After school, Kael, Lyra, Zayn, Rayna, and Jett slipped into the hidden Nova Chamber beneath Orion City High. Their AI mentor, Zevor, activated their first team training.
The arena shifted into a battlefield. Scravlok—a tougher, upgraded version—emerged.
Kael led the charge—fast, skilled, and confident. He landed strong hits, but a reckless move got him knocked into a wall.Zayn flanked carefully, identifying weak points.Rayna issued quick, clear tactics.Jett zipped through debris, launching distractions and cracking jokes.Lyra moved with precision and grace—dodging, striking, flowing like a dancer. Her final strike brought the simulation down.
Zevor: "Simulation complete. Lyra Mave: exceptional. Kael Drayen: high combat proficiency."
Kael smiled, brushing dust off.
"You nailed that, Lyra. I hit hard—but you hit right."Lyra: "Balance makes the difference."
The team trained again—improving. Zayn linked tech to Rayna's strategy. Jett taught Kael misdirection. They started thinking like a team.
Then, the arena glitched.
Dark versions of themselves emerged—twisted, angry, powerful. Kael fought his clone evenly, but nearly lost. Lyra stepped in—together, they brought it down. The others followed, winning through teamwork and trust.
Zevor: "Combat sync: 62%. Progress… acceptable."
That evening, the team sat together on the school rooftop, watching the city fade into starlight.
Kael leaned back, gazing up.
"We're not bad for a bunch of high schoolers with glowing space rocks."Lyra: "We're learning."Zayn: "Fast, too. Our sync rate's already rising."Rayna: "Still rough. But we're getting there."Jett (grinning): "Speak for yourselves. I was flawless."
They all laughed. Tension faded. For once, it felt like the world wasn't ending.
Far beyond the stars, a figure watched them through the void.
"Let them bond. Let them grow. When the darkness returns… they will break together."
To Be Continued…