Eighteen years had passed since the Great Wars shattered their home.
In the heart of the capital city, eighteen-year-old Raphael stood amidst a canyon of gleaming glass and steel. His spiky white hair caught the harsh sunlight, and his silver eyes darted back and forth, tracking movements invisible to the average passerby.
The air shimmered. A phantom warrior clad in jagged, ethereal armor manifested, lunging forward with a heavy punch. Raphael leaned back, the fist whistling past his nose, and drove his elbow upward. The strike connected with a sickening crack, sending the phantom spiraling through a nearby building.
As dozens more rose from the pavement like shadows, Raphael moved with the absolute perfection of the Empty Fist his father had beaten into his bones.
He was a blur of lethal grace. His strikes targeted internal pressure points, shutting down his opponents' physical functions before they could react. Above, spectral snipers rained energy blasts from the sky. Raphael sprinted along the concrete, using the enemy's own orbital fire to obliterate the advancing horde behind him.
A heavy barrage cut off his path. Instead of backing down, Raphael dropped into a low stance and executed Reverse Counter-Flow. Wrapping his kinetic field around the incoming plasma, he caught the trajectory of the blasts, inverted their momentum, and unleashed the redirected energy straight back up at the snipers. The sky detonated in a brilliant crimson shockwave.
One stray blast cut through the smoke and caught his flank, sending him skidding across the asphalt beside a row of parked vehicles.
Pushing himself up, Raphael wiped blood from a cut on his cheek. "Just getting started," he muttered.
He activated his Tactile Telekinesis, a dense red force coating his skin as his Quantum Red energy his raw Battle Energy erupted to knit the flesh shut. Tethering his Tactile force to the surrounding cars, he hurled them into the advancing line, clearing the alley in a blinding cloud of metal and smoke.
Before the dust settled, Raphael appeared behind the remaining phantoms, neutralizing them with swift chops to the neck.
Drifting into the sky, he crossed his arms. "Easier than usual. I'm getting better at this."
"Don't get cocky, son," a voice boomed, cutting through the simulation. "You still have to defeat me. Your old man's still got it! Let's see if we can force that Battle Spirit out of you today!"
A wall of blue pressure split the sky as Kael materialized above him, his blue Battle Spirit flaring with suffocating intensity.
Raphael snapped into a fighting stance, his red Battle Energy swirling defensively around his limbs. "This is the day I finally activate my Battle Spirit and beat you, Dad. The former Number One hero is going down!"
They collided in the clouds, trading a relentless barrage of strikes. Kael moved with terrifying speed, his fingers blurring as he drove precision pressure-point strikes across Raphael's body. Raphael spiraled backward, his limbs seizing as his motor functions shut down.
Gritting his teeth, Raphael focused inward. Using his Tactile Telekinesis infused with his red Battle Energy, he struck his own internal pressure points, manually overriding his damaged nerves and forcing his cells to accelerate their healing.
With his mobility restored, Raphael surged into a fierce counter-offensive, trading blows in a high-speed blur to target his father's pressure points. Feeling the pressure, Kael unleashed a sudden Psychoblast, which Raphael barely dodged.
Leaping back to create distance, Raphael threw heavy long-range punches, each launching a concentrated wave of kinetic force infused with his red Battle Energy. Kael dodged the projectiles with ease and closed the gap in an instant, vanishing before reappearing to land a final combination of pressure-point strikes that sent Raphael plummeting toward the ground.
"I guess you win again, Dad," Raphael called out as he fell. "Can you unparalyze me now? Those pressure points hit pretty hard."
Kael hovered above, arms crossed against his chest. "Come on. What did I teach you? Hit your own pressure points using your Inner Telekinesis. Focus this is your chance! Tap into your will to fight and awaken your Battle Spirit. Even a fraction of your Battle Spirit Energy will flood your core. Use that focus to gain more power, heal your body, and stitch your cells."
Raphael gritted his teeth and focused inward, channeling his determination. His red Battle Energy surged alongside a tiny, flickering spark of raw Battle Spirit Energy. Striking his spiritual pressure points with precision, his cells stitched together and his nerves jump-started instantly. Regaining control of his limbs, he righted himself and caught his footing mid-air.
"Remember," Kael said, drifting closer. "Your Battle Spirit is your strongest weapon. It is your absolute will to fight made manifest. That's why you have to stop holding back. You need a stronger resolve right now, your lack of drive is keeping your Spirit locked away."
"I know, Dad," Raphael said, stretching his arms to shake off the lingering stiffness. "It's just hard to unleash that kind of killer instinct when I'm sparring against you. My will to fight hesitates. But you've definitely still got it, even after retiring ten years ago. I'll keep pushing my Battle Energy, and I promise I'll awaken my Battle Spirit soon. I won't let you down."
"You'll get there, son," Kael responded, his tone turning heavy. "You have no choice. You know who is hunting us the Monarchy. That's why I had to step down; my work as a hero was drawing too much attention to this world. When that Kingdom scout finally tracked us down and I had to put him in the ground, I knew I had to go dormant. But we can't stop training. They are still searching for us, and when they arrive, every one of us needs a fully awakened Battle Spirit to survive."
Raphael offered a tight smile. "I know. I train every single day. I still think about the day that soldier attacked you, Mom, and the twins. That's why I push myself. But hiding won't protect anyone, Dad. The people on this planet need help. If I take your place and act as a hero, I can build that real combat experience forge the killer instinct I can't seem to unleash when sparring with you."
"It's too risky, Raphael. Enough of the superhero talk," Kael said firmly, shutting down the topic. "Your Tactile Telekinesis has improved dramatically you inherited my raw affinity, and your structural reach already surpasses mine. But let's see your progress with Outer Telekinesis. Your mother has been guiding you on mind-based manipulation and construct formation. She's the Outer Telekinesis master of our bloodline, but you're a rare breed, son. Most of our species can only master Inner or Outer. You carry the gift for both."
Kael gestured into the air between them. "Focus your Battle Energy. Gather the force, wrap your Outer Telekinesis around it, and mold it into a solid shape. If you can tap into even a fragment of your Battle Spirit Energy, use it it will anchor the construct and make it stronger."
Raphael set his jaw in a hard line. "I've got this," he muttered.
He ignited his red Battle Energy, straining until a flickering spark of Battle Spirit Energy erupted alongside it. Wrapping his Outer Telekinesis around the raw power like a pressurized mold, he forced it to compress into the shape of a sword. The crimson blade shimmered with violent intensity then the force snapped. The construct dissipated instantly, leaving Raphael staggering back with a nosebleed.
Looking disappointed, Raphael wiped his face. "I swear I've been practicing, Dad. Outer skills are just way harder especially when trying to mold Spirit Energy."
"It's fine, son," Kael said. "Let's try something else."
Kael pointed to a car below. "Now come on, try. No 'Tactile' connection. Don't use your connection to the ground to move it. Use only your Outer Telekinesis to lift it with your mind. No physical connections."
Raphael focused. A shimmering Outer Telekinesis force began to manifest around the car. It slowly lifted, hovering and floating with no physical or Tactile connection to him. But as it moved, Raphael's nose began to bleed again. His feet grew weak and he wobbled forward as the strain of maintaining the Outer technique took its toll. The car dropped, and before Raphael could fall, his father caught him.
"Damn it," Raphael wheezed. "I swear I've been trying. It's just... these techniques are way harder. It's so much easier to move things when I'm already touching them."
"I think you're doing a good job, son," Kael said. "When I was your age, I was a lot weaker."
"Then how did you get so strong?"
"I fought all the time. In our race, practice makes perfect."
"If practice makes perfect," Raphael said, his eyes flashing, "then I should probably be a superhero. I'd get to practice all the time and save people. I can be just like you, Dad, before you retired."
Kael's expression hardened, his silver eyes locking onto his son's with a heavy, parental weight. "You know your mother does not want you to do that, Raphael. This is your first day of college the start of a real life. We've had this talk many times, me and her both. We need to lay low. No one on this planet can ever know you possess these powers."
He reached out, his heavy hand resting firmly on his son's shoulder. "Raphael... you have to let the superhero dream go."
"I don't want to do that, Dad."
Before he could finish, the simulated city began to shake. The buildings didn't just tremble; they groaned under the weight of a melodic, authoritative voice that echoed through the sky:
"The school bus is about to be here! I already packed your breakfast! We need to hurry up and get on the road it's a long ride to that college on the other side of the country!"
Kael's intensity vanished instantly, replaced by a sharp, parental urgency. He looked at his son, his silver eyes dulling to a muted grey. "Don't bring this up to your mother," he whispered sharply. "Let's go back. Release your Battle Energy."
They both closed their eyes and let the force drain from their cores. In an instant, the simulation dissolved like a dream at daybreak. They opened their eyes to find themselves sitting cross-legged on the living room rug in their meditation stances, surrounded by the quiet domesticity of their home.
The peace lasted for all of two seconds.
Thundering footsteps erupted from the stairs, followed by a chorus of yelling. Aris burst into the room first, his long white hair a mess and his middle-school uniform rumpled. Right on his heels was his twin sister, Ariel, her white curls bouncing with every furious stride.
"Give me my phone back!" Ariel shrieked, lunging for him. "It's not my fault you broke yours working on your powers!"
"Mom said you have to share until I get a new one!" Aris barked, keeping the phone just out of her reach.
Ariel didn't wait to argue. She raised her hand as her pink Battle Spirit Energy flared into a bright, shimmering aura. Channeling her Outer Telekinesis, she tried to rip the phone straight from his grip. Aris was just as quick; his purple Battle Spirit Energy erupted around him, locking onto the device to counter her pull.
The room began to shake as their competing Battle Spirits collided. Furniture began to float the coffee table hovered, a lamp tilted dangerously, and the rug beneath Kael and Raphael began to ripple under the spiritual pressure.
"You're so annoying!" Ariel yelled. "Always taking my stuff!"
"And you're always complaining whenever it's time to do a favor!" Aris countered, the floorboards groaning under the strain of their flaring aura.
Aurelia stepped out of the kitchen, her presence instantly cutting through the noise. With a sharp flick of her mind, she used her own telekinesis to freeze both of them mid-stride. The furniture dropped to the floor with a series of dull thuds.
"No more fighting!" she commanded. "What have I told you two? Is this what you'll be doing in school? This is how you guys almost got caught last time."
"It wasn't our fault!" they shouted in unison, though they couldn't move their limbs. "We didn't get caught we almost got caught! It's because of that idiot!"
"Who are you calling an idiot? You're the idiot!"
"I don't care whose fault it is," Aurelia said, releasing her hold and handing them their lunchboxes. "No more using your abilities to fight in this house and you absolute never use them outside of home. Do you understand?"
"That's not fair," Ariel muttered, crossing her arms and leaning back with a huff. "Everyone else gets to show off their abilities, but we have to act like regular humans or those aliens that don't have any powers or abilities at all. The kids tease us because they think we're just... ordinary. We have to sit there and pretend we're nothing just so they don't find out the truth."
Aurelia's face softened, but her eyes remained serious. "Those people aren't being hunted, Ariel. Remember what I told you? Our species doesn't have the best track record. If the wrong people find out who we are, it will cause problems we can't protect you from. Now, say goodbye to your brother."
The twins' anger evaporated instantly. They rushed Raphael, hugging him nearly to death. "Bye, big brother! Good luck at college!" They bolted for the door as the school bus honked outside.
Aurelia watched them go, sighing as she walked back toward the kitchen. "Those two are going to be the death of me," she muttered, pausing at the doorway. "If the Monarchy ever finds us, it's going to be because of those two. Hopefully, that never happens... I'm surprised they haven't seriously hurt a teacher yet or worse."
She shook off the worry, turning back to the living room with eyes beaming with excitement as she looked at Raphael.
"Are you ready to go? My little boy, finally a grown man off to college. Are you excited?"
Raphael put his head down, the weight of the morning's training still heavy on his mind. "Yeah," he said quietly.
The three-hour drive to the station was filled with Aurelia's nervous, happy chatter. Finally, they stood before the shimmering arches of the Cosmic Teleportation Train Station. Aurelia began to cry as the reality set in.
"I wish we could have driven you all the way," she sobbed, pulling him into a tight embrace. "It's just way too far. Why did you have to pick a college on the other side of the country? But I understand... you wanted to be with your friends, and that science program is incredible. No more warriors, no more conquering in this family. You are the first step, son—the one who can change everything for our race. You can be the pioneer who turns our legacy around. You're going to rebuild who we are, not as fighters and conquerors, but as something better."
Raphael felt a spark of confidence flare in his chest. "What if I can be better by fighting, Mom? Not to conquer, but to protect. You told us our race has a bad reputation... what if we're the ones who can change that?"
Aurelia pulled back, her expression hardening instantly. "No. You remember what happened last time? Before your father retired? We cannot let that happen again. It is too dangerous, Raphael. Promise me just be a regular student."
Raphael looked over at his father. Kael remained silent, his face a mask of stone, but he gave a single, slow nod of his head. Raphael turned back to his mother, his shoulders dropping slightly.
"I promise I will try my best," he said.
Aurelia pulled him back in for one last kiss on the cheek and a lingering hug. "We'll miss you so much."
"I'll visit, Mom. I promise," Raphael replied, his voice thick with the weight of the lie and the truth all at once.
Kael stepped forward then, resting a heavy hand on Raphael's shoulder. He didn't say much, but his silver eyes held a world of unspoken warnings and a grim understanding.
"Son..." Kael said, his voice low. "I left a gift for you in your bag."
With a final goodbye, Raphael boarded the Cosmic Teleportation Train. As the airlocks sealed, the advanced cosmic technology began to hum, vibrating through his very marrow. The train didn't just move; it folded space. In a sudden blur of light, it vanished from the station, beginning the long journey to the other side of the country a territory so vast it spanned the entire distance of a galaxy.
He endured the nauseating jumps ten times. With each leap, the train teleported from one cosmic hub to the next, bridging thousands of light-years in a single heartbeat. By the time he finally stepped off the last train at the far edge of the galactic frontier, his stomach was in knots.
"Those Cosmic Teleportation Trains always make me sick," he muttered, wiping cold sweat from his forehead as he tried to find his footing.
The city outside this final station Omnopolis was a harsh contrast to the peaceful sanctuary he had called home. Everything here was gray and gritty, the air thick with the sharp scent of industrial ozone. It was a place where the light didn't seem to reach the corners; he saw petty crimes happening in the shadows and long stretches of walls covered in the fading posters of missing people.
He gripped the strap of his bag, feeling its weight as he navigated the unfamiliar streets.
He finally reached the dorms, the building looking just as worn as the rest of the city. Once inside his room, he dropped his bag onto the thin mattress and began unpacking his things, the quiet of the small space a strange shift from the chaos of the morning.