Si, Shadows Young Master, and Lukai, General from the OFF organization, were alerted.

  One of the special Gates was used by someone.

  They tracked as many Gates as they could, especially those in the affected places.

  The goal was to spot the energy forms’ creators—those who were behind all the attacks.

  Because they were people. Those who attacked were people; they had their wicked reasons and unusual weapons.

  Si had some clues about what it could be. Not what the weapon was exactly, but what inventions inspired them.

  Lukai said he had his ideas as well, but he didn’t share details yet.

  The two moons that were attacked—ordinary people did not travel there. So, to spot an activation of one of Gates there: unusual.

  They traveled there as fast as they could.

  Gates were complicated devices. They were invented years ago by the Sect’s scientists.

  In 64 ACD, the first transmitter was officially tested. It was a device that looked like the Gate that the Sect used for screening and as their main entrance. But this version allowed the transport of people and goods instantly from place A to place B.

  The Sect used it for their logistics internally. It was ten years later picked up by the City, and then everything erupted. The net of Gates was established, and transport changed in a way no one assumed before.

  It worked well, and it brought many changes to technology.

  To ensure proper standards and compatibility with Gates, all messenger devices and programs were unified and had to be operated universally.

  No private entities were allowed to use Gates—it was decided after an incident when one of the platforms pushed an update and crashed all Gates because they didn’t do tests before.

  The unification that happened meant that humanity was using one simple and standardized messenger. Tracking people had become easier as IDs were also unified for Gates.

  It also meant that one common language emerged. It was the language of the City, from the old times.

  Only local net platforms could stay as they were, but their reach was limited, as they couldn’t use Gates to send data to other places.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  People were unified in a sense of communication. Moreover, humanity was unified in terms of travel.

  It was achieved mostly thanks to the net of Gates. It was built first on Planet One—the Earth was renamed like that.

  Then, the Gates net connected Planet One to other places: three moons, and later, three other planets.

  The spaceships, navigated by a special invention, were sent to multiple locations: Jupiter’s moons and one planet similar to Earth, now called Planet number Two.

  The fuel, pure Crystal energy, efficiently powered and accelerated the ships.

  Out of the seven ships humanity sent out there, three reached the moons. They successfully landed in 119 ACD, and then it started: Gates and travels.

  Reaching the other planet took longer, but this was also finally achieved by the other ships.

  They lost only one spaceship; it disappeared. They assumed it crashed somewhere.

  Basic tracking was inbuilt in Gates. But there was no possibility to record trips in detail. Gates were not yet unified enough.

  So, Si and Lukai, installed their tracking, but it had a limited reach and limited options. They couldn’t interfere with Gates design.

  And now they received a signal. Someone used one Gate, Moon Three.

  Who would go there, and for what?

  It was possible to travel there, of course. But what was alarming about this signal they received was that it had no ID.

  They couldn’t pin to anybody this trip.

  So, they needed to go themselves and check. Was it a malfunction of the Gate? An error in their tracking add-on? Or someone suspicious, someone connected to the attacks?

  They went through the Gate. Then they detected energy.

  Not to be spotted, as they wanted to observe at first, Si transported himself and Lukai to a place a bit distant from both the Gate and the energy source. Si also tried to hide their own energies; at least for a moment it should cover their presence from detectors.

  Si had a few spots for transportation prepared upfront, in many places. His transportation swirl was limited. Not like the old times’ way of energy transportation, unfortunately.

  From there, unnoticed, they were observing a strange person—dancing to loud music.

  “Whaaat?” Si couldn’t resist exclaiming to Lukai.

  Though, it was not that simple.

  The person dancing was surrounded by slight waves of energy; they were detectable; at least Si could sense it. Lukai didn’t seem to spot it.

  Then, this person released additional and strange energy from both hands. It created a small blow.

  “What was that?” Si asked Lukai quietly.

  They looked at each other and, as if agreed without words spoken, ‘All right, let’s capture this person.’

  … But the person escaped. Si was tricked.

  They could just watch this someone disappearing through the Gate. There was no ID before, so good luck with finding who it was.

  “Is this person connected to the attacks? Is from Unio? Are you aware of this kind of energy in the OFF, something like this? From Shadows perspective, not a clue. Is this person a part of a new organization? To trick my swirl! Ten or so Shadows can transport like I can; how could this person have known how to avoid it? Not to mention what happened—” Si suddenly stopped talking.

  He would rather not tell the details yet; it was very strange what happened to him. What was it, the force that threw him away from that fleeing person?

  How? Si needed to think about it.

  Lukai was silent for a few minutes. He looked as if he were considering something. Then he finally commented.

  “I have a clue who this person could be. I want to check. Do you agree?” he asked.

  So, someone from the OFF, then? Si wondered.

  “Sure, check, and tell me when you confirm. Let’s meet later then,” he said.

  It was better to be patient.

  They parted their ways.