On their way to the military area, they pass through a street market. There Andrew sees a stall selling shirts, pants and many other clothes. He stops and takes one good look at them. He seems to be searching for something.

Everyone close in on him.

" What is it, Andrew? See something you like?" Mira asks him.

“ Not quite yet.” he mumbles. “ HA! There it is.” he shouts as he points to a red shirt, the same fabric and design as his own.

He takes one last look at the shirt he had been wearing. He then looks at Mira with pleading eyes.

“ Mira...” he says with a cute voice, or something similar. “ You know... I really hate the colour green. Could you buy me this red one pretty please?”

“ Hey! Isn't it rude to ask someone to buy you something, with the attitude of a small child?” Alex asks him.

Andrew gives him a murderous look.

“ I don't want to hear the word rude, from a pervert like yourself.” he hisses, scaring Alex.

“ It isn't rude.” Mira defends him.” You are all under my care now. So it is only natural that I take care of your needs. No matter what they are. Except if there is something very ridiculous or super expensive. But something like this. I don't mind. These are cheap, none the less.”

“ Great.” Andrew says in joy.

Now in his red shirt, they continue their trip. In a few minutes, they have arrived at the military area. After passing many big stone buildings they end up in a huge tent like one. It was made out of fabric, but its size and design reminded more of a circus tent, rather than a military one.

As they stand, outside looking at the weird facility, Mira pushes them in.

The inside of the tent isn't what they expected. People were going left and right, with piles of papers on their hands. Passing through curtains, used like doors. Weapons like axes, swords, and staffs, all shorted inside big open barrels. What was this place? It seemed so unorganised.

“ This is the Magic Investigation Center of the Red Empire's military facilities. It is the second biggest throughout the whole Red Empire. Only passed by the Investigation Center of the Imperial Palace.” Mira announces them.

“ This is, one of your main facilities?” Ivan asks in shock. “ It looks... so unorganised. It looks like something someone would make in their neighborhood block. Not something an entire nation relies on.”

“ Well... you know what they say. You must do with what you have. But don't judge a book by its cover. It might look like that, but this is the place where a great sage works. He will tell you about your abilities. He won't tell you what they can do. But the general idea.”

“ What do you mean by that?” Andrew asks her, as they make their way through the tent, trying to avoid the passing people.

“ For example, I was told that I could control the elements. I was never though taught how. You see where I am getting at?”

“ I think so.”

They finally reach the far back of the tent, where another curtain-like door was waiting for them.

Mira steps in followed by the rest of her group.

Inside they find an old man sitting in a chair behind a desk, filled with papers and other documents. The man hears them coming in but doesn't react.

“ I told you. I want to study these formulas. You can do without me for the day.” he says clearly annoyed.

“ Emhh. Mario?” Mira says awkwardly.

He looks away from his work. Finally giving them some attention. That's when they are able to see him at last. He was an old man with white hair and a very long beard. Wrinkles all over his face and body.

“ Ohh! If it isn't Mira. How have you been doing?” He asks her. Pleased to see her.

“ Not so fine. I suppose you heard about what happened to my group. And about Greyo.” She says her face suddenly darkening.

" Yes, I did. A real tragedy. I am really sorry Mira." He says, trying to calm her.

She makes one long sigh.

“ I know. It isn't something so uncommon in our age anymore. For people to die like that.” she says coldly now.

“ You know. It really hurts my old soul to hear the youngsters saying something like that.”

“ But it is true, isn't it? As long as monsters exist in the same world as us. It is something unavoidable.”

The rest of the group can only lower their heads. Anna can understand her words. But also the other three can sympathise with her.

“ But that isn't why we are here today.” She says stepping aside and showing him her new companions.

“ While in my fight with Greyo, I ended up summoning these three with Luna Lacum.”

“ Yes. I am quite familiar with the subject. I heard it from your report. They sure seem interesting. Would you mind if I borrowed them for some experiments?”

“ Yes. As a matter of fact, I would. They aren't yours to play with. Now to the point. If you have read the whole report, then you can guess why we are here.”

“ You want to learn about their abilities. Correct?”

She nods.

" Ok then. Come closer. I am going to examine you one by one, and figure out what your abilities are about. So you know, I won't be telling you all your ability's potential. I can only see your ability in a very generic way. It's up to you, to use it properly."

And as he is talking he reaches for something in the pile of stuff at the corner of the room. From it, he pulls something that looked like a crystal ball. Only though that I was purple. He picks it and puts it on the table in front of him. He then motions to them to come close.

Ivan is the first one to go.

“ So then... how does this thing work?” he asks.

“ You just put your hand on the ball. You sent it a small amount of energy and then magic runes start appearing on it. I read these runes and tell you your ability.”

“ And how you know which runes mean which ability?”

“ We don't. We just have a huge record of previous ability holders. We wrote down the runes shown to us through this ball, for each ability user, that took the same test ages ago. With that, we are able to pinpoint the exact ability. Now if you please could.” he says pointing at the ball.

Ivan is a little skeptical at first, but seeing that it won't lead him anywhere, he does it.

“ Ok. Now what?”

“ Now just imagine like, inside your body, there is a great sea of energy. Do it. Close your eyes and imagine it.”

Ivan closes his eyes.

“ Have you imagined it yet? Now then, just imagine that that sea is heading towards your hand, going outside your body. But in very small doses.”

Ivan focuses hard on the subject. But he soon hears sounds of amazement and excitement. He opens his eyes and sees that the ball was now irradiating a weak light and that at its surface yellow letters had formed.

“ That's enough my boy.” Mario tells him. Ivan lets go.

He starts reading the runes on his ball, while at the same time looking at a very big and old book, probably making the translation.

His eyes widen in shock and excitement.

“ This is amazing! Absolutely amazing!” He yells. “ My boy, your powers are amazing!”

“ Really?” Mira asks first. Ivan still not understanding what's going on.

“ Yes! You have enchanting magic.”

“ Enchanting?”

“ But not your everyday enchanting magic. It has runes, of every single enchanting ability in this book. And there are more than a hundred different kinds of it.”

Ivan still looking questioned.

“ Ahh. Look. There are many enchanting abilities in this world. Some boosting physical attributes, others boosting magic, enchanting something with elemental powers. The list goes on and on. But you... you have the potential to use every single one of them. It is really an amazing and terrifying ability.”

“ Ha! Of course, I would have something amazing. Who do you think you talking to?” he shows off.

“ Ok, ok. We get it. You are amazing. Now step aside. It is my turn.” Alex shoves him out of his way and goes to take the test.

He puts his hand on the ball and closes his eyes, copying Ivan. After some moments he opens them.

But unlike Ivan's, that had dozens, his had only three runes on it.

“ What is this?” he asks

The old man looking at the runes in wonder. He gulps.

“ This is... even more, fascinating than your friend's.”

“ Really?” Alex asks in excitement.

" Most definitely. Unlike him, that had every rune for enchanting abilities written in this book. You have none. Your runes, are incomplete. To be more precise, the last part is missing. Look here." he says pointing at the weird letters.

“ This two are the basic runes for every sword ability in the world. If you have them, then you can just complete the formula, and then have that ability.”

“ Which means?”

“ It means that you can learn every sword based ability in the world!” Anna tells him in annoyance.

“ Exactly as Anna says. Your abilities are endless.”

Alex looks at his hands in amazement.

“ I am really cool, aren't I?”

“ Now who is boosting off?” Ivan peeks him.

“ Shut up! And what does this rune mean?” he says pointing at the third rune.

" This is a learning ability that is in you as well. It allows the user to learn every sword style he wishes. The more complex it is, the longer it will take him."

" So that's why I can use a sword, even though I never wielded one in my homeworld?"

“ Most probably yes.”

“ Sweat.”

“ Anna. This is your job. I want you to teach Alex whatever you can of sword fighting.” Mira orders her.

“ I will.” she answers her with a slight bow.

“ I guess this is our chance to get a little closer, Anna. Don't you think?” he says with a wink.

" Let's keep it professional shall we?" She replies, pushing him away from her.

“ Harsh!” he whines with a tear falling.

“ Step aside girls. Make room for the badass.” Andrew also pushes him aside. He puts his hand on the ball. But doesn't close his eyes.

The ball shines a low yellow light, and from its depths, a single symbol rises.

Andrew's eyes are sparkling. The old sage looks at the symbol and at his book. His eyes, full of excitement, turn to those of boredom.

“ You have heat. You can control heat.”

Everyone freezes at his words. Then a loud laughter from everybody.

“ Hahahahah! I am sorry my “badass”. Please pass.” Ivan makes fun of him.

“ Ivan! Shut the hell up!”

“ Ohhh! We are so scared! Please don't warm us with your heat.” Alex joins in.

Andrew's eyes begin to gather tears. Not from sadness, but from pity. He looks at Mira and Anna for comfort, but they too are giggling.

He falls to the ground.

“ All of you? Betraying me like that?”

“ Ah. Cheer up. It might sound dull. But it is an interesting ability.”

Andrew looks up at Mira, with puppy eyes.

“ Really?” he asks with a sniff.

“ Yes. Remember. You were so fast and strong. You even shoot that red beam. I am sure there is more to it than meets the eye.”

“ You right. Tell me old man!” he yells to the sage. “ If I have heat. How am I able of such feats.”

“ I... i” the sage mumbles, taken by surprise of Andrew's actions.

“ I think I can answer that.” Alex steps in. “ If you can control heat, then that must mean that you can change the temperature inside your body, and to the area around you.”

“ And?”

“ And if you can increase your temperature by a lot, then that will mean that your molecules will increase in speed. With more speed, comes more energy production. Then what will that energy be used for?”

“ To increase my physical attributes.” he realises.

“ Correct.”

“ That would explain why the fire-goblins had no effect on you. Because your inside temperature is higher than theirs. It would also explain why you were able to react faster than all the others. Because your molecules travel faster, then information must also travel faster. Increasing your reaction timing. And that beam! By heating up the molecules in the air, you changed their structural formula. Creating pure energy.” Mira completes Alex's explanation.

The guys look at her dumbfounded.

“ Mira? How do you have this knowledge?” They ask her.

“ Hey! I told you before! Just how primitive you think we are?!”

" Well, I haven't seen anything in the city that would show advanced civilization. Especially to that degree." Alex tells her.

" Well... that's because only higher ranking people have the luxury to learn such stuff. And in the conditions, we are in. We don't have the time or the supplies to do something with this knowledge."

“ I see. Well... it is nice to know that we aren't so different, in the knowledge department.” Ivan tells her.

“ Ok, ok. We know almost the same stuff. Can we please now focus on me?” Andrew whines again.

“ Just how egocentric are you?”

“ So. Is my ability good?”

“ Most definitely yes. It might not be as flashy as Mira's. Or as rare as your friends. But it is powerful in its own way.” the sage tells him.

“ Somehow, that doesn't make feel more reassured. But oh well. At the moment. I can still do the most badass stuff.” he says as he stands up in pride.

“ A lot of pride for someone who was just on the floor whining about his ability.” Ivan teases him.

“ Can you shoot energy beams? Emhh!? Can you?! Then shut up!”

Ivan backs off.

" Thanks, old man." he says as he shakes his hand. They all greet him farewell and leave the tent.