In the bustling city of Novhaven, the pursuit of wealth was ever-present. As James's father often said, *"Money isn't everything. But in a world where it reigns, why not learn to dance with it?"*
Thus, young Miller, a boy with a brilliant mind and an extraordinary talent for creating weapons, embarked on an adventure that would change his life forever. Who could have imagined?
Despite his passion for art, he realized he had to shine and captivate investors to hit the jackpot. But how could he stand out in this vast ocean of talent?
One day, while experimenting with unusual materials, he discovered a rare and radiant energy: Ora. A force lying dormant within everyone but remaining a secret to most. Who truly knew how to harness it?
He suddenly realized his friend possessed an almost limitless source of this gold-like power. Surprising, wasn't it? A true treasure trove of opportunity within her very being!
"In business, just as in friendship, partnership is the key to success," she had whispered to him while agreeing to lend her support. After countless sleepless nights working together, they crafted a weapon of unmatched strength.
But time was slipping away, and the final touches weren't complete. Boldly, the inventor unveiled his project during a youth talent competition broadcasted on television.
On the big day, he begged his friend to unleash her full magic for the demonstration. What a spectacle! A beam of energy shot into the sky, dazzling the judges and audience.
"Money, a mere mirage, is nothing compared to the spark of innovation," he thought, scanning the captivated faces of the audience. Who could deny it?
Moments later, the weapon exploded, releasing a phenomenal surge of energy. Everyone was astounded by the sheer power on display. Seizing the opportunity, the inventor made a heartfelt plea to investors, declaring it their only chance to work with such a genius.
Funding poured in, and his company took off. "Money is just a tool, but used wisely, it can build empires," he loved to say.
With his friend, they personally tested their weapons on battlefields before selling them, guaranteeing both their effectiveness and danger.
—————//————//————//—————
Out of breath from the frantic run prompted by his friend's intervention, Nick was drenched in sweat and utterly exhausted. The four of them had been running for what felt like an eternity before arriving in a still-busy area, where roads and shops were crowded.
After confirming they had put enough distance—about a hundred meters—between them and their pursuers, Nick suddenly stopped and shouted to everyone:
"Hey!! Did you see that, huh? Tell me you saw the same thing I did!"
He stared at his arms the entire time. His voice was strangled, almost like a sob mingled with his evident breathlessness.
For a response, the others exchanged glances. Maddie remained perfectly calm and showed no signs of fatigue, thanks to her Mastery.
Dante, on the other hand, seemed more concerned about Scarlett, who was trembling uncontrollably, clutching at her tattered clothes. Frustrated by the lack of acknowledgment, Nick continued:
"You all agree you saw the same thing, right? I feel like I'm losing it, but it was there, right in front of me."
His voice was rushed, almost fearful.
"That... thing," he added, "it can't be real. There's no way something like that could exist."
After a pause, he buried his head in his hands and muttered in disbelief, "It's impossible."
He didn't see or hear Dante approaching until he was grabbed by the collar. Furious, Dante hissed:
"Do you think this is the time to talk and wallow in self-pity like that? Have you even thought about the one person here who actually needs comforting? Have you already forgotten what your sister—your own sister—just went through? The fear she must have felt? Did you consider how relieved she was to see us show up?"
Dante practically spat the words in Nick's face.
"Did you hear her whining and crying like you're doing over something you're not even sure actually happened?"
Dante released him, turned to Scarlett, and cast her a look full of tenderness before glaring back at Nick.
"You think she doesn't need to be comforted? Of course, she does. But not by just anyone. The only person she needs right now is her big brother. So step up and take care of her!"
After that, Dante flagged down a passing taxi and climbed in without another word.
Maddie, who had been watching the entire exchange, didn't say a thing, as she often did during arguments. She simply observed the scene and, while Dante's reaction seemed a bit excessive, she couldn't deny he was mostly right.
Maddie approached Scarlett, gently holding her shoulders and giving her a light shake.
"Scarlett, look at me," she said softly, her voice calm and soothing. "You're safe now. We're here for you."
But Scarlett didn't respond, didn't even seem to hear. Maddie tried again, this time more firmly.
"Scarlett, listen to me! You need to pull yourself together!"
Still, Scarlett didn't move, as if she were a statue frozen in fear and horror.
---
Despite her own desire to leave, Maddie couldn't bring herself to abandon Scarlett at such a moment.
Once the taxi was gone, Nick turned shamefully toward his sister, his eyes pleading for forgiveness for his foolishness. Scarlett didn't hesitate long; she rushed into his arms and started to cry.
She cried so much that her eyes were bright red by the time the three of them made their way home. Naturally, this story was to remain between them. But if the defense forces got involved, it would undoubtedly become a different matter, Nick, now calm and reflective, had warned them.
On the way, they stopped at a small pharmacy to buy ointments and other items Scarlett needed. During their escape, most of their newly purchased clothes had been lost. Maddie draped a tracksuit jacket over Scarlett's shoulders, pairing it with jogging pants instead of her torn skirt.
Scarlett's school uniform was badly damaged, but replacing it wouldn't be difficult. After cleaning and dressing her wounds, Nick and Scarlett hailed a taxi to head home, while Maddie took another one shortly before them to her own destination.
When they arrived, they greeted their grandparents politely, but their lateness did not go unnoticed. Their grandparents bombarded them with countless questions about why they were so late.
Nick glanced at the large clock on the wall: 10:07 p.m.
It was indeed very late for what should have been a simple trip to the mall. He looked at his grandfather, a frail old man with graying hair who adored his grandchildren, with an uncharacteristically tender gaze. Then he turned to his grandmother, dreading her reaction, knowing full well she had a sixth sense for uncovering secrets.
He was taken aback—though not in the best way—when his eyes met hers. Her small hazel eyes gleamed with a mix of mischief and uncanny insight.
While her long years of life gave her wisdom about human nature, Nick thought, at that moment, she was expressing more fear than anything else. Her sharp, intense gaze unsettled him so much that he quickly excused himself, claiming fatigue, which wasn't entirely untrue, and headed to his room.
Taking Scarlett with him to escape his grandmother's piercing eyes, he walked her to her door. After exchanging a few words of goodnight, he returned to his room and collapsed onto his bed.
*The day was long, so long,* he thought.
Relishing this rare moment of calm, which he hadn't felt in what seemed like ages, he reflected on what had happened earlier.
When he had looked at his arms, he felt as if he were dreaming. The shock was so overwhelming that he disconnected from reality for a moment—though not in the literal sense. It was as if he were viewing his body from an external perspective, observing everything but unable to change anything, while simultaneously experiencing it from within.
It was a very strange sensation. Not to mention the fact that his arms no longer seemed to have flesh or muscles—just bones covered in some unknown surface. They appeared to be encased in a material he neither knew nor recognized.
He hadn't had time to examine himself properly because the shock was too great. Closing his eyes for a moment, he tried to recall the scene—or at least attempted to. But the sight of his body transformed like that was too much to bear.
Then another detail that deserved attention came to his mind.
In this world, physical abilities beyond the norm were always the result of one of the methods of using Ora: reinforcement. This meant it was essential to use this energy to achieve such results.
This method, while the most common because it was easy to master for the initiated, required a certain amount of Ora—something Nick didn't have in sufficient quantity to achieve such an outcome.
This raised a new question that seemed insoluble: how had he managed to use reinforcement given his circumstances?
Of course, he didn't doubt that what he had used was indeed reinforcement—what else could it have been?
He noticed slight differences between his manipulation and that of others, both in the power and speed he demonstrated, especially since he had never used it before and was therefore a novice in the field.
Turning these mysteries over and over in his mind, he eventually fell asleep, having found no answers to any of them.