Gladyo and Finde decided to postpone.
The Cemetery of Legendary Weapons wasn’t going anywhere.
Better to think it over a bit longer.

That day, they were training in military strategy when a figure appeared out of nowhere.

It was Teremus.
“Squad Leader Gladyo.
Commander Beatrix has summoned you.”

Gladyo sighed.
“Right now?”

Teremus nodded.
“Kato has returned from a cleansing mission.
One of his men has been taken to the Tower.”

Gladyo clenched his jaw.
“I’m coming.”

Teremus vanished.

Finde stared after him.
“What is… the Tower?”

Gladyo stretched.
“The place where the brainiacs work.”

He sighed.
“See you later.”

Finde was left alone.
He walked beneath the porticoes of the First Company.

The inner cloisters were a paradox: lush gardens, fruit trees, sweet scents.
A living oasis on a dead planet.

How it was possible, he didn’t understand.

“So, Castorian!”

Finde jumped.
“Damn it, Spenser!”

the boy with glasses laughed.
“Sorry. I still had to congratulate you on the tournament.”

“Thanks… And how are you?”

“I work a lot. But I like it.”

“Which warrior company are you in?”

“None.
I work at the Tower.”

Finde frowned.
“At the Tower?”

“I’m part of Alset’s team.”

That name wasn’t unfamiliar to Finde.

“Alset is the head of the scientists,” Spenser explained.
“The Tower is the brain of the Castorians.”

Finde’s eyes widened.
“I thought they were only warriors.”

Spenser shook his head.
“Who do you think develops the weapons?
Who studies the Singularities?
Who makes your travels across the Universe possible?”

Finde fell silent.

“An arm without a mind is useless,” Spenser continued.
“And a mind without an arm cannot act.
Only together do they become a weapon.”

Finde smiled faintly.
“That’s exactly the balance I’m looking for.”

“Balace between strength and intellect?”
Spenser asked.

“Between me… and the right weapon.”

Finde told him about the problem with the sword.
About the Cemetery of Legendary Weapons.
About the risk.

“If no weapon chooses me… I die.”

Spenser didn’t speak.
Then he asked softly:
“Are you afraid of dying?”

Finde thought about it.
“Maybe.
But more than dying… I’m afraid of never becoming what I want to be.”

“What do you want to become?”

Finde took a breath.
“Stronger.
A true pillar among the Castorians.
To understand the Gozhul.
And… to meet Beatrix.”

He blushed.
“I sound foolish.”

Spenser smiled.
“No.”
He told Finde a story from his planet.
About a commander who urged his men never to stop.
“You were not made to live like brutes,
but to pursue virtue and knowledge.”

“Virtue and Knowledge?” Finde asked.

“Yes...
The desire to rise above oneself.”

Finde reflected.
“But the soldiers only wanted to go home.”

“That’s understandable,” Spenser admitted.
“But not everyone is meant to stop.”

They looked at each other.

“What if I discover I’m not meant to become a Castorian?” Finde asked.

Spenser tilted his head.
“And what if you discover that it’s exactly your destiny?”

Finde held his breath.
“To find out… I have to take the risk.”

Spenser smiled.
“Then do it.”

Then he added:
“I’ll wait for you here, when you return.
So you can show me your new legendary weapon.”

Finde laughed.
“Deal.”

He turned to leave,
but then he stopped. He looked Spenser in the eye.
With gratitude.
“Thank you, Spenser.”

Spenser watched him walk away.

“You’re welcome, Finde...
My friend.”