Shadowlight: “We’re the mutants… or at least that’s what your villagers insist on calling us.”

Grayden’s eyes widened.
“So these are the mutants? Michaelos has been searching everywhere for them… he’ll lose his mind when he finds out they came looking for him instead. But… they’re just two boys and two girls!”

He folded his massive arms.

Grayden: “Alright, ‘mutants’. What do you want with Michaelos?”

Black Storm: “We need the Beryllium Stone. The inventor told us Michaelos is the only one who can get it.”

Grayden whistled.

Grayden: “Beryllium, huh? That’s not just rare—it’s legendary. But if anyone can find it, Michaelos can.”

Black Storm: “So where is he?”

Grayden: “He left the village yesterday. But…”
A grin stretched across his face.
“…if you entertain me, I’ll send a message that will bring him running.”

Sun-Z: “Entertain…?”

Grayden lifted a massive greatsword and pointed it at them.

Grayden: “We’re in the arena, aren’t we? I want to see if the rumors are true. Knock me down. If you manage that, I promise Michaelos will meet you.”

He swung the sword once, the air cracking around it.

They backed up instantly.

Star X: “He actually wants to fight us?!”

Black Storm: “We can handle it. Nathan—stay back!”

Nathan: “R-Right!”

Warriors flooded around them, cheering. The exits sealed with bodies eager to watch.

Grayden: “What’s wrong? No weapons?”
He snapped his fingers.
“Throw them swords!”

Dozens of blades clattered around our friends—yet nobody picked them up.

Sun-Z: “We don’t need dangerous weapons.”

She extended her hand, trying to pull Grayden’s sword from him…
Nothing.
Not even a twitch.

Shadowlight: “Isn’t it metal?!”

Sun-Z: “It should be. But my ability isn’t affecting it!”

Grayden smirked and charged.

Black Storm grabbed a sword from the ground just in time—
CLANG!!

The shockwave blasted him backward.

Star X: “That sound—Sun-Z, try again!!”

Sun-Z: “I am!”

She tried to weigh down his armor next—but again…

Nothing.

Sun-Z: “Why isn’t it working?!”

Black Storm grit his teeth mid-struggle.

Black Storm: “It’s not Sun-Z… it’s him. His grip. His strength is insane!”

Grayden laughed, pressing harder, pushing Black Storm back like he weighed nothing.

Shadowlight jumped in, grabbing a sword.

The crowd erupted.

Suddenly—

A sword SLAMMED into Grayden’s face from the side, stunning him.

Sun-Z stood there, multiple blades floating around her, panting.

Sun-Z: “Come to me…”

Grayden’s grin widened.

Grayden: “Omoshiruuu…”

BOOM!!

The ground beneath him exploded.
Star X burst from the dust beneath his feet, forcing him to drop to one knee—

Nathan: “HE’S KNEELING!!”

But just before his knee touched the ground…

Grayden pushed himself up with monstrous strength
and leapt back.

Star X fired an explosive orb—
Grayden tanked it, skidding back, barely holding balance.

Black Storm seized the opening—
SLASH!
He struck Grayden’s arm and knocked the sword free.

The crowd roared.

Grayden spun, delivering a brutal back-kick—
Black Storm flew backward.

Shadowlight flared a wave of fire—
Grayden scooped dirt from the ground and hurled it into his face, blinding him and snuffing the flames.

Grayden lunged.

Shadowlight blinked through the dust just in time to see Grayden sweep a sword toward his legs—

He jumped.

And didn’t come back down.

Silence.

Even the cheering stopped.

Grayden stared.

Grayden: “What in the…?”

Nathan: “Impossible!”

Man: “He’s… flying?!”

Shadowlight looked down in disbelief.

Sun-Z: “SHADOWLIGHT!!!”

She hurled him a sword—he caught it midair and dove.

Grayden blocked—
But Shadowlight’s blade pressed downward with crushing force.

Grayden’s jaw tightened.

Grayden: “It’s… strong—no… heavy!”

Sun-Z was enhancing the sword’s weight, pouring everything into it.

Grayden strained…
Black Storm swept in, kicking his leg from behind—

Grayden’s balance finally broke.

He crashed down.

The arena exploded with cheers.

They did it.

Their eyes snapped upward—
Shadowlight was still happily floating.

Star X grabbed his leg.

Star X: “Tell us how you’re flying!!!”

Sun-Z: “I wanna fly too!!”

Black Storm: “Is there a trick to it?!”

Shadowlight: “I don’t knooooow!! It just happens!!”

They began yanking him down while he screamed.

Grayden burst into booming laughter.

Grayden: “HAHA! You kids are incredible! Michaelos is going to love you!”
He turned toward the crowd.
“Oi! Han! Send a message to Michaelos—NOW! And write down everything these kids say!”

Han: “Yes, sir!”

Han led them into a small room containing nothing more than a table, a single chair, and some writing tools. He sat down, picked up… a fork… dipped it in ink, and began writing.

All four of them leaned behind him like curious children.

They whispered.

Shadowlight: “Is it just me, or are they seriously using a fork as a pen?”

Black Storm: “Maybe we’re witnessing the era when forks were first invented.”

Star X: “Whoa! So this is the fork’s first true purpose!”

Sun-Z: “Fascinating…”

Han finally lifted his head.

Han: “Alright. The manuscript is finished. I’ll send the request to Mr. Michaelos. A few days should be enough to bring him back here.”

Black Storm: “Thank you very much.”

They headed outside again to say goodbye.

Nathan: “I’ll update you if anything happens. I’m heading home.”

Star X: “Thank you, Nathan!”

They waved as he left, then walked a little further until Shadowlight realized everyone was staring at him.

He frowned.

Shadowlight: “What now?”

Black Storm: “You’re acting way too normal for someone who was flying a minute ago.”

Sun-Z: “Yeah, you’d better explain how you did that!”

Shadowlight shrugged smugly.

Shadowlight: “And what good would it do? Maybe it’s just a special ability that only I possess.”

Sun-Z: “Liar!”

A scream cut through the air.

They spun around—

And froze.

Star X was floating off the ground.

Star X: “I DID IT!!”

Shadowlight: “ARE YOU SERIOUS?! That’s not fair!!!”

Star X: “Yaaaay!!!”

But her excitement didn’t last.

She suddenly began rising higher… higher… panic spreading across her face.

She latched desperately onto a tree branch.

Star X: “HELP!!”

Black Storm: “Hang on! Don’t let go—I’m coming!”

Sun-Z: “Try to shut your power off!”

Star X: “I DON’T KNOW HOW!!”

Shadowlight burst into hysterical laughter.

Shadowlight: “Hehehe—HAHAHAHA—HAHAHAHA!!!”

WHACK!

Both Black Storm and Sun-Z smacked him.

Both: “STOP LAUGHING AND DO SOMETHING!!!”

Suddenly—

Star X dropped…

CRASH!!!

They all collapsed to the ground in a tangled pile.

Star X: “Oops… sorry!”

They groaned in pain.

Shadowlight was crushed underneath everyone.

Shadowlight: “GET… OFF… ME!!!”