THE LAST KEEPER

Chapter 121: 121. THE SEVENTH WING I

”So what is the seventh wing?” Kaka asked after Lotaga went silent, but he had now completely stopped a few feet from the entrance of the octagon

Salka asked me not to tell you this, but I think you should know, so you can inform me if they capture your friend here. No offense, kid, but some things you do can’t be explained, and it might be the reason someone wants you here to use you as a guinea pig. Who knows, maybe your step parents did not want you to join a high school, so someone won’t do what I fear.” Lotaga said in a serious tone, all the plenitude gone.

”Then why did we come here if something bad is prone to happen to him?” N’varu asked as if he had not been in Senraki’s office when they were being briefed.

”You think we can refuse the war headquarters and run? The only way out is through. So I need you all to report to me twice a day. morning and night,” Lotaga said.

”What is so unique with the seventh wing?” kiuga asked, and sagiri could see wheels turning in his head so fast as if he wanted to adjust his strategy to fit the new piece of information they were about to receive. Information about the war headquarters was not taught in school, other than that they were the backbone of Tagayia, and they kept the state safe. Only the elites got to know the other stuff.

”The seventh wing is the Magical Warfare wing. They deal with Weaponized anomalies. They handle Rare abilities research, Magical weapon development, Energy manipulation, Arcane defense systems, and Power classification of cadets. They are also obsessed with Unusual power signatures, Unregistered anomalies, and individuals who ”should not exist.” Our Sagiri would absolutely be flagged here,” Lotaga said, and it was as if he had finally admitted what everyone had been afraid to admit, there was a uniform intake of breath.

All his teammates had seen him get stabbed. Yet he was walking well in two weeks. Kiuga Kaka and nvaru who already knew, had seen his eyes turn black, and Team Salka had seen him kill a muddy water scorpion by himself, and his marking glowed. No one had asked him about these things, but he knew they were all curious. He did not know what someone like Salka or Senraki was thinking, but he knew they did not see him as a threat to them, or they would have put him down.

He already knew he wouldn’t be able to keep his abilities a secret for long, but he wished to keep them hidden till he graduated from the academy. Even so, what Lotaga had said about the seventh wing fell right in his alley. The cat was kind of out of the basket now, and even though squad 25 had seen just a shred of what he was, it was still enough to know that he was not the same as them.

”Are they going to use me for research or lock me up?” sagiri asked what he wanted to know most. He would not allow them to do either of those anyway.

”Over my dead body,” Nvaru said immediately.

”They can’t lock you up or use you for research without evidence,” kiuga said

”kiuga is right, so as long as you are here, whatever you do or whatever wing you are allocated, don’t even use your perception skills. act as normal as possible,” Lotaga insisted, looking at sagiri as if to ask him if he understood. It was very warming that his squad came with him, even if they knew they were walking into a trap, and Lotaga was constantly protecting him, but he knew his benefactor best, and he knew he was going to push him till the ’normal’ act snapped.

”It won’t work,” sagiri said.

”He is right on this. I mean, if the person behind this had him put in the suffocation chamber, admitted to the Galka War Academy, and even do his field exercise in the war headquarters, he is not someone to be trifled with. It seems he wants to take all his options to remain unknown,” kiuga said.

”So you are just going to roll over and give him what he wants? I can’t have such a rival,” Kaka snickered.

”Kaka is also right. Are you going to just give in? This is your life, too, no matter what anomalies you have. Will you let him control you?” Lotaga asked.

Giving in?

Roll over to his benefactor? never!

”I have never been normal. I don’t know how to be,” Sagiri said. He wanted more than anything not to give in to his benefactor, but he did not know if he would be able to act ’normal’ for a whole month. Especially if his life was threatened.

”If you don’t, members of your squad can also get caught up. To him, they might just be collateral. I’m sure you know that. Apart from Kaka who might think twice to cross Chief Zaka, someone might die. Are you ready for that?” Lotaga asked.

”That’s right. We are prone to die tragically, and the survivor will take all the glory. And who better to survive than the son of Chief Zaka, the strongest warrior of Tagayia?” kiuga said, and he went back to pacing again. Kaka did not like the statement, but even though he knew it was true, he just shrugged and faced away. It seemed no matter how much he wanted to stand on his own feet, he would not escape the clutches of Chief Zaka.

Sagiri knew he was being put in a difficult position. He had to think of the lives of his comrades, too, in whatever he was going to do. They had all chosen to come with, and he was not ready to be responsible for their death.

”I am not saying you should not defend yourself if push comes to shove, but you need to be smart now, trust your team and those working with your best interest at heart. If your life is threatened, then go all out. But till necessary you should consult with me, kiuga or nvaru, since,”Lotaga said, and sagiri mauled it over.

This was going to be tough. Only time will tell.