smile, even as cold spread through her veins. Nylen loved to scheme. He wielded half-truths like weapons. But now at least she could see where he was going. Whatever his motivation was, he was now trying to use against her something he believed to be a well-kept secret.

"You don’t need to torture him to get him to admit we spent time together," she replied with icy calm. "We’ve known each other practically our whole lives, and I’m not ashamed of our relationship. Yes, we were very close, and Tonot knew about it. I never tried to hide it. He also knew our relationship ended when I left Karhen Rouz."

She hoped he would understand that she wouldn’t let herself be blackmailed. But Nylen only smirked.

"The mouth speaks, but the heart has its own truth. You might be surprised if you knew what that boy really thinks about your supposedly ended relationship."

She could guess why he said it. He wanted to rattle her, and it was working. But she didn’t have time to dwell on his words, because Nylen wasn’t finished yet.

"But back to the point," he continued smugly. "I’m not here to judge you. Let’s leave that to Fate. I’m only interested in the role Reng plays now, and I intend to find out. One way or another. If that means we have to cut him open, I will. But... under certain conditions, I might consider reducing his sentence. Maybe even forget the whole thing."

Ela shivered. "Sentence? What sentence?"

Nylen sighed heavily and leaned back again in his chair. "Today the Circle was convened to discuss his fate. And Tonot’s."

"Why wasn’t I invited?" she asked, frowning.

"A fair question. Perhaps because a mediator without a werren doesn’t count for much in this world?" He looked her straight in the eyes, driving the words home. "In any case, we agreed that for what he did, his implants will be deactivated. He will lose his modificant status."

"But he won’t survive without them..." she whispered in horror.

"Then the real question is how much you care about him," Nylen said with another smile and gestured toward the plates on the table.

One of his attendants had just brought a bowl of hot soup, its scent quickly filling the room. Only now did Ela realize how long it had been since she last ate.

"Try it," he encouraged her gently, though his words carried a cold undertone that suggested refusal wasn’t really an option.

She obeyed, but out of the corner of her eye she suddenly saw Seren. She appeared only a few steps away, visibly fixated on Nylen.

"He’s aged so much," she said softly. For a moment she looked as if she longed to reach out and touch him, even though she knew it wasn’t possible.

"He was always a cunning bastard, but also a charming man. The kind who weaves threads just to snare his prey. I was one of those he fooled. And then betrayed."

Ela choked and quickly wiped her mouth with a napkin. Inwardly, she cursed Seren. She couldn’t have picked a worse moment to share her memories.

"Is the food all right?" Nylen looked at her closely, then glanced behind himself, as if sensing the presence of someone else. Ela couldn’t help wondering if it was even possible for anyone but her to see Seren.

"The soup is excellent," she said, trying to cover up the strange interruption and forcing herself not to react to Nylen’s unwavering stare.

"You know," he began slowly, "I still find it fascinating how much you remind me of your mother. You’ve been here so long, and yet I still catch myself struggling to believe you’re not her."

"I imagine if she were here, she’d have a few things to say about that," Ela replied coolly, her eyes drifting again to Seren.

"It’s all rather strange. For example, Tonot didn’t seem the least bit surprised that the daughter of his former Mediator was now in Prim. It was as if he had already factored you into the future."

Ela frowned. "I don’t know anything about that. And you know full well that if it hadn’t been for the attack, we never would’ve met. It was just coincidence. You were the one who sought me out. I would never have dreamed I’d end up here."

Nylen scooped up another spoonful of soup, tasted it thoughtfully, and nodded in agreement.

"True. So just fortunate accidents. Still, I believe Tonot knew about you. He just wasn’t expecting you quite so soon."

She shrugged. There wasn’t much she could say to that.

"We had a very particular relationship," Nylen admitted quietly, "your mother and I."

Ela frowned. "I believe it. But maybe I don’t want to hear the details."

"She was full of surprises," Nylen went on, as if he hadn’t heard her. "Her way of thinking was truly unique. She connected things none of us would have ever thought to link."

"She stood out in Karhen Rouz too," Ela said with a smirk. "Everyone thought she was a witch. She wasn’t exactly popular."

Nylen nodded, but his gaze stayed fixed somewhere in the past.

"Too different... I still think about her departure. She betrayed us, yet to this day, I don’t know why. She lived and breathed for the Beacon. And then suddenly, as if something changed. I don’t believe it was just those two Drifters who turned her."

"You mean my father?" Ela froze.

"Of course. And that cursed Perth Burkhen," Nylen added. "Thanks to his connection with the Mediator herself, his Scavengers are starting to get out of hand. You’re not in contact with him, are you?"

"How could you even think that?" Ela froze, alarmed by the direction of Nylen’s thoughts.

"I’m not the only one in the Beacon who remembers very well that your mother left this place with him and Noel. It’s only logical to ask how close that old man still is to your family."

"Not at all," she rejected the theory. "He left Karhen Rouz when I was barely two years old. Yes, he returned there from time to time, but as far as I know, he and my parents didn’t get along anymore."

"That’s... interesting. She trusted him deeply back then. But faith can be treacherous. We all believed he would come to his senses and return. We were wrong. Still... Sometimes I feel like she’s still watching us. That what she left behind here isn’t just her past. A seed, waiting for the rain to come. Was she planning to return? I think almost certainly. Tonot believed that too for a long time. He refused to accept another Mediator for years, clinging to the hopeless hope that she would come back to him."

Ela froze. Tonot had waited for Seren. First for Seren, and then for her daughter. Was that why her mother had arranged her studies and her work in Prim? So Tonot could one day find her and pull her back into the Beacon to take her place?

Now she was almost certain of it.

After all, nothing that happened in the Beacon was ever truly random. Tonot’s undetected flaw in synchronization had been Seren’s doing. Maybe she hadn’t caused it, but she had kept it hidden. Everything was connected. For more than twenty years, they had waited for Ela to finish the work her mother had begun.

The thought made her dizzy.

"My mother is dead," she whispered at last. "But Reng is still alive. Let the dead sleep, and let’s talk about those who still breathe."

Nylen pushed his plate aside in silent agreement.

"Very well. Let’s return to why you’re here. You probably understand that the Beacon doesn’t just need fighters like our modificants. It needs loyal people. People who understand the world is not black and white. Mediators who are willing to sacrifice some of their ideals for the greater good."

Ela swallowed. "What exactly are you asking of me?"

Nylen’s smile was cold.

"You’re smart, Ela. I know you are. Don’t pretend you don’t understand what that means. The question is: what are you willing to do for Reng? If you want to save him, maybe it’s time to become part of something greater. Inside our system. Then you’ll have the assurance that not only he, but you too, will survive."

"You’re blackmailing me?" she froze.

He laughed and shrugged. "Blackmail? Not at all. I’m offering you a deal. Reng can live, but it won’t be for free. And you have your own price. So what will it be, Ela? Will you stand with us, or should I continue what I’ve already started? Believe me, Reng isn’t exactly enjoying himself right now."

Ela felt her hands trembling. Nylen was pushing her into a corner, where morality and loyalty clashed, and she wasn’t sure which would win.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked quietly.

Nylen leaned in slightly. "Ela, Tonot always had his own ideas about where the Beacon should go. He had visions, and we know that those visions often didn’t align with the direction the majority agreed upon. That’s not good for anyone. It’s unsettling. This shouldn’t be happening."

"Tonot’s shell has always been... different," she admitted softly.

Nylen nodded back. "Exactly. We’ve suspected for a while that something about it isn’t quite right. But his ideas are so innovative, so forward-thinking, that we’ve tolerated his eccentricity. But now, after what’s happened, he’s going to be... vulnerable. His shell went through something that could change him even more. And for us, that’s an opportunity. He may finally be ready to reconsider some of his convictions. And you could play a key role in that."

Ela asked cautiously, "What do you mean?"

Nylen spoke quietly, with a strange hint of secrecy. "I mean that you, as his mediator, could guide him in the right direction."

Ela shook her head nervously. "I can’t control him."

Nylen smiled. "Not control. But influence. He listens to you. He trusts you. If you show him that the world isn’t black and white, that there are paths of compromise, maybe he’ll understand. Maybe he’ll finally accept that fighting the Beacon gets him nowhere and that there are better ways forward. What if you helped him let go of those illusions and brought him back in line before the Circle decides to remove him?"

Ela paused to think. The entire conversation terrified her, because she knew exactly what was being asked. But she also knew that Nylen had no idea what was really going on. She wondered just how strong a card Tonot would be once his synchronization was complete. And she had to hope it would be strong enough to save Reng.

She set down her spoon and slowly stood up, closely watched by a visibly taken aback Nylen.

"I’m afraid this is beyond me," she said. "And I can only hope you truly understand what you’re risking by trying to interfere with another werren’s domain."

Nylen whispered, surprised, "So you’re refusing?"

Ela met his gaze firmly. "Tonot is Tonot. I’m here for him, not the other way around. Perhaps it’s time, Mediator Nylen, for you to reconsider your own role. I fear you may have unknowingly strayed from the path the Beacon intended for you. And it’s a shame that it costs human lives. I believe Fate will repay you accordingly. But now, if you’ll excuse me, I have duties of my own to attend to."

And with that, she left.

Once she was past the door, Ela leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. This had been hard. Very hard.

"Do we know where they’re keeping him?" she asked the empty hallway.

Seren appeared beside her, her presence almost tangible.

"I went through his meco top to bottom, but I didn’t find anything specific. He’s careful. Doesn’t keep records that could be easily traced."

"So it was all for nothing?" Ela’s face twisted under the weight of despair.

"Not entirely. I found several references to a name, though it doesn’t make the situation any better."

"Whose name?"

"Nonon."

Seren was right. That wasn’t good news. Ela remembered Tonot’s fear when the rogue werren was mentioned in the Circle. She saw that same reaction now in Seren, who stood frozen, visibly thinking through their next move.

"So?" Ela urged her impatiently.

"If they threw him to that creature, I’m afraid it may already be too late."

"What?" she whispered, horrified. "Why?"

"Nonon may not harm his body. But the mind..."

"What are you talking about?" Ela snapped.

Seren stepped closer. If she had been real, Ela would have felt her breath.

"Do you remember what I told you about those who got in his way when he first awoke?"

"They went insane," Ela confirmed, the fear creeping into her voice.

"Exactly. That’s what Nonon does. He crawls into your mind and takes over. You become a puppet, watching as someone else pulls the strings. But it’s not just that. He drags everything buried inside you into the light. Every pain, every trauma, every dark thing you’ve ever shoved down so deep you thought you’d never have to face it again. He brings it all back. And makes you relive it. Over and over. Until you break."

Ela swallowed hard.

"Tonot said once in a simulation that Reng might be able to survive an encounter with a Sleeper. Maybe that’s what makes him different from the others. And maybe Nylen saw that."

"I doubt it. They’re more likely trying to figure out why Tonot trained his modificant to tear one of them apart. I’m convinced that’s what alarmed everyone in the Circle. Because if they accept that this was Tonot’s true intention, they might start questioning the real purpose of all modificants."

"Tonot never talked about it," Ela sighed. "I doubt Reng even knows why. So they won’t be able to beat it out of him."

Seren nodded. "Exactly. Which only makes it worse for him. They’ll keep digging. And while they do, they’ll strip him of his sanity bit by bit."

"So all we can do is hope Tonot wakes up in time. Because without him, we have no chance?"

"Fate willing," Seren replied, with bitter irony.

Ela drew a deep breath. This was not good.

"Hold on," she whispered into the emptiness, burying her weary face in her hands.

When she finally looked up again, her mind was steadier. The walls around her shimmered with soft shades of pastel yellow resolve.

Reng would endure. He had always been strong. Stronger than any of them. She just had to believe it would be enough to survive what had broken so many others.