The soft glow of the tunnel walls provided the only light as Synthia stirred from a restless sleep. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but exhaustion had finally won.

  Nearby, Nova was curled up against the metallic wall, her arms wrapped around her knees, while Helix sat cross-legged on the ground, keeping watch with sharp, vigilant eyes.

  The boy remained slumped against the wall, his small frame rising and falling with each laboured breath. Despite everything, he hadn’t stirred once since they’d entered the tunnel.

  Synthia’s Nexus pinged softly, startling her fully awake. She frowned, the faint glow of her interface shimmering across her vision. A notification blinked—something unfamiliar. Before she could react, the air grew warmer, and a faint noise vibrated in her ears. Then, like a drop of water rippling outward, a glowing white sphere emerged from Null’s chest.

  “Infy…” Synthia whispered, sitting up.

  The orb hovered in the air, pulsing softly, as if stretching after a long slumber. Its glow cast faint shadows on the tunnel walls, bathing the group in a gentle light. Nova stirred, blinking blearily before sitting upright. Her gaze instantly locked onto the orb, her eyes widening.

  “The orb is back,” Nova murmured, her voice hushed with awe.

  Helix straightened, his sharp eyes narrowing as the orb began to drift forward. Synthia followed its path as it floated toward her, pausing inches from her face. A familiar line entered her mind from her Nexus:

  “Connection requested: Do you accept?”

  She hesitated, glancing at Helix and Nova. “It’s asking to connect to my Nexus.”

  Helix frowned. “Do you think it’s safe?”

  Nova yawned, stretching her arms. “It’s already saved us once. I don’t think it means us harm.”

  Synthia drew a deep breath and nodded. “I accept.”

  The moment she gave her mental confirmation, the orb dissolved into a stream of shimmering particles, flowing like liquid light into her Nexus. The hum in her ears grew louder, then faded into silence. For a moment, nothing happened. And then the orb flew out of her Nexus, leaving them confused.

  And then, a voice—smooth, melodic, and faintly amused—spoke directly from her nexus.

  “Finally, someone I can properly talk to. This is so much better than text.”

  Synthia flinched, her eyes widening. “You can… speak?”

  Nova and Helix straightened, watching her closely.

  “I can communicate now, yes,” the voice said, warm and calm. “But before you start asking too many questions, let me clarify: I am limited in what I can share. You may call me Infy—short for Infinity—and the boy over there, the one sleeping, his name is Null.”

  Synthia glanced at the boy—no, Null—who remained motionless. “You’re… separate from him? I thought you were part of him.”

  “It’s complicated,” Infy said, their voice steady yet enigmatic. “We’re connected, but separate. I’m what you might call a sentient fragment of a larger whole. Null and I are bonded, but I have my own awareness. I left his body to speak with you more effectively.”

  Nova tilted her head, curiosity lighting up her green eyes. “So, you’re alive? Like… a person?”

  “I am alive in the sense that I am self-aware, and yes, I can die,” Infy replied, their tone softening slightly. “But I’m not a person in the way you’d understand. I’m… more complicated than that.”

  Synthia frowned, her gaze flicking to Null’s still form. Worry crept into her voice. “Why hasn’t he woken up yet? He’s been out for hours.”

  Infy pulsed faintly, the orb’s hum intensifying as though carefully considering how to explain. “Null had to use his powers without an effective energy supply. Without access to an external source, he had no choice but to draw directly from his own stamina.” Infy’s voice grew quieter, almost apologetic.

  “That kind of strain pushes his body far beyond its limits. He’s recovering, but it will take time. If we were somewhere safer, I’d recommend letting him rest for at least a full day.”

  “Powers?” Nova asked, leaning closer, her excitement outweighing her concern. “What kind of powers? What can he do?”

  Infy hesitated, the pause deliberate, as if weighing how much to reveal. When the voice returned, it carried a faint, almost playful edge. “Powers,” they repeated. “Zero once said humans would probably call it… ‘magic.’”

  Synthia blinked, startled. “Magic?”

  “That's ridiculous magic, isn’t real” Helix chimed in, looking at the orb with disbelief.

  “A convenient word,” Infy replied. “Though the truth is much more complicated. We can manipulate the laws of physics that govern our world—energy, matter, space itself. However, using these abilities takes a toll and requires an excessive amount of energy input. It’s why he is so drained now. We didn’t have access to our reactor”

  Helix, ever sceptical, leaned forward. “And what exactly did he do? Because all I saw was a kid who led the military to our house.”

  Synthia interjected, her tone sharp. “Helix, Null saved us. The military was there before he arrived, he’s the reason we’re still alive.”

  Helix sighed but didn’t argue further, his eyes shifting back to the orb. His expression was unreadable, though tension flickered briefly in his gaze.

  “Null didn’t come to your house for you,” Infy said, their voice steady but softened slightly. “He was there for me. A piece of me—well, a fragment—was stuck in Synthia’s Nexus. From when he touched your hand.”

  Synthia’s chest tightened as the memory resurfaced—the strange spark when Null touched her, the flood of light that unlocked something deep within her Nexus. “The fragment…” she said slowly, her voice quieter. “What was it doing in my system? Why was it there in the first place?”

  Infy pulsed faintly, as if considering how much to say. “It was gathering information,” they explained, their tone more conversational now. “Your language, your customs, your technology—I needed to understand them. Once we reconnected, I shared it all with Null. That’s why he can sign and understand you now.”

  Helix’s frown deepened. “And what’s your plan now? What are you and Null trying to do?”

  Infy’s voice grew quieter, almost wistful. “We don’t have a plan. We’ve been improvising since the moment we arrived. All we want now is to go home. Back to the Kuiper Belt.”

  “The Kuiper Belt?” Synthia repeated, startled.

  “You’re saying you’re really from there?”

  “Yes,” Infy confirmed simply. “That’s where we belong. It’s where we were before we ran away. We weren’t ready for this, and now… we see that more clearly than ever.”

  Synthia’s thoughts churned. “You’ve mentioned Zero before. He’s Null’s father, right?”

  “Our father, Correct,” Infy said. “But don’t ask me more about him. We won’t lie, but some truths are dangerous. Zero’s story is one of them.”

  Nova folded her arms, her expression torn between curiosity and impatience. “So, let me get this straight. You don’t have some grand plan to fight back? You’re just… trying to go home?”

  “That’s correct,” Infy said, matter-of-factly.

  Synthia glanced at Null, who shifted slightly in his sleep but didn’t wake. “And what happens when you get home?”

  Infy didn’t answer immediately. When the voice returned, it was quieter, tinged with something close to sorrow.

  “We don’t know,” Infy admitted. “But it’s the only place we’ve ever belonged. And we’ll do whatever it takes to return.”