The cabin was quiet in the early morning. Sunlight streamed through narrow windows, painting golden streaks across the worn wooden floor. Outside, the forest whispered in a language of rustling leaves and distant birdsong, a stark contrast to the chaos they had escaped.
Inside, Daniel sat cross-legged on the bed, his eyes closed. A faint blue glow pulsed beneath his eyelids, barely noticeable but steady — a heartbeat of energy, a reminder of the Core he had touched and survived. Natalie crouched beside him, notebook and pen in hand. Adrian leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes sharp and watchful.
“Alright, Daniel,” Adrian began, voice calm but firm. “First, we need to understand exactly what you can do. You’ve survived Genesis’s Core, but surviving is different from controlling it.
