Leo's shadow cloak flickered around his body, patches of darkness appearing and vanishing as he struggled to maintain consistency.
"Hold it... hold it..." Neo urged from her monitoring station. "You're almost at fifteen seconds."
Sweat beaded on Leo's forehead as he concentrated, willing the shadows to remain solid. They responded, briefly stabilizing before dissolving completely. Leo dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.
"Fourteen-point-eight seconds," Marcus announced, checking the timer. "That's your personal best, but still a far cry from combat-ready."
Neo approached with a water bottle. "Your energy consumption is improving. Last week you were burning through Lumina reserves twice as fast."
Leo gulped the water gratefully. They'd been at it for hours in the Shadow Box training room, and fatigue was setting in. For the last five days, they'd focused exclusively on Shadow Cloak, the most defensive of his abilities.
"Let's collect some more data before we wrap up," Marcus suggested, adjusting sensors around the room. The physicist had transformed part of the chamber into a makeshift laboratory, with equipment monitoring everything from temperature fluctuations to energy signatures whenever Leo used his powers.
"Marcus, give him a break," Neo protested. "His Lumina cells are already drained."
"Just one more test," Marcus insisted, eyes gleaming with excitement. "I want to measure shadow density under emotional stimulus."
Leo sighed but nodded his agreement. "What do you need me to do?"
Marcus rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Same as before, but this time I'll introduce various stimuli. Try to maintain the cloak regardless of what happens."
Leo centered himself, calling the shadows once more. They responded, wrapping around him. This time, the cloak formed more quickly, darkness covering him from head to toe.
"Excellent," Marcus muttered, taking readings. "Now for some stimuli, hehehe."
Without warning, a deafening alarm blared through the chamber. Leo flinched, but kept his concentration. The shadow cloak wavered but held.
"Good recovery," Neo noted, watching her monitors. "Your heart rate increased but is now dropping to normal levels."
Nothing about it felt good to Leo. He gritted his teeth, the strain becoming unbearable. "Are we done yet?"
"One final test," Marcus said, adjusting a dial. "Let's see how you handle emotional triggers."
A holographic projection appeared before Leo, a perfect recreation of the crystal shard that had embedded in his temple, the catalyst that had awakened his powers. Seeing it, Leo felt a surge of unwanted memories: the explosion, the pain, the darkness flooding into him.
"Marcus, his readings are spiking," Neo warned, clearly alarmed.
Leo's control slipped as panic rose in his chest. The shadows surrounding him suddenly thickened. They expanded outward in violent tendrils, lashing at the equipment around him.
"Shut it down!" Neo shouted, rushing toward Leo.
The shadows whipped around him like a tornado. The lights in the chamber flickered and died, plunged into darkness except for the emergency red lighting.
"Leo!" Neo's voice cut through his panic. She stood directly before him, unflinching despite the chaotic shadows whirling around them. "Look at me. Focus."
Leo struggled to meet her gaze, fighting the surge of power threatening to overwhelm him.
"Your emotions are feeding the shadows," she explained calmly. "They respond to fear, anger, panic. You need to regain emotional control."
Leo closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. Gradually, the violent movement of the shadows slowed, then settled, before finally dissipating entirely. He collapsed to the floor, completely drained.
"Well," Marcus said, emerging from behind an overturned table, "that was educational."
Neo shot him a disdainful look before kneeling beside Leo. "Are you okay?"
Leo nodded weakly. "Just... tired."
Leo leaned back against the wall, exhaustion washing over him. As his eyes began to close, he couldn't help but remember moments of his past as memories flooded his head, memories he had tried to forget.
Neo-Tokyo, 2109 - Six Years Earlier
The park air was fresh and peaceful, a stark contrast to the cramped apartment Leo shared with his parents and younger sister in the city's poorer areas. Trees with fresh, green leaves lined perfectly maintained walkways, while butterflies fluttered among flowers.
"We shouldn't be here, Leo," his sister, Mai whispered, her eyes wide with both excitement and apprehension. At thirteen, she was already keenly aware of the social boundaries they were crossing.
"Relax," fifteen-year old Leo replied, grinning. "These parks are technically public. Besides, don't you want to see the butterflies?"
Mai giggled, her initial reluctance fading as they explored. Though not wealthy, their family wasn't completely poor either. Their father worked tirelessly in one of the remaining human-staffed factory positions, while their mother had been forced to find odd jobs after AI systems replaced her entire career field just two years after her graduation.
They spent hours playing among carefully tended gardens. As evening reached, Mai raced Leo down a sloping hill, her laughter echoing across the park.
She was running quickly and didn't see the man in front of her until it was too late.
They collided, sending both Mai and the well-dressed businessman tumbling. Unfortunately for him, his momentum carried him directly into a pond. He came out spitting, his expensive suit clearly ruined.
"You filthy little—" The man's face contorted with rage as he lunged toward Mai, hand raised to strike her.
Leo moved without thinking, placing himself between the man and his sister. "It was an accident, sir. She didn't mean—"
The first blow caught Leo across the face, sending him stumbling backward. The second drove the air from his lungs. The third sent him to the ground.
"Know your place, you trash," the man snarled, continuing his assault while others watched in uncomfortable silence, unwilling to intervene.
Through swollen eyes, Leo saw his terrified sister's expression transform from fear to something else, determination mingled with rage. She couldn't watch her brother being beaten.
Then, something incredible happened.
"Leave him alone!" Mai screamed, the air around her suddenly dropping in temperature.
A shard of blue ice materialized before her, hovering momentarily before launching toward the man. It missed his face by centimeters, slicing his cheek before shattering on a tree nearby.
The businessman froze, blood trickling down his face. His eyes widened with recognition at what had just happened. After a moment's consideration, he adjusted his hat, cast a calculating look at Mai, and walked away without another word.
Later that evening, black vehicles surrounded their small apartment. Men and women in dark uniforms displaying the GPA's insignia filed out.
"Voss family," their leader announced after forcing entry into the apartment. "We've received reports of an unregistered Awakening. She requires immediate evaluation and training."
Leo's mother stepped forward, arms spread protectively. "She's thirteen! The law says Awakened children remain with their families until sixteen!"
Despite their mother's tears and protests, they took Mai. Meanwhile, Leo's father was still at work, unaware his daughter was being taken away.
"It's okay, Mom!" Mai called out as they carried her to the vehicles, her face showing a mixture of fear and strange excitement. "I'll complete the training and come back! I'll help our family. We'll move somewhere better. I promise!"
Leo stood helpless, fifteen… no, practically sixteen years old and completely powerless against the authorities taking his sister. The last glimpse he had of Mai was her small hand pressed against the tinted window of the GPA vehicle as it pulled away.
His father raced home when he received the news, then immediately went to the local GPA office to demand his daughter's return. He only came home the next day, battered and bruised.
Three days later, They received official notification that his sister had died in a "training accident." No bodies were returned. No further explanation was provided.
"Leo? Leo, can you hear me?"
Neo's voice pulled him back to the present. He opened his eyes to find both Neo and Marcus watching him with concern.
"You went somewhere else for a minute," Neo said softly. "Are you alright?"
Leo nodded, pushing the memories away. "Just remembering something from a long time ago." He struggled to his feet, determination replacing exhaustion. "Let's go again. I need to get better at this."
Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Your Lumina cells are practically running on fumes."
"I don't care," Leo insisted. "If emotional control is what I need, then that's what I'll practice."
Neo studied him for a moment, then shook her head. "You're trying to recharge like a normal Awakened. You're not one of them."
"Let me show you how to feed the shadows…"