A new dawn breaks over Guarly on this twenty-fourth of December. Almost everyone in the city is at home, enjoying the day before Christmas Eve. For many families it will not be a joyful day, having lost loved ones, but in a season when affection overflows, most homes feel warmth—like the Elkin household.
The older brother, hair completely messy, yawns as he returns to the living room, where his little brother is still sitting on the couch in his pajamas. The boy with yellow-tipped hair hands him a bowl of cereal and sits beside him, turning on the TV. An animated movie about kung-fu-practicing animals is starting. Since David loves that kind of thing, Tyron simply accepts it, leaving the remote on a small table beside the armrest. They watch a chubby bear struggle to climb a set of stairs while finishing their first bowls of cereal. Still hungry, one of them reaches for the ginger cookies their mother had kept in a large glass jar, while the other pours two glasses of milk. They say nothing for a long while, eating quietly until the anthropomorphic animal begins training with his master. In a scene where the overweight creature is doing push-ups over a campfire, the younger brother exclaims:
"That's so bad! The master shouldn't make him do that to improve—this is abuse!"
The comment makes the teenager think of the warrior, reliving every training session, every blow, every "lesson" he insists are training but Tyron knows are torture. He smiles faintly at his brother, a shiver running down his spine—yes, it really is abuse.
Irene sighs, exhausted after her night shift so she can spend tomorrow with her family. She opens the back door and steps inside to find the kitchen in complete disarray: piles of dirty dishes, the cookie jar she had saved for the night almost empty, and a milk carton left out of the fridge. Annoyed, she heads to the living room ready to scold her sons—only to be surprised by the sight of both boys chatting happily while eating breakfast. Her anger melts into instant happiness. She stretches, turns around, and decides to clean up instead. Putting on yellow latex gloves, she starts washing the dishes. Her sons come in talking about the movie they just finished and, without being asked, begin cleaning. She smiles, kisses them, and goes to sleep in her room.
David (grinning): "Did you see how epic that double strike the bear did was?"
Tyron (smiling and yawning): "Yeah… it was pretty impressive."
David (curious): "Hey, bro—why did you dye your hair?"
Tyron (surprised, touching the tips): "Huh? Well… I wanted a change, you know—see how it looked. Does it look bad?"
David (laughing): "Yes!" He splashes water on Tyron's face.
Tyron (laughing): "You'll pay for that, runt!" They start a playful water fight in the kitchen.
Elsewhere in the city, at the Forcer residence, Emily places a plate with three pancakes in front of her sister, then another with five, and another with three. Camila smiles, drizzling honey over her breakfast. Emily takes a bowl of red berries and a jar of dried fruit from a shelf. They begin eating while their father finishes seasoning the turkey he plans to cook that night. He joins them at the dining table. They eat in warm silence, the kind only a family can share.
Then Roberto remembers something.
"Cami, Emi—what sides do you want tonight?"
They exchange looks and begin listing salads, mashed potatoes, ham, and more. Their father scribbles everything down as fast as they speak. After a couple of minutes, he wipes his brow and asks, half-jokingly, "Are you planning to feed an army?"
"It's because we love your cooking, Dad!" they answer together.
The man nearly has a heart attack from the sweetness. Tears of happiness well up as he hugs his daughters.
"I love you too, my angels!"
After breakfast, he reminds his eldest, "Emily, come back early tonight. You got home very late yesterday."
She nods while brushing her teeth and checking the time—only 7:30 a.m. She rinses, fixes her hair, and heads for the forest cabin.
The black-haired girl finishes brushing her hair, smiling at the mirror. She goes downstairs, greets Manuela, and enters the large dining room where her mother is eating fruit with a small mug of tea. They greet each other. Alexa grabs a piece of toast with jam and is about to leave when her mother calls out:
"Alex, come back early today. Your father is bringing several company affiliates and their families for tonight's party."
Alexa nods with a smile and closed eyes, then asks, "Will Val be coming tonight too?"
Her mother is pleased by the concern and replies gently, "No, sweetheart. Valeria said she's very busy with work. Maybe she'll show up for New Year's—or in a few months."
Alexa lowers her head, sadness in her voice. "I see… that's a shame. I wanted to talk to her."
Her mother doesn't notice the shadowed, furious look in the girl's eyes as she stares at the floor, thinking: What a shame, sister… I wished I could take advantage this time… No! As much as I want you dead, it has to be me. No one—not even a Barrier—will take away my right to avenge my teacher and kill you, Valeria!
She leaves the mansion smiling, heading for the warrior's home, unaware of a gray cat on the rooftop swishing its tail as it watches her go.
At the same time, two athletes finish a jog around the central park lake. The blonde and the brown-haired boy stretch under a tree. Gregorio stretches his arms and asks,
"So, Fran, what do you have planned for tonight?"
Francesca rolls her hips, looking at the sky. "Nothing special. My family's having a dinner with relatives and business partners—you're probably invited."
Gregorio does a couple of hops, testing his legs, and smiles. "Right, I saw the invitation yesterday. We'll spend Christmas Eve together as always."
Francesca (serious): "Yeah… as always."
Gregorio (concerned): "Is something wrong?"
Francesca (making circles with her wrists): "It's just… my father and Jerome seem to be hiding something from me. They feel distant—more than usual."
Gregorio (thoughtful): "That is strange. I've always seen them arguing, but you're saying now they're just distant?"
Francesca: "Yeah. Before, my dad at least tried to exchange a few words with him. Now it's like they have nothing to say. I hate when they argue…" She sighs. "…but I prefer that to them ignoring each other."
Gregorio (fist out): "You should talk to them. If something's going on, you're part of the family too."
They bump fists. Francesca runs toward the park exit, calling, "See you tonight!" Gregorio waves back with a smile. She checks her phone and resumes her jog toward the waterfall.
The four youths walk together, dressed in their usual colored karategi, slip-on shoes, swords at their waists. Emily asks, "What are your plans for Christmas Eve?"
They exchange glances. Alexa answers first, smiling. "I planned to spend time with my parents, but my dad's bringing business partners and their families. It kind of bums me out—every time I see him, he brings more people who steal his attention."
The others look at her with pity, making her blush in embarrassment. "Okay, your turn! No need to feel sorry for me!"
The brown-haired pair pat her back supportively. Francesca nods in understanding, making Alexa blush even more. They laugh. Then Tyron says,
"Mine's pretty normal. Uncles, cousins, grandparents—family dinner. That's Christmas for us."
Emily smiles, loving the idea. The two heiresses imagine their own family gatherings filled with strangers—and worse—while Francesca pictures sitting beside Gregorio all night, guarding the guest rooms from her drunken aunt Carmen.
Tyron: "Alright, who's next?"
Alexa (smiling): "Emily."
Emily (looking at the sky): "At my place, it's just my sister, my dad, and me. We watch holiday movie marathons, eat seasonal dishes, and go to bed. We're few, and we see each other often."
Alexa and Francesca (thinking): Show-offs… stop bragging about your loving families!
Tyron (grinning): "Your turn, Fran."
Francesca ignores him.
Emily (laughing awkwardly): "Fran?"
Francesca: "At my house, it's just my father's business friends. My brother goes out with his friends, and I spend the night talking with Gregorio while making sure my aunt doesn't do anything crazy. The staff handles the rest."
Emily smiles sweetly with closed eyes, inwardly irritated: All night talking with Gregorio?!
Tyron, smiling ahead, panics internally: No way—Gregorio spends all Christmas Eve with Fran! That's unfair! He has such an advantage! I hope they don't use the old mistletoe tradition at her house!
They continue walking. Francesca looks forward, unaware that the two brown-haired teens lag behind with sad expressions—noticed by Alexa, who thinks, Am I missing something?
In a forest clearing, the warrior's cabin bustles with activity. Jayden places several gift boxes in his room, leaves a black phone on the living room table, dips a pen into a small ink bottle, writes on a golden sheet, folds it, seals it in an envelope, and sends it through a small blue portal. He exhales, bows to the portraits on the wall, takes the gray hooded cloaks, and heads to the backyard just as his four students arrive. He tosses the cloaks to them.
"You brought six liters of water, right?"
They nod.
"Good. Drink it."
Confused, they obey. Fifteen minutes later, stomachs full, they watch as he places two huge jars of Fiu-infused clay in front of each of them.
"Wouldn't it have been easier to just tell us to pour out the water?!" Emily protests.
"Just do as I say," Jayden replies.
As they fill their three two-liter bottles with clay, Emily asks, "Why are we bringing this?"
Jayden looks at the sky. "We're meeting the Oksilis King. If Niter's right and they're hiding something, my presence—and yours—will put them on alert. You'll make two clay clones: the first to cover your daily routines until afternoon, the second to accompany me to the King while you investigate."
Francesca (serious): "But, Master—it took two hours to reach the third sector, plus half an hour to Niter's. If we go straight there, we'll reach the palace in four hours. Making clones at his home would be suspicious."
Jayden (smiling): "Exactly. That's why I never said you would carry the bottles. I'll shape them. You'll create the Spiral Spheres so the clones have your knowledge, tastes, and personalities—and so you receive everything they learn."
Alexa (shocked): "You expect us to do that with so little practice?"
Jayden (stern): "A warrior adapts. New difficulties must not make you retreat—only move forward."
They understand the risk. They create their clones, sending them back to maintain appearances. Then they grasp part of the collar as Jayden secures the clay under his cloak. Green energy envelops them, leaving the cabin empty once more.
On a small floating island with a marble platform and Greek-style pillars, green energy materializes, revealing the five hooded figures. Once Jayden stows the collar, gravity presses down hard on the youths. Focusing Fiu in their muscles, they manage to move, following their master.
"Remember—focus Fiu at the center of your forehead," he says. "No prying minds."
They comply, mentally debating how to form Spiral Spheres without attracting attention. As they descend the long stairs toward the city outskirts, Alexa whispers, "Any ideas?"
The brown-haired pair shake their heads. Ideas fly back and forth until Emily suggests, "Maybe imagine the circles stacking while focusing Fiu in one hand. Fran?"
Francesca, who'd been silent, replies calmly, "I thought the same. It's hard—but remembering the energy flow from our first clone training helped."
Near the city entrance, she shows her right hand—a small sky-blue sphere the size of a tennis ball.
Now understanding, all four visualize their practice in the cabin. Spiral Spheres slowly form. The task is brutal: maintain the technique, keep muscles reinforced against gravity, and hold Fiu at the forehead to block mind-reading. In the red-skinned sector, Alexa staggers; Emily helps her. On the long stairs to the blue sector, Tyron nearly falls—Francesca grabs his shoulder and keeps him upright, already moving on before he can thank her.
At the summit, a steel wall and red Oksilis guards in gold armor await. They open the gates to a magnificent garden and a palace of towering red pillars. Out of sight, Jayden releases the clay. Detecting security cameras, the students duck behind pillars and launch their Spiral Spheres to empower the clones and record the meeting.
The guards admit Jayden and the "students" to the throne room. Meanwhile, the real teens catch their breath, ensure no guards are nearby, and slip into the palace shadows along the right-hand path.