"Alright, enough chit-chat," Gerald finally intervened, his voice commanding. "What mediums have the both of you chosen?" he asked the girls.

"I chose a pair of throwing daggers," Lynn said, revealing the sleek, deadly weapons.

"I chose a couple of flying orbs," Tessa said, holding up the small, high-tech devices.

"Flying orbs?" Abigail asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Yes," Tessa answered. "Apparently, no one is quite sure if technologically advanced items can be used as mediums, so I figured I might as well give it a try."

"You're an interesting one, little girl," Abigail said with a chuckle. "I'm curious to see what the result will be."

With that, Tessa and Lynn sat down, placing their chosen mediums in their hands. The next step was to start infusing them with their Anima, attempting to transform them into true mediums. The room grew quiet as the girls closed their eyes, focusing intensely on the task ahead.

The air around them seemed to hum with energy as they began the delicate process, each breath drawing them closer to the completion of their ritual.

Tessa and Lynn settled down in the ritual chamber, the atmosphere thick with anticipation. The air buzzed with energy as they placed their chosen mediums in their hands, each girl focusing intently on the task before them.

Lynn closed her eyes, her breathing steady as she visualized the daggers in her mind's eye. She concentrated on the sensation of her Anima, drawing it forth from within and channeling it into the daggers. Slowly, she could feel the energy begin to flow, like a warm current spreading from her core into the cold steel of the weapons. The runes etched along the blades began to glow faintly, growing brighter with each passing moment as her Anima infused them with power.

Beside her, Tessa did the same with her flying orbs. She focused on the metallic spheres, willing them to become more than mere machines. As her Anima poured into the orbs, the soft azure light within them grew stronger, pulsing in rhythm with her heartbeat. The orbs seemed to hum with life, the fine lines on their surface beginning to glow as they absorbed the energy Tessa provided.

The room was silent, save for the faint hum of the orbs and the soft, rhythmic breathing of the two girls. Time seemed to stretch as they continued to pour their essence into their chosen mediums, the process demanding both mental and physical endurance. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, and their faces tightened with the strain of maintaining focus.

Minutes passed, and then the transformation began.

Lynn's daggers, once simple and sleek, now shimmered with an ethereal glow. The runes along the blades pulsed with a vibrant light, each symbol resonating with her Anima. The leather-wrapped handles seemed to tighten, becoming an extension of her grip, perfectly attuned to her hand. The daggers no longer felt like mere weapons; they were a part of her, forged anew by her will and energy.

Tessa's orbs, too, had changed. The azure light within them had intensified, now shining with a brilliance that illuminated the room. The orbs floated effortlessly above her palm, the lines on their surface glowing like veins coursing with life. They hummed with a quiet, yet powerful, energy, responding to her thoughts and emotions with an almost sentient awareness.

As the final pulses of Anima settled into their mediums, both girls were left gasping for breath, their energy completely drained. The process, though simple in theory, had taken every ounce of their strength. Lynn's hands trembled slightly as she grasped her newly-empowered daggers, feeling their weight as both a burden and a triumph. Tessa's orbs hovered gently above her open hands, a testament to her determination and the power she had infused them with.

"Remarkable," Abigail whispered, her eyes reflecting a mixture of pride and awe. "You both did wonderfully."

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Gerald nodded in agreement. "Indeed. You've successfully created your mediums, and they are now extensions of your very souls. But as you can see, the process is not without its cost."

Lynn and Tessa exchanged exhausted but triumphant smiles. They had passed this crucial step, but they knew the journey was far from over. The creation of their mediums had taken much from them, but it had also given them something in return—tools that would carry them through the challenges to come.

"Rest now," Gerald said gently. "You've earned it. The next steps will be just as demanding, but you've proven your strength today."

As the two girls slowly rose, their legs shaky from exhaustion, they felt a deep connection to their mediums. The daggers in Lynn's hands, now shimmering with latent power, and the hovering orbs in Tessa's, glowing with that strange azure light, were more than just objects—they were symbols of their resolve, of the path they had chosen to walk.

With Abigail and Gerald guiding them, Tessa and Lynn made their way out of the ritual chamber, the weight of their accomplishments sinking in. They had succeeded in creating their mediums, but the true test of their strength and resolve was yet to come.

The night had settled heavily over the city by the time Vas finally slipped through the door of his home. The house was silent, save for the soft hum of the air conditioning. He had arrived just in time to catch Jacob before he retired for the night. The weariness in Jacob's eyes was evident, a stark contrast to the lively energy of earlier.

"You sure you're alright, little bro?" Jacob's voice was laced with genuine concern as he looked Vas over.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Vas replied, though his voice carried a trace of fatigue. "Just drained."

Jacob's eyes narrowed slightly, a mixture of worry and curiosity etched on his face. "I'm surprised you went along with them, considering how things are with Beck."

Vas sighed, feeling the weight of his brother's scrutiny. "I know. But Grandpa insisted, and I didn't have much choice."

Jacob frowned, his brow furrowing. "That's unusual. Grandpa should know better than anyone the strained relationship you have with Beck and Aleara."

It was an open secret within the family that Beck and Aleara kept their distance from Vas. Beck, in particular, seemed to take a grim satisfaction in excluding him whenever possible. Jacob had long suspected that Beck's hostility wasn't merely a matter of following their father's example but stemmed from something more personal and insidious. The fact that Beck had extended an olive branch, albeit under their grandfather's influence, felt more like a trap than a gesture of goodwill.

"Well," Jacob said with a resigned sigh, "if you're alright, that's what matters."

"Thanks, big bro," Vas replied, his gratitude evident despite his weariness. "How are things progressing with Kadmon?"

Jacob's expression shifted, his tone growing more serious. "The girls are on track to make it to the second Unveiling in a couple of weeks, which is promising. As for me, I need to face off against a trained Kadmon member to secure my qualifications."

"Qualifications for what exactly?" Vas's curiosity was piqued, his eyes narrowing as he sought more information.

"They're sending a team back to the temple where we conducted our test mission," Jacob explained. "There are discrepancies they want to investigate. We requested to be part of that mission, but first, we have to meet certain requirements."

Jacob continued, "The girls had to complete the second Unveiling before they could join the mission, and I need to defeat one of their officers. It's not exactly a walk in the park, but it's manageable."

"I'm relieved they're making progress," Vas said, his smile faint but sincere, masking the unease that bubbled beneath the surface.

Jacob nodded, his exhaustion evident. "Yeah, they're doing well. The real challenge will be the third Unveiling; it's a significant leap in strength."

Vas's gaze darkened as he processed this. "That sounds intense. They must be exceptionally skilled to make it this far."

Jacob chuckled wearily. "They are. Anyway, I'm beat, little bro. Time for some rest. See you tomorrow."

With that, Jacob made his way up the stairs, his footsteps echoing softly in the quiet house. Vas watched him go, a sense of foreboding creeping over him. The news of the upcoming mission added a heavy weight to his shoulders. He still had much to uncover about the Forgotten hidden within the temple, and the prospect of additional interference was unsettling.

As he turned towards his own room, the shadows of doubt and worry loomed large. Sleep seemed an elusive refuge, and the night was fraught with the promise of the challenges ahead. The weight of impending revelations and potential dangers pressed down on him, a stark reminder of the fragile balance he was trying to maintain.

On the weekend, Aleara sat in her room, the soft hum of the evening filling the quiet space. She was sifting through old photos stored on the cloud, a digital archive of memories long past. Her fingers paused on an image—one from when she and her twin brother, Vas, were little. The photo captured them in a moment of pure, unfiltered joy, their faces lit up with the carefree innocence of childhood.