[Next Morning]
Jane's eyes fluttered open, slowly adjusting to the soft morning light. The warmth beside her was gone. She bolted upright, a sudden panic seizing her. "Leo!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the quiet room.
From the bathroom, Leo's voice called back, calm and clear. "Oh, Jane, you're up."
He emerged moments later, a relaxed smile on his face. "You really slept like a baby," he teased, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Jane felt a blush creep up her neck, but then her gaze sharpened, noticing something different about him. "Uhhh, Leo... your body. It's changed." His frame seemed more defined, his presence subtly more powerful.
Leo chuckled, walking closer. "Probably the transformation stuff," he said, shrugging it off casually.
Jane's mind raced, a single thought cutting through her surprise: *Damn, he's hot.* She quickly shook her head, trying to bury the thought.
"Come on, Jane," Leo said, pulling her gently. "Someone wants to greet you."
As they walked, Jane's curiosity buzzed. "Uhh, who is it?" she asked, trying to guess.
"You'll know him when you see him," Leo replied, a hint of a mysterious smile playing on his lips.
Leo led her to a room. Inside, a figure stood with his back to them. The moment he turned, Jane gasped. Her eyes widened, and she launched herself forward, wrapping him in a fierce hug. "Axiel!" she cried, her voice thick with relief and joy. "You're finally awake! So much has happened!"
Axiel hugged her back just as tightly. Leo watched them, a playful smirk on his face. "Okay, okay, I'm getting jealous now," he joked.
Jane pulled away, looking between Leo and Axiel. *Damn, two hot guys,* she thought, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Then, she noticed the same subtle changes in Axiel. "Leo, Axiel's body has changed too!"
"The spiritual being's transformation tends to alter our bodies," Leo explained, his tone matter-of-fact.
Jane grinned. "I need to go see Lyla now." She was eager to share the news.
"No problem," Leo said. "She's actually looking for you."
Jane waved goodbye to Axiel, a bright smile on her face, and hurried out.
Axiel let out a long breath, finally relaxing. "Man, I really panicked when I woke up," he admitted, running a hand through his hair.
Leo sat on a nearby table. "You'll get used to it. Besides, we have training to do."
"Training?" Axiel asked, surprised.
"Yeah, to master the energy surging within us," Leo clarified, a serious edge to his voice.
"Ohhh," Axiel murmured, a new understanding dawning on him.
[Lyla's Room]
Lyla looked at Caspian, a question in her eyes. "So, Caspian, when are you heading back to your base?"
Caspian leaned back, considering. "I'm not sure yet, but I'm thinking of staying another week."
"Who's holding down the fort there?" Lyla pressed, ever the commander.
Caspian waved a dismissive hand. "Don't worry, I left someone I trust completely in charge."
*Knock. Knock.*
"Who's there?" Lyla called out.
"Jane," came the reply.
Lyla opened the door. "Come in," she said, stepping aside.
Jane entered, her eyes bright. "I heard you were looking for me?"
"Oh, yes, I was," Lyla confirmed. "We're about to start our training."
"Now?" Jane asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.
"Of course," Lyla stated, her gaze firm.
"Okay, ma'am, no problem. When should we begin?" Jane asked, ready for action.
Lyla raised an eyebrow. "I just said, now."
"Oh, my bad! Sorry!" Jane quickly apologized, a sheepish grin on her face.
Lyla turned to Caspian. "Would you like to join us?"
Caspian smiled. "Yeah, why not?"
"Oh, and Jane," Lyla added, "we won't be using the old training ground. Leo needs a different space to train."
"Only Leo?" Jane asked, confused.
"Yeah," Lyla explained. "His energy is insane. But once he's done, he'll be training the others who have spiritual beings inside them."
Jane grinned. "Okay, boss."
Lyla rolled her eyes playfully. "Stop calling me that. Call me Lyla. And no, I'm not angry at you anymore."
Jane's smile widened. "Thank you!"
**[Training Grounds]**
Leo entered the training ground with Axiel, a determined look on his face. "Want to see me train?" he asked.
"Of course!" Axiel replied, eager to witness his friend's power.
Leo closed his eyes, a silent command echoing in his mind: *Nova, I'm ready.*
*I won't take control of your body,* Nova's voice resonated within him. *I will release some energy, and you will control and stabilize it. I've already stabilized it for a specific duration, but you must refine it further.*
Leo opened his eyes, a new intensity burning within them. He picked up the sword resting on a wooden stand beside him.
He began to release energy, a powerful aura radiating from him that even Axiel could feel. Axiel's spiritual being stirred within him, a voice in his head whispering, *Wow, Nova never ceases to surprise us.*
Leo's energy flared, becoming unstable. *Calm down and control the energy like your breathing,* Nova instructed, her voice a steady anchor in the storm.
Leo's hair instantly shifted to an electric blue, crackling with power. He unsheathed his sword, a blur of motion, and sprinted straight past the wooden dummy in front of him.
"Uhh, what did he just do?" Axiel mumbled, blinking in confusion.
Immediately, the dummy exploded into splinters. The very ground beneath it was torn apart, leaving a thin, deep gash in the earth, as if a colossal sword had sliced through the crust.
Axiel stood stunned. *Now that you have control of your energy, learn to use it,* Nova's voice prompted Leo.
*What do you mean?* Leo thought, still reeling from his own power.
*Don't tell me you thought the energy was just for show?* Nova's tone was dry, almost amused.
"What else can it be used for?" Leo asked aloud, his voice filled with wonder.
*Next step: concentrate all your energy into a part of your body for a protective armor, or for powerful attacks like kicking,* Nova instructed.
"Okay, let's try it," Leo muttered, his focus absolute.
He emitted his aura again, then tried, and tried, and tried. Finally, he managed to channel all his energy into his leg. The ground beneath him cracked and groaned, unable to withstand the pressure. He kicked the air, and a high-energy slash erupted, spreading out in a perfect circle around him. It slammed into the wall, which immediately began to crumble. Lyla, Caspian, Jane, and Axiel, who had been watching from a distance, rushed in, their faces a mix of shock and alarm. "Geez, what are you guys doing here?" Leo asked, genuinely surprised.
*What the hell was that?* Lyla thought, her mind reeling.
*Why did my energy turn into a circle around me?* Leo wondered.
*The energy simply spread out due to its immense power,* Nova explained. *Next time, let's train outside. There's still much more to learn.*
Leo smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, guys."
*To be continued...*