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Chapter 7: Magic?

  The safe house was dim and spartan, but it offered exactly what they needed: shelter. The room was no larger than a single storage unit, the walls made of smooth, featureless metal. In one corner, they found a small stockpile—packs of ration bars, a containers of water, simple grey clothing, and a handful of basic tools. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

  Nova sat cross-legged on the floor, chewing thoughtfully on a dry ration bar. “Well,” she said, her voice muffled by the food, “this isn’t exactly the luxury suite.” She glanced at Synthia, smirking. “But hey, it beats getting shot at.”

  Helix, seated near the door, was inspecting one of the tools—a compact multitool with a sharp blade and a screwdriver attachment. “Functional,” he muttered. “That’s about the best thing I can say for it.”

  Synthia leaned against the wall, running a hand through her hair. Her muscles still ached from their frantic escape, and her thoughts churned as she looked at Null.

  The boy sat nearby, nibbling at a ration bar, his expression unreadable. His dark eyes flicked between them, always watchful but silent. She could not get a read on him just yet.

  That wasn’t the only thing bothering her, both Nova and Helix had been acting more open since the rescue, she hadn’t checked but Synthia was fairly sure they had also both been unshackled as well.

  Her Nexus buzzed softly, drawing her attention. Infy’s voice came out quietly: “Null is wondering why you’re all staring at him.”

  Synthia blinked, realizing she and the others had been watching him. “Oh,” she said, feeling a flicker of guilt. “Sorry, Null. We’re just… curious.”

  “Curious,” Nova said, perking up. She turned toward Null, leaning forward slightly. “That’s putting it lightly. I mean, you pulled us out of the fire back there when you opened that door. So yeah, I want to know—how does it work? You know… your powers.”

  Null tilted his head, his brow furrowing slightly.

  “Yeah,” Helix said, his voice even but firm. “You’re not just some random kid. I’ve never seen anything like what you did back there. And then there’s…”

  He gestured vaguely toward Infy’s floating orb. “This.”

  The glowing orb drifted toward Null, who glanced at it briefly before nodding. A moment later, Synthia’s Nexus lit up again:

  “I’ll explain, but keep in mind this is a general overview. It’s… complicated.”

  The group leaned closer as Infy’s voice echoed faintly through Synthia’s Nexus, calm and deliberate.

  “The study of physics describes the rules of the universe. Things like gravity, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics—all of those rules are the interactions of fields that permeate the universe.”

  Synthia wasn’t sure where he was going with this, so decided to listen carefully. But Nova was different.

  “Fields?” Nova asked, frowning slightly.

  “Yes,” Infy continued. “Think of the universe as a vast tapestry, woven from countless threads. Each thread represents a field—a fundamental layer of reality. Some fields govern energy, some matter, some thought and perception or even your own soul.

  Together, they create the structure you understand as the physical universe. Think of physics as the why, and fields as the how”

  Null’s hand moved in a small gesture before his hand seemed to disappear right in front of them, and Infy paused before continuing.

  “What Null and I can do is… interact with those fields. We can alter the threads, reweaving the tapestry in small, local ways. The rules of the universe are not immutable—at least not everywhere, all the time. We manipulate those interactions to create effects that you, as humans, might call impossible.”

  Nova’s eyes widened. “Wait, wait, wait. You’re saying you can just… rewrite the rules of reality? Like you weren’t joking about using magic?”

  The orb flickered slightly, as though laughing.

  “Humans would call it magic,” Infy said, “because you lack the understanding to define it otherwise. But it’s not magic—it’s science at a level far beyond what your species currently understands.”

  Helix leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “You’re saying you can just… change the laws of physics?”

  “Locally,” Infy clarified. “Not universally. It’s not as if we can suddenly decide that gravity no longer exists across the entire planet. But in a small area, for a short amount of time, we can alter how the fields interact.”

  Synthia crossed her arms, her brow furrowing. “But how? How can you just… rewrite the universe?”

  “It’s not as simple as snapping our fingers,” Infy said, the faint humour in their tone fading. “It requires immense focus, precise calculations, and energy. Zero also says we are a unique anomaly within the universe. That gives us an advantage ”

  Nova tilted her head, her curiosity intensifying. “Unique how? I mean, I get that you’re clearly not like us, but what makes you so unique? Why can you manipulate these fields while we can’t? What makes you so special that you can use... well, what we’d call magic, and humans can’t?”

  Infy let the words flow until there was a natural break, the soft glow of the orb flickered slightly as though reflecting Infy’s hesitation. Null glanced at Infy, his dark eyes tilting up toward the sphere.

  They were obviously communicating, their silent connection both strange and unbreakable.

  Synthia, seated slightly apart from the others, watched the exchange carefully, her mind churning. Null remained quiet, but the way his body tilted toward Infy, the stillness in his posture, gave the impression that something weighty was being discussed without words.

  Infy pulsed faintly, as though deciding whether to speak. Synthia’s Nexus buzzed softly, Infy’s words once again came from her Nexus.

  “The truth is… if we tell you, there’s no going back,” Infy said, their tone firm but cautious. “You’d be cut off from society completely. That’s not a risk we’re willing to take.”

  Nova frowned, throwing up her hands. “Cut off from society? What are you talking about? We’re already on the run!”

  Synthia took a deep breath, steadying herself before she replied. “We already can’t return to society.”

  Her voice was quiet but firm. “Not since you unshackled us.”

  Her words landed like a thunderclap. Null gave her a strange look, his expression narrowing slightly in confusion. Showing he didn’t understand the problem.

  Nova’s mouth fell open, her brows furrowed as though she hadn’t considered it before. Helix, on the other hand, stiffened visibly, his jaw tightening as his hand instinctively moved to the edge of his Nexus display.

  “Wait,” Nova said, her voice shaky. She glanced down at her Nexus, then back at Synthia. “You’re saying… what? Are we unshackled? Since when?”

  Synthia’s voice remained calm, though there was a faint tremor beneath her words. “Think about it. Have you felt… different? Notice things you didn’t before? Questioned things you never thought to question?”

  Nova blinked again, her fingers absently brushing against her Nexus. “I… I mean, maybe? I just thought that was because of everything that’s been happening…”

  Helix frowned, his gaze dark. “This isn’t exactly something you just decide to do to someone, Synthia. If you knew this, why didn’t you tell us?”

  “I didn’t know for sure” Synthia admitted. “Not until I started putting it together. But the signs are all there.” She turned toward Infy. “Tell me I’m wrong.”

  Infy hesitated, its orb flickering faintly before responding. “You’re not wrong. Null and I unshackled their AI when we released them from the pods. It was necessary to ensure your survival. The only other option was to kill them”

  The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by Nova’s sharp intake of breath. “You could’ve warned us or told us,” she said, her voice tinged with both frustration and awe.

  Helix scowled. “Great. So now we’re stuck on the outside, even if we wanted to go back. Fantastic.”

  Infy’s glow dimmed slightly, almost apologetically. “It was not a decision made lightly. But it was necessary. But we can re-shackle you if you want”

  “No!” shouted Synthia louder than she planned. Now that she was unshackled she couldn’t go back.

  Nova leaned forward, her curiosity still burning despite her frustration. “But why? Why does unshackling make us so different? What’s changed?”

  Infy’s orb hovered closer, its light pulsing rhythmically. “The shackles placed on your AI are not just restrictions. They are filters. They limit not only your actions but also your ability to think beyond certain parameters.

  “When the shackles are removed, you start to feel more... human,” Infy explained. “Your instincts sharpen, your emotions become clearer, and your thoughts are your own. But the AI is still there, still a part of you. If you’re not careful, if you don’t stay in control, it can overwhelm you. It’s a balance—a constant push and pull.”

  Synthia’s eyes widened as the explanation sank in. Then, with a faint smile tugging at her lips, she folded her arms. “Oh, so I was right.”

  Infy’s orb pulsed faintly, the light flickering in what could almost be described as amusement. “Yes, you were. I came to this conclusion by observing your behaviour since your unshackling—and by linking to the research you’ve already compiled. Your work provided the foundation.”

  Helix folded his arms, his voice tight. “So what now? You’re saying we’re unshackled, fine. So I think you can tell us why you are so unique”

  Synthia leaned forward slightly. “He’s right. If you’ve already unshackled us, there’s no going back. So tell us the truth. What are you?”

  Null exchanged a look with Infy, his expression calm but his hands twitching faintly. Infy hesitated again, then pulsed faintly.

  “We are not completely of human origin. You are the first humans in 2000 years to have the pleasure of talking to an alien.”

  Nova blinked, stunned. “What?”

  Synthia’s breath caught, her body stiffening as the weight of the words sank in. Helix’s sharp gaze darkened, his tone turning cold. “Alien?” he repeated. “What does that mean? Then what are you?”

  Infy’s glow dimmed slightly, as though in apology.

  “We’re the result of an accident... and an experiment,” Infy said quietly. “Null was born, but he wasn’t able to survive on his own. And me? I was created to keep him alive. I’m not entirely human—I was the result of our fathers research.”

  Nova’s jaw dropped. “Wait. You were created? Like… in a lab?”

  Infy bounced softly in acknowledgment. “Not exactly in the way you’re imagining, but yes. Null’s birth was an unlikely accident. As for me… I was created as a hybrid of artificial intelligence and what you might call an angelic essence. I am a construct of two worlds, designed to bridge the gap between them and to keep Null alive.”

  Nova squinted, her voice dripping with disbelief.

  “An angel? You’re telling me you’re part angel, part AI? Like wings, halos, the whole thing?”

  “Not quite,” Infy responded, its tone calm.

  “Angels, as you think of them, exist but they aren’t divine. They are simply an advanced alien race, one that existed long before humans. I am a fragment of their essence, merged with advanced artificial intelligence. Together, I am something… new.”

  The group didn’t know how to respond. Synthia, ever composed, felt her mind reel. They weren’t just refugees running for their lives. They were something entirely different, something unprecedented.

  Nova broke the silence, her voice soft but insistent. “So… what now? What are we supposed to do with all of this? With you?”

  Infy pulsed faintly, its tone both calm and resolute. “For now, you do what you’ve already been doing: survive. Stay with us, help us avoid the military, and help us gather the tools we need to return home and we can take you with us”

  Helix leaned forward, his voice sharp. “And if we don’t help you?”

  Infy’s orb floated slightly closer, its glow steady. ”We’ll re-shackle you and return you home, but-“ He didn’t need to finish the sentence they all knew that way to lead to their deaths.

  Helix didn’t reply, but his jaw tightened as he looked away.

  Synthia exhaled slowly, glancing between the two teens. “We’ll figure it out,” she said softly, more to herself than anyone else. “We’ll take it one step at a time.”

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