What happens when the powerless become the most powerful? When the world you thought you understood unravels to reveal hidden truths? And what if the very thing that saves you… is the thing that could destroy everyone you love? I'm starting to realize that "saving" and "destroying" are just two sides of the same golden coin.
The golden glow slowly subsided, leaving my left iris shimmering like molten gold. My vision sharpened, but it wasn't just clearer—it was different. The world around me was suddenly overlaid with grids of glowing text and numbers. What… is this? It's like my eye has its own heads-up display.
Matthew Carver lay sprawled on the ground, his face pale and his fire extinguished. Above him, floating like a hologram only I could see, a window of data appeared:
Name: Matthew Carver
Age: 16
Power Class: Uncommon (Fire Manipulation)
Strength: 72
Intelligence: 65
Magical Capacity: 88/100
Ability: Pyrokinesis (Tier 2)
I can see his stats? My heart raced. As I stared at the data, a strange sensation pulled at my left eye. A faint thread of energy pulsed between me and Matthew—a tether I could feel in my very marrow. Copy 50% of his power… The words didn't come from a voice this time; they echoed in my mind like a command.
Without thinking, I clenched my fist. A weak flame flickered to life in my palm. It sputtered, half the size and intensity of Matthew's usual blaze, but it was real. It was warm.
Matthew's jaw dropped. "That's… that's my power! How?!"
I extinguished the flame, my golden eye dimming slightly. I copied it. But it's weaker. Half as strong. I glanced at my reflection in a nearby puddle—my left eye was still gold, but my right eye had briefly flashed a dull orange before returning to its usual brown. The left eye analyzes… and the right eye manifests.
"Stay away from me, freak!" Matthew hissed before bolting down the alley.
I didn't chase him. My mind was buzzing. Can I copy any power? Do I have to see them use it first? And is there a limit to how many I can hold?
The next morning, I sat on the edge of my dorm bed, staring at my hands. How do I explain this to Lucas and Nova? I'd spent the night testing the limits. I'd copied a stray cat's "Speed Boost" (Tier 1) and even a flickering streetlight's "Energy Absorption" (Tier 3). Each time, my right eye shifted color—green for speed, blue for energy—while the left remained that constant, judgmental gold.
But Lucas and Nova were Unique Class. Their stats had to be on an entirely different level.
"Adrian! You okay?" Lucas barged into the room, his usual grin replaced by a look of sheer panic. Nova followed, her arms crossed, her eyes scanning me for injuries.
"We heard about the fight," Nova said, her tone sharp as a blade. "Matthew's been screaming that you 'stole' his power. What happened?"
I took a deep breath. This was it. "I… I can show you. But I need you both to activate your powers."
Reluctantly, Lucas's eyes flooded white, his Light power radiating a comforting warmth. Nova's gaze darkened into twin voids, her Dark power humming with a heavy, oppressive menace. My vision exploded with data:
Lucas HaleClass: Unique (Light) | Strength: 110 | Ability: Photokinesis (Tier 5)
Nova CrossClass: Unique (Dark) | Strength: 130 | Ability: Umbrakinesis (Tier 5)
Their stats are over 100… My pulse quickened as golden threads linked me to both of them simultaneously. Copy 50%…
"Adrian, your eyes—!" Lucas gasped.
My left eye blazed gold, while my right eye began to flicker violently—white as I pulled from Lucas, then black as I touched Nova's shadow. Twin energies surged through me: light and dark, warring for dominance yet held in a delicate balance by the gold.
"Impossible," Nova whispered.
I raised my hands. In my left palm, a beam of light sputtered like a dying bulb. In my right, a wisp of shadow swirled weakly. "I can copy powers… but only half their strength. And it seems I have to be near the source when they're active."
Lucas stepped over, his white eyes wide with wonder. "You're… actually using my light?"
"And my darkness?" Nova added, her voice uncharacteristically quiet.
I let the energies fade, my right eye returning to brown. "I don't know how. But this… this is what the Calamity Class really is. I'm not just a vessel; I'm a mirror."
Nova stared at me for a long beat, then burst into a sharp, jagged laugh. "Oh, this is perfect! Now you can finally stop being a damsel in distress!"
Lucas elbowed her hard. "Nova, be serious! This is huge. And dangerous. If the PAO finds out—"
"They won't," I said firmly. "Not yet. I need to learn to control the output. And… I'm going to need you two to train me."*
The room fell silent as the weight of it settled over us. I looked out the window, my golden eye catching the morning sun. Can I even handle this… or is this power just using me to see what it can become?