The air in the room was heavy after the talk about the ranks. Jane, who had been standing like a statue, finally broke the silence. "Lyla... are you still angry at me?"
Lyla's eyes snapped toward her, sharp as a blade. "Don't you dare use my name so casually," she snapped, her voice cold and hard. "But fine. It's over. I'm not going to drag this out any longer."
Jane looked down, her shoulders tight. "Understood, ma'am," she muttered, the weight of Lyla's words hitting her.
Caspian turned to Nova, his expression serious. "So, Nova, what's the plan for these people?" He gestured to the civilians lying on the floor.
Nova, still in her feminine form, looked down at them with a cold, regal gaze. "Unmask them," she commanded, her voice echoing with power. "They wouldn't dare ignore my authority."
Lyla didn't hesitate. She looked at the soldiers and barked, "Unmask them! Now!" The soldiers moved instantly, ripping the masks off every civilian in the room.
A few minutes of tense silence passed. Once the last mask was gone, Nova stepped forward. She stood there, a powerful figure waiting for the spiritual beings inside the civilians to wake up and take control.
Annie leaned in, her eyes wide with curiosity. "So... what's the next move?"
"We wait," Nova said, her voice calm and steady.
Inside her mind, Leo's voice echoed. *You're doing great, Nova.*
Nova's lips curled into a small, confident smile. Suddenly, the civilians began to stir. They all stood up at the exact same time, their movements perfectly synchronized. One of them stretched, a strange look in his eyes. "That was a long sleep," he muttered.
Jane's heart skipped a beat when she saw Axiel. She didn't think twice—she ran straight for him. "Axiel! Are you okay?" she shouted, her voice full of worry.
But Nova's voice cut through the air like a whip. "Jane, back off. That isn't Axiel right now."
In an instant, Nova unleashed a massive wave of energy. The force was so intense it started to tear the room apart, but time itself seemed to slow down to a crawl. Nova's voice boomed, sounding like a god's command. "My fellow spiritual beings! I hereby declare: you will stop taking control of your hosts. You are only allowed to come out if they ask you to, or if their lives are in danger!"
The effect was immediate. Every single civilian dropped to one knee and bowed their heads. "Yes, Master," they shouted in a unified, powerful chorus.
Nova stopped the energy burst. Time seemed to snap back, then suddenly reverse. The broken walls and shattered floor fixed themselves in a heartbeat, as if the destruction had never happened. Everyone stood there, frozen in shock. Lyla gasped, her eyes wide. "What... what was that?"
Nova smirked, a triumphant glint in her eyes. "Time."
Suddenly, the civilians collapsed to the floor like puppets with their strings cut. The spiritual beings had let go. Nova looked around, her expression calm. "My job here is done."
Then, Nova's body gave out. She collapsed, her form shimmering as it changed back from the feminine shape into Leo's normal self. Jane rushed over and caught him. She looked at Lyla, her gaze firm. "I'm taking him back to his room."
Caspian let out a long breath, finally relaxing. "Wow. That was intense. Now that this is handled, all we need is training."
Lyla looked at Annie, her commander persona back in full force. "Go and start your inventions, Annie. If you need energy, find Leo so Nova can provide it."
Annie gave a playful salute. "Yes, ma'am!" she joked, heading out with a grin.
Only Lyla and Caspian were left. Caspian looked at the people on the floor. "What do we do with them?"
Lyla shrugged, her expression tired. "I don't care. When they wake up, they'll find their way out. They'll ask questions, and we'll deal with it then." She turned toward the door, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Are you coming? I need a drink. It's been a hell of a day."
Caspian smiled, his eyes softening. "Yeah, I'm coming." He turned to a soldier. "Get them all back to their beds. Stay with them in case they wake up and start to panic."
Jane's Room
Jane laid Leo down on her bed, staring at his peaceful face. *I wonder what's coming for us,* she thought, a silent vow forming in her mind. *But I promise you, Leo, I'll protect you with everything I've got.* She climbed in beside him and held him tight, a silent guardian in the dark.
Lyla's Room
Lyla looked at Caspian and gave him a tired smile. "You know... I missed you," she admitted softly.
"I missed you more," Caspian replied, his voice warm. He opened his arms, and Lyla stepped into the hug, finally feeling safe. Then she pulled back, opened her door, and shouted, "Hey! Bring two bottles of wine here!"
She looked back at Caspian and smiled, the weight of the world finally lifting for a moment.
*To be continued...*