The sister stars lazily rose on the horizon, their golden rays penetrating the morning mist that hung over the village of Virtin. In the Lefebvre house, Kvolt was already awake, his small, lean body moving with a grace and precision that belied his age of five years.

Under Aurora's silent guidance, Kvolt began his daily exercise routine. First, stretches - arms extended to the sky, legs apart, muscles tense and then relaxed. Each movement was calculated, designed to maximize flexibility and minimize the risk of injury.

"Keep your spine straight, Kvolt," Aurora instructed in his mind. "Breathe deeply, feel the oxygen filling your lungs and energizing your cells."

Kvolt obeyed, finding a comfortable rhythm. Inside him, he could feel his mana responding, flowing through his Manantic Vessels in sync with his breathing.

Next came the strength exercises. Squats, push-ups, planks - movements carefully chosen by Aurora to strengthen muscles without overloading Kvolt's still-developing skeleton. He could feel the lactic acid burning, but he welcomed the pain, knowing it was a sign of growth.

"Remember, Kvolt," Aurora said, "pain is temporary. Progress is permanent."

After the physical exercises, it was time to train his magic. Kvolt sat in a lotus position, closing his eyes and turning his attention inward. He visualized his mana as a river, running through his body, searching for areas of blockage or stagnation.

"There's a slight congestion in your lower Manantic Plexus," Aurora observed. "Focus on that area, use your intention to smooth and redirect the flow."

Kvolt frowned in concentration, imagining the mana moving smoothly through the problematic area. Gradually, he felt the tension dissolve, the energy flowing freely once again.

Satisfied, Kvolt opened his eyes and stood up, ready to begin his elemental practice. He started with what he called Terrakinesis, trying to shape and move small stones and mounds of earth with his will. It was a slow and laborious process, requiring immense concentration and precise control.

"Well done, Kvolt," Aurora praised when he managed to lift several stones a few meters off the ground before dropping them.

Kvolt nodded, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

After an hour of meditation and mana circulation exercises, Kvolt stood up, his body buzzing with magical and physical energy. He was about to leave for his morning run when the sound of footsteps made him stop.

Turning around, he saw Henry approaching, an expression of surprise on his face. "Kvolt? What are you doing out here so early?"

"Good morning," Kvolt greeted, his voice still a little breathless from the effort. The boy shrugged, looking away. "Just training."

"Training what, exactly?"

Kvolt hesitated. He couldn't very well tell the man he was practicing magic. "Just... exercises. To get stronger. Like you, Henry."

Henry frowned slightly at hearing his son call him by name again, but he didn't comment on it.

Then he raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. He studied his son for a moment, noting the upright posture and controlled breathing. "I see. Well, since we're both here, how about we train together? I can show you some new sword moves."

Kvolt's eyes widened with interest. "Yes, of course."

Despite his reservations, he had to admit that he enjoyed spending time with Henry. The man was a source of knowledge and skill, and Kvolt absorbed every crumb of information he could.

Father and son grabbed their wooden swords and began exchanging blows and thrusts at a moderate pace. Kvolt focused on applying the principles that Aurora had distilled from Henry's previous demonstrations - feet planted firmly, flexible wrist, economical movements.

"Your angle of attack is 0.7 degrees off the ideal," Aurora commented during a particularly fast exchange. "Adjust your elbow 2 centimeters inward on the next thrust."

Kvolt did as instructed and was rewarded with a clean blow that passed through Henry's guard and hit his chest. The older man blinked in surprise, then let out a laugh.

"Good hit, Kvolt! You're picking it up very quickly."

After an intense session of sparring, Henry paused, looking at his son with an enigmatic smile. "Kvolt, there's something I want to teach you today. Something that goes beyond mere sword technique."

Kvolt tilted his head, intrigued. "What is it, Henry?"

Henry sat down on the grass, indicating for Kvolt to do the same. "When I was young, not much older than you, my mentor taught me about an internal energy that we all possess. He called it Vitalis."

"You see, Kvolt, not all of us are born with the gift of magic," Henry continued. "We can't cast spells like the Gifted ones. But what we can do is strengthen our bodies, increase our physical abilities beyond normal human limits."

Henry stood up and walked to a nearby tree. With a quick movement, he unleashed a powerful punch against the trunk. The wood cracked under the impact, splinters flying in all directions. The tree shook, its leaves rustling with the force of the blow.

Kvolt's mind soon began to spin... so there was something beyond magic? This implied that Kvolt had one more thing to ponder. A smile formed on his lips.

"This is just a sample of what Vitalis can do," said Henry, returning to Kvolt's side. "My mentor taught me about the different stages of Vitalis mastery, known as Tiers."

He raised a finger. "The first stage is Vital Dormancy. It's where most people and living beings are, without awareness of the energy within them."

A second finger joined the first. "Then comes Vital Awakening. It's when you start tuning into your Vitalis, using it for subtle enhancements in strength, speed, and endurance."

Henry raised a third finger. "The next stage is Vital Flourishing. At this point, your physical abilities start transcending normal human limits. You become truly superhuman."

Henry then grinned. "There are levels above, but my mentor never told me, because I was never a disciplined student." He finished by scratching his head.

"What about the gifted?" Kvolt asked suddenly. "Can they use Vitalis too?" His interest was growing and if he, as a gifted one, could use this so-called Vitalis, who knows what he could achieve.

Moreover, Kvolt was anxious to leave this house, the nearest village seemed a bit far away... he wanted to understand how humans organized themselves and where to find the mages, he had to determine whether their method was efficient or not.

Henry paused, pondering the question. "To be honest, son, I've never heard of a mage or gifted who could harness Vitalis. It seems their magical gifts are incompatible with vital energy in the way that we Vitalists use it."

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Kvolt listened attentively. "And at what stage are you, Dad?"

Henry smiled sheepishly. "Me? I'm only at the first stage, Vital Awakening. My mentor tried to take me further, but..." He sighed, a touch of remorse on his face. "I stopped practicing after I met your mother. The training was too intense, it demanded a lot of time and dedication. And I wanted to be there for Lisai, to build a life with her."

He shook his head. "My mentor was disappointed. He said I had a lot of potential, that I was progressing faster than any other student he'd ever had. But I don't regret my choice."

Despite his words, Kvolt could see the expression of regret in his father's wrinkles, a glimpse of the warrior he could have become.

Kvolt remembers that Henry said he lived thirty springs, indicating that the man was around thirty years old. His mother was a little more reserved, but Henry once let slip that she had only lived three springs less than him. But this indicated that Henry fell in love with Lisai at a tender age, who knows what he could have become if he hadn't fallen for the fascination of love...

"Henry's description of Vitalis aligns with my observations of your second bioenergetic system. This low-frequency system seems to be involved in cellular revitalization and repair."

Aurora paused with contemplation. "However, I need more data to fully understand its functions and potentials. Currently, it seems to be largely dormant in you, Kvolt, only activating sporadically. I will continue to monitor and analyze."

Henry must have noticed Kvolt's expression, for he placed a firm hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hey, don't rush it. Mastering Vitalis takes time and dedication. It's a gradual process of tuning and strengthening."

He gave a reassuring squeeze. "But I think you have potential, Kvolt. I've seen the way you move, the speed at which you learn. One day, I will start teaching you the ways of the Vitalist."

Kvolt looked at his father, a slow smile spreading across his face. "When can we start?"

Henry laughed, ruffling Kvolt's hair. "Patience, son. One thing at a time. For now, let's get back to practicing with the sword, you still need to understand the fundamentals. But soon, very soon, I'll show you the secrets of Vitalis."

Henry then gave a broad smile. "Enough theory and let's get back to practice."

Kvolt nodded in confirmation. Deep down, he wanted to force the man to tell him what this Vitalis was. His mind not accepting being left in the dark, but he took a deep breath and stood up with his sword in a firm stance.

Outside the fence, Lisai watched the two play with an affectionate smile, but also with a touch of melancholy. It was wonderful to see father and son growing closer, but part of her wished that Kvolt was less intense in his training and more like a normal child his age. Kvolt, already five years old, was too intense for a common little boy.

Beside her, Nessa cheered happily. "Go, little brother! Show him! Uh, I mean... go, daddy! You can do it!" The girl hopped from one foot to the other, clearly torn between her loyalty to her brother and her father.

Lisai could see a glimmer of sadness in her daughter's eyes, a thinly veiled desire to join in the play. But with her missing arm and compromised balance, Nessa knew she would never be able to wield a sword like them. She contented herself with cheering from the sidelines, her joy tinged by the harsh reality of her limitations.

As Kvolt fought, he found himself lost in the flow of combat. His body moved almost on its own and he began to feel a familiar sensation spread through his body - an electric tingling that seemed to originate from his own blood. His veins seemed to buzz with energy, each heartbeat sending a new wave of raw power through his limbs.

It was the same sensation he had experienced during his fight with the plant creature - a fury that threatened to consume his reason.

"Aurora," he called silently, his mental voice tense. "It's happening again. That feeling..."

The AI responded instantly. "I'm detecting abnormal fluctuations in your mana flow, Kvolt. It seems to be accumulating in your Plexus, overflowing into your peripheral Manantic Vessels."

Kvolt could feel it - the energy building up in his chest, bubbling and boiling like a geyser about to explode. Each strike of his sword only intensified the pressure, until he felt as if he would shatter with the tension.

"Your adrenaline and norepinephrine levels are critical," Aurora continued, her voice accelerating. "And I'm registering a sharp increase in the activity of your adrenal glands. Your body is entering a state of extreme arousal."

In a moment of pure instinct, Kvolt twisted his wrist in a way that he had never been taught, twisting his sword in a seemingly unlikely manner. The wooden blade passed through Henry's guard, stopping mere centimeters from his throat.

They froze, eyes wide and breathing heavily. A stunned silence hung between them, charged with astonishment.

"Kvolt..." Henry began, his voice a hoarse whisper. "What... how did you do that?"

He blinked, coming out of his trance. He looked at his own hand as if seeing it for the first time, frightened by what his body had done apparently without his conscious permission.

"I... I don't know," he stammered. "I just... did it."

"Kvolt, be careful!" Aurora suddenly interrupted, her voice urgent in his mind. "I'm detecting an abnormal spike in your mana. You need to calm down now, or there could be an uncontrolled release!"

Kvolt swallowed hard, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He focused on the plexus, his inner core, visualizing the swirl of energy there and imposing his will upon it, forcing it to calm down.

Slowly, the tingling sensation under his skin subsided, the mana returning to its regular flow. Kvolt let out a shaky sigh, suddenly exhausted by the effort of containing his own power.

Henry was still staring at him with concern and caution, as if he wasn't sure what he had just witnessed. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, a voice interrupted him.

"Henry! There you are, you old bastard!"

They both turned to see a man approaching the gate, a broad, friendly smile on his tanned face. He was tall and muscular, with dark hair and brown eyes. He wore armor similar to Henry's, marking him as a member of the Virtin guard.

Henry blinked, momentarily stunned by the interruption. Then he smiled, but it was a tense smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Gregory! What a pleasant surprise. What brings you here so early?"

Gregory shrugged, his smile never wavering. "Oh, I was just passing by and thought I'd say hello. Besides, I have an important matter to discuss with you. Something that could be very lucrative for both of us if you're interested."

Henry frowned, uncertainty passing over his face. He glanced at Kvolt, who was watching the interaction with curious eyes. "Ah, all right... let's talk inside then. Kvolt, why don't you go play with your sister for a while?"

Kvolt nodded, recognizing the dismissal. He placed the sword in its small sheath and headed to where Nessa was waiting, casting one last look over his shoulder at the two men before walking away.

Lisai watched the boy approach, torn between relief that he was no longer playing with weapons and concern over what might have brought Gregory to their home.

Meanwhile, Henry led his fellow guard into the house, his shoulders burdened with apprehension. He indicated a chair for Gregory, serving them a drink before sitting across from him.

"So," Henry began cautiously, "what's this business you were talking about?"

Gregory took a long swig of his drink, his eyes never leaving Henry. "Straight to the point, as always. That's what I like about you, Henry. No beating around the bush."

He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Listen, I have a scheme with some men for the transport of Elun. They're willing to pay us a good sum to escort the merchandise safely across the city borders."

Henry paled, his eyes widening. "Elun? Are you serious, Gregory? That drug is strictly prohibited in Arcanis! If we were caught, we'd be hanged in the squares!"

Gregory nodded, unfazed. "That's the beauty of it, my friend. We're not going to get caught. With your skill and my meticulous planning, we can do this without leaving a trace. Think of the cash we could make!"

Henry shook his head, his stomach churning. "No, Gregory. This is madness. I have a family to support, I can't risk it like that. Find someone else for your scheme."

Gregory sighed, leaning back in his chair. "You're not seeing the big picture, Henry. With the money we'd make from this, you could finally give your family the life they deserve. No more worrying about putting food on the table, no more patching up worn clothes until there's no cloth left. Don't you want that for them?"

Henry hesitated, his friend's words striking a nerve. He thought of Lisai, working tirelessly to keep the house in order. Of Nessa, growing up with so few prospects due to her disability. And of Kvolt, his strange and brilliant son, who deserved so many opportunities that Henry couldn't give.

He shook his head again, but with less conviction this time. "I... I don't know, Gregory. It's too risky..."

Gregory leaned in even further, his gaze intense. "Think about it, Henry. This may be your only chance to change your life. And I need you in on this - you're the most skilled in the garrison, one of the few I would trust for such a delicate operation."

He stood up, placing a hand on Henry's shoulder. "I'll give you some time to think. But don't take too long - an opportunity like this won't last forever."

With that, Gregory headed for the door, leaving Henry sitting there with his turbulent thoughts. The guard ran a trembling hand over his face, feeling the weight of an impossible choice on his shoulders.

He knew Gregory was right - the money from a job like this could change everything for his family. But at what cost? Could he really risk everything, his life, his freedom, for a chance at a better life?

Henry thought of Kvolt, of his undeniable potential. The boy was special, anyone could see that. He deserved more than a life of poverty and struggle in a forgotten village.

But if Henry were caught, if he left his children without a father... He was the one who provided for them.

Henry let out a shaky sigh, burying his face in his hands. There were no easy answers, no clear solutions. Only the grim certainty that, no matter what he chose, he might regret it.