The digital display on the dark nightstand flickered to life. 4:30 AM.
Before the first tone of the alarm could break the silence of the master suite, a pale, perfectly manicured hand pressed down on the console, silencing it.
Felicity sat up, her long white hair falling over her shoulders in smooth waves. She took a slow, deep breath, stretching her arms above her head as her joints popped in the quiet room. To anyone looking through the window, she looked like an ordinary woman starting an ordinary day. But the weight in her eyes belonged to someone who carried the gravity of a world.
Turning her head, she looked at the framed photograph sitting beside the clock. The woman in the picture bore a striking resemblance to Felicity—the same bone structure, sharp jawline, and piercing eyes, but her features were softer, framed by a different era of fashion, her smile lacking the heavy burden of power that rested on Felicity's shoulders.
"Good morning, mom," Felicity murmured softly, a genuine smile touching her lips.
She swung her legs out of bed, walking barefoot into the bathroom. She splashed water onto her face, brushed her teeth, and walked over to the coffee maker in the small kitchenette built into the corner of her suite. The espresso machine hissed, dripping a single, concentrated shot of black coffee into a porcelain cup. She drank it slowly, staring out the glass window at the dark, sleeping sprawl of her estate.
Setting the cup down, she walked to her wardrobe, dressed in a form-fitting athletic wear, and left the room.
When she stepped out of the mansion, the world was still asleep. The sky above Arcadia was a deep, bruised purple, devoid of stars. She stood on the pavement, stretching her legs and rolling her shoulders.
To a casual observer, she looked like she was preparing for a standard jog. Instead, Felicity looked up at the sky, and with a subtle bend of her knees, she leaped.
BOOM.
The air shattered as she tore through the atmosphere, ascending with an insane velocity that turned the city below into a shrinking spot of lights.
She hit the cloud layer within seconds, letting the freezing, high-altitude wind whip against her face.
She leveled off at thirty thousand feet, flying parallel to the earth, blurring across the sky, watching the vast, neon-lit grid of the city she had built unfold beneath her. This was her own daily exercise. A way to shake off the stagnation of her everyday life.
But it wasn't enough. It was never enough.
Slowly, she angled her body upward, surging vertically into the sky. Moving up and up, tearing through the stratosphere, the exosphere, until the resistance of the atmosphere faded into the absolute, silent void of space.
The clouds vanished. The air thinned to nothing. The blue hue of the atmosphere gave way to the bone-chilling darkness of the cosmic vacuum.
Space was silent, an endless canvas of cold stars. Far in the distance, the burning crest of the sun began to peek over the curve of the Earth.
Felicity hovered in the void, completely unaffected by the zero pressure or the freezing temperatures. She stared at the sun for a long moment.
Then, the space beside her rippled.
From her own physical form, a figure stepped outward. It was a clone, identical to her in every physical aspect, save for the color of her athletic wear, which manifested in a stark red.
Felicity looked at her double and gave a nod.
Instantly, they both flew forward in a blur. They tore toward the sun, breaking the speed of light in a fraction of a second. In the dark vacuum of space, they looked like twin shooting stars, trailing blinding ribbons of kinetic light as they raced across the solar system.
They crossed millions of miles in mere heartbeats, plunging straight through the roaring, cataclysmic nuclear furnace of the sun's outer corona and diving deep into the core.
The unfathomable heat of the sun raged around them, but it did nothing. It didn't burn their skin; it didn't even singe the fabric of their clothes. They were untouchable.
They breached the center of the core at the exact same moment, but the clone pulled ahead by a few inches, reaching the gravity well of the core first.
With the race having been concluded, they both came to a halt, standing together in the heart of the sun, surrounded by a nuclear inferno of millions of degrees.
Felicity sighed, a smile breaking across her face.
You beat me again, she spoke to her clone telepathically.
The clone smiled back. Only because you held back.
Felicity chuckled, shaking her head. Guilty as charged, she replied.
This was the ultimate irony of her existence. To truly push her limits, Felicity believed she had to challenge herself. Literally. So she always created clones of herself and use them as training partners. And with her absolute mastery over these clones, she would suppress her own god-like stats while elevating the clones to their absolute maximum, so the fight can be more challenging.
Besides, there was no one in the world who could spar with her and live to tell the tale. She was the only one who could bear the devastating weight of her own power. This was the tragic reality of being overpowered.
When she was younger, she had been so lonely that she would create clones of herself, alter their faces, give them distinct names and personalities, just to have someone to talk to and have friends to hang out with.
Even now, many of her clones had saved profiles, acting like stored avatars she could summon whenever she needed.
The clone looked at Felicity, her expression turning gentle. How are you holding up? she asked in genuine concern.
Felicity looked out at the churning sea of solar plasma, her smile fading slightly. I'm fine. Just trying to be strong for the kids as always. she replied
The clone nodded. Alright. Take care of yourself, Jade. See you later.
Then with a quiet ripple, the duplicate dissolved into nothingness, leaving Felicity alone in the core of the star. Turning back toward Earth, she began her journey home.
By the time Felicity landed gracefully back on the mansion's pavement, the first bleeding cracks of dawn were slicing through the horizon.
Upon entering the house, she headed straight to the training room, running through an hour of complex combat drills, before leaving to freshen up and prepare for her day.
As she walked down the quiet halls, passing the music room, her gaze accidentally caught on the grand piano sitting in the center of the floor. She stopped in her tracks, staring deeply at the polished black wood. Her chest tightened as a sudden, uninvited wave of past memories pulled at her chest. Slowly, almost magnetically, she walked into the room and sat on the leather bench.
Her fingers brushed the keys, and then she began to play one of her favorite songs. The haunting, meticulous notes of "Moonlight Sonata" filled the empty room.
Felicity got lost in the rhythm, her eyes closing as the melancholy of the piece wrapped around her. But abruptly, her hands stopped. The silence rushed back in, deafening. She let out a soft sigh, a profound sadness settling over her shoulders. Then she stood up, closed the lid of the piano, and walked out.
She continued walking down the corridor and stopped in front of Scar's room. She raised her hand to knock, but before her knuckles could brush the wood, the door swung open. Scar stood there, fully dressed.
They both blinked in surprise.
Felicity composed her features instantly. "Good morning. How was your night?" she asked.
"Terrible. I barely got any sleep," Scar said flatly, his eyes scanning her face.
"Well, that's too bad," Felicity replied, her authoritative tone returning. "Because either way, your training begins today. Get your morning routine done and meet me in the dining room in thirty minutes."
Scar raised a brow. "Why? What's going on?" he asked.
"You'll be having your first drill," Felicity said, turning to leave. "And I'll be the one taking you."
Scar exhaled sharply as she walked away. He headed straight to the training room, grinding through his lifting, push-up, and sit-up quests, pushing his body until his muscles burned.
[Objective 2 Complete: Lift a total of 100 kilograms]
[You have received: 5 EXP, +2 Strength, +2.5 Stamina
[Objective 3 Complete: Do ten pushups and twenty sit-ups]
[You have received: 10 EXP, +5 Durability, +2.5 Stamina]
[Exp: 945/1000]
[Strength: 27 >> 29
[Durability: 50 >> 55
[Stamina: 110 >> 115]
Thirty minutes later, Scar walked into the dining room. Felicity was already seated, elegantly digging into a light breakfast of toast, eggs, and orange juice.
Scar dropped into the seat opposite her, and they began to eat in a heavy, stretched silence.
A few minutes later, Emily walked in. She was drenched in sweat from a rigorous outdoor jog and immediately pulled out a chair, taking her seat.
"Nice of you to finally join us," Felicity remarked without looking up.
"I'm just hungry," Emily muttered, grabbing a plate. "Don't expect to see me here often."
Felicity chuckled softly but didn't say anything.
Emily put some food on her plate but didn't start eating immediately. Instead, she locked her gaze onto Scar. It wasn't a casual look; it was a piercing, venomous stare that threatened to bore holes through his skull.
Scar set his fork down, leaning back in his chair. "I can feel your eyes literally piercing through my soul, Emily." He said, looking up at her.
Emily chuckled darkly, her jaw tightening. "Can you blame me? After all, you tried to kill me once. How can I be sure you won't turn homicidal again and go full psycho on us?"
Scar's eyes darkened, a cold smile playing on his lips. "You can't be sure. Which is why you better watch how you speak to me."
Instantly, the temperature in the dining room plummeted. The ambient light seemed to dim as Emily's expression went completely vacant of warmth. "Is that a threat?"
"Maybe," Scar murmured, not backing down.
Emily didn't reply. She didn't stand up. She didn't even seem to move.
Instead, her shoulder twitched. And in the next microsecond, she vanished from her seat and appeared in front of him.
Scar's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't seen her move. One moment she was sitting across the table, and the next, she was directly in front of him, her fist already hurtling toward his face.
He saw it coming, but his body couldn't react. It was too fast. It bypassed his reflexes entirely. Even if he activated Accelerated Perception, he wouldn't still be able to evade or block in time. He was completely helpless. All he could do was watch as the blow fly toward his nose.
"Emily. Stop."
Felicity's voice rang out from where she sat. It wasn't a yell. It was just a calm, incredibly tired command.
Emily's fist froze exactly one inch from Scar's nose.
FWAAAHP.
The kinetic force of the interrupted strike caused a massive displacement of air that washed over Scar's face like a localized hurricane. The pressure forced his hair back, rattling the chair beneath him, and a sharp, thin cut sliced open on his right cheek, a drop of blood rolling down his jaw.
Scar's pupils dilated. She hadn't even touched him. It was the mere air pressure of her punch that had cut him. If that blow had landed, it would have fractured his skull. He realized just how badly he had underestimated her. The day they sparred, she had been holding back an ocean of power. He'd won only because of his wits and tricks.
"Go back to your seat," Felicity commanded, her voice dropping an octave.
Emily held Scar's gaze for a second before slowly pulling her fist back. "You're lucky mom stopped me in time," she hissed. "Just because you bested me once using tricks doesn't mean you can do it again. I held back that day out of guilt for hurting you the first time, and fear of doing it again. I will never make that mistake a second time."
"Emily," Felicity called out warningly.
Emily gritted her teeth and marched back to her seat.
Felicity stood up, walking over to Scar. With a flick of her fingers, a sterile, damp cloth materialized out of thin air. She caught it, gently lifting Scar's chin to wipe the blood away. But as she touched his cheek, the laceration was already knitting itself back together, leaving smooth skin.
She raised an eyebrow, a small smile appearing. "Wow. You have an impressive healing speed."
But Scar didn't answer. His heart was still hammering against his ribs, his mind racing with the realization of how close he had just come to losing his head.
Felicity turned her gaze to Emily, her brow furrowing deeply. "You know you will be punished for this, right? Attacking your brother in my presence is not only rude, but also reckless. What if you had hurt him really bad? Have you learned nothing?"
"He was being rude!" Emily defended, her voice cracking with frustration. "I had to—"
"I don't want to hear it," Felicity silenced her with a sharp gesture. "I thought we had cleared the air. I already explained to you that the one that tried to kill you is gone. Why did you have to bring it up again?"
"Because I don't believe he's gone!" Emily snapped, turning her sharp gaze to Scar. "I can tell by the look on his face. He's the one who tried to kill me."
"Of course it's his face, Emily," Felicity countered, her tone strictly logical. "It is a single physical body housing multiple distinct personalities. You are letting your paranoia speak for you."
"I'm not talking about his face," Emily insisted, shaking her head. "I'm talking about his eyes. Look at his eyes, mom! Look at his expression, his entire attitude. He has the exact same dangerous presence as that psycho. It's him!"
"Enough," Felicity cut her off completely, her aura flaring just enough to make the walls hum. "You will stop this nonsense immediately. And you will get along with your brother, or I will personally kick you out of this house."
Emily gasped, her face draining of color. "What? You... you can't do that." she said in disbelief.
"I can, and I will," Felicity stated coldly. Then she turned her eyes back to Scar. "And that goes for you too, Mister."
Scar raised his hands slightly, his tone carefully neutral. "But I didn't even do anything." He protested.
"Be nice to your sister," Felicity commanded. "You must both get along. Or else you will both be kicked out. There will be no more fighting in this house. Am I clear?"
"Yes," Scar muttered.
"Yes," Emily whispered, looking down at her plate.
"Good." Felicity sat back down, and the rest of the breakfast was finished in an oppressive, unyielding silence.
As Emily finished her plate, her temper finally cooling, she looked up at her mother. "I'm sorry, mom. For how I acted earlier. It was foolish of me."
Felicity took a sip of her juice. "There's one more person in this room who deserves an apology." she said calmly.
Emily glanced at Scar, her expression twisting into pure disdain. "Over my dead body," she replied sharply. "The fact that I didn't crush his face is apology enough." Then she stood up, shoved her chair back, and stormed out of the dining hall.
Felicity let out a long, weary sigh, turning to look at Scar. "I apologize for her behavior, Roy. She is... going through some things. Things she refuses to share. I suppose that is just the chaotic nature of transitioning to adulthood."
Scar lowered his gaze, his voice calm. "I'm not upset. It's my fault, really. I shouldn't have provoked her." He said softly.
Felicity tilted her head, her eyes wide with surprise. For a boy she knew to be fiercely defensive and calculated, this admission of fault was entirely unexpected. "Don't blame yourself, Roy. None of this was your fault. If anything, it's mine for not controlling the situation before it escalated. I believe you two will get along eventually. It's just a matter of time."
Scar offered a single nod.
Felicity stood up, smoothing down her attire. "Alright. Let's get moving. We have a massive schedule ahead of us."
Scar finished his food and followed her out of the dining hall. They walked out through the massive front doors of the estate. The moment their boots hit the exterior courtyard, a dozen heavily armed guards and transport staff converged on them, tablet logs in hand.
"Lady Myers, the armored convoy is prepped. The aerial escorts are on standby for your departure," the head of security announced.
Felicity waved a dismissive hand. "Cancel the vehicles. I'm just going out for a morning jog with my son. We won't be needing any security today."
The guards blinked in surprise but immediately bowed. "O-Okay, ma'am. Understood." He said, signaling the rest of the team to stand down.
Then, the massive iron gates of the estate groaned open, allowing Felicity and Scar to step out onto the quiet street. As they walked off the pavement, Scar glanced around the empty road. "Where exactly are we going?" he asked.
Felicity stopped, a sharp, knowing smirk carving into her features. "You're about to find out." she chuckled.
Scar raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Huh?" he murmured, confused.
"Try to keep up," Felicity said. Then—
BOOM.
She exploded into motion, dashing away. An intense atmospheric displacement tore through the street. The asphalt beneath her heels cracked, a violent wave of compressed wind blasting outward, shaking the surrounding trees and sending clouds of dried leaves swirling into the air.
Within seconds, she was completely gone. Out of sight.
Scar stood in the center of the settling dust, completely stunned. There were no afterimages. There was no fading silhouette. She had traveled so fast that his human eyes couldn't register a single frame of her trajectory. And she expected him to follow?
How the hell was he supposed to do that?
Then, his mind clicked. The Eye of Horus skill possessed a feature that allowed him to sense the energy of living beings.
Without wasting any time, he activated the skill and focused his will on using the energy reading function.
Instantly, the world shifted. The ambient energy of the city revealed itself, but more importantly, he saw it: a faint, ethereal line of blue dust hanging suspended in the atmosphere, tracing the exact path Felicity had taken. It was her kinetic energy residue.
Scar exhaled sharply, dropping into a sprinter's stance, and bolted.
He locked his speed at a moderate 350 Km/hr, balancing his stamina drain as he chased the blue ribbon of energy. He tore past the city park, hearing the familiar chime of his System confirming his daily running quest, but he didn't slow down. He pushed deeper into the metropolis, navigating the sprawling, futuristic streets. It was an easy run; the massive roads were largely clear of traffic, as most vehicles either utilized the elevated magnetic skyways or flew via hover tech above the buildings.
For five straight minutes, he maintained his acceleration, weaving past towering skyscrapers and sprawling commercial sectors, until the blue trail abruptly stopped in front of a massive, five-story building. The architecture was minimalist and elegant, looking like an advanced research facility.
Scar skidded to a halt, his feet leaving dark rubber streaks on the pavement.
Felicity was leaning casually against the polished glass of the entrance, her arms crossed, completely devoid of a single drop of sweat. She checked a non-existent watch on her wrist, a teasing chuckle escaping her. "What took you so long? I've been standing here for five minutes." She said.
Scar hunched over slightly, heaving a deep breath. "Well... it's not like you gave me a heads-up before suddenly taking off."
Felicity smiled knowingly. "I'll consider that next time," she said, her eyes crinkling.
Scar grumbled, looking up at the imposing structure. "Is this the place?" He asked.
"Yes, it is," Felicity said, turning to face the doors. She beckoned him forward. "Come on."
The glass doors parted, revealing a massive lobby that immediately confused Scar. It felt like a bizarre hybrid of a high-end gym and a corporate headquarters. Giant digital posters of running figures adorned the walls, interspersed with advertisements for cutting-edge sneakers and energy drinks.
Felicity led him into a private elevator capsule at the back. The elevator rose silently, stopping at the second floor with a soft chime.
When the doors slid open, Scar stepped out and immediately froze, his eyes wide as he marveled at the sheer scale of the room. The entire floor had been hollowed out into a single, massive athletic sanctuary.
Rows of high-tech control consoles lined the steel walls, monitoring massive treadmills that looked more like aerospace testing rigs than exercise equipment. Across the floor sat advanced virtual reality immersion pods, futuristic gaming decks, and a fully stocked bar lined with rows of energy drinks and stamina-recovery serums. It was a facility engineered solely for the elite.
"Is this... some kind of gym?" Scar asked, his voice echoing slightly in the massive space.
Felicity turned to face him, a proud smile illuminating her face. "Yes, it is," she said softly. "Welcome to the Speednasium. A gym built specifically for speedsters."