The clock on the wall ticked softly, its hands moving with an indifference that made the room feel heavier. Kaleon's footsteps were slow as he climbed the staircase, his body still carrying the faint ache from earlier. The dim hallway light threw long shadows on the walls, and just before he reached his bedroom door, a voice broke the quiet.
"Big brother?"
He froze.
Turning, he found his younger sister, Liana, standing there in her oversized hoodie, hair slightly messy from just waking up. Her eyes were wide, carrying that worried shine that only family could have.
"You're… you're back," she said softly, like she was afraid speaking too loud would break something. "Mom's been looking for you. Where were you? And why didn't you answer your phone?"
Kaleon sighed. He hadn't exactly planned on telling them anything tonight. But her voice… it was filled with worry he couldn't just ignore his little sister that'd be cruel. His mind drifted off and the image of the girl he saved few minutes ago appeared in his mind.... Nothing must happen to my family I have to get stronger to protect them.
"I was at the park," he began, keeping his tone calm. "There was… an accident. I woke up in the hospital."
Her expression shifted instantly, panic breaking through her tiredness. "Hospital? What happened? Why didn't you call?!"
"It wasn't that bad," he lied. "Some debris from that meteor thing It was a big event I'm sure you must have seen it on the news. I'm fine now. Really."
But even as he said it, Liana's lip trembled. "You cant just keep us worried like that. You know how hard it's been for Mom. For us."
Kaleon's chest tightened. He looked away for a moment, forcing himself to keep his voice steady. "Yeah… I know."
Upstairs in Kaelon's room, their mom had obviously been waiting for Kaelon in his room. She was sitting on his bed, phone in hand, scrolling through news updates about the meteor strike. The second she saw him, she stood.
"Kaleon! Do you know how worried I—" She stopped mid-sentence, scanning him from head to toe. "What happened? " she said worried laced in her tone she noticed the wounds on his body
"I'm fine," he repeated, softer this time. "It wasn't serious."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "You've been out late before, but this… this is different. You know we can't… we can't handle something like—" She cut herself off, swallowing hard.
The weight in the room was suffocating. It had been that way since his father disappeared. No body, no real explanation—just gone. For years, his mom had tried to keep everything together, working double shifts while still trying to be present. But Kaleon could see it in her eyes—the fear of losing what little family she had left.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. And he meant it.
After some more tense silence and another round of reassurance that he was fine, His mum finally left his room.... she saw liana at the door with a worried gaze in her face....."Your brother is fine go and sleep"Esther, the mum said softly.... Liana was just 13 year old she was young but their family situation caused her to mature quickly.....she wasn't a naive little girl. But sleep didn't come easy that night.
---
Morning came with pale sunlight slipping through the blinds. Kaleon sat up, rubbing his neck. His body felt… different. Not just rested—stronger somehow.
When he dragged himself to the bathroom, the sight in the mirror made him pause.
The same messy black hair, though it somehow looked less unkempt. His jawline was sharper, the tired shadows under his eyes had faded, and his skin looked clearer. He wasn't suddenly model-tier handsome, but there was a certain pull to his reflection now. A healthy, almost athletic definition was forming in his face, like he'd been training for weeks without realizing it.
He turned his head slightly, studying the changes. Average—he'd always thought of himself that way. But now, he could easily pass for someone people might look twice at in a crowd.
Strange.
Shaking it off, he got dressed.
---
As soon as he stepped into the living room, the faint chime echoed in his head....
"Oh my goodness!!...I forgot about the daily quest "
But it was no stress he had a lot of time he thought as he opened the screen
His eyes flicked over the floating text only he could see.
[Daily quest received]
[50 push-ups
60 sit-ups
40 squats
5 km run
2-minute plank hold]
Reward: +2 str,+2 speed.
Failure Penalty: -1 to overall attributes.
Kaleon's brow furrowed.this…?
Still, a strange fire burned in his chest. Maybe it was the lingering adrenaline from yesterday. Maybe it was something deeper. Either way, he grabbed his running shoes and headed out before his mom could question where he was going.
---
The cold morning air bit at his lungs as he started the run. His footsteps fell into rhythm against the pavement, each breath puffing out in small clouds. He pushed himself harder than usual, ignoring the soreness building in his legs.
By the time he finished the five kilometers, his shirt clung to his skin, and his heartbeat thundered in his ears. But the moment he caught his breath, he dropped down for the push-ups.
One… two… three…
His muscles burned halfway through, but something kept him going. A quiet, stubborn voice that told him stopping wasn't an option.
When the push-ups ended, it was straight into sit-ups, then squats, then the plank. His arms trembled, his core screamed, but he didn't quit. By the time it was over, sweat dripped down his face and his vision blurred slightly.
The quest tracker in his mind ticked green.
—done.
[Strength 10---->12
Speed 10---->12]
---
After completing the quest he went back home and put on his uniform. He left home and on his way to school, the streets felt more alive than usual. Vendors were setting up shop, cars rolled lazily by, and people chatted on their way to work or school. Kaleon's pace slowed as he neared the school gate.
Something made him glance to the side.
That was when he saw her.....