The morning sun broke across the horizon, painting the clouds in amber and crimson. Amari stretched as the wind tugged at his hair, the air crisp against his skin. Daniel stirred beside him, still half-buried in his blanket.
Amari pressed his earpiece. "Sam. Yesterday you said something about… essence. What exactly is that?"
There was a pause. Then Sam's voice came, steady, almost reverent.
"Very well, sirs. The time has come for you to understand. What the world casually calls essence has a true name — Luminara."
The name itself seemed to hum through the air. Daniel sat up straighter. "Luminara?"
"Yes," Sam continued. "It is the breath of the world — the current that flows beneath rivers, through the wind, and within every living thing. Most people feel only scraps of it, like catching sparks in the dark. But your family… your eyes allow you to see Luminara, shape it, and become one with it. That is your gift, and also your curse."
Amari clenched his fist, green sparks flickering faintly between his fingers. "So this… this power in us… it's Luminara?"
"Exactly," Sam said. "But raw Luminara is chaotic. To control it, generations before you discovered that the Eyes pass through stages of evolution. Each stage sharpens the vessel, preparing the wielder to hold greater currents of Luminara without shattering their body."
He paused, then began reciting as if from memory, his tone like a priest unveiling a sacred scripture:
⸻
The Stages of the Eyes
1. Flicker — The first spark. The Eyes awaken, granting a faint glow but no true powers. It is the stage of birth, unstable and fragile.
2. Glare — The light stabilizes. Powers tied to the wielder's nature emerge. At this stage, the user may burn through their own body if reckless.
3. Mirror — The Eye reflects not only light, but truth. The wielder can copy or bend techniques they witness, weaving them with their own. Few ever ascend this far.
4. Prism — The Eye refracts reality itself, splitting Luminara into multiple forms. At this stage, time, perception, and even fate bend slightly to the user's will.
5. Eclipse — The forbidden stage. When the Eye consumes both light and shadow, granting unimaginable strength. But the price is one's humanity.
⸻
Daniel's mouth went dry. "So we're… in the Glare Stage right now?"
"Yes," Sam confirmed. "Your Eyes burn with defined powers. Amari, your blasts of emerald light — destructive, pure. Daniel, your manipulation of position and speed — sharp and merciless. Both of you are still only scratching the surface."
Amari frowned. "What about the Dark Family?"
The silence lingered before Sam spoke again. His voice was lower now, almost grim.
"The Dark Family awakened their Eyes from the same origin. But where your lineage chose to use Luminara for balance and peace… they corrupted theirs, feeding their Eyes with hatred and chaos. Their path is not of Glare or Mirror. They walk toward Eclipse. That is why they hunt you. If they take your Eyes and fuse that power with their own… the Eclipse will spread beyond saving."
Daniel's eyes narrowed. "So that's why they want us dead… or worse."
Sam's tone sharpened. "Precisely. Your grandpa knew this truth. It is why he pressed you to train — to prepare you for the battles to come. You are not simply fighting enemies, sirs. You are fighting for the balance of Luminara itself."
Amari let out a slow breath, his chest heavy but steady. "Then we'll master it. We'll push our Eyes beyond Glare. To Mirror. To Prism. As far as it takes. Grandpa didn't die for us to stay weak."
Daniel's hand tightened around his brother's shoulder. "Together. Always."
The morning wind rose, carrying their vow across the path ahead. And somewhere far away, in shadows unseen, a pair of blackened Eyes opened — watching, waiting.