The strategy floor on 3F felt different today. It wasn't empty anymore, and the frantic chaos of the move had settled into something sharper. Focused.
Lucien stood at the head of the table with his arms folded. He didn't look tense—just deep in thought. Mira, on the other hand, was wearing a path into the concrete.
"They were just standing there at the dorms," she said, pacing. "Like we're some kind of celebrities."
"Not celebrities," Kaida corrected, leaning against a pillar. "Symbols. Tools for a headline."
"That's definitely worse."
Garrick was propped up against the back wall, his massive frame casting a long shadow. "So they want a statement. They want us to back their play?"
Seris nodded slowly, her eyes on her tablet. "They're trying to use our reputation to sanitize the detainment policy."
Lucien glanced over at Nox, who hadn't looked up from his screen in several minutes. "You've been quiet."
"They're shaping the narrative," Nox said, his voice level.
Lucien stepped away from the head of the table, walking a slow lap around the room instead. "Okay. Explain that in human words."
"If we stay silent," Nox said, finally meeting his eyes, "detainment becomes the accepted standard. If we oppose it directly, they label us reckless and anti-government."
Mira threw her hands up in frustration. "So either we're corporate shills or we're public enemies. Great."
"Welcome to politics," Kaida murmured.
Lucien exhaled slowly—then a faint, sharp smile touched his lips. "Well, I've always wanted to be a little controversial."
Mira blinked. "Are you actually enjoying this?"
"I'm not enjoying the situation," he said lightly. "But if they're going to drag us onto the stage, we might as well stand up straight."
Garrick's lips twitched. "That's your way of saying we're not staying neutral, isn't it?"
"Yes."
Seris looked at him, her expression cautious. "We have to be measured, Lucien."
"We will be. We don't attack the idea of containment—we challenge the isolation," Lucien said. He turned to Nox. "We call for mentorship instead of just locking them in a box."
Nox held his gaze for a long beat. "You wanted something stronger," Lucien noted, his voice softening.
Nox didn't deny it. "Yes."
"Trust me on this one," Lucien said.
A pause stretched between them. Then, Nox gave a single, firm nod. "...I do."
Mira made a face, looking between the two of them. "Why does that feel romantic?"
"It's not," Kaida said flatly.
"It totally is."
Lucien rolled his eyes. "Focus, everyone."
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They set up the livestream on the first floor. No flashy banners, no dramatic music—just the glass of the building and the city behind them. Lucien stepped in front of the lens looking steady, not angry.
"Awakening is new," he began, his voice projecting clearly. "Instability is expected. None of us were trained for what's happening to our bodies and our lives."
He didn't raise his voice, but the intensity was there. "We believe support structures need to be built, not just fences. Isolation without guidance only risks making the fire burn hotter."
He paused, letting the words sink in. "Containment might feel like safety, but safety without a path forward is just a temporary fix."
Behind him, the team was a wall of calm. Kaida had her arms crossed; Garrick stood like a mountain; Seris was composed; Orion was unreadable. Mira was trying very hard to look professional and not wave at the camera.
"No awakened individual should have to navigate this transition alone," Lucien finished.
The viewer count didn't just climb—it spiked. The comment feed became a blur of scrolling text. MENTORSHIP MAKES SENSE. DON'T LOCK THEM UP. HE'S NOT A CRIMINAL. WE'RE AFRAID TOO.
__
Back upstairs, they watched the replay in silence. Mira squinted at the screen. "...People actually agree with us."
"Not all of them," Seris said, pointing to the shifting news banners.
PUBLIC RESPONSE SPLIT AS AURORA COVENANT CALLS FOR STRUCTURED SUPPORT.
The news anchor was already dissecting the speech. "Public sentiment is divided, but the 'mentorship' angle has gained massive traction online in the last ten minutes."
Kaida let out a quiet breath. "There it is. The shift."
Garrick frowned. "What shift?"
"The power dynamic," Kaida said.
Orion looked down at his tablet, his face flattening. "Engagement is increasing exponentially. And the government just responded."
Lucien tilted his head. "That was fast. What did they say?"
Orion turned the screen so they could all see the breaking news alert.
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP FRAMEWORK: INDEPENDENT GUILDS INVITED TO ASSUME MENTORSHIP RESPONSIBILITY FOR UNSTABLE AWAKENED.
Silence fell over the 3rd floor. Mira blinked, looking confused. "...That sounds like exactly what we asked for, right? That's positive?"
Kaida's eyes sharpened. "It's a trap."
Seris read further, her voice dropping. "'Independent guilds advocating for mentorship may formally register to assume full legal liability and supervision of unstable individuals.'"
Garrick's jaw tightened. "Liability."
Lucien didn't look away from the screen. "They're pushing the responsibility onto us."
"Yes," Nox said quietly.
Understanding finally dawned on Mira. "Wait. They want us to take the kid from the news. They want him to be our problem."
"They want us to be accountable if he slips up," Lucien said.
Orion nodded. "It shifts the political risk from the state to the guild."
Kaida's lips curved into a dangerous smile. "They're clever. I'll give them that."
Lucien looked around at his team. He didn't look panicked or even particularly surprised. He looked like a man who had just been dared to move. "They're calling our bluff."
Nox met his eyes. "We weren't bluffing."
Lucien's mouth curved. "No. We weren't."
He turned back toward the window, the city lights reflecting in his eyes. "They want us to provide mentorship?" He looked back at the group, his presence feeling warm, steady, and just a little bit dangerous. "Fine. Then let's show them exactly how it's done."