The Next Level

The meditation chamber was bathed in dim, ambient light, the walls pulsing faintly with Art's chosen resonance frequency—designed to calm the mind and align the body's energy. Kal, however, was anything but calm.

He fidgeted. He stretched. He sighed dramatically.

Art, seated across from him in perfect lotus position, barely opened an eye before exhaling through his nose. "Are you even trying?"

Kal groaned, flopping onto his back. "I am! I just keep getting distracted in here." He tapped the side of his head.

Art smirked. "Maybe it's asking too much of an eleven-year-old."

Kal sat up, shooting him a glare. "Hey—"

Art leaned back with a lazy grin. "Maybe you should pick another profession. Might be easier."

Kal's spine snapped straight, and he folded back into lotus position in an instant. He squeezed his eyes shut, breathing in deep, his entire body suddenly brimming with determination.

Art chuckled under his breath. Struck a nerve, did I?

For a while, silence settled over the chamber. Both of them sat, breathing in tandem, the hum of the resonance frequency syncing with their heartbeats. Kal's mind slowly quieted, his awareness settling on the subtle currents of prana within him—

The door slid open.

"Lunch time," Karina announced, stepping in alongside Roqiam.

Kal's eyes snapped open, meditation immediately forgotten. "Finally!"

Fueling Up

The dining area of Art's penthouse was vast, with a panoramic view of the cityscape beyond, twin spires silhouetted against Sideris' golden midday glow. PlasmaPlatters were loaded high with food, steam rising in fragrant tendrils.

Kal's mouth practically flooded. "It must be child abuse to not give us breakfast, Uncle Art."

Art smirked. "That's a whole other orbit for another cycle—let's fuel up."

"STOP!" Roqiam's voice cut through the air like a blade.

Everyone froze, IntelliBites hovering midair.

Roqiam folded her arms. "We didn't say pranance."

Art, Karina, and Kal exchanged bewildered glances before speaking in perfect unison: "Praaaannnnaaaannnnccceeee?! But we're hungry!"

Roqiam arched a brow, unimpressed. "The same way you two committed to training, I'm committing to this new tradition. Now does anyone have a problem?"

Kal, Karina, and Art glanced at each other, then mumbled in surrender: "No…"

Roqiam closed her eyes, placing her palms together. "Dear heavenly Ferris, thank you for this meal you've given us… including all before and all that'll come. We honor your abundance."

As she spoke, Kal, Art, and Karina sat in exaggerated agony, their mouths practically watering onto the table.

Roqiam finally lifted her gaze. "Alright. Let's fuel the engines."

A blur of motion. IntelliBites clashed. Food disappeared at speeds that defied physics.

A Breakthrough in Prana

After the meal, the group gathered in the lounge, the NeuroSphere playing muted reports on the latest advancements in biomechanical augmentations. Art leaned back, arms crossed.

"Well," he began, "since we're talking progress, I've made a breakthrough in fine-tuning neural responses to prana manipulation."

Kal sat up. "Wait, you made progress?"

Art grinned. "Yes. And so have you." He gestured to Kal. "Show them."

Kal smirked and held up his hands, focusing. A faint glow pulsed beneath his skin, the flow of prana visible to all. He guided the energy effortlessly through his limbs, his body tingling with controlled power. He glanced smugly at Karina.

Karina raised an eyebrow. Then she exchanged a look with Roqiam—one only they seemed to understand.

Without a word, Karina inhaled deeply. The room's energy shifted. She focused, her prana surging through her like an unleashed current. Faster, freer than Kal's.

Art and Kal's eyebrows shot up.

Then, without warning, Karina's hands shimmered, her skin morphing—hardening into gleaming metal.

Kal's jaw hit the floor.

Art's did too.

She flexed her fingers, the metallic sheen fading back into flesh. Then she extended her concentration, letting the prana flow to her feet. The same metallic transformation overtook them before receding like it was never there.

Art could only blink. Kal looked downright offended.

Roqiam smirked, giving Karina a subtle wink. Karina returned it with a knowing grin.

Stretching her arms, she yawned. "I'm tired. I'm gonna take a nap."

Sibling Rivalry Ignites

She strolled toward her room, but not before pausing to glance back at Kal. "Sometimes I forget who the older sibling is. I just hope you can catch up, big bro."

Kal clenched both fists, his entire body tensing with renewed drive.

Without another word, he stood up, turned, and marched straight to the training chamber. The door slid shut behind him.

Art exhaled, shaking his head. "Well… that worked."

Roqiam merely sipped her drink. "Motivation takes many forms."

Karina, already half asleep in her room, smiled to herself.

Kal had no idea what was coming next.

Glossary

Pranance - Ferrans way of saying grace