While a storm of heartbreak and fury brewed in the Sterling Manor, a different kind of tempest—one of power—was being forged within the Wintercroft estate.
Time, a concept that seemed to bend and warp within the crucible of their training, swiftly flew by.
In the following days, Zenith City continued its ceaseless, vibrant rhythm. Heroes in shimmering costumes patrolled the gleaming spires of the Apex, civilians bustled through the neon-drenched commercial sectors of the Strata, and deep in the Sump's perpetual twilight, the unregistered and forgotten continued their struggle for survival.
On the surface, the great noble houses maintained their placid, unshakable facades, projecting an image of calm and absolute control.
But deep within the Wintercroft's most secure sanctum, a place hidden from the prying eyes of the world, a monumental change was occurring.
The family possessed a private training facility that made public venues like the much-lauded Glacier Arena look like children's playgrounds. It was a cavernous, subterranean chamber, a pocket dimension the size of a vast field, a place so exclusive and steeped in family secrets that not even Elysia, the prized heiress, had held unrestricted access before now.
Here, the very laws of nature were subject to the whims of its masters. The air itself was a palpable, living thing, thick and humming with Aether energy concentrated to a density several times greater than the outside world. To breathe it in was to feel power seep into your very bones, accelerating recovery, sharpening the senses, and catalyzing growth at an astonishing rate.
Its advanced, unseen technology could simulate any environment with terrifying realism, from the crushing pressures and searing heat of a volcano's heart to the sun-baked, desolate expanse of a lifeless desert.
Its most formidable feature, however, was its ability to conjure holographic combatants—puppets of hard light and raw Aether capable of perfectly replicating the fighting styles, Talents, and tactical acumen of registered C-Rank heroes.
It was in this crucible, this sanctuary of power, that Orion and Lyra capitalized on their newfound, limitless resources.
Orion had initially offered to instruct his sister, a rare gesture of familial guidance from him. He knew his [Cognitive Acceleration] was a divine key, capable of analyzing the intricate, sub-atomic nuances of her vibrational Talent. He could perceive the very symphony of her power, identifying dissonant notes and offering shortcuts to a mastery that would take others decades to achieve.
Lyra, however, had flatly and immediately rejected his direct advice. Her pride was a blade as sharp as her brother's. The thrill of discovery, the intoxicating joy of unraveling the profound mysteries of her own power, was a prize she refused to surrender to anyone, not even him. For her, the journey was as vital as the destination.
Thus, beyond sessions where he used his own refined Aether to help purify the core of her own—a process that left her vibrating with newfound potential—Orion left her to her own devices.
And on her own, Lyra's progress was nothing short of terrifying. She didn't train with explosive flair or grand gestures. She spent hours, sometimes days, in silent, focused meditation at the chamber's center, a statue of deadly grace amidst a sea of simulated chaos. Her entire being was dedicated to a single purpose: listening to the hum of her own power.
She was learning to control the very quantum particles of her vibrational Aether, condensing them not into blunt waves of force, but into invisible, razor-thin streams of annihilation. These streams could move through the air, silent and unseen, to nullify incoming energy attacks or shred through Aether-reinforced defenses without losing an ounce of their lethal momentum.
Her control grew so precise, so absolute, that she moved beyond simple vibrations. She could now weave her power into tangible constructs of pure, resonant force—blades so lethally sharp they vibrated at a frequency that could destabilize molecular bonds, allowing them to part Aether-reinforced steel as if it were water.
While Lyra pursued her solitary, deadly path, Orion dedicated himself entirely to the training of Elysia and Lisanna.
Since the world-altering moment they had deepened their bond in the garden, any lingering hesitation or awkwardness had vanished, incinerated in the heat of their shared ascension.
He was unabashedly, unapologetically close with them. He discovered that physical intimacy was the most potent catalyst for their [Symbiotic Fusion], and so he used touches, embraces, and frequent, lingering kisses as both a method of instruction and a way to deepen their burgeoning, complex feelings for him.
Elysia, for all her ingrained noble pride, proved to be the more diligent and focused student. Her fierce, burning desire to command her own strength, to forge her own destiny free from the gilded cage of her family's expectations, burned brighter than any social pretense.
She absorbed every piece of Orion's instruction with a ravenous hunger. He was currently drilling her on the art of instantaneous manifestation, forcing her to conjure massive, overwhelming surges of her Ice Aether in mere seconds.
He taught her a brutal, simple truth: in a true battle against overwhelming odds, finesse was secondary. Speed and overwhelming power were king.
The very nature of their bond was a cheat code to progress, a divine shortcut. With his guidance resonating through their link, Elysia was achieving in mere days what would have taken her months, if not years, of grueling, solitary training.
Orion estimated her raw power was already at a level where she could effortlessly crush entire squads of D-Rank villains simultaneously, turning them into frozen statues with a single, contemptuous wave of her hand.
More amusing to him were her reactions to his methods. A furious, beautiful blush would creep up her neck whenever he held her waist from behind to guide the flow of her Aether, her body stiffening for a moment before melting into his hold.
She would scowl and mutter insults, yet in the rare, quiet moments when they were alone, away from Lisanna's teasing and Lyra's intimidating presence, she would grace him with a beautiful, devastatingly soft smile that could melt any glacier her power could create.
As for Lisanna, she was a natural, a prodigy of light. She was a quick study, her mind bright and intuitive, sometimes grasping the complex theoretical concepts he explained even faster than the more methodical Elysia.
Orion drilled her on the same core principles of rapid energy manipulation, and for Lisanna, it was like a fish taking to water. Her control over [Photokinesis (Tier 2)] became a seamless extension of her will, as natural as breathing.
Orion judged her raw destructive output to be a sliver greater than Elysia's at that moment, a fact Lisanna took immense, gleeful pride in.
The most peculiar thing about her was her utter, unadulterated delight in the training method itself.
She reveled in the intimacy, initiating deep, soul-searing kisses as "rewards" for mastering a new technique and finding any and every excuse to laze about in his arms, declaring it a necessary part of their "power consolidation." Unlike Elysia, Lisanna had no concept of time or place for affection, a trait Orion found himself thoroughly enjoying.
Through it all, Orion's own power continued its meteoric, terrifying rise. His System and his hyper-accelerated mind were in a constant state of flux, analyzing, refining, and evolving his use of Aether at a rate that defied all logic.
The flash of inspiration he'd had during the fight with their parents—the seemingly paradoxical combination of Ice and Light—had become his primary, obsessive focus. Creating constructs that were a blended, horrifying fusion of crystalline frost and solid, searing photons became more and more natural with each passing hour.
The power behind them was apocalyptic. He once created a single, small spear of fused light-ice energy, no larger than his hand. He launched it at a reinforced target wall designed to withstand the assault of the absolute limit of a C-Rank hero.
There was no explosion, no sound.
There was only a flash of impossible light and a wave of absolute cold. The wall, and a significant portion of the chamber behind it, simply ceased to exist, erased from reality.
He reckoned that a single one of these spears now contained enough destructive potential to utterly annihilate Commander Magnus, Theron, Kaelen, Elara, and Alya, even if they combined their full strength in a desperate, unified defensive wall.
And he knew, with a certainty that thrilled him to his core, that this was only the beginning. He could sense that he had yet to achieve a state of true, perfect fusion—a perfect, harmonious symphony of opposing elements.
He looked forward to that day with a ravenous, world-shaking anticipation.
It was on one such day, after finishing a grueling session of his own fusion training, that Orion decided to check on the progress of his sister and new girlfriends.
The facility's environment was currently set to a vast, grassy plain under a clear, artificial sky—a perfect, idyllic arena to unleash massive attacks without restraint.
He didn't have to walk far.
"Orion!" a bubbly, musical voice shouted. Lisanna came sprinting towards him, a radiant, sun-bright smile on her face. Her golden eyes sparkled with mischief and pride, and cupped in her hands was a small, intensely bright ball of light that pulsed like a miniature star. "Watch this! Watch this!"
She pranced to a stop a few feet away, practically vibrating with excitement, and tossed the orb of light into the air. The moment it touched a blade of grass, it detonated. It was not an explosion of fire, but of pure energy.
An immense eruption of searing, white-gold light-flames swirled into the heavens, creating a churning, roaring vortex of energy several meters wide.
A powerful, super-heated whirlwind swept across the plain, whipping Orion's hair about his face and forcing him to brace against its force.
"Oh?" Orion raised a curious eyebrow, a flicker of genuine impressiveness in his eyes. The technique was a crude application of raw power, but the sheer volume of energy she had condensed and controlled was remarkable.
Lisanna bounced on the balls of her feet, a smug, triumphant grin plastered on her face. "See? Creating that little sun wasn't a challenge at all! It was super easy! Now, where's my reward?"
Orion chuckled, the sound deep and warm. "Alright, alright. You've earned it. Come here."
He pulled her into a fervent, demanding kiss that she met with a happy, muffled squeal. A tantalizing pleasure, a deep, resonant warmth, swelled and pulsed between them, a feedback loop of affection and power that left them both breathless.
When they finally pulled apart, Lisanna giggled, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink.
"I can't wait until we get some real alone time," she whispered, her voice a conspiratorial murmur against his lips. "Getting more powerful feels great, but all this training gets so dull at times, you know?"
Orion smiled, his hand gently rubbing the small of her back. "Don't worry. I just wanted everyone to have a stable foundation now rather than later. The dangers of the outside world won't wait for us to be ready. But yes, we'll have some free time very, very soon."
Lisanna's delighted giggle was her only assent. It was at this moment that Orion's gaze flicked to his right, a knowing, expectant glint in his eyes. Just as he predicted, Elysia was strutting towards them, her pace just a fraction too hurried, her posture a little too rigid to be called casual.
"Orion," she snorted, crossing her arms beneath her chest in a gesture of classic defiance. "Save your perversion for later and evaluate this."
She didn't wait for a response. A thick, shimmering layer of crystalline Ice Aether, so cold it warped the light around it, instantly encased her hand. With a single, elegant, and devastatingly powerful wave, she unleashed a terrifying tsunami of absolute cold.
The air itself seemed to crackle and shatter as the ground before her was instantly encased in a thick, advancing sheet of jagged, razor-sharp ice for dozens of meters.
The sheer power radiating from the arctic blast was only a fraction weaker than Lisanna's light explosion, a difference so minute it was barely noticeable.
Lisanna's eyes gleamed as she clapped her hands together. "So amazing, Ellie! You're like a real-life ice goddess!"
A rare, genuine smile of pride, fleeting but brilliant, touched Elysia's lips. "Naturally," she said, the single word laced with satisfaction, before her silver-blue eyes locked with Orion's. "Well?"
Orion smiled, walked over, and wordlessly pulled her into his arms, ignoring her token resistance.
"Tch," she clicked her tongue, a deep, enchanting blush rising on her cheeks that contrasted beautifully with her silver hair. "Idiot, I didn't ask for this."
"Here's your reward," Orion murmured against her hair, his voice low and intimate. "I know you got antsy when Lisanna got hers first."
He silenced her coming protest by giving her the same deep, passionate kiss he'd given Lisanna. The same intoxicating pleasure and soul-deep warmth coursed between them, melting her icy exterior until only the fiery woman beneath remained.
When they pulled back, Elysia narrowed her eyes, but the coldness was gone, replaced by a possessive heat. Her voice was a low, demanding whisper only he could hear. "I am expecting your presence. Alone. Very soon."
Orion's smile widened. "Don't worry. Like I said, it's better to establish our foundations now."
Lisanna leaned against Orion's other shoulder, her expression full of mirth as she playfully poked Elysia's side. "I knew you couldn't wait! Hehe, I think you're even more eager than me, Ellie."
Elysia scoffed, rolling her eyes as she tried, and failed, to wiggle out of Orion's embrace. "That's not possible. I, unlike you two, understand the correct time and place for such things. You both fail to comprehend any meaning of restraint."
"Oh, come now," Lisanna laughed loudly, her voice echoing in the vast chamber. "Whenever Orion makes us compete on who gets the first kiss after training, you act like your entire family honor is on the line!"
"Shut up!" Elysia snapped, her blush deepening. "You try far harder than I do!"
"Of course!" Lisanna nodded with a proud, unashamed grin. "I always aim for the best reward!"
As Elysia scowled and huffed, a beautiful storm of pride and desire, Orion just smiled in amusement. Then, in an instant, his expression sharpened.
The playful warmth vanished, replaced by the honed focus of a predator.
He subtly narrowed his eyes, his hyper-sensitive Aetheric senses detecting a razor-sharp, violently vibrating aura hurtling their way at supersonic speed.
"Excuse me, girls," he said, his voice dropping an octave as he gently untangled himself from their embrace.
They were only briefly confused before they, too, felt it—a spike of raw Aether so potent and focused it was like a physical pressure against their skin, a promise of imminent impact.
Elysia let out a weary, long-suffering sigh. "Here comes the migraine."
Lisanna just smiled wryly, a hint of excitement in her eyes. "She really doesn't pull her punches, eh?"
The two of them swiftly retreated several dozen of meters, knowing better than to be caught in the crossfire.
In the fraction of a second it took for them to move, Orion's right hand was instantly encased in a gauntlet of diamond-hard, crystalline ice, frigid mist coiling from it like a living thing.
He swung out, his motion a fluid, perfect blur that seemed to split the very wind, leaving shimmering streaks of frigid air in its wake.
At the exact same, infinitesimal instant, a fist wreathed in shimmering, golden vibrations—a fist that distorted the very air around it into a visible, rippling wave—met his own.
BOOM!
The impact was not a sound. It was a physical event, a deafening implosion of force and sound that shook the massive facility.
A violent, concussive whirlwind erupted outwards from the point of contact, a shockwave that tore up the grassy plain in a perfect circle and forced Elysia and Lisanna to instinctively throw up shields of ice and light to keep from being blown away.
The ground beneath Orion's feet didn't just crack; it spiderwebbed into a deep crater, fissures spreading out like blackened lightning.
Yet, he remained as still and unmovable as a primordial mountain. A mocking smile played on his lips as he met his sister's jeering face, which was now just inches from his own, her eyes burning with competitive fire.
"Not bad," he said, his voice utterly calm amidst the dissipating, chaotic energy. "A good amount of strength. But still a bit too slow."
"Tch," Lyra scoffed, the sound sharp and dismissive. With a surge of vibrational energy, she launched herself backward, twisting in mid-air to land as lightly as a cat on her feet a dozen meters away. "I would've been faster, but you'd get prissy if I didn't perfectly control the shockwave. Wouldn't want to scuff your new girlfriends."