The basement beneath Aunt Nari's bakery had always been an unassuming place—cool, dimly lit, and filled with the faint scent of yeast and sugar that drifted down from the kitchen above. But now, it had been transformed into a fully equipped training room: reinforced walls coated with impact-resistant padding, surveillance cameras monitoring every corner, and specialized equipment designed to keep Kael and others safe from his volatile Quirk.
Kael stepped inside, the weight of his power coiling inside him like a restless beast. His palms felt clammy beneath the leather gloves Aunt Nari insisted he wear, and his breath came fast, betraying his nerves.
"You ready?" Yumi's bright voice broke the silence. She was perched on the edge of a bench, arms crossed, eyes sparkling with excitement—and maybe just a hint of concern.
Kael swallowed hard, nodding. "I have to be."
Aunt Nari stood beside the control panel, her gaze calm and sharp. "This is the safest place for you to test your limits. Remember: the goal is control. Not power. Focus on how you wield it, not just what it can do."
The hum of the bakery above echoed faintly—a comforting reminder of normal life beyond the shadows lurking in this basement.
"Phase One: Controlled Release," Aunt Nari announced, pressing a button.
From Kael's back and arms, dark tendrils of shadow unfurled like smoke, twisting and curling at his command. Unlike before, these shadows obeyed, weaving tightly and forming fluid shapes.
Kael extended a tendril toward a weighted dummy at the room's far end. The shadow lashed out and wrapped around the target's torso, constricting like a serpent before retracting neatly.
"Nice," Yumi said, clapping once. "Smooth and clean."
Kael allowed himself a small smile but didn't let his guard down. Aunt Nari raised an eyebrow. "Phase Two: Sparring."
With a press of a button, a training drone dropped from the ceiling with a whir. The small machine hovered, then lunged forward, energy emitters glowing bright.
Kael's eyes narrowed. He sent a shadow whip lashing out, but the drone dodged gracefully, firing a volley of blasts in response. Kael raised a shadow shield just in time, the dark energy absorbing the shots with a hiss.
For a while, Kael held the upper hand. His control over Darkbind felt stronger—less chaotic. His shadows moved with intent, a dance of power and precision.
But then the floodgates opened. Multiple drones swarmed from hidden compartments in the walls, forcing Kael to split his attention. The shadows writhed impatiently, feeding off his adrenaline.
One tendril slipped from his control, striking a drone too hard and sending shards flying across the room. Another grazed the floor, gouging a deep trench in the padded tiles.
"Keep calm!" Aunt Nari's voice rang through the room's speaker system.
Kael's heart hammered. The shadows surged like a tide beyond his command, thrashing wildly. His vision blurred at the edges with creeping darkness.
Suddenly, a sharp sting exploded in his side—a drone's energy blast had slipped past his defenses.
He staggered, dropping to one knee.
"Kael!" Yumi called out, her voice tight with worry. "Focus! You're losing it!"
"I'm trying!" he gasped, but the shadows were spiraling, lashing toward everything—walls, ceiling, even the control panel.
In the chaos, a tendril flicked out, dangerously close to Yumi's hiding spot behind a pillar.
"Yumi, move!" Kael shouted, but his voice was drowned by the roar of Darkbind.
Without hesitation, Yumi darted forward, grabbing Kael's arm. The shadows whipped around her, but she held firm, grounding Kael.
"Breathe with me!" she urged. "Don't fight it—control it."
Kael's breath hitched, but he matched her rhythm. Slowly, the violent storm of shadow began to calm, curling protectively around them instead of thrashing.
Panting, Kael locked eyes with Yumi. "Thanks… I didn't think I could stop it."
"You didn't," she said with a grin. "You just needed a little backup."
Aunt Nari's voice crackled over the speakers. "Emergency shutdown initiated. Session over."
The drones powered down, and the room's lights returned to normal.
Kael collapsed onto the floor, sweat and exhaustion weighing him down.
Yumi sat beside him, catching her breath. "That was close."
"Too close," Aunt Nari said as she descended the stairs. Her presence was steady, like a lighthouse in the storm. "But that's why we train."
Kael looked up, eyes wide. "I almost lost control. What if next time…?"
"Next time, you won't," Aunt Nari assured. "You've already learned something vital: how to regain control when the power fights back."
She offered him a hand, helping him up. "We'll take it slower from here. Focus on precision, then build your stamina. You're not alone, Kael. Yumi will keep pushing you, and I'll be here every step."
Yumi smiled. "You're stuck with us."
Kael laughed, the tension in his chest easing for the first time in hours.
The three of them stood in the basement, the quiet hum of the bakery above a soothing reminder that the world was still waiting—full of light, even when shadows threatened to consume.
…