"Warning"

Four weeks ago.

During Theo's training with Neil.

"You're improving, Theo. Your attacks are becoming more precise. Keep it up, and you'll soon surpass me," Neil said as we sparred.

"Don't flatter me. I still have a long way to go," Theo replied.

"It's good to be humble, but don't sell yourself short," Neil said while avoiding an upcoming attack, "That's enough for today. Let's head back inside and have breakfast before your mom gets mad," he suggested. They made their way back to the house.

After finishing breakfast, Theo was preparing to head to school when Neil called out to him. "Hey Theo, wait up!" he said.

"What's up?" Theo asked.

"I have to take you somewhere today," Neil informed him.

"But what about school?" he inquired.

"Don't worry. I already informed the teacher about your absence. So, get ready and meet me outside in 10 minutes," Neil quickly added,

Theo was curious as to what Neil was planning, so he quickly changed his clothes and headed down to meet him.

Theo approached Neil's car and climbed into the passenger seat. "Where are we headed?" he asked Neil.

"Can't we just enjoy some father-son bonding time?" Neil replied with a chuckle. Theo rolled his eyes in suspicion.

"Fine. Sorry," Neil said, "I brought you here to test something."

"To test what?" Theo asked, growing increasingly curious.

"You'll find out soon enough," Neil replied with a mysterious smile.

After thirty minutes of driving, Neil parked his car outside a rundown shop. "Come on," he said, getting out of the car. Theo followed his father into the store, where he saw a middle-aged man behind the counter.

Neil greeted him with a warm hug. "Hey, Taylor. Long time no see. How are you doing?" Neil asked.

"I've had better days. And you?" Taylor replied with a smile.

"I'm good, better than you, I bet," Neil said, grinning mischievously.

Taylor laughed. "You still have that sharp tongue of yours, huh?" he said.

Theo watched the two men interact, realizing that they were old friends. He had never met any of Neil's buddies before. As they chatted, Theo caught Taylor's eye and realized he had been noticed.

"Hey, is this your son?" Taylor asked, gesturing towards him.

"Oops, I almost forgot about him. Come on, Theo, don't be shy. Say hello," Neil said, encouraging him to step forward. The two of them shook hands, formally introducing themselves

As Theo shook hands with Taylor, he felt a surge of powerful energy emanating from him. He was taken aback by Taylor's strength, which seemed to contradict his physically unassuming appearance.

"What brings you here today?" Taylor asked, turning his attention to Neil.

"We were hoping to check Theo's affinity," Neil replied, "Do you still have that crystal? I need to use it."

"I think so. It should be back in the store somewhere," Taylor said, gesturing for them to follow him.

Curiosity tugged at Theo as he followed Taylor, leading them to a dimly lit storeroom filled with strange and unusual items hanging from the walls. Swords, guns, and other weapons were on display, as well as peculiar instruments and gadgets that Theo had never seen before.

After a few moments, Taylor called out, "There it is! Over here!" as he held up a small, white, transparent crystal.

Theo couldn't help but wonder what this crystal would reveal about him. He watched as Neil took the crystal from Taylor and held it up to the light, inspecting it closely. The crystal glinted in the dim light, and Theo could sense its power.

Neil turned to him and said, "Hold out your hand, Theo. Just focus all your Psionyx energy into the palm of your hand, as we practiced," Neil instructed him.

Theo took a deep breath and focused his energy on the palm of his hand, which rested on top of the crystal. As he did so, the crystal began to glow from within, illuminating the entire storeroom with a warm, radiant light. The captivating glow of the crystal was like a beacon of light, drawing everyone's attention to it.

"Remarkable," Taylor exclaimed, astounded by the crystal's glowing intensity. "Theo has an exceptional Psionyx affinity, Neil."

Neil was filled with excitement and couldn't even speak. He was thinking to himself, 'There's only one person I know of who has an affinity as high as Theo's.'

Neil was thrilled beyond words, however, Theo remained unsure about what Psionyx energy was and why it was causing such a stir.

"Congratulations, Theo," Neil finally said, his excitement subsiding. Theo was grateful for the recognition, but he still had many questions about Psionyx energy.

After leaving the storeroom, Theo accompanied Neil and Taylor to a nearby hotel. While they were having lunch, Theo observed Neil and Taylor catching up on old times, reminiscing about their shared history. As they chatted, Theo noticed that Neil's expression became serious as he leaned in to say something to Taylor in a hushed tone.

After a while, Taylor bid his farewells and left the hotel, leaving Theo alone with Neil. As they prepared to depart, Theo's attention was drawn to the tension in Neil's voice as he spoke.

"Theo," Neil said in a serious tone, "I need to speak with you about something important. When you're enlisted in the military, there will be a test to measure your Psionyx affinity. You must hold back your energy during that test. Zelion might have spies within the military, and they'll be on the lookout for anyone with a high Psionyx affinity. If they discover your level, they will either eliminate you or take control of you. You need to be cautious and only disclose this information to someone you can trust."

Neil's warning left Theo feeling uneasy and apprehensive about what the future held for him.