“Huaaahm…” I yawn, perhaps for the hundredth time. The exhaustion weighs heavily. When was the last time I slept properly? The days and nights have blurred together in a haze of worry and strategizing. With the escalating chaos in Aruta’s world and my brother’s increasingly troublesome schemes, I’ve had no choice but to push my mind to its limits, forcing it to conjure plans, strategies, and contingencies. And now, as if we didn’t have enough to contend with, this mysterious girl appears, adding yet another layer of complexity to our already tangled web of problems.

I turn my gaze to the window, my reflection ghostly in the glass. The moon hangs low and heavy in the sky, its surface a deep, pulsing red that bathes my small room in an otherworldly glow. A cool breeze whispers through the open window, gently tousling my twintails. The familiar sensation grounds me, a small comfort amidst the whirlwind of thoughts and theories swirling in my mind.

image [https://i.imgur.com/eEzbnJb.jpeg]

My thoughts invariably return to the girl – Spica, as they’ve named her. I’ve been scouring the depths of my knowledge, searching for any possible explanation for her sudden appearance. But amidst all the speculation and conjecture, only one clue stands out, and it’s the strangest of all.

“Her spiritual image is similar to Aruta’s…” I mutter to myself, the words hanging in the air like a riddle waiting to be solved.

Could this similarity be the reason she’s so drawn to Aruta? Is there something hidden within her, some latent power or connection that eludes even my perceptive gaze? The questions multiply, each one branching into a dozen more, until my head throbs with the effort of containing them all.

After what feels like hours of fruitless pondering, I push myself up from my seat with a determined huff. I grab my coat – a delicate thing woven from shimmersilk and moonbeam threads – and shrug it on as I make my way out of my small house. The cool night air nips at my exposed skin, a sharp contrast to the warmth of my troubled thoughts.

I need help to unravel this mystery, and I know just who to turn to.

As I approach my destination, an acrid smell assaults my senses, a pungent mixture of burnt sugar and something distinctly… magical. Taking a deep breath, I raise my fist and knock.

The response is immediate and chaotic. From within, I hear a cacophony of sounds – glass shattering, metal clanging against metal, and the distinctive thud of heavy objects hitting the floor. I wince at each crash, imagining the mess that’s surely accumulating inside. After what feels like an eternity, the door creaks open, revealing a familiar face framed by wild, unkempt hair.

Lucil peers out at me, her white coat adorned with fresh burn marks and suspicious stains. Her eyes, wide and slightly manic, betray a mix of surprise and nervous energy.

“Hey, Saria! Long time no see!” she chirps, her voice a touch too high. “What brings you to my humble abode at this hour?”

I crane my neck, trying to catch a glimpse of the interior, but the darkness beyond the doorway reveals nothing. “Hello, Lucil,” I reply, my tone measured. “I smell something… interesting coming from inside. What exactly are you up to in there?”

Lucil’s smile turns sheepish, a hand rising to scratch at the back of her head. “Oh, don’t worry about that. Nothing important, I assure you.”

I raise an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Experimenting with new potions again, I take it?”

“Well… yeah,” she admits with a nervous chuckle. “But I promise, it’s all environmentally friendly this time!”

I can’t help but sigh. Lucil’s obsession with potion-making is both admirable and concerning, often in equal measure. But her ability, erratic as it may be, is exactly what I need right now.

“Anyway,” I say, steering the conversation back on track, “I didn’t come here to discuss your latest concoctions. I need your help with something.”

Lucil’s demeanor shifts, curiosity replacing her nervous energy. “Oh? What kind of help?”

I meet her gaze, my expression grave. The weight of my concerns, the urgency of our situation, all of it crystalizes in this moment.

“The magical beings examination kind”

“Ready to eat dirt, Aruta?” Kai grins, his body already starting to emit a faint, pulsing aura.

I can’t help but smirk back. “Big talk for someone who’s about to be seeing stars, Kai.”

As the early morning sun peeks over the horizon, I find myself standing in the middle of the ADF’s training grounds, facing off against Kai. The air crackles with anticipation, a mixture of excitement and nervousness coursing through my veins. It’s been a while since we’ve had a proper sparring session, and I’m eager to test the limits of my abilities.

From the sidelines, I hear Rishia’s exasperated sigh. “Boys, please. Can we just get on with it?”

With a shared nod, Kai and I spring into action. He moves first, his gravity manipulation kicking in as he launches himself skyward with startling speed. I track his movement, my own power thrumming beneath my skin, ready to be unleashed.

Kai’s attack comes from above, a downward punch enhanced by his increased mass. I sidestep at the last second, feeling the rush of air as his fist impacts the ground where I stood moments ago, leaving a small crater.

“Too slow!” I taunt, firing off a series of light arrows in rapid succession.

Kai grins, altering gravity around him to curve the arrows away. “You’ll have to do better than that!”

The fight continues, a dizzying dance of light and gravity. Kai sends debris flying at me, manipulating their weight to turn pebbles into projectiles. I counter with light barriers, the stones bouncing off harmlessly.

As we trade blows, I can feel something building within me. It’s a sensation I’ve experienced before, but never fully understood – a resonance with Kai’s power. With each gravity-enhanced attack he throws my way, I feel a corresponding pulse within my own energy.

I remembered something. “You have the ability to resonate with other Ornaments, enabling you to utilize their powers or even enhance them with your own attribute,” Saria’s words from the day after we fought Belzad play in my mind. I’ve resonated with other Ornaments many times before, maybe it's time to try out my other ability.

As Kai prepares for another assault, I focus intently. I reach out with my own energy, not to counter his, but to harmonize with it. The effect is immediate and startling.

Kai’s eyes widen in surprise as his gravity field suddenly intensifies, far beyond what he intended. He struggles to maintain control as his own increased mass pulls him downward.

Seizing the opportunity, I channel my light energy into the amplified gravity field. The result is spectacular – a dazzling display of luminescent force that surrounds Kai, pinning him to the ground.

“What the-“ Kai gasps, struggling against the combined power.

With a final push, I solidify the light construct, effectively immobilizing Kai. “Yield?” I ask, trying (and failing) to keep the smugness out of my voice.

Kai lets out a defeated chuckle. “Alright, alright. You got me. Mind letting me up now? The ground isn’t as comfortable as it looks.”

As I release the construct, applause erupts from our audience. Noarin, Rishia, Lyra, and Darius approach, with little Spica bouncing excitedly at their heels.

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“Papa strong!” Spica cheers, running up to hug my leg.

I scoop her up, grinning. “Thanks, sweetie. But Uncle Kai put up a good fight too.”

Kai dusts himself off, shaking his head in amazement. “Seriously though, that’s cheating! One moment I’m in control, the next it feels like I’m being crushed by a star.”

Lyra steps forward, her analytical mind already whirring. “It looked like you were amplifying Kai’s gravity manipulation, Aruta. And then combining it with your light powers. Fascinating.”

“Is that even possible?” Darius asks, his usually stoic face betraying a hint of awe.

Rishia nods. “Saria once mentioned that Absolute Resonator can enhance the attribute they resonated with, using their own attribute”

As the group continues to discuss the finer points of the match, we make our way to a shaded area where refreshments have been set up. Noarin hands me a bottle of water, her eyes shining with pride.

“That was impressive,” she says softly. “You’re getting stronger every day.”

I feel a warmth in my chest that has nothing to do with exertion. “Thanks. Couldn’t have done it without all of you pushing me.”

As we settle down, Spica nestled comfortably between Noarin and me, the conversation takes a more casual turn.

“So,” Rishia begins, a mischievous glint in her eye, “how’s domestic life treating you two? Enjoying playing house?”

I nearly choke on my water, while Noarin’s cheeks turn a delicate shade of pink.

“We’re not playing house,” I protest weakly. “We’re just… looking after Spica until we figure things out.”

Kai snorts. “Right. Because all friends decide to co-parent mysterious children that appear out of nowhere. Totally normal progression of a relationship.”

“Speaking of progression,” Lyra chimes in, her tone deceptively innocent, “don’t you think you two have skipped a few steps? I mean, usually there’s dating, maybe moving in together, then marriage, THEN children. You’ve gone and jumbled the whole order.”

Darius, usually the quiet one, surprises us all by joining in. “Perhaps they’re pioneers of a new relationship paradigm. Why follow societal norms when you can create your own?”

The group erupts into laughter, while Noarin and I exchange a look that’s equal parts embarrassment and amusement.

“You know,” Noarin says, a smile tugging at her lips, “when I imagined our future together, I didn’t quite picture it like this.”

“Oh?” I raise an eyebrow, my heart skipping a beat. “You’ve imagined our future together, have you?”

It's Noarin's turn to stumble over her words, much to everyone’s delight.

Spica, who has been quietly observing the exchange, suddenly pipes up. “Mama and Papa love!”

The simplicity and innocence of her statement silence us all for a moment, before a collective “Aww” ripples through the group.

“Well, can’t argue with that logic,” Kai chuckles. “Out of the mouths of babes, and all that.”

“Alright, alright,” I finally say, raising my hands in mock surrender. “Yes, we’ve done things a bit out of order. But when has anything in our lives been conventional?”

“He’s got a point,” Rishia concedes. “I suppose when you’re busy saving the world and unraveling cosmic mysteries, you can’t always follow the standard relationship timeline.”

The laughter from our group’s teasing about my unconventional family situation with Noarin and Spica was suddenly interrupted by a series of tremors. The ground beneath us shook, causing us all to stumble.

“What the-“ Kai started, but was cut off by Agent Chen’s urgent voice over the facility’s PA system.

“All Holders to the control room immediately! This is not a drill!”

We exchanged quick, worried glances before sprinting towards the main building. Noarin scooped up Spica, and I found myself reaching out to steady myself as another tremor hit.

Bursting into the control room, we were met with chaos. Agents rushed back and forth between monitors, their voices a cacophony of urgent reports and disbelief.

“What’s going on?” I demanded, my eyes scanning the room for answers.

Chen gestured us over to the main display. “See for yourself,” she said grimly.

My jaw dropped. On the screen, displayed from multiple angles by ADF security cameras, was a lion. But not just any lion – this beast was the size of a skyscraper, its massive paws crushing cars and toppling buildings as it rampaged through the city.

“Holy sh-“ Kai began, before catching himself with a glance at Spica.

“How is this possible?” Noarin asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Keller, who had been conferring with other agents, turned to us. “We believe it’s the work of a Holder,” he explained. “Likely someone with the ability to manipulate mass. They’ve somehow amplified this lion to gigantic proportions.”

“But why?” Lyra interjected. “What’s the point of causing such destruction?”

Darius, his usually calm demeanor strained, shook his head. “Does it matter right now? We need to stop that thing before it levels the entire city.”

I nodded, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on my shoulders. “He’s right. We can figure out the ‘why’ later. Right now, we need to focus on containing the threat and protecting civilians.”

Keller nodded approvingly. “Exactly. Here’s the plan: Aruta, Noarin, you’ll be on point to draw the lion’s attention. Kai and Rishia, I need you on evacuation support. Lyra, Darius, you handle crowd control. We need to minimize casualties at all costs.”

As we all nodded in understanding, I felt a tug on my pants. Looking down, I saw Spica, her eyes wide with worry. “Papa, be careful,” she said softly.

I knelt down, giving her a quick hug. “We will be, sweetie. You stay here where it’s safe, okay?”

With a final glance at Noarin, who gave me a determined nod, we raced out of the control room. As we emerged from the ADF building, the full scale of the destruction hit me. The once-familiar skyline was marred by toppled buildings and rising smoke. In the distance, the colossal lion let out a roar that shook the very air around us.

The ground trembled beneath my feet as we raced through the city streets. Ahead, looming over the skyline, stood the lion, its massive paws crushing cars and shattering windows with each step. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of adrenaline and fear coursing through me.

Keller’s voice crackled through our earpieces: “Remember, priority is minimizing civilian casualties. Aruta, Noarin, draw its attention. Kai, Rishia, evacuation support. Lyra, Darius, crowd control.”

As we neared the beast, I reached out with my power, trying to resonate with the Ornament controlling the lion. Nothing. An unsettling realization hit me. "Guys, I can't connect with the Ornament! It's not an Absolute candidate!"

"Worry about that later!" Noarin shouted beside me, her hands already wreathed in flames. "We need to stop this thing now!"

I nodded, pushing my concern aside and summon my bow. I start shooting my arrows at the lion's face, while Noarin sent a barrage of fireballs at its feet. The massive creature roared, more annoyed than hurt, but its attention was caught. Good, I thought. Focus on us, not the civilians.

The lion's enormous paw swiped at us, forcing Noarin and me to dive in opposite directions. I rolled to my feet, heart pounding. "Noarin!" I called out, relieved to see her already up and launching another volley of flames.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Kai and Rishia spring into action. Kai manipulated gravity to lift chunks of debris, clearing paths for fleeing civilians. "This way!" he shouted, guiding a group of terrified people to safety. Rishia's water whips lashed out, extinguishing fires and creating protective barriers around evacuation routes. They worked in perfect sync, and I felt a surge of pride in our team.

Suddenly, the lion lunged forward, its enormous jaws snapping at me. I barely managed to erect a light shield in time, the impact sending me skidding backward. My arms trembled from the force, and I gritted my teeth. This thing was strong.

"Aruta, duck!" Darius's voice cut through the chaos. I dropped to the ground just as a powerful gust of wind whipped over me, slamming into the lion's face. The beast shook its head, momentarily disoriented.

Seizing the opportunity, I formed a series of light bindings, aiming to entangle the lion's legs. "Lyra, now!" I shouted.

Lyra responded immediately, her face contorted with concentration as she manipulated the earth beneath the lion. The ground buckled and shifted, throwing the massive creature off balance. For a moment, I thought we had it.

But the lion roared in fury, its sheer strength shattering my light bindings. It stomped its foot, sending shockwaves through the ground that nearly knocked us all off our feet.

"We need to coordinate better!" Rishia yelled, her water shields barely holding against the lion's assault. "It's too strong for individual attacks!"

She was right. We needed to work together, to combine our powers somehow. An idea struck me. "Kai!" I called out. "Can you decrease its mass? Make it lighter?"

Kai nodded, sweat beading on his forehead as he focused his power. I could see the strain on his face as he battled against the Ornament's influence. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the lion's movements became less earth-shaking.

"Noarin, Darius!" I shouted. "Fire tornado, now!"

Understanding flashed in their eyes. Noarin's flames roared to life, encircling the lion, while Darius's winds whipped them into a frenzy. The fire tornado grew, lifting the now-lighter lion off its feet.

For a moment, elation surged through me. We were doing it! But then I saw Kai stumble, his face pale. "I can't... hold it..." he gasped.

The lion crashed back to the ground, the impact sending us all flying. I hit the pavement hard, the breath knocked out of me. As I struggled to my feet, I saw the others scattered around, all looking worse for wear.

"Lyra, look out!" I heard Rishia scream. My head snapped up to see Lyra, who had been trying to create an earthen barrier, directly in the path of the lion's descending paw. She was too far for me to reach, too far for my light to protect her.

Time seemed to slow as I watched, helpless, the lion's massive paw bearing down on my friend. I tried to summon my light, knowing it wouldn't reach in time. "No!" I shouted, desperation clawing at my throat.

And then, impossibly, a small figure darted past me. My heart stopped. Spica! What was she doing here?

Her eyes glowed with an otherworldly light as she placed herself between Lyra and the incoming attack. As the paw came down, the air shimmered around Spica. The ground beneath her feet hardened and rose, forming a dome of earth that caught the lion’s strike.

image [https://i.imgur.com/GCCFTB3.png]

The impact was tremendous, but the shield held. Spica stood unharmed, her tiny hands pressed against the earthen dome, which now bore the imprint of the lion’s paw. My mind reeled, trying to process what I’d just seen.

“She… she resonated with Lyra’s power…”