Zyon stood near the edge of the clearing, watching Hound, Quade, and Lorenzo spar beneath the afternoon sun.
Steel rang across the field as blades collided, while occasional flashes of light and illusionary copies forced constant adjustments in positioning and timing.
The three worked surprisingly well together considering how recently Quade had joined them, but Zyon's attention remained elsewhere.
Ever since the journey on the catamaran, his mind had been occupied by a single idea.
While Lorenzo had spent the trip enjoying the fact that he no longer had to carry his Ironback backpack through the jungle and Quade had guided them down the river, Zyon had spent most of his spare time replaying memories of the Ether-core firearm.
He remembered the sensation that traveled through it the moment energy was released, the recoil, the force, the way power was compressed and then launched. Combined with memories of the Ironbacks' devastating rolling attacks, the idea refused to leave him.
When Hound finally called an end to the sword session, Zyon stepped away from the trees and approached the others. "My turn."
The excitement in his voice immediately caught Lorenzo's attention. "Oh no."
Zyon ignored him. "I want to try something."
Grabbing the smaller battle hammer, he walked toward a large boulder near the edge of the clearing and planted his feet.
Golden light immediately flowed from his arm into the weapon, gathering inside the reinforced hammerhead until the metal vibrated softly in response.
The others watched quietly.
As the glow intensified, Zyon adjusted his grip and swung.
The hammer never touched the rock.
Instead, a concentrated burst of golden energy exploded forward a split second before impact.
CRACK!
The shockwave struck the boulder first.
Stone shattered apart.
Fragments blasted across the clearing while dust erupted into the air.
Several pieces skipped across the ground before finally coming to rest.
For a moment, nobody said anything.
Then a grin slowly appeared on Zyon's face. "It worked, and it felt like it cost less Heka to generate."
Lorenzo stared at the destroyed rock before looking down at the hammer and then back at the rock again. "You broke it without actually hitting it."
Zyon nodded. "That's the idea."
The grin on Lorenzo's face slowly matched his own. "Okay, that's cool."
Even Hound looked impressed.
The success only encouraged Zyon.
Taking a slow breath, he exchanged the smaller hammer for the larger one strapped across his back. The difference became obvious immediately. But at that moment, words from his master from when they were on the boat rang through his mind.
"We need finishing moves, those that we can use during life and death moments."
The massive weapon demanded far more Heka, and golden light flooded into it at a frightening rate as he poured power into the reinforced head.
The hammer began vibrating violently.
Sweat appeared almost instantly along Zyon's forehead.
Still, he continued channeling light and Heka.
Zyon held the weapon with both hands above his head.
The glow intensified until the head resembled a miniature sun suspended at the end of the weapon.
Lorenzo took a cautious step backward. "Should we be concerned?"
"Probably," Quade answered.
Then Zyon bent his knees as he channeled additional Heka through his legs.
He was thinking about the spinning attack from the Level 2 Ironback he fought.
The ground cracked beneath his feet as he launched himself into the air.
Several meters above the clearing, he began spinning.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Golden light stretched around him, transforming him into a blazing wheel of energy as momentum continued building. The enormous hammer amplified every rotation until his entire body resembled a falling meteor.
Below, Hound's eyes widened. "Take cover!"
Without waiting for questions, he grabbed Lorenzo's shoulder and pulled him backward.
Zyon completed one final rotation before unfolding in midair and driving the hammer downward with everything he had.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact shook the clearing.
A devastating shockwave erupted from the point of contact, flattening grass and hurling dirt, rocks, and debris outward in every direction. Several nearby saplings snapped immediately, while a young tree was ripped from the ground entirely.
Dust filled the air.
The earth split apart.
When visibility finally returned, a deep scar stretched across the field.
The trench was several meters long, over two meters wide, and deep enough that Lorenzo could comfortably lie inside it if he wanted to.
Lorenzo stared with his mouth wide open.
Then stared some more.
Then pointed toward the destruction. "Holy sunballs."
Nobody corrected him.
Meanwhile, Zyon knelt at the center of the newly created crater, breathing heavily while sweat poured down his face.
His Heka reserves felt almost completely depleted, and the world tilted slightly every time he tried to stand. It felt like he was losing consciousness.
Still...
He couldn't stop smiling. "It worked."
Lorenzo pointed at him. "You just invented the Hammer Meteor Strike."
Zyon blinked. "The what?"
"The Hammer Meteor Strike."
Lorenzo gestured dramatically toward the massive trench.
"The evidence is literally right there."
Even Quade looked impressed.
Hound eventually approached and crouched beside the exhausted boy. "That's a finishing move."
The old adventurer glanced at the destruction before looking back toward Zyon.
"A very effective finishing move." The compliment lasted exactly one second. "And it nearly finished you."
Zyon let out a tired laugh. "Fair."
Hound went on, "You cannot use something like that unless you're sure the fight ends immediately afterward."
Hound rested a hand on his shoulder. "Because right now, if the enemy survives..."
The unfinished sentence said enough.
Zyon caught his breath, still on one knee but refusing to fall. A tired but proud smile crossed his face. "It worked… I'll get better at controlling the cost. I know I will."
Hound placed a hand on his shoulder. "You will. But train smarter, not just harder. We'll refine this together."
Lorenzo wandered over while Zyon remained kneeling at the center of the crater, still trying to catch his breath. The massive hammer rested beside him, and although victory was written all over his face, the heavy rise and fall of his chest made it obvious how much the technique had cost him.
"Hey," Lorenzo said, dropping into a crouch beside him. "Wasn't there another thing you wanted to try? You've been thinking about it the entire trip."
Zyon wiped the sweat from his brow and nodded.
"Yeah, but my Heka is almost completely drained."
"No problem."
Before he could protest, Lorenzo planted both hands on his shoulders and poured a steady stream of supportive Heka into him. Lorenzo had trained day in and day out so he could always assist his best friend if needed.
Warm energy flowed through Zyon's exhausted body, easing the fatigue in his muscles and clearing some of the haze from his mind.
"After whatever that Hammer Meteor Strike was," Lorenzo continued, grinning, "I absolutely need to see what else you've been cooking up."
The warmth spreading through his body quickly restored enough energy for him to stand. As he got back to his feet, excitement returned to his eyes.
Before he could begin, however, Hound raised a hand. "Hold on."
The old adventurer glanced at the newly formed trench stretching across the clearing and then back at Zyon. "After that display, I'd appreciate knowing what you're planning before half the forest disappears."
A faint smile crossed Zyon's face. "This one's different. Less destructive, I think."
The boy continued. "When we were in the Simmons village, I kept thinking about that firearm Quade showed us.
Until now, my light has always stayed connected to me somehow.
I can shape it, solidify it, strengthen myself with it, but I've never been able to send it away from my body.
When I fired that weapon, though..." He paused, searching for the right words. "I felt how the energy wanted to move.
How it compressed and then exploded forward.
I want to recreate that."
Hound studied him for a few moments before eventually nodding. "Show us."