The soft melody of the piano faded, leaving behind a heavy silence.

  Kai sat on the couch, calm — almost distant — while his pawns stared at him. No one spoke.

  Jonah slowly pulled his hands back from the keys, staring at them like they didn’t belong to him.

  His chest rose and fell — still catching his breath from the strange, beautiful moment.

  Finally, Iris turned, breaking the silence.

  “Felix… I thought you didn’t know how to play the piano.”

  Felix blinked, confused, rubbing his palms together.

  “I… I didn’t. I mean… I don’t remember learning.”

  The group shifted their eyes to him.

  “Maybe it was when I was a kid…? Maybe I forgot?” Felix offered, but even he didn’t believe it.

  Their gazes naturally shifted — all of them landing on Kai.

  Evan leaned forward, voice low.

  “How… did you know? How’d you know he could play… when he didn’t even know?”

  Kai didn’t answer right away.

  He sat still… calm… calculated.

  Then, without breaking eye contact, he lifted his hand — and pointed at the sanctuary door.

  “The Watchers,” he said quietly.

  Iris’s breath caught.

  Even Evan sat back like he felt a chill.

  Kai’s voice was steady — as if reciting a truth older than them all.

  “They heard Jonah… heard his desire to be useful.”

  His eyes drifted to Jonah — who swallowed hard.

  “And they wanted to show you all… what it means to truly serve. To trust them.”

  No one moved.

  Kai smiled faintly.

  “If you follow… if you obey… there is no limit to what they can give you. What you can become.”

  His hand lowered slowly.

  “They can… bestow skills. Knowledge. Power. Whatever is needed… to fulfill the task ahead.”

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  Jonah’s fingers twitched over the keys again — as if testing if the gift was still real.

  It was.

  Iris whispered, half to herself:

  “They… gave him that?”

  Kai nodded.

  “And they can give more. But only to those who prove their loyalty.”

  Silence followed. But not fear.

  Awe.

  For the first time — they all understood…

  They weren’t just a group anymore.

  They were chosen.

  And the Watchers… were watching.

  The afternoon sun dipped low, casting long golden rays through the villa windows.

  For once, there were no plans, no missions — just a shared silence, heavy with everything left unsaid.

  Evan cleared his throat, glancing at Kai.

  “We should… head out. Eat something. A treat — for the team.”

  Kai gave a faint nod.

  “Fine. Let’s go.”

  The black SUV pulled out of the driveway, sleek against the pale sky.

  Evan drove, focused. Kai sat in the passenger seat, silent, eyes distant.

  In the back, Iris, Jonah, and Felix sat tense — casting small glances at each other, unsure if it was okay to break the quiet.

  But no one spoke.

  There was something sacred in the silence now — like they were all still processing what they’d become.

  The car finally pulled into a quiet, upscale district — polished storefronts, glass buildings reflecting the fading light.

  They stopped at a high-end restaurant, its gold-lettered sign glowing softly.

  Felix cleared his throat and led the way inside, checking the reservation Kai had arranged earlier.

  The host smiled wide, bowing slightly.

  “Right this way.”

  They were guided to a private room — sleek dark wood, soft lighting, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.

  No crowd. No noise. Just them.

  The waiter poured water, left menus, and disappeared — leaving the group in that soft, heavy silence again.

  It was Jonah, surprisingly, who broke it.

  “I… uh… I just wanna say… thank you, Kai.”

  Kai looked up slowly.

  Jonah rubbed his neck awkwardly.

  “For… all of this. For… us. You didn’t have to — but you did.”

  Iris nodded, speaking softer.

  “Yeah… I sleep better now. Knowing… I’m actually doing something good . Helping people.”

  Felix added with a half-smile.

  “And… not worrying about rent or food for once… that’s new.”

  Evan chuckled dryly.

  “I still don’t get how you made it all work… but whatever. You did.”

  Kai sat still, eyes lowering to his glass of water — then finally, he spoke.

  “None of this was for free.”

  They stilled.

  Kai looked up, his gaze calm but sharp.

  “You earned it — every one of you. You followed when I asked. You acted when I needed you to.”

  He leaned back slowly.

  “The world… doesn’t reward people like us. Not usually. But we’ve built something different.”

  No one argued.

  Because it was true.

  For the first time, they weren’t powerless kids drifting through school, worrying about grades, bullies, or family.

  They were something else now.

  Jonah raised his glass, voice rough.

  “To… the Illuminatii.”

  They all looked at Kai — waiting.

  Kai smirked just slightly… and nodded.

  “To the Illuminatii.”

  Glasses clinked quietly.

  And in that dim, perfect silence — they toasted to the secret no one else would ever know.

  After they were done eating, the plates were cleared.

  The sun had long set, leaving the city bathed in soft amber lights outside the windows.

  The group sat back, full but quiet — the kind of quiet that came from too many thoughts, not enough words.

  Kai glanced at each of them — his gaze calm, patient.

  “What about after school?”

  His question hung in the air like smoke.

  No one answered at first.

  They blinked — surprised. It wasn’t the kind of thing they thought Kai would ever ask.

  Jonah scratched his cheek awkwardly.

  “I… uh… honestly? I always wanted to open a restaurant.”

  The group turned toward him.

  Jonah chuckled nervously.

  “Yeah, sounds stupid, huh? But… my family’s been in food forever. Cooking, serving… I kinda know my way around a kitchen.”

  He shrugged, his voice growing softer.

  “Used to think… that’d be enough. A small place. Nothing crazy. Just… mine.”

  Silence.

  Then Iris, after a pause, cleared her throat.

  “I… I wanted to be a lawyer.”

  They all blinked, surprised.

  Iris gave a weak smile, eyes lowered.

  “I don’t know why… but the idea of fighting for people, protecting them… it always felt right.”

  She exhaled slowly.

  “But now… after everything… after what I’ve seen… It feels small. Insignificant.”

  Felix stayed silent, fingers drumming the table slowly.

  Even Evan looked down, for once without a snarky remark.

  Kai smiled faintly — leaning back.

  “You’re all wrong.”

  They looked up.

  Kai’s voice was calm, but every word carried weight.

  “None of your dreams are small. And none of them are wasted.”

  He glanced at Jonah.

  “A restaurant? Good. We’ll need places like that. Not just for money… places only we control.”

  Then to Iris.

  “A law firm? Perfect. Imagine having a lawyer… one of us… defending people who matter. Protecting our interests.”

  The group blinked — realization dawning.

  Kai’s eyes sharpened.

  “I’m not here just playing games, guys. I need you. All of you. Because I plan to grow this… bigger than school… bigger than the city.”

  The air felt heavier.

  Kai leaned forward, hands clasped.

  “We’re going to expand. Build something that lasts. The Watchers chose us — but it’s up to usto decide how far we take this.”

  Jonah exhaled, half-laughing.

  “You… you’re really serious about this.”

  Kai smirked.

  “Dead serious.”

  “We can change lives. We can save people. Control things before they spiral. But to do that… we need power. Influence. Connections.”

  He looked at each of them in turn.

  “Stay with me… and I promise… every single one of you will be more than you ever dreamed.”

  Silence.

  Then slowly — one by one — they nodded.

  No more fear. No more doubt.

  They were in.

  Fully.

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