DAMON HOUSE
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As the sun rose, the morning air filled with the sounds of chirping birds, the distant crowing of a rooster, and the faint buzzing of mosquitoes. One mosquito landed on Cassandra’s arm, but before it could bite, Lisanna swiftly caught it between her fingers.
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"You mischievous little bloodsucker!" she muttered, squishing it effortlessly.
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She turned toward Cassandra, who was still fast asleep. Running her cool fingers gently over Cassandra’s face, she whispered, “Wake up, honey. Time to take your bath.”
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Cassandra stirred, stretching her arms out groggily. In the process, her hand unintentionally landed on Lisanna’s chest, squeezing lightly.
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Lisanna chuckled. “If you wanted to check them out , you could’ve just asked.”
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Cassandra blinked awake, rubbing her own chest with a frown. “Why are mine still so small?”
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Lisanna smiled reassuringly. “They’ll grow when the time is right. You’re only thirteen.”
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She walked toward the door, pausing before stepping out. “Hot water has already been drawn. Take your bath quickly—breakfast will be ready soon.”
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Leaving Cassandra behind, she moved to the next room and knocked gently. The door creaked open slightly, revealing Phobos sprawled on his bed, snoring loudly.
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Lisanna sighed before stepping inside. She leaned down and softly ran a hand over his face. Just as she was about to shake him awake, his hand moved instinctively, brushing against her chest. Startled, she froze for a second as Phobos unconsciously gave another squeeze.
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Realizing the softness, he slowly opened his eyes, confusion written all over his face. The moment his gaze met Lisanna’s amused stare, his entire body stiffened. He quickly withdrew his hands, his face turning pale.
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"Phobos."
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Her tone was sweet, but the underlying danger was unmistakable.
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Phobos swallowed hard and quickly turned toward Aristo, desperate for an escape. He shook his brother’s shoulder. "Hey, wake up—help me."
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Aristo groaned, pulling the blanket over his head. “Don’t wake me up unless breakfast is served or the house is on fire.”
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Phobos hesitated, then glanced nervously at Lisanna, who was still smiling. He could practically feel her death stare drilling into his soul.
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“Good morning,” she said, her voice almost too kind. “Time to take your bath.” Then, after a brief pause, she added, “Oh, and one more thing, Phobos—what exactly were you dreaming about?”
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Phobos’ mouth opened, but no words came out.
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Lisanna let out a small sigh and turned to leave. As soon as she was gone, Aristo sat up, smirking.
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“Did you… touch her?”
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Phobos hesitated, then reluctantly nodded. “Not on purpose! My hands moved on their own…”
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Aristo laughed. “Oh sure, they ‘moved on their own.’ That excuse is getting old.”
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“You could take the blame for me,” Phobos suggested hopefully.
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Aristo grinned. “I’d love to, but I enjoy warm baths.”
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Phobos groaned, already dreading what awaited him. This wasn’t the first time he had suffered the consequences of his “morning instincts,” and judging by the way things were going, it wouldn’t be the last.
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As they ate, Damon and Maria were noticeably absent from the house. It wasn’t the first time they had been missing—Lisanna had taken it upon herself to care for the children. Aristo, only seven years old, Phobos, who had just turned eight, and Cassandra, the eldest at thirteen, had grown used to her nurturing presence.
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Maria, as usual, was lost in her books, spending most of her time in the library. Damon, on the other hand, had distanced himself from the family after being replaced. Seven years ago, a significant event had led to his replacement by Xandros Bladestorm, and since then, Xandros had struggled to adjust to his new responsibilities. Damon, having no pressing duties, had found solace in the marketplace, spending his days chatting with elderly women or sometimes fishing.
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Once breakfast was finished, the children dressed quickly, ready for another day at school.
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MYSTIC LYTHORIA SCHOOL
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Maya stood at the front of the classroom, her sharp gaze scanning the students before her.
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“Dio energy,” she began, “is the foundation of all things. We’ve discussed this before, but let’s review.”
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She paced slightly, her heels clicking against the floor. “Dio is limitless, bound only by the strength of the wielder. Eno, on the other hand, is derived from Dio energy, but it is weaker in comparison. Unlike Dio, Eno has strict limitations. It is useful for simple spells and techniques but cannot be used in complex or advanced magic.”
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She paused, looking over the class. “Any questions so far?”
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Silence.
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Just then, the door opened, and a man stepped in. Beside him stood a girl—an ethereal beauty with long, soaking-white hair that clung to her back like strands of silk. Two small, white horns curved delicately from her head.
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The nine boys in the class, all eighteen of them, fell into stunned silence. Some sat up straighter, while others simply gawked.
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The teacher spoke briefly with the man before turning back to the class. “Introduce yourself.”
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The girl pushed a few strands of wet hair behind her ear and stepped forward. Her voice was soft yet carried an air of confidence.
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“I’m Hesper, from Fulton. Nice to meet you.”
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Her voice was like a melody—light, smooth, and hypnotic. The boys remained speechless as she walked past them, pausing ever so slightly beside Cassandra before continuing toward an empty seat at the back.
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Maya cleared her throat, breaking the trance. “Now then, who can explain how clones are created?”
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Noah’s hand shot up immediately.
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A beautiful girl had just walked in. If there was ever a time to impress someone, this was it.
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Maya nodded in his direction. “Go ahead.”
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Noah smiled, running a hand through his hair. “Creating a clone requires three steps. First, you visualize the image of what you want to create. Then, you gently craft that image in your mind, forming a clear mental structure. Finally, you fill the image with energy and bring it to life.”
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He leaned back, satisfied with his answer.
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Maya smiled. “Good. Now demonstrate.”
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Noah confidently raised his hand and created two identical clones of himself.
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“Not bad,” Maya admitted. “But how many clones can you sustain at once?”
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Determined to impress, Noah pushed himself further, summoning more and more clones. By the time he reached twenty, sweat dripped from his forehead, and his breathing was labored. He tried to make another but failed—his Eno energy was depleted.
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Maya turned to Hesper. “Check their stability.”
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Hesper barely moved. With a slight flick of her fingers, all twenty clones disappeared instantly.
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Gasps echoed throughout the room. Most of the class hadn’t even seen what she did.
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Only a few students—Cassandra, Koji, Logan, Sakura, Kokoro, Mason, and the teacher—had caught it.
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Cassandra narrowed her eyes, her mind racing. Same trick as before. A thread technique?
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She muttered under her breath, analyzing what she had seen. Compress water molecules into a condensed form… infuse them with air… expand the liquid into a nearly invisible thread… make it transparent to the naked eye… add Dio energy, and it becomes a cutting force beyond imagination…so cool ! She said to herself.
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Hesper returned to her seat, leaving Noah in stunned silence.
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ARISTO/PHOBOS CLASS
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".A new student," the teacher announced, drew the attention of the class. The door creaked open, and in walked a small girl with pointed horns, her long white hair flowing behind her. She adjusted her glasses before looking up, smiling politely at the class.
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"Hi, I'm Zira. Nice to meet you," she said softly, bowing her head as the teacher gestured for her to take a seat. Zira walked to the back of the room, where Phobos was, predictably, fast asleep. She sat down beside him, and to her surprise, he rested his head on her shoulder. Flustered, Zira blushed and tried to hide her face, unsure of what to do next.
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Before she could react, the teacher shouted, "Phobos!" Without hesitation, she throws her shoe at his face, causing him to jolt awake.
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"I can see into the marketplace now with detection, I wasn't sleeping, Dad," Phobos mumbled groggily, rubbing his eyes. "I was just meditating."
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The entire class erupted into laughter.
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"Don't you dare sit down!" the teacher scolded, pointing at Phobos. "Stay standing." Phobos, still a bit dazed, obeyed.
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"Now, let's get back to today's lesson," the teacher continued, "Eno is derived from Dio energy. Every living being has the potential to use Eno. It’s easier to wield because we’re born with something called ‘birth elements,’ and without formal training, you should be able to use that elemental power to some extent .
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Aristo, could you come down for a second?"
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Aristo stood up, and Zira watched intently, her curiosity piqued. She couldn’t help but wonder—if Aristo was covering his eyes, how could he see? Was he blind? She turned to ask Phobos, but when she looked to her side, she realized that he had already slipped into his own dimension, his peaceful world of sleep.
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Aristo demonstrated his control over air—his birth element—effortlessly, and the teacher nodded in approval. Zira couldn’t help but marvel at his skill.
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Meanwhile, Phobos was oblivious, already fast asleep on his feet. The teacher’s patience was wearing thin. "Phobos!!!" she shouted once again, her voice ringing through the room.
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But before Phobos could respond—or even move—the school bell rang, signaling the end of the lesson.
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CAFETERIA – LUNCH BREAK
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The cafeteria buzzed with students talking and eating.
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Cassandra spotted Hesper sitting alone and walked over, taking the seat opposite her.
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“Still stalking me?” Hesper asked without looking up.
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Cassandra chuckled. “You noticed me, huh? I was curious about your technique. The thread—you used water and air to make it invisible.”
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Hesper’s eyes flickered with amusement. “So you figured it out. I didn’t think humans were that sharp.”
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Cassandra smirked. “I’m not the only one. Look behind you.”
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Hesper turned slightly to see a table with five students watching her closely—Koji, Logan, Sakura, Kokoro, and Mason.
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“I’d say they caught on too.”
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Hesper turned back to Cassandra. “So, why are you so interested in me?”
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Cassandra grinned. “You’re strong. I intend to make you my rival.”
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For the first time, Hesper looked mildly surprised before smirking. “Interesting.”
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