Chapter 13

Reyna's words hung in the air, heavy and sharp.

No one spoke at first.

Then the wiry boy blurted out,

"So do you also possess a supernatural ability."

Reyna shook her head.

"No, well at least l don't anymore. "

"What do you mean?", the girl with the pistol, suddenly asked."

The silent pale man seemed to stir, showing some interest for the first time since this topic began.

Reyna shook her head, and replied.

"l'm sorry but l am not willing to share that with you yet."

"Now lets get back to the main topic."

She took another slow step forward, her eyes scanning each of their faces, stopping on Alex for a moment longer than the rest.

"There's a name for what's happening to this world," she said. "You may have heard it before:

The Reawakening Madness Illusory.

"Everyone nodded, seemingly aware of this term.

"Yes we know, that is the official term for the Disease, the infection that turn us into crazes." said the wiry boy.

Reyna nodded.

"Thats right, at least some of it is right."

"Huh" the wiry boy showed his puzzlement. The others seemed to share his baffling feeling.

Luckily Reyna did not keep them in suspense.

"There is something that most people don't know about the Reawakening Madness Illusory. And that is that it's not just a disease or some supernatural infection, but it's also a trigger."

Alex's felt that what he was about to know was something world breaking.

"A trigger for what?" asked the pistol girl, with a low voice.

Reyna's voice softened. "For awakening something old in us.

Something that had been buried deep in certain people's bloodlines. When the Illusory reaches a person, they either fall into madness… or they awaken."

She let that sink in before continuing.

"Rumors has it that our bloodlines contain a potion of divinity and that those who understand their self origin are able to manipulate this divinity. For me l don't understand what it mostly mean."

The wiry boy repeated the phrase under his muttered breath slowly.

Reyna gave him time to finish before continuing.

"Awakened ones can manipulate elements, sense things others can't, move faster, strike harder. Some gain abilities that defy everything we understand about the natural world. Jonah is one, so is that man."

The pale man who was being referred to, did not react and instead mantained his steady posture.

The girl with the pistol folded her arms tightly. "So this awakening process, how exactly do we become one"

Everyone had the same thought as her.

After seeing Jonah's capabilities, they both started admiring this mystical ability.

Reyna didn't answer immediately.

Instead, she walked over to the door and one of the guards outside handed something to her.

She came back holding a small black case. She opened it with a soft click and removed a handful of small vials filled with dark blue liquid.

"This is a suppressant," she said. "It slows the onset of infection of the Reawkening Madness Illusory,temporarily. We give it to new dwellers who show early signs. Once you take this you will be surrendering yourself to the Disease and if you survive its infection you will awaken but if you don't, you will turn into a craze."

A heavy silence followed.

Everyone knew the risk of doing that, the high possibility of turning into a crazy would deter one from trying to attempt it.

After all that vial was a transmitting source for the Reawakening Madness Illusory. "

After seeing that no one was willing to take them, Reyna gave a satisfied nod, and returned the vials back into the black case.

But before she could, Alex suddenly spoke.

"Can l have one?"

Everyone turned to him with shocked expressions.

Even the stoic pale man seemed to be surprised, alas only for a moment.

Reyna who hadn't expected that then said.

"You do realize the danger of this things, the chances of awakening, are one in a million times."

Alex nodded.

"l know, but l still want it, just incase l need it in the future."

Upon hearing this , Reyna seemed to understand the young boy's thoughts.

It wasn't that he wanted to take the vial right now, but he wanted to have it, and take it later, maybe when he encountered an accident that leaves him at death door.

After figuring this out and seeing his admant face, she could only sigh.

"Okay, if you really want it you can have it, but late me tell you this, of all the people who had taken this vial none have ever succeeded in awakening. Some say that it's failed project that increase your chances of attaining the Disease instead of awakening. "

Alex at this point, just gave nonchalant shrug.

"Well l still want it anyways.

Reyna couldn't help but shake her head.

"You really are a crazy kid aren't you. Fine if that's what you really want you can have it. "

Reyna handed him , one of the vials.

The other survivors who were near him, subconsciously took a few steps away from him, as if he had suddenly contacted the Disease.

Alex couldn't be bothered by their actions.

After all nobody truly knew his intentions for having this vial.

'l gonna make quite a fortune from this thing.'

The moment Alex saw the vials, the first thing that caught his attention was the plastic brand on them.

The brand that came from the protected settlements S, the one that focused on research and development.

As a scavenging survivor who was born outside of the protected settlements, and one who investigated these settlements, Alex knew the value of such a material.

He knew an old man who would pay quite a fortune for such item.

At this point Reyna suddenly said.

"You have all survived an encounter no normal person should. That tells me that you are really capable people. Tomorrow we are gonna begin the regime training process of the School program. l hope you all pass, after all l could really use a few new members after having lost a few of my own this time. "

She turned to leave, but paused at the door.

"Rest tonight. Tomorrow, the process begins. Integration. Evaluation. And if necessary, training, although l doubt that uou will need it."

Just as she was about to leave , Alex suddenly asked.

"Hey, during my first time here , l.met a woman dressed like a Protector , who is she, do you know her?"

Alex at this moment saw Reyna tremble a little. With a low voice she muttered under her breath.

"You encountered her huh, l am surprised that she let you live."

She shook her head and continued.

"Anyways you will probably learn all you need know, tomorrow when you start the school program. "

Then she left them in silence, door clicking shut behind her.

Alex stood there, puzzled by this response.