Harry stood at the center of the platform, his hand hovering just above the glowing orb like he was about to high-five destiny itself. His breath caught in his throat. The others watched from behind, caught between awe and suspense.
Solarius stepped forward, golden light rippling from his body like heat from the sun. His voice was calm, commanding like a seasoned general ready to pass on a legacy.
"What's your name, kid?"
Harry glanced back, then squared his shoulders.
"Harry Freeman."
Solarius nodded, solemn.
"Okay, Harry Freeman…"
"Let me ask you one question. Do you accept this path?"
Harry hesitated for half a second—then nodded.
"Uh… yeah. Let's do this."
The second his hand touched the orb, the entire room responded.
FWOOM.
Golden light exploded upward like a vertical lightning strike. Tendrils of raw energy shot into the ceiling, illuminating every crack and shadow of the chamber. The platform pulsed beneath Harry's feet—once, twice—before the light slowly dimmed, folding itself back into the orb.
A translucent aura shimmered around Harry's body, outlining him in a radiant glow. His feet floated an inch off the ground.
"What the—"
He blinked, eyes wide.
"I… I feel… strong?"
(Perfect.)
(The system tapped into his core instincts: protectiveness, impulsive bravery, the natural urge to lead even when he doesn't fully understand the situation.)**
Solarius raised an eyebrow, analyzing him.
"Do you feel your power?"
Harry slowly clenched and unclenched his fists, awe spreading across his face.
"I don't know… I think I can… enhance my strength? Like, just by wanting to?"
I opened my OmniScript interface, scanning the data quietly as the system finalized his ability.
[Subject: Harry Freeman]
[Ability: Strength Enhancement]
[Status: Active | Stable]
(Looks like it locked in, classic hero power. Good for smashing through walls and inspiring people. He'll be the backbone of the group.)
Lily let out a low whistle.
"Okay… that was kinda epic."
James elbowed her.
"If that rock gives me laser eyes, I'm gonna lose it."
Sara raised an eyebrow.
"I better not get something lame. Like… glowing toes."
I chuckled, stepping forward.
"Harry's power manifested from who he is. That's how it works. The orb well, the system behind it, pulls from your instincts, your personality, even your fears. Whatever's buried inside you, it shapes the power to match."
Solarius crossed his arms, nodding solemnly.
"The power is not random. It's a reflection."
(Kekeke… and also partly randomized code, but hey, it feels poetic.)
Harry stepped down from the platform, landing with a heavy thud, the ground actually cracked beneath his feet.
He stared at the crack.
"Okay. Yep. Definitely strong."
The others stared at him in amazement. A silence hung in the air.
Then James stepped forward with a grin.
"Alright, my turn. Let's see what my essence looks like."
James cracked his knuckles as he stepped onto the platform.
"Alright, let's light this up."
He smirked, casting a sideways glance at Harry.
"No offense, Mr. Muscles, but I want something flashier."
Solarius gave the faintest smile.
"State your name."
"James Conrad."
"Do you accept the path?"
James gave a confident nod.
"Heck yeah."
The moment his fingers brushed the orb, a very different kind of energy surged forth.
ZHHHHRRRRMMMM!
A sharp, piercing crack of static whipped through the air. The lights flickered. Sparks jumped from the orb and danced across the platform like fireflies on adrenaline.
James's eyes widened. His hair stood on end. Tiny arcs of electricity crawled along his arms like curious snakes made of light.
"Whoa—wait, what is—"
His voice cut off as the surge overtook him. For a brief second, his whole body hummed, outlined in pure, electric-blue. The air buzzed, and even the others stepped back instinctively.
Then silence.
A faint static hiss lingered in the room.
James blinked, his body still glowing faintly.
"…I feel… weird."
(Here we go.)
I tapped into my OmniScript interface and let the system translate what just awakened inside him.
[Subject: James Conrad]
[Ability: Electrosense & Voltage Redirection]
[Status: Active | Sync: 97%]
(Electrosense… not bad. That means he can "see" electric fields around people, machines, everything. Plus, he can absorb and discharge electricity at will. Very useful. Especially in modern combat.)
Solarius stepped forward slowly, eyes glowing faintly as he analyzed James's aura.
"You can feel it, can't you?"
James squinted.
"It's like… the room's alive. I can see where the current's flowing. The lights. The wiring."
I nodded
(Not bad at all. He's picking up trace voltage patterns already.)
James took a step forward and the overhead light above him burst.
POP.
"…Oops."
Lily and Sara ducked slightly.
"Okay, Sparky, maybe take it slow," Lily muttered.
James looked at his hand, still crackling with faint blue arcs.
"Man… I'm a literal live wire."
"You're also going to have to learn how to control it," Solarius added.
"Or it'll fry more than just lights."
(Yeah. Like the base. Or the neighbors.)
James stepped off the platform, still buzzing faintly with residual charge.
"That. Was. Awesome."
Lily folded her arms.
"Ugh. Now I have to follow that?"
"Go ahead, Princess," James teased.
"Hope you don't get glitter powers."
Lily shot him a glare as she strode confidently to the orb.
"If I do, you better hope it's weaponized glitter."
Lily exhaled sharply, rolling her shoulders as she stepped onto the glowing platform.
Her boots clicked with precision on the metal surface, echoing slightly in the chamber. There was a cool, almost detached air about her as she stood poised, as though she was about to face an exam. But I could sense the hesitation beneath that calm exterior, she was sharp, calculating. The kind of person who liked to be in control, always a few steps ahead. Surprises? She didn't handle those well, unless she was the one delivering them.
(Let's see how she reacts when she's no longer in control.)
Solarius stood tall, his golden aura glimmering around him, eyes fixed on her with that same unyielding focus he'd given the others.
"Name?"
"Lily Croft." Her voice was steady, unwavering, but I could hear the undercurrent of steel beneath the words.
"Do you accept this path?"
Lily didn't blink, didn't hesitate. Her eyes, always so calculating, locked on Solarius without fear.
"I've already chosen it."
(Ohoho… confident as ever. Let's see what the system picks up from her core.)
I watched as Lily's hand hovered over the orb. She didn't rush into it. Her gaze flicked down, just for a second, as if analyzing the orb's energy, gauging the risks.
(She's not impulsive. She's always thinking two moves ahead.)
Lily's fingers finally made contact with the orb. The moment she touched it, a sharp chill flooded the room, cold enough that the air felt denser, like a storm was gathering.
A deep, resonant hum filled the air as the platform began to glow with icy blue light. The temperature dropped suddenly, and I felt my breath catch. I was used to the power of the others by now, but this was different, this felt like winter had just descended into the very heart of the room.
"Wha—" Sara started, rubbing her arms in the sudden chill.
"It's freezing in here!"
But Lily stood motionless, her eyes half-lidded as she focused, her aura now rippling with blue-white light. It was almost like watching a snowstorm manifest from within her, an unnatural chill that seemed to freeze the very air around her.
For a moment, everything stilled. A thick frost spread outwards from the platform, coating the ground in delicate layers of ice, making the metal beneath her feet gleam with a cold, crystalline sheen.
"I… feel it." Lily whispered, her voice low. She pulled her hand back from the orb, and the temperature in the room dropped even further, the frost spreading, but it wasn't ice yet. Just cold, unnervingly cold.
(I can feel her power waking up. Her control is immediate, but she's holding back.)
"Lily…" Solarius said, stepping closer, eyes narrowing as he watched the frost spread.
"Do you feel it? The power?"
Lily nodded, her lips curling into the slightest of smiles. She raised her hand, and a jagged shard of ice formed in the air before her, sharp, cold, glinting with the same ethereal blue light.
"I… I can create ice," she said, almost surprised at the words.
"I can lower the temperature around me. Freeze water into solid ice at will…"
She gestured with her fingers, and the shard of ice solidified further, hovering in front of her. Then, she clenched her fist, and the ice shard shattered into sharp, glittering fragments that rained down harmlessly on the floor.
(Okay. That's impressive.)
But as the shards hit the ground, Lily winced slightly, rubbing her temples. There was a visible strain. The temperature had dropped even further, and her breath puffed visibly in the air, a clear sign that her body was beginning to feel the effects of using the power.
(She's learning to control it… but it's still taxing on her. Ice powers come with a cost.)
I quickly scanned her through the OmniScript system, watching as her abilities were processed and categorized.
[Subject: Lily Croft]
[Ability: Cryokinesis]
[Description: Control over ice and cold. Can freeze water into ice at will, create ice barriers/weapons, and lower ambient temperatures. Potential for defensive or offensive use. Risk of self-freezing or overextending in extreme conditions.]
(It's raw… and not fully controlled yet.)
Lily looked at her hand, watching as frost crawled up her fingers, and then back down. The ice spread across the platform where she stood, turning the ground beneath her into a slippery patch of frost.
"It's… harder than it looks," she muttered, her voice softer now.
"The temperature, the focus. If I push too much, I'll freeze myself in the process."
James raised an eyebrow.
"So, you're not invincible then?"
Lily glanced at him, a small smirk playing on her lips.
"Of course not. But I can make you feel cold enough to reconsider that comment."
(She's starting to understand her limits. The ice powers aren't just about offense, they're about balance. Energy and focus. If she loses either, she'll pay the price.)
Solarius nodded, understanding the strain behind Lily's words.
"Your power requires control, Lily. The more you freeze, the more you expend. If you overdo it, you risk freezing yourself."
Lily took a deep breath, clearly trying to center herself.
"I'll figure it out. Just need to practice."
(She'll get there. She has the mind for it. I can see her control improving already.)
(Anyway, Lily's power is precise and flexible. She can be a wall or a blade, depending on how she wields it. But there's a fine line between control and chaos. If she learns to master that balance, she'll be unstoppable. But right now, she's still figuring out the best way to wield her ice.)
Then Sara folded her arms, eyes narrowing as Lily stepped off the platform.
"So… an ice element that can freeze everything. Great. What's left for me?"
Lily glanced back, a teasing smirk pulling at the corners of her lips. She tossed a playful glance over her shoulder.
"Hopefully not glitter."
To be continue