"Look who finally decided to wake up," Tobin said with a wink. "We were wondering where you disappeared to last night. Out on a secret mission, were you?"

  Jorin laughed, folding his arms across his chest. "Yeah, man, you sure took your sweet time. Wasn’t expecting you to be gone that long. So, who were you dropping off last night, huh? Lana? Or maybe someone else?"

  Andy rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. His mind was still hazy from the night before. It had been a long evening—first dealing with Terra and Lana’s drunken antics, then making sure everyone got home safely. The teasing from his two fellow Squires was the last thing he needed right now, but there was no escaping it.

  "Man, don’t you two have anything better to do?" Andy groaned, sitting up in his bed. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "Lana’s apartment. That’s where I dropped her off. Terra, too. Nothing big."

  Tobin raised an eyebrow. "Nothing big, huh? The way you were acting last night, you sure seemed pretty into whatever was going on."

  Jorin grinned even wider. "Yeah, I think that’s what they call ‘playing it cool,’ huh, Andy? Or were you trying to keep things low-key while you were getting all that attention from them?"

  Andy felt his face heat despite trying to act nonchalant. He’d definitely felt the pull of both Terra and Lana last night—their teasing, their flirtation, and everything in between. But he wasn’t about to let these two see him squirm. He stood up, grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair, and threw it on over his shirt, trying to avoid eye contact.

  "Look, it’s not a big deal," Andy muttered, glancing at the door. "We just hung out, had some drinks. And I had to get them home safe. That’s all."

  Tobin and Jorin exchanged a look before Tobin broke into a broad grin. "Right, ‘just hung out.’ Well, we’ll let you get back to your ‘quiet time,’ then," he teased, clapping Andy on the shoulder. "But seriously, you seem different. It’s like you’ve got a little glow today. I’m guessing that’s from last night?"

  "Yeah, Andy, you’ve got that post-date vibe going on," Jorin added with a sly grin. "I mean, who knew? Our boy Andy’s all grown up."

  Andy couldn’t help but laugh, though his face was still flushed. "You two are insufferable," he muttered, rolling his eyes. "But whatever. It’s not like anything happened, alright? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need a shower before you guys turn my entire morning into some sort of embarrassing story."

  With that, he brushed past them and headed toward the bathroom. His mind was still processing the events of the previous night—the flirtations, the teasing, and the way both Terra and Lana seemed to latch onto him in their own ways. It was complicated, but for now, he had bigger things to focus on.

  But as he stepped into the shower, he couldn’t help but hear Tobin and Jorin laughing in the hallway, still teasing him about the night before. He let the hot water hit his face, trying to shake off the tension.

  "God, what a mess," he muttered to himself, realizing he might not avoid this teasing for long.

  When he came out of the shower, he was met by the same two smirking faces. They were still waiting for him, as if nothing had changed, still eager for any piece of gossip they could get.

  "Alright, alright," Andy said, drying his hair with a towel. "You guys can stop now. But if you tell anyone, I swear I’ll make you both regret it."

  Jorin raised his hands in mock surrender. "Wouldn’t dream of it, Andy," he said, his grin still in place.

  Tobin slapped him on the back, still chuckling. "But you’ve got to admit, man, you’ve got a bit of mystique now. Getting attention from two different women? Who wouldn’t want to hear about it?"

  "Cut it out," Andy said with a smile, knowing he would not escape the teasing soon. As much as he tried to brush it off, things with Terra and Lana weren’t so simple. And if the guys kept pressing him, he was going to have a hard time keeping it all under wraps. But for now, he had to face the music—both from his friends and from his own conflicted thoughts about the night.

  They headed out together to start the day; the teasing continuing all the way to the mess hall.

  The mess hall was filled with the usual chatter, clinking of utensils, and the low hum of conversation as the boys grabbed their meals and sat down. Andy could barely focus on the teasing from Tobin and Jorin, his mind still swirling with the events from the night before—the way Terra had looked at him, the teasing from Lana, and the weight of it all settling in as they ate. He was trying to drown out the buzz of their teasing, but it was hard. His friends, as annoying as they were, had a way of making everything feel like an open book.

  After the mess hall, the group gathered outside, where their instructor, Sergeant Rodrick, was waiting for them. His broad frame stood imposingly in front of them, the usual air of authority hanging around him like a thick fog. He watched them with a sharp, assessing gaze, his arms crossed over his chest as they assembled in front of him.

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  "Alright, you lot," Rodrick began, his gravelly voice cutting through the murmurs of the boys. "You’ve made it. Congratulations. You’ve passed the practical portion of your training. You’ve now earned the right to be called squires."

  The words hit Andy with a sense of finality. After all the training, all the grueling tests, they had finally made it. But it wasn’t the time for celebration yet. Not when Sergeant Rodrick’s stern gaze still held them captive.

  "You’ve also had your limiters removed from your cybernetic enhancements. Your hive protocol is now activated." Rodrick paused, letting the words sink in. "But don’t get too excited, boys. You’re still squires. That means a knight has to be present whenever you activate it. And trust me, even knights don’t use it lightly."

  The mention of the hive protocol made Andy’s chest tighten. He had heard the rumors and seen himself about the overwhelming exhaustion it could bring. He had seen knights fall to their knees after using it, their bodies pushed to their limits by the sheer force of it. It was power, yes, but it came with a cost. A heavy one.

  Rodrick continued, his tone more serious now. "The mental and physical toll it takes on you can be devastating. Even knights have collapsed from the strain. Use it wisely, and only when necessary. Do not push yourselves too hard. Understand?"

  The boys all nodded, their faces sober. This wasn’t the power they had been hoping for. It was a reminder that even in this world of advanced technology and enhancements, the human body still had its limits.

  Rodrick gave the group a sharp nod. "Good. You’re dismissed for your break. Go get some rest. You’ll need it."

  As the group dispersed, Andy turned to leave, but Rodrick called his name.

  "Andy, a word," the sergeant said, his voice quiet but firm.

  Andy hesitated, glancing back at his friends. Tobin and Jorin exchanged curious looks but moved on, leaving Andy to walk over to Rodrick alone. The sergeant’s piercing gaze met his as Andy came to a stop.

  "I wanted to tell you this personally before the word spreads," Rodrick began, his tone grave. "There was a break-in at the research facility last night. The relics, you and Terra recovered... they were stolen."

  Andy felt his stomach drop, the words hitting him like a punch. "Stolen? How? Who—?"

  Rodrick raised a hand, cutting off Andy’s barrage of questions. "We don’t know yet. It was a clean job—no alarms, no trace of how they got in or out. The Vanguard is investigating, but for now, we’re in the dark."

  Andy’s mind raced, images of the relics flashing through his thoughts. He remembered the weight of them, both physically and symbolically. "Is Wily okay?" he asked quickly, his voice laced with worry.

  Rodrick’s expression softened, just slightly. "He’s fine. That’s why I wanted to tell you myself. I knew you’d worry about him. He wasn’t in the lab when it happened, but I’m sure he’ll want to dive into the investigation himself. You know how he is."

  Relief washed over Andy, but it was short-lived. The idea of someone breaking into the Vanguard’s research facility, stealing something so important—it gnawed at him. "No suspects? No leads at all?"

  Rodrick shook his head, his frustration clear. "None. Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing. But we’ll find them, Andy. Trust me on that."

  Andy nodded slowly, though the unease in his chest didn’t fade. His thoughts drifted to the relics themselves—the strange, ancient artifacts that seemed almost alive with their secrets. Why would someone risk everything to take them? What were they planning to do with them?

  "Voss will look into it further," Rodrick continued. "There will be debriefings later this week. Make sure Terra is ready. I’m sure she’ll have her own thoughts about what happened, but you both need to stay sharp. Something about this... it doesn’t sit right."

  Andy swallowed hard, the weight of Rodrick’s words pressing down on him. "I’ll tell her," he said quietly. "We’ll be ready."

  Rodrick nodded, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "Good. And Andy... don’t let this break-in distract you too much. Focus on what’s ahead, but trust your instincts. They’ll serve you better than anything else right now."

  Andy met Rodrick’s gaze, feeling the gravity of the moment. "I understand, Sergeant."

  Rodrick’s lips twitched into a faint smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "I know you do. Now go get some rest. You’ll need it."

  As Andy turned to leave, his mind churned with questions, doubts, and fears. The stolen relics, the haunting projection, Wily’s safety—it was all tangled together, a web he couldn’t yet unravel. But one thing was certain: the world he thought he understood was changing, and he’d have to be ready for whatever came next.

  By the time Andy returned to Tobin and Jorin, his mind was still a whirlwind of thoughts. The weight of the conversation with Sergeant Rodrick, the unsettling feeling from the mission, and the pressure of keeping everything under wraps was pressing down on him. His usual light-hearted demeanor was absent, replaced with a quiet contemplativeness that didn’t go unnoticed by his friends.

  Tobin and Jorin exchanged looks, their smiles faltering as they noticed the shift in Andy’s mood.

  "Hey, what’s up with you, man?" Tobin asked, his voice a little softer than usual. "You look like someone just rained on your parade."

  "Yeah, you were all smiles earlier, but now... what happened?" Jorin added, his brow furrowing in concern.

  Andy hesitated, glancing between them. He wanted to brush it off, to tell them it was nothing. But he could feel the tension in his chest, and the thought of keeping it all inside—especially after what he’d just heard from Rodrick—seemed like too much to bear.

  "Just... a lot on my mind," Andy said quietly, not wanting to go into too much detail just yet. His eyes wandered, a distant look settling in as he tried to put the pieces together. "Let’s just say... things aren’t as simple as they seem."

  Tobin and Jorin didn’t press him further, but it was clear they would not leave him in that state. After a moment, Tobin’s face brightened, and Jorin shot him a look that said, I know exactly what to do.

  "You know what’ll cheer you up, Andy?" Tobin said with a mischievous grin. "Vanguard workshop. We’ve got down time, and we all know nothing clears the head like working on our gear."

  Jorin grinned, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, you’re always in a better mood when you’re elbow-deep in grease and wires. Besides, it’s been a while since we worked on our stuff together."

  Andy couldn’t help but smile faintly at their enthusiasm. He was still weighed down by his thoughts, but the idea of doing something familiar, of sinking into the comfortable rhythm of tinkering with weapons and armor, was just what he needed to take his mind off things for a while.