Morning sunlight spilled through the curtains as Amari stirred awake. The house was quiet, but not empty—he could already hear faint voices in the distance. When he padded into the hall, he found his mother, father, and grandfather already awake.
Crystal smiled warmly. "Good morning, Amari. Go wake your brother, will you? Breakfast is ready."
Amari nodded, making his way to Daniel's room. He nudged him awake with a grin. "Hey, get up. Breakfast."
Daniel groaned, then sat up. "Alright, alright, I'm coming."
The two walked side by side to the kitchen, where the whole family—along with Vandel—was already gathered at the long dining table. They joined in, the smell of eggs and bread filling the air.
But as Amari chewed his food, a thought pressed against his mind. He finally blurted it out.
"Mom, Dad… why didn't you just keep me with you? Why hide me in that village instead of protecting me yourselves?"
Jack set down his fork, his expression heavy. "It was too risky. Anything could've happened. We could've been too weak. We could've been outnumbered. And if they captured us, who would've been there to protect you and Daniel? They wouldn't have stopped with one of you—they would've killed you both."
Amari's hands tightened into fists. "But aren't all of you together strong enough?"
Crystal shook her head gently. "We are strong, Amari. But strength doesn't erase risk. Even if we fought with everything we had… what if it still wasn't enough?"
Amari lowered his gaze. "I see… but that's exactly why I need to learn how to use my powers. I already know a little—I can fire beams from my hands. But my eyes… I don't even know what they can do yet."
Ruko leaned forward, eyes sharp. "Well, boy, then it's time for training."
Daniel's lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Finally. You're gonna spar with me."
Amari's face lit up. "Really? I want to see what you've got."
Daniel chuckled. "And I want to see what you've got."
They finished their meal quickly, and soon the family led Amari out into the backyard. His eyes widened—the yard wasn't a simple patch of grass. It stretched out like a field, acres of land rolling down the mountain's slope.
"This is… huge," Amari whispered.
Jack crossed his arms. "Big enough for training. Now—begin."
Amari and Daniel faced each other, standing only a few paces apart. The moment their father's voice rang out—"Start!"—Amari charged forward.
But Daniel vanished from sight. In a flash, he appeared at Amari's side, his fist slamming into his ribs. The impact sent Amari flying across the grass. He coughed, clutching his side, but stood back up, determination burning in his chest.
"Again!" he shouted, charging forward. He threw a punch, but Daniel blurred to the side. Blow after blow rained into Amari's body, quick and merciless.
"Enough," Crystal called sharply.
Daniel immediately stopped, jogging toward his brother and offering him a hand. "You okay? I didn't mean to go that hard. I just… wanted to see what you're capable of." His grin softened. "You've got real potential, Amari. Even if we can't see it yet, I know it's there."
"Thanks," Amari panted, gripping his brother's hand.
Ruko strode forward, his presence commanding. "Listen well, Amari. To unlock your strength, you need to control it, not fear it. Focus—and don't panic."
Amari nodded, repeating the words in his head.
He went to his father next. Jack placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Concentrate. Fuel it with your fire. Don't run from your rage—channel it."
Crystal stepped up, her voice gentle but firm. "Let it flow. Don't force it. Let your body guide the energy."
Finally, Amari turned to Daniel. "What about you?"
Daniel shrugged casually. "Just do it."
Amari blinked. "What does that even mean?"
Daniel smirked. "It comes naturally to me. It'll come to you too. You just gotta stop overthinking."
Amari sighed. "Easy for you to say. You've been training your whole life. I only found out about my powers three weeks ago."
"True, true," Daniel said with a laugh.
They lined up once again. Amari closed his eyes, remembering each piece of advice. Focus. Don't panic. Concentrate. Fuel it with rage. Let it flow… Just do it.
His heartbeat quickened. His palms tingled. He opened his eyes, glaring at Daniel, and thrust out his hands.
A green blast of energy exploded from his palms, shooting straight into his brother's chest. Daniel was flung backward across the yard, crashing into the dirt.
"Daniel!" Amari sprinted over in panic.
His brother coughed, then sat up with a grin. "I'm fine. Just a scratch. But wow—that actually hurt. You've got real power there, Amari. With training… it could be unstoppable."
Amari stared at his hands, trembling. "I… I did it."
Jack, Crystal, and Ruko exchanged proud smiles.
"You've taken your first step," Ruko said firmly. "But don't get ahead of yourself. Master your power first—only then will we turn to your eyes. Once you control your strength… then we'll see what those eyes of yours can truly do."
Amari nodded, determination blazing within him. "Then I'll train until I can master it."
That evening, Crystal prepared a feast—steak, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, and warm bread. The family laughed and ate together, the warmth of home filling Amari's chest.
Later, belly full and body sore, Amari collapsed into bed. Sleep claimed him quickly, carrying with it a single thought:
This is only the beginning.