Soon after, Blake and his sons followed Jason and Ariel to the training grounds. The moment they arrived, the atmosphere shifted. Soldiers who were practicing quickly stepped aside, making way with wide eyes and hushed whispers. Everyone knew something was about to happen.
Jason stepped into the center of the open field, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles. His eyes locked onto Ariel's with a sharp focus.
"Ariel, listen carefully," he said, his voice firm. "We're going to spar. I want you to show me everything you've got. Don't hold back."
Ariel blinked, confused. "Spar? Are you… going to hurt me, big brother? Did I do something wrong?" she asked, her voice soft, almost afraid.
Jason sighed. He knew she wasn't ready—not mentally. If he didn't push her, she'd never awaken her true potential.
"Quit acting like a spoiled child," Jason snapped, his voice louder now, echoing off the training walls. "You're not just anyone anymore. You're a Primordial—one of the strongest people alive. You have a duty to protect this world."
Ariel flinched, her lips trembly. "But… I-I'm not ready…" she stammered, her words weak and broken.
Jason clenched his fists. Tch… if soft words won't work, 'I'll just have to push her harder. I'll have to use that idiot.' He thought.
He narrowed his eyes and took a step closer. "Don't you want to protect Zane?" he asked sharply.
That name hit like a punch. Ariel's eyes widened.
"Who knows where he is right now? Maybe dead. Maybe suffering. If you can't prove yourself now, Father will never let you leave these walls to look for him," Jason said coldly. "But if you can beat me—right here—I'll convince him to let you go."
Blake said nothing. He stood at the edge of the field, arms folded, watching with unreadable eyes.
Soldiers nearby whispered among themselves.
"Hey, what's going on?" one asked, stepping closer.
"It looks like there's going to be a showdown… between members of the Walker family," another replied.
"Wait—isn't that Jason Walker? One of the three Alphas in the country?"
"Yeah, that's him. Did you see how many Geminis he took down earlier today?"
"I did. He's a monster in battle," another added.
"But he's facing a Primordial… one of the five on the whole planet."
"Primordial or not, she's just a little kid. Doesn't seem like a fair fight."
The crowd kept growing. Whispers turned into murmurs. Everyone's eyes were glued to the center of the training grounds.
Meanwhile, Ariel's fear began to shift into something else. Her hands clenched at her sides. Her breathing slowed. The scared, hesitant girl from moments ago was fading.
If I can beat big brother Jason… then I can go look for big brother Zane… I have to do this, I have to try.
Her eyes burned with new determination. The air around her felt different—still soft, but heavy, like it was waiting to explode.
Jason noticed it too. He smiled.
"Are you ready now?" he asked.
Ariel nodded, her voice clear and steady.
"I'm ready."
The crowd held its breath.
The real battle was about to begin.
There was this one time Ariel forced Zane to play with her.
It didn't go well for him.
She had accidentally punched the living generations out of him—right in the family jewels.
Zane dropped to the ground instantly, his face pale, his body frozen like a statue carved from pain.
"Are you okay, brother?" Ariel asked, tilting her head, clueless.
Zane curled up, clutching himself as if his whole existence depended on it. His voice came out weak and trembling, "Listen to me, Ariel… never… ever hit a guy there—unless it's life or death."
He forced himself up, legs wobbling like jelly, his eyes half dead.
Ariel never forgot that moment.
'So that's the weak spot…' she thought, narrowing her eyes as she stared at Jason across the training field.
'If I hit him there, I might actually win. I'll give it everything I've got!' Jason was oblivious of what he had bargained for.
Jason raised a hand, signaling the start. "I'll begin now."
In a flash, he vanished.
Or at least, that's what it looked like to most of the soldiers. One moment he was standing there, the next he was gone, like smoke in the wind. Only Blake, the Supreme Alpha, could keep track of him.
But Ariel tilted her head in confusion. To her, Jason wasn't moving fast at all. In her eyes, it was like he was jogging through thick water, slow and clumsy.
'Why is big brother moving so slowly?' she thought, completely unaware of her own heightened perception.
Without another thought, she dashed forward, aiming low—exactly where Zane warned her not to.
She didn't even realize how fast she was going. Blake blinked, and she disappeared from his sight.
Then—
BOOM!
A sharp cracking sound tore through the air. The entire training ground shook as if lightning had struck. Stone shattered beneath their feet. Dust flew everywhere.
Jason let out a breathless grunt and collapsed, eyes rolled back, completely unconscious.
Ariel stood over him, calm and innocent.
She blinked, staring down at Jason's crumpled form.
"Wait… that was it?" she whispered, a flicker of doubt in her voice. "Did… did big brother go easy on me?"
She took a cautious step back, brows furrowed. For a second, her determination wavered. She hadn't expected it to end so fast. So easily.
But then she noticed how Jason lay groaning, curled up with a pale face and a trembling hand still clutching his lower half.
Her lips parted in surprise—then curled into a sheepish, almost guilty smile.
"I guess… hitting guys down there really is a killer move. I knew I made the right choice to listen to big brother Zane." she added softly.
The soldiers staggered, coughing on dust, stunned.
"What the hell just happened?" one of them muttered, shielding his face.
Another pointed at the massive crater. "Did… did that little girl just drop Jason with one hit?!"
The training ground was ruined. Jason was knocked out cold, groaning softly as he clutched his lower half. Even Blake was frozen, wide-eyed.
Ariel turned away like nothing happened and started walking toward the exit, her footsteps light, almost cheerful.
'Now I can finally go see big brother Zane.' she thought with a soft smile.
She walked right past her stunned father and speechless brothers, leaving behind silence, shattered concrete, and a memory none of them would ever forget.
She would later earn the name "Jewel Crusher" fight her at the risk of your future generations.
*****
"Wait… what? Live with you? Just the two of us?" Zane asked, his eyes wide with shock. She might've been from another planet, but this was a whole different level of unexpected.
Onilia stopped in her tracks and turned to face him slowly. Her eyes narrowed into a sharp glare that could melt steel. "Did I just hear you say you don't want to live with me because I'm ugly?"
Zane froze like a statue. His heart skipped three beats. "W-What?! No! I never said that!" he blurted out, waving his hands in panic. "I mean, actually—you're just my type! I don't mind living together… really, not at all!"
"Hmph," she huffed, crossing her arms with a raised brow, but the tiniest smile tugged at her lips. "Good. Then let's go."
Before he could say another word, she grabbed his wrist and marched off confidently, dragging him like a sack of potatoes. Her grip was firm, but her palm was soft, a little too soft. Her steps were fast—like she had already planned everything out.
Zane stumbled behind her, barely able to keep up. His mind was spinning. He had survived an elite Gemini, dodged death, and overcame the insane amount of gravity... but this woman was in a league of her own.
After walking for a few minutes, they reached her place.
Calling it a "house" would be an insult.
It was a mansion—no, a palace. A wide, arched entrance welcomed them, with tall silver double doors that gleamed under the evening light. The steps were smooth white marble, spotless and polished. Floating orbs of soft golden light hovered around the entrance like tame fireflies. The outer walls were a shining silver-gray, almost like polished stone, and they shimmered faintly under the light.
Blue vines with glowing petals crept along the sides of the building, wrapping around the pillars and windows like decorative ribbons. The windows themselves were tall and stretched from floor to ceiling, giving a view into rooms that looked too clean to be real.
Zane stared, speechless. "This… this is where you live?"
Onilia pushed open the doors like they were made of paper. "Yeah," she replied with a shrug. "It's a little too shabby compared to my home back on Nanaly. But it'll do for now."
Zane looked at her like she had just insulted the moon. Shabby? This place looked like royalty lived in it. Meanwhile, he could barely afford a room in the slums after getting kicked out of his house. He didn't even know if he should step on the floor or take off his shoes, or drop to his knees and pray first.
Onilia had claimed this mansion after arriving at the summit before anyone else. She had picked the most luxurious building she saw, even though it wasn't exactly her taste. Still, it was better than camping in a cave or sleeping under a tree.
Zane stepped inside, and his jaw dropped even lower.
The interior was even more unbelievable. Crystal chandeliers hung from a ceiling so high it made his neck hurt just looking up. The floor was smooth as glass, polished marble that reflected their steps. The furniture looked like it had been crafted by gods—sleek, soft, and sparkling, almost like it was carved from moonlight and dreams. The walls were decorated with strange glowing patterns and framed images that looked like alien constellations. The air smelled faintly of roses and something sweet he couldn't even name.
"There are plenty of rooms upstairs and down the hall," Onilia said casually, already walking ahead. "Pick whichever one you like. Just don't take mine."
Zane nodded slowly, still lost in awe. "Right… thanks," he muttered, taking his first step inside.
Compared to where he'd come from, this might as well have been heaven.