"His gift?" Riven questioned the system as he saw the prompt. He was going to press the three dots to learn more as three people entered with blankets and pillows.
"You guys ready to get this day over with?" a green-haired girl called out.
"Wait… over with? Shouldn't it be almost morning with how long we took?" Jordan questioned.
"No, we asked Kira and your mom, and it turns out only 8 minutes passed out here," Tessa answered.
"Only 8? We were there for 7 hours!" Harkel yelled in shock.
"Yeah, I know. I guess time works differently in there. But uh… what happened to you guys' hair?" Leo couldn't help but ask, looking at the red mark trailing down a piece of their hair.
"I'm assuming this is what the system meant by Tomar's gift," Riven answered.
"Tomar?"
"He was the skeleton in that cave, or wherever we were," Jordan explained. "But he touched Riven's forehead, not me and Luka's. But our hair also has the same thin line of red."
"What do you think it is?" Nico questioned.
"I'm pretty sure the system knows, but it's getting late and I'd rather check tomorrow. We just opened up the rewards that we got from not using resonance— I mean qi—during the raid."
[system: Quest completed. User is now rewarded with a qi reward. A qi reward is different from other rewards the user might gain in the future. Other rewards will help the user in improving the system and improving their own ability, while a qi reward is primarily focused on qi itself, only improving that part of the user and not their ability. A qi reward can come in two types: an item reward and an improvement reward. Improvement rewards will help the user improve in qi and have more immediate progression, while an item reward may take time to really show its true worth.]
Riven opened a white envelope. When he did, white round cuffs came falling out, hitting the ground and causing a bit of a clang. Everyone surrounded the four cylinder cuffs that were on the ground, all of them then looking at Riven with a very weirded-out look that just screamed, What do you be doing in your off time?
"Don't look at me, the system gave me this," the boy defended himself.
"Well, technically, it is your ability, which does directly derive from your soul, sooo…" Skye replied.
"Don't try to put this on me. Jordy is also part of the system, which technically could also be to blame for this as well."
"Where did we come in on this!?" both Jordy and Jordan screamed.
"What do these things even do?" Luka picked one up, examining it. "This isn't light either."
[system: item—Qi-Lock Cuffs. These cuffs will absorb the user's qi and add weight as well, limiting your movement. Having all four on at a time will significantly weaken the user. But each day the user has these cuffs on, the user's qi will multiply by that day count. Note: it has to be a full 24 hours for the effect to be active. The way to take it off is by tapping the cuff two times and it will immediately fall off the user. Note: each user has two pair of cuffs for themselves. After it falls off twice, you can no longer use it. Also note: if they overextend their qi too much, the cuffs will forcibly fall off.]
Luka couldn't help himself and put on the cuffs. He immediately felt the weight of it, dragging his hand down, but after a while he got used to it. Even though he couldn't see qi, the boy could still feel it, and he felt his qi pouring into the cuff. Then he put the others on. When everyone saw Luka with all four cuffs on, they looked at him a bit weirdly, but in front of them they could see all of the cuffs disappearing, like they were blending into his skin. When they explained what the cuffs do and how they worked, Riven realized there were more pairs of the same cuffs in the system. He was intrigued by it, so he took out his own pair and put them on, and he felt the same way.
"Wow, it's like my qi is being drained into it," Riven said, thinking out loud.
Harkel then put a pair on, followed by Jordan, Leo, Skye, Jude, Wren, Nico, Harkel, and Joey.
"I think I'm OK. I have no reason to get stronger, and plus I really feel like I'd nerf myself more than I already am since I'm so weak," Kira sighed.
"No, Kira, this could help you grow. You never know— you might need strength in the future," Luka wanted to convince his sister, who took her time to think about it and decided to put it on, with Leo doing the same for Tessa.
"It feels weird," Joey said, shaking his hand up and down like he was trying to hear the shake of the cuff, but he heard nothing.
"Well, there's no reason to gag over it. It's time for bed." Wren sighed as she picked a corner, put down a sheet and a pillow, and slept on it. Everyone else followed, picking their own corners and falling asleep in them. After a few hours, Riven noticed something— he couldn't fall asleep. He lifted his upper body up, grabbing his chest. The boy then quickly got up and ran out of the room retching. After he stopped, Riven looked down to see what came out of him, but it wasn't what he expected. All he saw on the ground was red—no residue of old food—just pure red glowing, resonating like a heartbeat.
"What's going on?" Riven questioned himself, looking at the glowing substance. He then heard a system message.
[system: Tomar's gift is currently affecting the user, using past data to create a solution.]
Riven stared at the prompt. He had seen Tomar's gift before, but he thought if he didn't indulge in it, it wouldn't activate or nothing would happen to him. But Riven opened the door as he realized he wasn't the only one affected by Tomar's gift.
"Wait, Jordy— what about you and Luka?"
"Well, looking back in the memory bank of the system, they got it after you did, and they didn't get directly touched by Tomar. Maybe that's why nothing happened." But Jordy soon ate his words as two boys came running out of the small building doing the same as Riven. It was the two boys they were talking about—Jordan and Luka. After seeing each other, they decided to head inside the house and discuss what was going on.
"So what exactly is happening to us?" Luka questioned, grabbing a strand of his hair, seeing that the red mark was starting to grow in his hair.
"Well, according to the system, it seems Tomar gave you some of his qi. Since he was already dead— at least I assume so— his qi will most likely stay with you unless he takes it out."
"So he gave us a piece of his qi? So how much exactly did he give us?" Luka asked Jordy.
"About the max your body can handle, but—"
"But it's hurting us," Riven concluded.
"Exactly. It's hurting Luka the most, which is why his red mark is expanding more than you guys."
"What? Why me?" Luka pointed at himself, scared for his life.
"Well, Jordan and Riven seem to have some type of resistance to it, allowing their bodies to actually absorb it. But it's not fast enough, which is why your bodies are still being damaged. But I found a solution we can use. Hopefully your bodies will be ready for when it eventually comes off." They were confused about what the boy was talking about until they felt a weird sinking feeling inside them. It felt like they were excusing themselves after drinking 10 gallons of water.
"What's going on?" Luka questioned as the red mark on their hair was disappearing, though it was still a bit visible to the eye.
"I was able to make it so the qi is being redirected into the cuffs. This should allow you to be okay and use your qi with no issues for now. But some of Tomar's qi will stay inside you, and that red mark on your hair will show that."
"Alright, thanks Jordy. Thanks to you, we'll be able to use our qi and Tomar's qi with ease." Luka gave the pixelated boy a thumbs-up.
"But there's still a hole in all of this," Jordan said, which made everyone look confused. "The cuffs themselves will come off eventually, and the effects might apply for Tomar's qi as well, meaning it could possibly double, or however long we might have, leaving us in the same problem—maybe even worse."
It made everyone sitting at the table think about how they could solve a problem before it became an even bigger one.
"I have an idea," Riven shot his finger up. "I was planning on using this before we entered the raid, but with Dad joining, I thought it would be a breeze, which it technically was if it wasn't for that whole thing with him leaving us and—"
"Just get to the point, Riven," Jordan stopped his brother from going on a rant. Riven pulled a bottle with a pure white substance in it.
"Awakening improves our physical ability and stats, so maybe if we awaken, our bodies will be able to take in more qi from Tomar."
"Not a bad idea. How many system points do we have?" The two brothers looked at one another, realizing they had never told Luka or anyone about the Storm Guild coming to them, giving them the units, and then keeping a few for themselves. When they told Luka the amount, the boy looked like he was ready to cough up blood.
"How long have you guys had this?" Luka was ready to yell, but quickly had his mouth covered by Jordan.
"Our mom and dad are asleep— keep it down."
"Sorry, but when did you get this much?" Both Riven and Jordan explained how a person from the Storm Guild came and gave them the units to buy something from the system, and how they kept some points for themselves.
"Okay, let's get to drinking," Riven said, rubbing his hands.
"So let me get this straight," a man with dark blue hair bellowed. "My son left to go with his friends?" This was Fave Voss of the Voss clan and Harkel's father. They were in a room with a circular table with two others in the room as well.
"Yes, sir," a soldier said in a gray uniform with a blue star on the upper left shoulder of it.
"Why exactly did he do this?" Fave questioned.
"He said his friend's father was going to train him, and he didn't say in what or why he believed the boy or the father. He just did."
"So now the question that's going through my head is— why did you do it?"
"He said you gave him permission to do so." The guard lied. He knew Fave never said this, but this was the story Harkel wanted him to stick to for when his father eventually found out he was gone.
"And you believed him?" A feminine voice joined in.
"Yes. He showed undeniable proof that it was the headmaster who authorized it."
"Where did the boy go?" an old voice called out. It was Harkel's grandfather and Fave's father.
"He went to the Dawn Gate."
"This is a problem then, my son. The Dawn family wouldn't want us to make a statement and try to attack one of their residences— especially after what happened with the Zale family. After that, the entire Dawn was ready to go to war because of the Torklem family."
"Are you saying this, Father? I never made my final decision."
"It's because we know you, brother, and your low self-esteem. A person is training one of your youngest children and now you're thinking, Why would he ever do this? Does he think that person is stronger than me? Or does he think my son can progress more with that person's help?"
Fave's eyes widened as he dismissed the guard.
"Now, is there something you want to say? Don't try to start making cracks in the family because you lost the Clanfire Rite."
The Clanfire Rite is how the head member of the family is selected. One must issue a duel between two people: the person themselves and the head of the family. It's simple, really. You win— you become the head of the family. You lose— you stay in the same position you were in beforehand, while the head moves down to your spot instead. You can only challenge once every 5 years. After a duel is already taken, the head gets a five-month resting period so they can recover their strength for their next battle.
"Do you think it's because of it? Even Dad knows why Harkel is acting like this. And it's not like he was father of the year for both of us."
"Nrya, I tried my best when it came to you and Fave. Sure, I had my flaws, but what person doesn't have flaws when it comes to parenting?" the elder defended himself.
"Yeah, and Fave got a lot of them."
"What does that mean?" Fave rose out of his seat.
"You're a bad father, that's what it means. You barely spend time with any of your children, which is why, when your children reach a certain age, they abandon the clan. Making our bloodline not really that great, since at some point we're gonna have the Voss clan in common with how much you can keep it in your pants."
"Oh sister, your little tactics will never get into my head, which is why I'm the head of the family while you're doing your position now. Why don't you go off and find someone else to annoy?" He shooed the girl like she was a fly.
"Don't test me, brother," she stood as well, getting into the man's face. "If you wanna go so bad, then let's go," she barked.
"I already bested you 4 years ago. You still have one more year left, so I advise you to wait," Fave said cockily.
"What if I don't want to wait another year? Maybe I want to do this right here, right now."
"That's enough!" the elder yelled, the two of them backing off from one another. "This is not about your petty sibling rivalry. Get over yourselves. This is about your son and your nephew— my grandson. Nrya, say what you will about your brother, but he is still the head. Attacking him will be you attacking the entire Voss clan, and I will not be able to save you from that." Fave had a cocky smile on his face, but it soon disappeared as his father got on him next. "And you— you make everything about yourself. When your son is with people you don't know or have even seen the face of, what type of father is that?"
"The father who was raised by a person like you," Fave said as he walked out.
"Where are you going, son?"
"I'm going to get my son back— with or without you." Fave then walked out.
"Damnit," the elder whispered.
"Oh, I gotta see this," Nrya then started to walk after him but was stopped.
"Nrya!" the elder yelled.
"What? Wanna stop me? Chill, Father, I won't get involved."
"No. I want you to take me with you."
Kaden awoke with his wife next to him. They made up after he came back from the portal, allowing him to sleep in the bed and not the couch. He got up and did some stretches. When he walked, he heard the sound of throwing up. He ran to the kitchen where he could see three boys throwing up in their own buckets with empty containers all over the floor.
"Who knew that taking too much would have this result?" But Riven was cut off as he threw up even more.
"What the hell happened here?" Kaden yelled.
"I can explain." A pixelated boy then showed up in his face. Jordy then explained everything that happened to the two or three boys last night and what exactly Tomar's gift was and who Tomar was.
"So are they going to be all right?"
"They should be all right. It's just an effect of taking too much."
Kaden sighed. "Good. So about those cuffs…" After a few minutes, Riven, Jordan, and Luka all felt better. They had around 10 million, but it took them 10,000 second awakening potions to actually awaken to one level. Riven, Luka, and Jordan were all in their 3rd awakening. After recovering from his sickness, Riven got up, feeling his body with the aura that represents a person's fresh awakening. But it was different— like it was more potent and seemed to have a hot red color infused with it.
"It does feel different," Riven said, then started to beat on his chest with one of his arms. "And I'm way more durable." Riven then fell down in relief. "Hey guys, we've awakened. Maybe when the cuffs break, we'll be alright after all," Riven chuckled.
"Yeah, you'll be alright," Kaden whispered, but then he realized, "These kids grew enough after that raid, so maybe today should be a wind-down day. They need more than training, especially after all they went through. I know what they need." After an hour, the others who were in the back finally came to the house and they started to have breakfast.
"Okay, now everyone listen up— here's what we're going to do today," Kaden yelled, but soon stopped as Candice told him to keep it down. "Okay. Today I want to have a one-on-one with each of you. I'll call you to the back. Don't tell the others what happens. I just want to check on you. Jordan, you're first." Kaden then walked out, with Jordan following behind him. Everyone misunderstood what Kaden meant. In their eyes, he wanted a one-on-one sparring session with each of them. But when Jordan entered the room, he could tell what his father meant when he was just sitting down— he wanted to talk.
"Jordan, I want to know how you feel about everything that's been going on in your life so far."