Sky's New Abilities

--Sky's Perspective--

"Oh, you're finally awake," I said.

I crossed my legs and sat in the field right outside of the hospital where I told Umbra I'd meet her, and she finally rejoined after sleeping in my bed for a little bit longer.

"So, I thought of some things I could do to replicate my lost abilities. It was hard, considering they're all so unique, but I think I have a grasp on it," I told her.

Umbra was still rubbing her eyes as I stood up and unsheathed my sword. She still looked tired, but just as willing to learn.

"Alright, let's see what you were able to come up with. Go ahead," She said. She crossed her arms with a smile as I held the sword in one hand, and a golden saber in the other.

This felt just as natural as breathing at this point.

"Impulse is the first one. I thought about how Shike can redistribute Kinetic Energy, and what that precisely means. He's taking energy and moving it... I can do that with my stone, but only immediately. My thought was mainly 'how can I store that energy?' and I found out that it's easier than I thought," I said, pointing to a medium-sized rock on the field with me.

"This, I can move this," I said.

With golden strands sprouting from my fingers, I grabbed onto the rock and moved it slightly, throwing it up in the air by about six feet.

As soon as it reconnected with my strands, they immediately formed around it and shot it downward with double the speed as before.

"I can double the speed of any object so long as it passes through the strands. I feel the kinetic energy it has within the fall, and I launch it at the exact same speed, doubling it and anything else I could want. I can also completely stop an object and lower it, instead of just launching it with more speed. I chose the name Impulse because that's what it sends to my body. So, what do you think?" I asked Umbra. She nodded at first and pointed up at the sky.

"You said you deflected that Isle with your stone, but I wonder, could you have done it with Impulse?" She asked me. I thought about it for a second, then shook my head.

"I'm not a professional with this ability, I can only do objects about the size of that rock so far. I want to get strong enough with this ability so I can avoid hurting Avie again," I said, clasping my fist close to my chest.

"The next one was off of Belle's. She can freeze anything she wishes, and create those vines of ice that can bind people, right? Well, I was thinking that with Impulse and Bind, I should be able to transfer energy, or heat, to another place, right? Where's that rock?" I asked, looking for the rock I launched into the ground.

I eventually found it and performed the same trick. I grabbed it with my golden strands and sucked all of the energy out of it. From behind me, a hot strand was flowing wildly in the wind, and icicles started forming on the rock's bottom.

"All of these tricks require strands to use and have a mastery over controlling them. Alexia was really good with strands, so I thought about how I could change the way I saw strands. Rather than weaponry, what about utility? You know, like stopping objects from falling? Repairing people? Or even changing the way they function? I can already fill them with heat and amplify kinetic energy with them, so what else could I do?" I asked. Umbra shrugged and I grabbed the frozen rock once more, returning heat to it.

"I feel like I accidentally came up with this one, but look," I said.

Using the golden strands to wrap around the rock, I also picked up my saber and threw it at the rock. When the two connected, the saber completely wrapped around the rock and added mass to it, causing it to fall to the ground even faster than before. While it was falling, I used Impulse and Bind to speed it up and stick it to the ground. Once the impact happened, the dust particles that flew from the rock itself were actually tiny strands, flowing out like an explosion just happened.

"That was pretty impressive. You understood that the impact from the rock had side effects, and weaponized it. Those strands... they were cold and could've slowed somebody down. I see you're starting to get smarter," Umbra said, patting me on the back.

"I still have a long way to go, but if Avie is going to stay safe, then I have to make these drastic changes. Don't worry Umbra, I won't let her get hurt again," I told her with a straight face.

"Avie wouldn't be with you still if she knew that wasn't true, so I trust you. The two of you made an unstoppable team before, and I can only assume you'll do it again," Umbra told me.

"But, if Quake retreated for good, that threat will always remain. I won't be able to stop working and I'll have to get stronger, so long as they stay hidden in the shadows," I said.

Umbra walked up next to me and looked at the same mountainside that I was. I could see a ton of houses and buildings in the distance on top of one of them, which must've been her city.

"Quake won't stop, you're right, so, I'm staying here until they return. We wipe them out for good, and then you'll be able to have peace finally, unless you have more time to help me out," Umbra vaguely said.

I turned toward her in confusion.

"This world isn't as peaceful as it might seem. I mentioned it earlier without a ton of detail, but the threat of Queen Ultima is always on the horizon as well. She won't hurt citizens, but she'll tear up anybody who shares the Asterio last name. I guess, now that you're here, you'll be in danger as well. I was able to stop her onslaught by giving her city ninety percent of the income we create in my city of Karia, but that won't last forever, not if we want sustainable lives," Umbra said, deeply sighing.

I nodded and took a moment to ask Avie what she thought.

"Obviously, she's your sister Avie and I'll help your family out however I can. What do you think?" I asked her in my head.

"I think we should. Umbra has helped us out a lot. Ultima cannot beat us," Avie told me in my head. I nodded, then turned back to Umbra.

"We'll help. First, Quake will fall, and then, Ultima will be next," I said out loud.