After hearing their father's story, Riven and Jordan didn't really know how to feel about their grandmother and her death. They knew something must've happened to her by the fact that they never met her or even got a call from her. But it wasn't like they were bawling their eyes out — they never knew the woman. Still, they could feel the pain their father felt after recounting what had happened to him in his past. He shook his head and decided to look forward.
"But that's all in the past now. I have two loving kids and a wife. I just wish my daughter was here as well."
"You know, Mr. Harlow, they could possibly see her soon thanks to whatever these academies and camps have going on. The Zale family will most likely make an appearance, meaning she might as well," one of the others said.
"Hey, I guess you're right. At least you'll be able to see her again. And thanks to my training, you can show her that you're not the same little boys she used to pick on."
Riven and Jordan chuckled at their father's words.
"Speaking of which, let's get back there. We've kept them waiting for a while now, and it's starting to get dark."
"Okay, now go on. I'll tell you when dinner is ready," Candice said as they all waved at her. When they walked into the backyard hall — which looked more like a barn from the outside — they saw a green-haired boy on the ground looking sick.
"And this is why I told you not to push yourself. Oh hey, you're finally back. Got that weird vibe done now?"
"Uh… yeah. What happened to him?" Riven questioned.
"The idiot pushed himself. He's been like this for about— I'd say an hour."
"An hour, huh? In about thirty minutes, he should be back to normal. Luckily, as a conductor, you might get a headache or feel sick, while a flowor could even damage their brain. That's why you shouldn't do what he just did," Kaden said, pointing at his own head.
"No, I'm good," Luka said, standing up and forming the resonance around his body.
"Oh, you're taking a different approach. I like your thinking — trying to make it so you can deliver powerful punches and still take strong attacks. But you're not ready for that yet. If you keep doing this, you'll most likely burn out and pass out on the ground."
"I said I could do it," Luka snapped. But his body language said something different. His eyes started blinking in and out like he was about to pass out on the spot. At one point, the boy almost did fall, but he forced himself back up.
No, no, I will do this for them. I will get my family out of here, Luka screamed in his mind.
Kaden didn't like what he was seeing, so he decided to end it. He charged at the boy and delivered a gut punch. He didn't hit too hard, but not too soft either — which is why he was shocked to see Luka still standing. Kaden whistled, impressed.
"Determination," was all Kaden said before delivering a much stronger punch to the boy's gut, knocking him out cold.
"Riven, grab a cover and a pillow. They should be on the floor in the living room. I just bought some just in case."
Riven ran off to get what his father asked for.
"If you don't mind me asking, sir, what was that?" Nico asked, looking at Luka.
"Obviously, Luka lost his marbles and kept trying to push himself," Jude replied to the girl's question.
"No, it was more than that," Skye said.
"Ah, so you noticed. Don't take any offense to this, but for those who couldn't see it — since you're a conductor, you wouldn't be able to unless you can feel it or it lashes out."
Kaden raised his index finger as he began to explain. "For those who could see, you saw Luka's aura change from white to black, am I right?"
Jordan, Wren, Nico, Tessa, and Skye all nodded — they were all flowors.
"Now, I may be a conductor, but I've dabbled in the art of flowor as well, so I could see it too." But Kaden was cut off by a worried Kira.
"So what does this mean for my brother?"
"Don't worry. On the contrary, this means your brother is ahead of all of you. But wait for Riven to come back — I'll explain."
Riven soon returned with the cover and pillow, which they placed under Luka's head and over his body.
"So, what did I miss?" Riven asked, seeing everyone sitting crisscross applesauce like kindergarteners ready to learn.
"Come sit," Kaden said. He then recapped what he'd said while Riven was gone to give him some peace of mind. "Now, what I meant by saying he's ahead of you all is because he found his set emotion."
"Set emotion?" they all echoed, confused.
"Yes, a set emotion. See, resonance is powered by two things — your soul and your emotions. Your emotions can power your resonance in different ways."
Kaden noticed someone with their hand raised. "Yes, uh…"
"My name is Jude, sir."
"Ah, yes, Jude. What's your question?"
"By the name set emotion, can I infer that this means we can only use one emotion to power us, while others wouldn't work?"
"Good question. Yes and no. It's possible to use two emotions, but it's extremely difficult. Imagine trying to maintain rage and happiness at the same time — it's impossible since the two literally contradict each other."
Tessa then raised her hand.
"Yes, uh…"
"Tessa, Mr. Harlow."
"Tessa! God, I need to learn your names. What's your question?"
"Can you tell us or show us what they can do?"
"Yes, I can tell, but I can only show one myself."
Kaden's face shifted to an angry expression as his hands began to glow — not white or black, but red. Jordan and Skye recognized this; it was similar to the color they'd seen when Skye first told Kaden about her father, but now it was lighter. Skye gulped. The light red glow meant Kaden wasn't playing around — this was real rage, controlled but powerful.
"Anger is the most common one since everyone has anger issues in their own way. What it does is double your speed and strength. But there are two caveats: one, it can only last about two minutes depending on your resonance capacity; and two, if you use it all, it'll leave you drained and defenseless. So be careful. Right now, it's not even double — more like a quarter — since I'm using so little and my rage isn't at its peak."
"So what's Luka's?" Riven asked.
"Determination." Kaden started poking Luka like a kid poking a dead squirrel. "You can tell a person's set emotion by the color. Red means rage or anger, green means sorrow, blue means fear, pink means love, white means hope, and black means determination."
"Can you explain them all — or at least the ones you know?" Harkel asked.
"Yes, I can, blue-haired kid," Kaden said. "Determination is just like what it means in real life — an iron will to keep going and push past your limits. Its effect fits: it gives the person better endurance, and their resonance becomes twice as dense as others', allowing them to take and deliver fiercer attacks.
Fear gives you better survival instincts, allowing for hyper reflexes — your brain and body react faster than you can think.
Sorrow makes your resonance flow like tears dropping from your eyes. It can also heal your allies if you cut yourself and let the resonance touch their wounds — but be careful. You never know what a person's carrying."
"Wait, are you saying we can get an STD from someone if we're not careful?" someone blurted out.
"Maybe," Kaden shrugged, "but it could also turn into something like an invisible weapon — like a drill made from resonance, even if it fell off your body. There are many more I don't want to go into now, but you'll most likely discover your set emotion during battle or a personal moment. Your friend Luka here has something going on in his head that's making him push himself to the limit and beyond."
"Dinner's ready!" a feminine voice called out.
"Aw, sweet — dinner! Let's go dine!" Kaden ran out like a child.
"How old is your dad again?" Jude couldn't help but ask.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Jordan replied as they all got up and followed him. When they arrived, they saw a woman standing there.
"Before you come in, I want to know your names, and I want to see hands washed before coming in. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am!" they all said in unison.
After introducing themselves and washing their hands, they all ate on the floor since there weren't enough chairs. Riven and Jordan didn't want the others to eat on the floor alone, so they joined them. After finishing the meal — a hearty beef stew with a variety of vegetables — Riven washed his bowl and walked up to his mother.
"Hey, Mom, can I get some more?" the boy asked. The woman nodded, obliging.
"Thanks," he said, walking away. He threw the fork he'd been using into the sink, grabbed a new one from the drawer, and waited until his mom was distracted before quietly slipping outside.
He opened the hall door and saw the green-haired boy sitting up, looking down.
"Here. I know you must be hungry."
Luka looked up, his blue eyes swelling. He quickly wiped them with the sleeve of his gi.
"Thanks," he murmured, grabbing the bowl and starting to eat.
Riven sat near the entrance of the hall, gazing up at the stars.
"Luka, what's up with you? We can all tell something's wrong."
Luka sighed, setting the bowl down and walking over to sit beside him.
"I want to get out of here — or to be precise, I want to get my family out of here."
"The walls?"
"Yeah. My dad told me the world's nothing like it used to be. People born inside the walls have almost no opportunities in the real world. Riven, do you know one of the things that can hurt a young man the worst?"
"Seeing their father cry."
"Exactly." Luka smiled sadly. "Funny enough, if he never came to me, I probably would've blown you guys off and not even come. But his words told me I needed to be here. I need to push myself harder."
"What exactly did he say?" Riven asked.
⸻
Luka sat on his bed, looking at a suitcase.
"Do I go, or do I stay here? Kira's set on going, but I just want to stay back and chill," he thought.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Come in," he called.
A man entered — a near copy of Luka, just older, with facial hair and shorter hair.
"I heard you and your sister are going somewhere — to a friend's house to prepare for this event."
"Yeah, they said their father could teach us a lot, but I'm really thinking about just skipping out."
"Don't," the man said quickly, his voice softening as he sat beside his son. "Don't, son. You've told us those students are the reason you've grown so much — so why stop now? This is the perfect opportunity."
"A perfect opportunity for what? To get stronger? I don't really care about that."
"Not just that," the man said, "but to get yourself out of here — you and Kira. What have your mother and I always told you to remember?"
"A man is a provider."
"Exactly, son. But even then, I need to practice what I preach. Luka… I've failed this family. I've had so many opportunities, but I was blindsided, thinking everything would be alright. And now look at us — having to pay a tax just for trying to live." He sighed heavily. "Luka, I've failed you, your mother, and your sister — all because I thought everything would work itself out. I thought karma would do its part."
The man's voice trembled as tears welled up. "And I see so much of myself in you, Luka — a boy who thinks if he does nothing, things will somehow come to him. But Luka, this is your chance. Your chance to get your sister and yourself out of here. It's too late for me and your mother… just remember this: the word fair exists, but the meaning of it doesn't."
He stood up and left the room, closing the door softly behind him. Luka could tell his father didn't want him to see him cry.
⸻
"After that, I made sure everything was in order so we could come here. And now that we're here," Luka said, clenching his fists, "I have one thing to say — to truly help me, Riven… I need to prestige."