The pair of soldiers took Anna and Nova through a winding alley, deeper into the quiet side of the city.
Nova didn't need to be told where they were headed. The complete absence of aether signatures confirmed his suspicion—they were in an abandoned sector.
No lifeforms, no energy pulses. Just silence. This place hadn't seen life in a long time.
He glanced sideways at Anna and gave her a small, deliberate gesture—a subtle flick of his fingers. She caught on immediately.
Anna blinked rapidly, adopting a hesitant posture as she clutched her arms around herself.
"Um… is this the right place? I—I thought the recruitment building was closer to the city center…"
She asked the soldiers in a soft voice, her words shaking slightly.
One of the soldiers grinned at her with forced reassurance.
"Nah, this is the right place. Just a special test site for new applicants."
"Yeah. You'll be meeting the higher-ups soon. They want to see your skills up close."
