The chamber was dim, the faint glow of the prism still flickering from its center. The stone walls stretched high, their shadows looming like silent witnesses to the mysterious power that had just surged through the room. Kane, Leo, and Liam lay scattered on the cold floor, each thrown back by the pulse of energy. Liam was sprawled nearest to the center, his back against the rough stone, while Leo lay on his stomach a few feet away, limbs awkwardly splayed. Kane was the farthest, his body crumpled near the wall where he had collided.
Liam's eyes fluttered open first, the cool air stinging his lungs as he sat up, trying to remember what had happened. Then it hit him, all at once—the prism, the handprints, the surge of energy. His heart raced as the memory flooded his mind. He spun around, eyes landing on Leo's unmoving form. Panic shot through him.
"Leo!" Liam scrambled to his feet, rushing to his friend's side.
As he knelt down, Kane's groans reached his ears. Liam whipped his head around just in time to see Kane pushing himself up from the ground. "Kane!" he called out, relieved to see him moving.
Kane staggered over, rubbing the back of his head. "You alright?" he asked, voice hoarse.
"Yeah, just a bit shaken," Liam replied, kneeling beside Leo. "He's out cold. We need to—"
Before he could finish, Leo stirred, a mumble escaping his lips. "Sophie… is that you? Why… why are you holding my hand?" His voice was slurred, half-asleep. "No, Sophie, I can't—Kane and Liam might see… it's embarrassing…"
Liam exchanged a look with Kane, trying not to laugh. "He's still dreaming. What a surprise."
Leo's eyes fluttered open, and he blinked, groggy and disoriented. "What… what happened?" His gaze fell on Kane and Liam, and suddenly his eyes widened. "I told you! I told you it was dangerous! But noooo, nobody listens to Leo. Ancient death traps, Leo! Could've been us, Leo!" He sat up, still rambling. "But do you listen? Nope. Now look where we are!"
"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Kane said, rolling his eyes as he helped Leo sit up properly.
Liam, still shaking off the effects of the blast, frowned. "Did you guys feel… different? Right before we blacked out?"
Kane nodded slowly. "Yeah… like something was surging through me. Strong, but also… painful."
Leo stretched his arms, then punched out experimentally. His fist cut through the air faster than before, a faint ripple of power behind the motion. "Whoa. Am I… faster?"
Liam punched out as well, feeling a similar sensation. "I think we're all a bit stronger. But not by much, just… sharper, you know?"
Kane flexed his fingers, feeling the subtle shift in his own strength. "It's like something's changed. But I can't put my finger on it…"
As he pondered over the strange new sensation, a sudden flash of blue appeared in front of his eyes, causing him to stumble backward in shock. A translucent screen, like a digital display, hovered right in front of his face, startling him so much that he fell to the ground.
"Kane?!" Liam rushed over, alarmed. "What's wrong?"
Kane blinked rapidly, staring at the floating screen. "You… you don't see this?"
"See what?" Leo asked, inching closer. "Did the prism zap your brain or something?"
Kane stood up slowly, eyes fixed on the screen that only he seemed to see. He reached out, trying to touch it, but his hand passed right through the glowing words. Confusion flickered across his face.
"Uh, Liam?" Leo whispered loudly to Liam, "I think he's lost it. He's waving at thin air. Do we… do we need to call someone?"
Liam frowned, but there was a glint of curiosity in his eyes. "What exactly are you seeing, Kane?"
Kane looked between his friends, still bewildered. "It's like… a screen. Like a hologram or something. Right in front of me." He paused, eyes narrowing as the words on the screen began to change.
[Congratulations, Kane, for unlocking the system.]
[Synchronization is complete.]
[Full analysis of host still ongoing. Host's status will be provided in a few minutes.]
Kane's eyes widened in disbelief. "It—it says something about a system… synchronization… analysis of a host?"
Leo groaned, holding his head. "Oh, great. Now you've got a personal AI in your head, haven't you? Next thing you know, it's going to start giving you missions like, 'Take out the trash, or face doom!' I'm telling you, man, it's always the weird stuff with you!"
Liam, however, seemed to take it more seriously. "Wait, you're seeing actual words? Like, instructions?"
Kane nodded, trying to wrap his head around it. "Yeah. It's like something's been activated. I can't explain it, but… it feels like it's connected to me somehow."
As they were still discussing it, the blue screen flickered once more before vanishing entirely. Kane blinked, his hand still in mid-air.
"Well," Kane muttered, "it's gone now. But it was definitely there."
Leo crossed his arms, still jittery but visibly excited about his newfound strength. "Okay, system or not, I think we should leave. Like, right now. I mean, sure, I'm stronger, faster, but I'm also creeped out. Let's go home and figure this out. Somewhere less… spooky."
Kane and Liam exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement. Whatever had happened, it was clear they'd unlocked something—something that had changed them forever. But Leo had a point. It was time to regroup and make sense of it all.
*****
As the boys emerged from the underground chamber, they were greeted by the sight of a darkened sky. Night had fallen, casting long shadows over the deserted landscape. The eerie silence of the evening only heightened the tension they were feeling.
Leo's eyes widened in panic. "Oh no, it's already night! Do you know what this means? We're late! Mrs. Elduige is going to kill us!"
Kane and Liam exchanged a look, both too exhausted to argue. They nodded in agreement, and without a word, all three hurried towards home, eager to avoid any unnecessary confrontations.
By the time they reached the house, the windows were dimly lit, signaling that Mrs. Elduige was still up. Leo took a deep breath, peering nervously at the front door. "Okay, we've got to be quiet. Like, ninja-quiet. Mrs. Elduige can't see us, or we're toast."
"But there's no backdoor," Kane pointed out.
Leo waved his hand dismissively. "Doesn't matter. We'll sneak in through the front, just… don't trip, don't breathe too loud, and follow my lead."
Liam raised an eyebrow. "Why are we following your lead when you're the clumsy one?"
Leo ignored the jab and crept up to the door, motioning for them to follow. Kane and Liam tiptoed behind him, eyes darting to every shadow. Leo gently pushed the door open, and they slid into the hallway, nearly home-free.
Then, disaster struck.
In his attempt to "ninja" his way inside, Leo knocked over a vase with his elbow, sending it crashing to the floor. The sound echoed through the house like an alarm bell.
"L-Leo!" Kane hissed, glaring at him.
"I—uh—didn't see it there!" Leo stammered, backing up only to trip on the rug, tumbling headfirst into the wall with a loud thud.
Before any of them could react, a figure appeared in the doorway—Mrs. Elduige, arms crossed, glaring down at them with the intensity of a hawk eyeing its prey.
"And where exactly have you boys been?" she asked, her voice dripping with suspicion.
The boys froze, eyes wide. Leo, ever the worst liar, immediately tried to cover. "Uh… w-we were just… out for a walk! Yes, a walk! A healthy, good-for-the-heart, moonlit stroll!"
Mrs. Elduige raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "At this hour? And covered in dirt? Must have been a very adventurous walk."
Leo opened his mouth again, but Kane quickly stepped in, trying to salvage the situation. "We… uh, we tripped! On our walk. Fell into a ditch."
"A ditch?" Mrs. Elduige's skepticism was almost palpable. She narrowed her eyes, her gaze flicking between the three of them. "Funny, you boys look like you've been wrestling with a pack of wild animals. Want to explain why your clothes are all torn?"
Liam tried to keep a straight face. "Uh… we were… also running. You know, for extra exercise. Fell a couple more times."
Mrs. Elduige's eyes softened, but her suspicion remained. "Right. Exercise. In a ditch. Late at night." She crossed her arms. "Let me guess, Leo was leading the exercise routine?"
Leo, still on the floor, nodded vigorously. "Yep! It's… all part of my new fitness regime. Helps with the, uh, speed and balance."
"Balance?" Mrs. Elduige shot Leo a look. "You tripped over a rug just now."
Leo blinked. "That… was part of the training. Improvised obstacle course!"
Mrs. Elduige sighed deeply, clearly seeing through their pitiful lies. She pinched the bridge of her nose, clearly too tired to argue further. "You boys are terrible liars. I'll let this slide for now, but don't think I won't be watching you closely from now on."
The boys exhaled in relief, thinking they were off the hook.
Mrs. Elduige wasn't finished. "But don't think you're getting away that easily. Tomorrow, we'll have a long conversation about nighttime exercise routines and why they shouldn't involve smashing vases or sneaking into the house like criminals."
Leo winced, but before he could say anything else, Mrs. Elduige sighed and gestured toward the kitchen. "Go eat something. You look like you've been through a war. And make sure to clean up the mess in the hallway."
The boys hurried into the kitchen, not wasting another second. They ate in silence, shoveling food into their mouths while occasionally shooting glances at each other, too tired to speak much. Mrs. Elduige's warning still hung over their heads, but for now, they were just grateful to eat.
After dinner, they crept upstairs to their shared room, hoping to finally discuss what had happened with the prism. But the moment they settled down, Leo was already snoring, sprawled out on his bed like nothing had ever happened.
Liam stretched, yawning. "Guess we're talking about this tomorrow."
Kane nodded, already feeling his own eyelids drooping. "Yeah… tomorrow sounds good."
Before long, the room was quiet, the three of them already drifting into sleep. Whatever the mysterious screen or the strange powers they had unlocked, it could wait until morning. For now, they needed rest after the long, exhausting night.