After school, Zara made her way to Sophia's house, her heart racing with both excitement and nerves. Today was the day she would begin her training. As she knocked on the door, she took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever lay ahead.
Sophia greeted her with a calm smile, sensing Zara's apprehension. "Ready to begin?" she asked.
Zara nodded, following Sophia into a spacious room that seemed perfectly suited for training. The windows let in a soft light, and the air felt oddly charged, as if something unseen was alive in the atmosphere.
"We're going to start simple," Sophia explained, walking to the center of the room. "The first step is learning how to bring out your spirit energy. Once you can feel it, you'll be able to sense it in others as well."
Zara nodded, standing across from Sophia. "How do I even begin to do that?"
Sophia smiled reassuringly. "Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Focus on the center of your body, just below your chest. This is where your spirit energy resides, in your core. Try to feel a warmth or a pulse inside you. It's subtle at first, but once you tap into it, you'll recognize it."
Zara closed her eyes and did as instructed. She slowed her breathing, letting herself relax as she focused inward. At first, it was hard to sense anything—just her own heartbeat and the sounds of the house around her. But then, after a few moments, she felt something. A faint warmth, almost like a flicker, deep inside her chest.
"I think I feel something," she whispered, unsure if it was real or just her imagination.
"Good," Sophia said softly. "Now, concentrate on that feeling. Picture it growing, expanding through your body like light filling a room. The more you focus, the stronger it will become."
Zara did her best to follow Sophia's instructions, imagining the warmth inside her spreading, lighting up her limbs and flowing through her veins. Slowly, she felt the energy become more tangible, almost like a gentle current beneath her skin.
"Now open your eyes," Sophia said, her voice calm.
Zara opened them, and to her surprise, she saw a faint glow around her hands. It was subtle, barely visible, but it was there. Her spirit energy.
"Wow..." Zara breathed, staring at her hands in amazement.
"You did well for your first time," Sophia said, smiling.
She did so well in the first try… her spirit energy might even be greater than mine, or even my brother's, Sophia thought.
Sophia walked over and stood a few feet away from Zara. "Just like you focused on your own energy, now try to feel the energy around you. Everyone who can use spirit energy has a presence, almost like an aura. Close your eyes again and focus on me. Can you feel anything?"
Zara closed her eyes and tried again, this time reaching out with her senses, trying to feel the energy in the room. At first, it was hard to distinguish anything from the air around her, but then she noticed something. A pressure, or maybe a weight—something that felt different from the rest of the space. It was coming from Sophia.
"I think I can feel it," Zara said, her voice tentative. "It's like... there's something around you."
Sophia nodded approvingly. "Exactly. That's my spirit energy. As you train more, you'll be able to sense it more clearly, and in others too."
They continued training for what felt like hours, practicing sensing and controlling spirit energy. Sophia showed Zara how to direct it into objects, how to protect herself with it, and even how to focus it into small bursts of power. Each exercise left Zara feeling more confident, but also more curious.
After the training, Zara sat beside Sophia, her curiosity piqued. "Sophia, I haven't seen your grandfather around today. Where is he?"
Sophia's expression turned serious. "He's gone to check on the spirit swords. They're... special."
"Spirit swords?" Zara asked, her brow furrowed. "What are those?"
Sophia took a deep breath, "Zara, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. We're not just random people who have spirit energy. I'm from the Sterling family, and you… you're from the Blackwood family."
Zara's eyes widened in surprise. "What? My father never told me anything about that."
Sophia gave a knowing nod. "I'm not surprised. Your father chose to keep it hidden. But our families have been connected for generations, passing down spirit energy through the bloodline. And there's more. Each family has an ancient sword—one for the Sterlings and one for the Blackwoods."
Zara leaned in, listening intently.
"These swords aren't just weapons," Sophia continued. "They contain the spirit energy of every elder from both families. Each one holds immense power. Right now, that power is so great that only my grandfather, the current elder of the Sterling family, can wield our sword."
Zara's heart raced. "And... my father? Should he have been the elder for the Blackwoods?"
Sophia nodded. "Yes, your father was meant to take up the mantle as the Blackwood family's elder. But he refused. He said he wanted his family to live a normal life, that this power should just die with him. He believed the spirit energy wasn't worth the danger it brought."
Zara was stunned. Her father had kept all of this from her, choosing a quiet life over the power and responsibility he was meant to inherit. She didn't know how to feel—betrayed? Angry? Confused?
Sophia sighed, her tone becoming more somber. "What confuses me is how your father was killed by that chainsaw guy... Rendrax. With the strength your father had, he should've been able to win that fight easily. Something doesn't add up."
Zara's mind raced with questions, her heart pounding with the weight of everything she had just learned.
Zara's thoughts raced as she processed everything Sophia had just told her. "Wait... if I have this spirit energy, that means my brother must have it too, right? I need to tell him about all of this."
Sophia nodded slowly. "There's a 99 out of 100 chance that he does. Almost everyone from our bloodlines inherits spirit energy. But there are a few rare exceptions where someone doesn't, and no one really knows why that happens."
Zara's mind was spinning, her thoughts a tangled mess. "So... if Zaheer has this spirit of energy, I need to check. He deserves to know. Especially with everything going on."
Sophia gave her a steady look. "I understand. But you need to be sure before you tell him anything. I've taught you how to sense spirit energy. When you get home, check for it in your brother. Then you can decide if you want to involve him or not. Just be careful, Zara."
Zara nodded, "I'll be careful. Thanks, Sophia."
Meanwhile, at Ren's house…
Ren sat in his room, staring down at his foot, confusion etched across his face. The reddish hue had spread even more since the last time he looked. What is happening to me? he thought, a wave of unease washing over him. Quickly, he pulled on a pair of socks and shoes, hiding the unsettling sight from view.
Feeling restless, Ren stepped outside into the garden. His eyes fell on a football lying in the grass. Almost out of instinct, he kicked it, hard. The ball soared through the air, traveling far beyond where he'd ever kicked it before. His heart pounded with a mix of fear and disbelief.
What the hell? he thought, watching the ball disappear into the distance.
A chill ran down his spine. "I always wanted superpowers," he muttered to himself, his voice trembling, "but this... this doesn't feel right." He clenched his fists, sensing something dark within him. I'm sensing... evil energy... inside of me.