A week had passed, and their small corner of the city remained quiet. No new monsters breached the Maire's barrier. No screams echoed through the streets.
Icard and the others spent most days outside, testing their powers. Icard offered small tips when he could, drawing from what he remembered about how their systems worked. Nothing too obvious, just enough to help them improve.
The plague had taken place over a week ago now and everything had been quiet since then. The city was mostly intact and a community slowly evolved.
But then, one thing most people knew was, the threat was far from over. Outside the city, monsters of different kinds wandered about.
And there was also what Aksalep had announced, the celestial event; some people wanted to believe the Plague must have been it.
"My Keeper told me I had to get stronger. I'm sure he meant that more was coming" Reya said to Alia who asked her about this as she went at a punching bag.
She had her camo jacket off, wearing a black singlet and punched with her bare fists, denting the makeshift bag with each strike.
Alia stood nearby, visibly worried.
"Why is all this happening?" she muttered.
Reya noticed how down she was and paused her exercise, panting a bit.
She then walked toward Alia whose head was slumped and patted her shoulder gently.
"Is it about Eric?" Reya asked quietly.
"I--I don't know. I mean, he hasn't woken up for a week now. What if he dies, what if they come again and we can't survive--"
"Alia" Reya called then peered into Alia's timid eyes.
"No one's blaming you for that anymore. Let's just--hope he gets better. But at the same time, I'm sure we can get stronger, so even if they come, we'll be able to protect each other"
Alia managed a nod.
Alright! I'm back!" Matt burst through the front door, full of energy. "Alia! Let's go again!"
Icard followed him out, shaking his head. "You sure you don't need more rest?"
"No way! There's no time to waste!" Matt pumped his fist. "Come on!"
"Go easy on him this time," Reya whispered to Alia with a grin. "He's been like this for a few days now"
"Don't hold back!" Matt shouted. "I'll beat you to it today!"
Icard sighed.
A few days earlier, Alia had joined the training. That's when Matt realized their powers were similar.
But while he struggled and only managed to tear the metal, Alia could crush one with ease.
And Icard could only watch them, knowing just why that was the case.
'Her keeper uses a complex kind of force that's very similar to magic' he said in his thoughts.
'Matt's ability is just force with techniques. They're not the same'.
Alia timidly walked to join Matt where he stood. Together, they faced different targets.
"Alright. Go first"
"But why does she have to go first though. She's already done it" Reya said.
Matt thought for a second.
"True! But it's also training for her too though, isn't it?!" Matt said and Alia nodded.
'She gets like this whenever she feels guilty' Icard thought, looking at Alia dryly.
Then Alia stretched her hands at a random car there and that green visible aura enveloped her hands and appeared around the car as well.
Then she closed her eyes tightly and folded her fists. As she did, the car groaned.
Metal folded inward from all sides, glass shattering as it compressed. When she stopped, panting slightly, the vehicle was barely half its original size.
This was something that really impressed everyone there.
"Alright. My turn" Matt said in a lower tone, focussing on one of the other cars there. The same car he had been trying to crush all this time.
Then, he stretched his hands at it, shut his eyes and folded his fists like Alia did.
Nothing happened.
"Okay, that's not it" he muttered, slightly embarrassed, before changing to his usual stance.
Then he opened his fists and tried just like he had always done. A feeling, like he could sense the car and its form there much more vividly than normal.
And with one hand stretched at it, he began to move his fingers.
Crumpling sounds could be heard. Cracks appeared on the wind shield as the outermost layer of the car rumpled a bit.
It rumpled even more now and the metal bent at several places before tearing.
Then he stopped, breathing heavily.
"Wow. You did better" Alia complemented.
"Gaaaaaaaa! I still can't fold it like you did!"
Alia smiled awkwardly.
"It's just like that for me. I don't really put much effort into it like you do" she said. "Maybe it's not your exact type of power"
"Yeah Matt" Icard chipped in quickly. "Maybe she has a power more suitable for crushing things than yours"
Matt stared at his hands then. Icard was sure he could feel it.
"Hmm" he hummed before Reya cut in.
She walked toward the car Alia had crushed earlier, fists clenched.
"I'd like to try something" she said as their eyes followed her.
She approached Alia's crumpled car, clenched her fists, and then threw a full-power punch.
The impact echoed like thunder. Her fist sank deep into the metal, scattering fragments and leaving a massive crater.
It was a display that amazed everyone, including Icard.
"Woah--that's stronger than the last one" Matt said.
Reya breathed. She had put effort into that.
"I simply did what Icard told us to do. I've been training, using these powers nonstop. Also..."
She flexed her fingers.
"I just got a few scratches on my hand from all that" she said.
"Wow. That's amazing, Reya" Alia said in awe.
"Hmph" Reya stood, smirking from her accomplishment.
Icard exhaled lightly. Most of all he had told them was to feel the mana energy from their abilities, use it consistently until they get a better grasp of it.
And that was what they did everyday. And obviously, there was progress.
However, Jack only joined in a few times and normally left to a different place to practice that same move he had used during the plague.
Icard couldn't tell how different things would be in this turn. All he knew was they were better now than at this time in his previous life.
'Those skydarts were really weak. Weaker than ant lizards actually. Using our abilities on them was just so effective because of their status' Icard thought to himself as Matt praised Reya even more.
'But that won't be the case with the next spawns we face. All I taught them was just to get a feel of mana and try to use it in any way they could. It didn't really make them much stronger'
Then he exhaled deeply, looking up at the discolored sky which was now the new normal.
'The easiest way to get stronger at the moment is by killing those spawns. And I think we'll get our chance soon enough, since anytime from now, the Celestial Event will fully begin'.