Chapter 14: Human with His Tools (Part 1)
Ktang!
Swossh!
Swang!
Kael's backyard sounded like a chaotic battlefield as the first great sun rose, followed by its two smaller companions in the sky. The blue morning light shimmered through drifting clouds while Kael busied himself testing the mysterious items he had found in the black box the night before.
Above him, several winged races were already soaring through the air, their wings catching the golden light as they began their morning routines, a scene of peace and rhythm contrasting sharply with the clatter coming from Kael's yard.
"Hm… so the metal cage spheres don't explode when thrown, huh?" Kael muttered, tilting his head as he examined the strange device.
He crouched down, picking up another object, a sleek cylinder marked with faint runes. "What about this one? What happens if I throw it?"
As he studied it closer, his brows lifted slightly. "Wait… this part feels different."
The flat surface of the cylinder had a ring of black rubber, like a soft cap. Kael ran his thumb over it, feeling the smooth metal shift into a rubbery texture. "Feels like some kind of seal,"
As Kael prepared to throw the cylinder into the sky—
"KAAEEL!" Elvareth's voice cut through the air.
Kael groaned. "What is it this time, old elf? I'm busy with this"
"Ya friends are outside!"
"Tell them I'm in the backyard!"
"Alright!"
Elvareth sighed and walked off to guide Kael's friends around the side of the house. Moments later, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed
THUD!
THUD!
Volgran's massive steps shook the ground as he approached.
"Kael!" Liraen called out, landing lightly beside him after descending through the air with the help of his wind Might.
Volgran dropped onto the soft grass bed with a low thud, the earth slightly trembling beneath his weight.
The next instant, Nylum slid down from Volgran's shoulder like a waterfall, his liquid form splashing gently as he reassembled himself on the ground.
Kael gave Liraen a brief wave before turning his attention back to the cylinder. Liraen frowned, noticing Kael's distraction until his eyes caught sight of the open black box lying nearby.
He gasped. So did Nylum, who had just finished reforming beside Volgran.
"The black box! It's open!" Liraen shouted.
Kael didn't even look up. "Yeah, I know. You guys are geniuses for figuring that out," he replied with a mocking tone.
Liraen sighed, folding his arms. "You don't have to be so sarcastic, Kael…"
"HAHAHAHA! But look at this— isn't this cool?" Kael grinned, holding up the cylinder capsule and the metal cage sphere. Inside the cage, a crystal hovered and shimmered faintly with light. "I still don't know what any of these do yet, but I will soon."
"Give me that. Maybe I can help," Liraen offered.
Kael handed him the caged sphere. Liraen examined it carefully, then waited but nothing happened. The crystal continued to float quietly inside, unmoving.
Kael frowned. "Hmm. Why not use your Might, Ren?"
"Yeah, maybe it reacts like the box did," Liraen said.
He summoned a soft current of wind Might around his hand, stopping it and he touched the sphere still, nothing. The crystal only flickered faintly and returned to its idle glow.
Liraen sighed. "Well, that's disappointing."
"What about the other things, Kaaeel…" Nylum's watery form rippled as he tried to keep his body stable, his voice flowing like a stream.
"Not interested," Kael said. "For now, I just want to figure out these two. Especially this one…"
He lifted the silver cylinder again, studying it closely. Strange symbols were etched at both ends, one side marked with a – symbol, the other with a +, both partially covered by the black rubber caps.
"Huh… minus and plus? Is this a battery?" Kael muttered, his eyes narrowing. "But it's massive as big as my head. I've made batteries before using energy Might crystal."
He gave it a few light shakes tang, tang, tang. Something shifted inside.
"There's definitely something in there," Kael murmured. "I need to try something. But first I need to ask you guys something."
Kael turned to Liraen, "where are the others?"
"Grak'Mar and Nibsken went to tell the boss our excuse," Liraen replied. "Reyvik said he's on his way… probably still asleep."
Kael rolled his eyes. "Figures." He looked at Nylum. "Hey, Nylum, can you help me out?"
Nylum's liquid form shimmered like morning dew. "Suuureee…" he replied playfully.
"Ren, keep an eye on the sphere, will you? Maybe the crystal inside just needs time to react."
"Alright, genius human…" Liraen replied with a teasing grin.
Kael nodded, acknowledging his most reliable friend, before turning back to Nylum. "Okay, Nylum, help me with this."
"Okaayyy, Kaaeel," Nylum said, his voice rippling like a stream.
"Can you form a water ball about this size?" Kael raised both hands, showing the rough diameter with his hand.
"Yeah, I caaann…"
Nylum focused, his watery body shifting and bending. Even for a Water Elemental, forming precise shapes from one's own body without external water required effort. Slowly, the liquid gathered, swirling into a perfect sphere hovering between them.
"Good," Kael said, rummaging through his toolbox. He pulled out two copper wires one coated red, the other black. Slipping on a pair of thick cotton gloves, he carefully removed the black rubber caps from both flat ends of the silver cylinder. Then he attached each copper wire to the exposed metallic surface where the rubber caps had been, securing them in place before closing the caps again to make sure the wires stayed firmly attached.
"Alright, Nylum, stay back," Kael warned, crouching slightly.
"Okay…"
He took a deep breath, pointing the red and black wires toward the hovering water ball.
As soon as the copper tips touched the surface—
BOOM!
The water sphere exploded violently, bursting into mist and droplets that drenched the entire backyard.
The shockwave rippled outward, sending Kael flying several meters before he crashed hard onto the ground.
"Ouch—! HAAARGH!" he groaned, clutching his side as the scalding mist washed over him. The heat from the blast seared his skin, leaving patches of red across his arms and face.
Liraen froze in shock for a split second, then snapped back into motion. "Nylum!" he shouted.
Nylum nodded immediately, understanding without words. The two focused their Might in tandem water and wind intertwining in perfect harmony.
Nylum's liquid arms flowed forward while Liraen extended his hand, his wind shaping and cooling the water midair. Together, they created a spiraling stream of chilled vapor that condensed into shimmering droplets before cascading onto Kael.
The water struck his burned skin with a hiss, the soothing cold absorbing the lingering heat from the explosion. Kael exhaled shakily, his tense body finally relaxing as the pain began to dull. His face, flushed red moments ago, gradually returned to a calmer hue.
"Kael!" Liraen shouted again, running to his side. Nylum followed closely, gliding across the grass like a flowing river. "What happened? Are you alright?"
Kael winced, blinking as he forced his eyes open. "Yeah… yeah, I'm alright," he muttered with a strained smile. "Thanks, you two. Still burns a bit, though."
Liraen and Nylum exchanged a look, both realizing what they had just done. The technique they used was called Might Merge, an ability that allows two or more Might users to combine their elemental affinities, creating a far stronger and more refined force.
Though it might appear simple in theory, performing a successful Might Merge required an unshakable bond. Whether through blood, friendship, or shared purpose, both users needed absolute trust in one another and a pure, unified intent. Without that harmony, the merged Might would collapse instantly, often with disastrous results.
Might Merge was more than just a technique. It was a symbol of trust, a connection forged not in words, but through hearts that beat with the same purpose.
"But!" Kael suddenly exclaimed, eyes lighting up with excitement despite the burns on his arms. "I think I've figured it out… this thing, it's a battery!"
Liraen blinked. "A battery?"
"Yeah! It's like… a storage for energy," Kael explained eagerly, standing up while brushing dirt from his clothes. He picked up the silver cylinder and carefully opened the black rubber cap to remove the black and red copper wire then closed the black rubber caps on both ends. "One thing's for sure, this is an insanely powerful battery. The way it instantly exploded the water? That means it holds energy far beyond normal Might crystals."
He turned the cylinder around in his gloved hands, watching the faint white light pulsing beneath the metal surface. "And it's still glowing… strange. Usually, batteries fade once discharged, but this one's still active."
Liraen and Nylum exchanged cautious looks.
"Alright," Kael continued, straightening up. "So we've learned one thing, this cylinder stores massive energy. But now…" He looked toward the metal sphere still hovering weakly in Liraen's hands. "…about the sphere. I still can't figure it out."
Liraen handed the sphere back to him. The crystal inside continued floating, unresponsive and silent.
"Hmm… maybe it reacts to something else," Kael murmured, narrowing his eyes.
"I already tried," Liraen said, stepping back. He extended his palm and summoned a strong current of wind Might. The air around him twisted into a miniature cyclone before he released it, gently he touched the sphere's metal cage back
Still, nothing happened. The crystal pulsed once, then returned to its dull, hovering state.
"Yeah, we'll figure it out later…" Kael said, holding both the sphere and the cylinder carefully in his hands.
Liraen's gaze shifted to the black box sitting on Kael's wooden table.
"So… what else did you find in there?"
End of part 1
Sorry for late update guys but now I'm back and will upload more often!