It was early in the morning, and everyone was in the underground training facility. The twins were sparring with Mathew as usual, with Valerio monitoring them and occasionally guiding them.
"You guys have shown a lot of improvement in this short period" Mathew commented as he evaded their attacks. He was using both hands.
"Yeah, that's undeniable" Valerio nodded, agreeing with Mathew.
The twins stopped their attack and looked at each other, feeling proud of themselves.
"However don't let these words get into your head, pride is a devil" Mathew reminded them.
"Of course we know that" Lyra replied.
"Haha, we need to go a long way before we can hope to surpass you" Kael replied with a laugh.
"Ah well, that's quite the ambition you got there," Mathew said in amusement.
"We are gonna surpass you and one day we'll even surpass Uncle Val, isn't that right" Lyra said as she looked at Valerio with a smirk.
"Well not to discourage you but even I have trouble surpassing myself, haha" Valerio replied, looking upward with a proud expression.
"There you go, classic Uncle Val" Kael said with a sigh.
"Jokes aside, I've got something to tell you guys," Valerio said, his expression turning serious.
"Me too?" Mathew asked in doubt.
"Yeah," Valerio replied with a nod.
The group fell into silence as everyone looked at Valerio with furrowed brows.
"What is Uncle Val," Kael asked.
"I'm not sure but…I think that we're being spied on" Valerio said with some hesitation.
"What? There is no way" Mathew said, his expression hardened.
"Who might be spying on us?" Kael asked as he gazed around the room instinctively as if looking for someone.
"Maybe someone from my past…. or someone new. I'm not sure yet" Valerio replied with a frown.
"Are you doubting Arthur and Ruby?" Lyra asked with concern. She didn't want to think about that scenario.
"No, I would never. Me and Mathew did a complete background check on them, they come from a completely normal background" Valerio replied, assuring them.
"Then, who else?" Kael asked in further confusion.
"I don't know…I'm just putting it out there" Valerio replied, shrugging his shoulders.
"Anyway, we need to be careful from now" Valerio reminded them in a serious tone.
"If I come across anything suspicious, I will let you guys know," Mathew said with a nod. Kael and Lyra also nodded, sharing his sentiment.
"Thank you, Mathew, anyway let's continue the training," Valerio said, as he clapped his hands with a laugh, no trace of the previous seriousness.
"Yes manager, let's continue," Kael said with a nod, ready to go for more.
"Now that your combat has improved a lot and the time your eyes are active has also increased, I think it's time for the next step," Mathew said with a laugh.
"Woah, looks like we got promoted" Kael exclaimed loudly.
"What will be our next step manager?" Lyra asked, anticipation evident in her voice.
"Well, that'd be 'NOVA'" Valerio said with a smile, as a small wisp of energy twirled around his fingers.
"Nova?" the twins asked looking at the wisp of energy with surprise and anticipation. They immediately thought of something.
"Well, you guys have already seen it a few times" Valerio replied with a teasing smile as he looked at Mathew.
Mathew extended his right hand, stiffening it as a bright, golden aura shaped itself into a glowing, pointy blade.
"Woah, it looks like a sword, so cool" Kael exclaimed in amazement.
"Oh this is what you used against that guys, right" Lyra asked.
"Yeah, you are right" Mathew replied with a smile.
"Can I touch it, manager, please?" Kael asked, his eyes sparkling.
"Haha, sure. Make sure you don't cut your hand" Mathew replied with a laugh. Kael didn't stand on ceremony and immediately extended his hand as he touched the glowing sword.
"Woah, it feels so warm and comforting" Kael exclaimed in surprise.
"That's the nature of my Nova, It directly reflects your nature and how you feel about others. In other words, it's a manifestation of internal energy that each of us possess" Mathew explained calmly.
"But not everyone can use it but only the ones who bear the eyes can use it" Valerio interjected.
"Huh? Only the ones with the 'eyes' can use it?" Kael asked in confusion.
"I thought you were gonna ask something clever," Lyra said with a smile.
"Huh…like what?" Kael asked, scratching his head.
"Pfft…manager, you just told us only the ones who bear the eye can use it right?" Lyra asked.
"Yeah?" Mathew asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"Then why did the guys that attacked that night have weapons coated in nova?" Lyra asked with a frown.
"You are a sharp one, aren't you" Matthew said with a tone of appreciation.
"That's a good detection Lyra, but that's not something you should worry about," Valerio said in a serious tone.
"But Uncle Val-" before Lyra could complain, Valerio interjected again.
"Look, your journey is just beginning, you guys are yet to bloom, so just enjoy your youth. Don't burden yourself with these things. You're gonna learn everything when the time comes" Valerio said in a serious tone with a soft look in his eyes.
"Yes, Uncle Val" Kael and Lyra nodded faithfully.
"Very well now, close your eyes and feel it, you have already used it unconsciously that night, try to feel it again, it can be anything" Mathew instructed them.
"Anything?" Kael asked in doubt.
"Yes, anything. For me, I imagined it as a blade for some reason, it could be anything for you guys" Mathew explained patiently.
Kael and Lyra sat down cross-legged and closed their eyes, their faces scrunching up with concentration. After a while, they opened their eyes out of exhaustion.
"Ahh, I can't feel anything," Lyra said in disappointment.
"Me too," Kael said, also nodding his head in disappointment.
"Well, it's not something you can feel in your first attempt. Keep trying" Valerio said with a smile, encouraging the twins.
The twins nodded their heads closed their eyes and concentrated again.
"Imagine as if all the energy around you is flowing into something through you. Your body is the medium, channel that energy into something that you desire" Mathew said in a calm voice.
A few hours flew by when suddenly a black and white colored Nova fluctuated around the twins.
In front of Kael was a white colored gauntlet and in front of Lyra was a black colored gauntlet.
"Congratulations you too," Mathew said with a smile.
The twins opened their eyes with happy expressions as they gazed curiously at the construct in front of them.
"We did it, sis" Kael looked at his sister with happiness evident in his eyes.
"Yeah," Lyra replied, her gaze still on the black-colored gauntlet made of Nova.
"As I said earlier, you are a good teacher Mathew" Valerio looked at Mathew with appreciation.
"They are just talented, it took me nearly 2 months" Mathew replied, looking at the twins with appreciation.
"Woah, it took me 3 minutes…haha," Valerio said with a laugh. A vein popped in Kael's head as he looked at Valerio with a helpless expression.
"May I ask you guys something?" Mathew asked with curiosity.
"Yeah manager" Lyra replied.
"Why did you guys choose gloves out of everything?" Mathew asked. Valerio also looked at the twins with interest.
"Well, we're used to working with our gloves on while serving, cooking and all that. So we kinda figured it out" Kael replied.
"Right on point" Lyra added with a thumbs up.
"Haha, interesting. Remember Nova can only be used by people who bear the eye or people who received a blessing, so be cautious" Mathew reminded them in a serious tone.
"Blessing?" Lyra asked in confusion.
"Yeah, those two guys. They might have received some kind of blessing from some being. Anyway don't worry about it too much, just keep it in the back of your head" Mathew explained with a smile.
"Got it" Kael replied.
They cleaned the basement and went upstairs to open the shop as usual.
…
"Wow, this Nova thing is so cool," Kael said in excitement as he prepared the kitchen.
"Don't keep playing with Kael, it's not safe" Lyra warned him.
"Yeah, as if someone could see it" Kael scoffed as he continued playing with the Nova. He manipulated it to make all sorts of weird things.
"It's ok Lyra, don't be too hard on your brother. Anyway, it's a good thing to practice" Mathew said with a smile.
"Hey sis look, doesn't it look like a barista?" Kael exclaimed in excitement as he made a weird barista-like shape.
"You call that thing a barista, that looks like a monkey" Lyra scoffed as she ignored her brother and continued with her work.
"You have no taste sis" Kael replied with a smirk.
"Wow, that looks so funny Kael" Valerio, who entered the kitchen remarked.
"Uncle Val?" Kael asked as he finally found a kindred soul who shared his taste.
"No" Valerio replied with a deadpan expression.
"Pfft" Lyra laughed at her brother with a mocking expression.
"Looks like you guys are full of energy" Ruby, who entered the kitchen remarked.
"Anyway let me pick up my apron and go clean the tables," she said as she left as soon as she came.
After a few minutes, Arthur also entered the kitchen.
"Hi guys, I'm not late, am I?" he asked with a panicked expression.
"Haha no, you are right on time" Kael replied with a laugh as he kept playing with the Nova.
"Is Ruby here?" Arthur asked.
"Yeah, she went to clean the tables" Lyra replied immediately.
"Oh then I will go help her, Anyway Kael, nice monkey decoration you got there," Arthur said, his gaze on the Nova constructs in Kael's hand.
"What?" Kael asked instinctively.
"Yeah the one in your hand," Arthur said as he pointed at his hand, as if stating the obvious. He didn't give any further explanation and left to help Ruby.
".."
".."
".."
"What in the world just happened?" Valerio broke the silence as everyone looked at each other with confusion and surprise.