WebNovels

Chapter 5 - Chapter 5 Sparks Beneath the Weight

Far away, in a chamber swallowed by shadow, a voice rippled like a whisper carried on steel.

"I know they're coming," it said, low and certain. "Send the vice general now."

The words vanished into the dark, leaving only silence and the faint crackle of unseen power.

Back with Amari and Daniel—

Amari shook his brother gently. "Daniel… it's time for training."

Daniel groaned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, but the fire in Amari's tone pulled him upright. "Okay."

They both slipped their earpieces in. A familiar, steady voice filled the silence.

"Good morning, Amari. Good morning, Daniel," Sam greeted.

"Morning," they answered in unison, their voices rough with sleep yet carrying that edge of determination.

Amari cracked his knuckles. "Sam, we're sparring today."

"As you wish," Sam replied calmly, though his sensors flickered with quiet concern.

The boys strapped on their weighted gear. One hundred pounds wrapped around their bodies, dragging their muscles into a low burn with every motion. The weight clung to them like invisible chains, testing their willpower before the fight had even begun.

They stood across from each other, the dirt beneath their feet soft from yesterday's rain. The air was still, the kind of silence that begged to be shattered.

Amari didn't hesitate. His eyes flared green and black, and in a heartbeat, he dashed forward, his speed carving a gust of wind behind him.

Daniel smirked. "So you're not holding back, huh? Then neither will I."

His own eyes ignited with that same unnatural glow, a mirror of power. In an instant, both brothers lunged, fists colliding in midair.

BOOM.

The impact echoed like a thunderclap, rattling through the trees around them. Dust and wind exploded from their feet, swirling like a storm as they exchanged blow after blow.

Punch. Dodge. Counter.

Each strike was sharp enough to break stone, but their weighted gear slowed their bodies, turning their movements into a brutal tug-of-war between raw strength and crushing resistance. Sweat poured down their brows, each breath heavy, each swing heavier.

Amari ducked a right hook, grabbing Daniel's shirt and cocking his arm back. Energy built in his palm, a green glow sparking violently.

But Daniel reacted fast. He caught Amari's wrist with one hand, yanked it aside, and cracked a fist across Amari's jaw. Amari's head snapped to the side as he stumbled back, spitting blood and grinning.

"Not bad!" Amari shouted, then lunged forward, blasting a green beam at the ground to rocket himself toward Daniel like a cannonball. His knee slammed into Daniel's leg, forcing him down, and with his other hand he smashed Daniel square in the face.

Daniel hit the ground hard, but even as his vision blurred, he gritted his teeth.

"RAHHHHHHH!" Amari roared, summoning the swirling form of the Green Dragon. The creature coiled behind him, its emerald body rippling with destructive energy as it let out a bone-rattling roar.

Daniel's aura flared in response. Sparks of luminara crackled around him as he charged, fists glowing. "Don't count me out yet!"

He leapt into the air, every muscle in his body burning, and hurled himself straight at the dragon's gaping maw.

CRAAAAASH.

The two forces collided in a blinding explosion of light and sound. The earth split beneath them, shockwaves tearing through the clearing and toppling nearby trees. Amari and Daniel were thrown back like rag dolls, skidding across the ground, dirt and smoke trailing their battered bodies.

Silence. Then—

Huff. Huff. Huff.

Amari staggered to his feet, chest heaving, green sparks still flickering across his arms. "I can't believe it… you actually stood against my Green Dragon."

Daniel spat blood, forcing himself upright. His lips curved into a tired grin. "I'm not as weak as I used to be."

Amari smirked, his exhaustion giving way to respect. "You're definitely not."

The two brothers collapsed onto the ground, laughing breathlessly despite the bruises covering their bodies.

"My stomach's killing me," Daniel muttered. "I'm starving."

"Me too," Amari chuckled. "All this fighting makes food taste ten times better."

By nightfall, they had kindled a small fire. Sparks rose into the star-flecked sky as they cooked from the food they'd packed, their laughter and conversation carrying into the quiet forest.

But when the meal was nearly finished, Amari's tone shifted. His voice grew heavier, thoughtful.

"Our moves right now… they're fine. But fine won't win the war. The enemies we're going to face—they'll be stronger, faster, deadlier. We need new techniques. New power. Something that no one can predict."

Daniel poked at the fire with a stick, frowning. "That's cool and all, but unlike you, I don't have beams or flashy attacks. I don't have powers like that, Amari. How am I supposed to invent new moves?"

Amari leaned back, eyes glinting in the firelight. "You're wrong. You have your eyes, your speed, your instincts. That's already power—you just haven't shaped it yet. Think on it for two days. After that, we move again, and I already know the new technique I want to craft."

Daniel stared into the flames, his face caught between doubt and determination. "Two days, huh? Fine. I'll figure something out. I have to."

The fire crackled. Their stomachs filled. And under the weight of the stars, Amari and Daniel drifted into sleep—two brothers scarred but unbroken, their path toward the Dark Family stretching endlessly into the horizon.

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