Back at the cabin, Eldo and Kyo sat at the wooden table, the morning sun casting long shadows through the windows as they processed the chaotic events of yesterday.
"So me and him really did fight, huh? I hardly remember anything," Eldo said, absently rubbing the back of his head. The memories came in fragments—flashes of ice, burning flesh, and a voice that wasn't quite his own.
"Yeah, and I wasn't able to do anything to stop it..." Kyo sighed, his shoulders slumping with the weight of helplessness.
The room fell silent, the only sound the gentle purring of Elliot curled up nearby. Kyo suddenly perked up, his eyes brightening.
"Hey, something interesting happened during all that, though!" he exclaimed, straightening in his chair.
"Oh really, what!?" Eldo leaned forward, eager for any distraction from his troubled thoughts.
"I held my hands out toward you two in desperation, then something shot out of them!" Kyo said, still in disbelief as he stared at his palms. "It was like... electricity or something."
"You think this could be the ability you've obtained?" Eldo asked quickly, his own powers flickering beneath his skin at the thought.
"It must be!" Kyo jumped up from his chair, nearly knocking it over in his excitement.
Their conversation continued, bouncing between theories and possibilities, until Kyo couldn't contain his eagerness any longer. He headed outside to try harnessing his newfound power, leaving Eldo to ponder alone.
"Okay, Kyo, you got this!" he psyched himself up, clenching his fists as he stood in the clearing. His muscles tensed as he waved his arms around like a maniac, trying to recreate yesterday's desperate moment.
"Come on, do something already!" he groaned in frustration. Finally, he forced himself to calm down, settling into a meditative pose on the grass.
"Okay, let's take a different approach. I should clear my mind, body, and soul. There's no need to rush the process, right?" He slapped his cheeks, refocusing his determination.
Meanwhile, inside the cabin, Eldo began stretching and working out, determined to build his body back to fighting shape. After an hour of light exercise, he scavenged the fridge for a hearty meal.
"Man, Kyo sure is working hard out there," he mused, warming his food with his bare hands. "I already finished getting my body together, and he's still out there doing his thing."
As he ate, his thoughts kept drifting back to yesterday's battle. His body stiffened, eyes staring at nothing as fragments of memory flashed through his mind—the searing heat, the voice in his head, the loss of control.
The cabin door suddenly slammed open.
"Oh hey Kyo, how'd it—" Eldo's words died in his throat, his eyes widening as his breath caught.
"Sup, Eldo, did you miss me?" Winter said, chuckling as he stepped inside, bringing with him a familiar chill that made Eldo's skin crawl.