Angelo jabbed the elevator's lobby button, his finger betraying the frustration churning in his stomach. The test results weren't what he'd hoped for. As the elevator glided downward with its annoyingly cheerful chimes, he couldn't block out Blue's voice drifting up through their shared mind-link. His scholarly duplicate was still chatting away with that scientist in the lobby, sounding like a kid who'd found a new best friend.

  "I'll say," Blue was telling the young scientist, actually smiling for once as he settled deeper into one of those fancy modern chairs, "it's refreshing to talk with someone who understands these concepts. Apart from the professor, I rarely meet anyone who can keep up."

  The scientist - Steven Eagleprince - practically bounced in his seat, his designer glasses sliding down his nose in excitement. "Speaking of professors," he said, pushing the glasses back up, "who exactly are you talking about?"

  Blue's lips twitched into a knowing smile. "Oh, Albert Goldstein," he said casually, like he was mentioning the weather instead of dropping a bomb.

  Steven's whole body jerked like he'd been shocked. "Albert Gold—" His voice squeaked and he had to try again. "THE Albert Goldstein? Here in Novaria?" His fingers dug into his chair's armrests. "I've been trying to get a meeting with him for months! His facility's locked up tighter than a bank vault!"

  "Yes, I can imagine why," Blue said, clearly enjoying the reaction. The sunlight streaming through the facility's huge windows caught his slight smirk.

  Steven leaned forward so eagerly he nearly fell out of his chair. "Please, you have to tell me - how did you get in with him? What's your connection?"

  Red's sarcastic voice cut through their shared mind-link: "Don't do it, Blueberry. The poor nerd might have an aneurysm."

  "Noted and ignored," Blue thought back before focusing on Steven again. "What I'm about to tell you might be hard to believe. First though, I should mention that Angelo and I aren't actually twins."

  "But..." Steven's perfectly groomed eyebrows scrunched together. "You could be identical twins. You look exactly alike."

  "That's because we are, in a way, the same person," Blue explained, his voice taking on the patient tone of a teacher. "We split from one original body. Imagine if all the energy making up your body suddenly divided into three separate but connected pieces..."

  Steven stared at him for a long moment. Then he let out a polite laugh that sounded more nervous than amused. "Oh, I get it! You're joking. Very clever!"

  "Not at all," Blue said calmly. "We share everything - what we see, what we think, what we remember. For instance, I know Angelo just finished his power evaluation test. He reached Adept rank with roughly 100 Aur capacity and 12 Aur draw rate." He nodded toward the elevator. "Actually, he's about to join us."

  Right on cue, the elevator doors whispered open and Angelo stepped out, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.

  "Telling all our secrets, I see," he said, dragging his feet as he approached.

  "You did say it wasn't really a secret," Blue pointed out. "Besides, Steven deserves to know - he's genuinely interested in understanding."

  Steven's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. His scientific brain seemed to be short-circuiting as it tried to process what he was seeing.

  "Want proof?" Blue suggested kindly. "Angelo, turn around and we'll do the finger test."

  Angelo groaned but turned his back to Steven. "Really? This trick again?"

  "Hold up any number of fingers," Blue instructed Steven. "Change them as fast as you want. Angelo will tell you the count without looking."

  Steven hesitated, then slowly raised his hand. His eyes darted between Angelo's back and Blue's calm face.

  "Two," Angelo said immediately.

  Steven changed his count, his jaw dropping when Angelo instantly called out, "Three."

  "One... five... zero..." Each number came without hesitation as Steven tested them, his hand moving faster and faster until he finally let it drop to his side.

  Angelo turned back around, looking annoyed. "Can we skip the rest of show-and-tell and just take him to Albert? Let the professor explain everything."

  Steven's face lit up like a kid at the New Light Festival. "You'd actually introduce me to Albert Goldstein?"

  "Of course," Blue said, standing up smoothly. "He's been studying our condition for years. His research on pure energy theory explains everything about how we work. Shall we?"

  "Wait," Steven said quickly. "You mentioned three parts - where's the third one?"

  Angelo shifted guiltily. "Red is... exploring the building."

  "Red," he called through their mental link, "wrap it up. We're heading to Albert's."

  "No way!" Red's response dripped with horror. "I'd rather gurgle acid than listen to more science nerd babble!"

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  "I'll buy pizza..." Angelo offered, knowing his duplicate's weakness.

  There was a long pause before Red grudgingly replied: "...fine. But I want extra cheese!"

  Morning sunlight sparkled off Albert's lab building as Steven pulled out his phone. "Should I call us a ride?" he asked, already opening the ride-share app.

  Angelo looked like Steven had suggested they crawl there on their hands and knees. "An Auron taking a cab?" Orange light flickered to life around him like a gentle flame, then shaped itself into glowing ropes that moved like living metal. "We travel in style. You can join us, or have fun sitting in traffic."

  Next to them, Blue's own power came alive, but his energy moved differently - precise and orderly, like perfectly cut crystal. "I'd be happy to carry you, Steven. It's quite the experience, I promise."

  Steven's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. "You're sure this is safe?"

  "Absolutely," Blue said with a gentle smile. "My energy constructs will keep you completely secure. Though I should mention - it can get a bit... exciting."

  Before Steven could even answer, Blue's glowing energy wrapped around him like a protective cocoon. Steven's surprised yelp echoed off the buildings as they launched into the air, leaving normal physics far below.

  The city blurred past beneath them as they bounded from roof to roof. Steven's terrified shouts quickly turned to whoops of joy. Fresh morning air rushed past, carrying all the smells of the waking city - bread baking, machinery humming, trees rustling in scattered parks. When they finally landed in front of Albert's facility, Steven's perfect hair looked like he'd stuck his finger in an electrical socket, but his face glowed with pure amazement.

  Inside, they passed through several security doors before entering what looked like a garden merged with a laboratory. Delicate flowers grew next to humming machines, while vines climbed up shining metal supports. The air smelled both sterile and alive at the same time.

  They found Albert at his workstation, carefully measuring some shimmering chemicals with intense focus. The sunlight streaming through the glass ceiling made his white hair glow like a halo.

  "Albert!" Angelo called out, shattering the peaceful quiet. The old scientist jumped, nearly dropping his beakers before he recognized them. His wrinkled face broke into a warm smile.

  "My boy!" Relief filled his voice as he set down his work with shaking hands. "I've been so worried since I heard what happened!"

  Angelo raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Worried enough to send a text? Make a call? Maybe visit the hospital?"

  Guilt flashed across Albert's face as he suddenly found his equipment fascinating. "I... well... I thought you might need space to process everything." Even he didn't seem to believe his excuse.

  "Right," Angelo's voice could have frozen water. "Nothing to do with getting lost in your research again?"

  The silence stretched out until Albert's shoulders slumped. "Guilty as charged," he admitted with a sheepish smile. "Though I did call the hospital! Once I knew you were stable, I thought... well..." He waved his hands vaguely, words failing him.

  Angelo's stern expression softened slightly at the genuine regret in Albert's voice. Blue stepped forward smoothly, his calm voice breaking the awkward moment. "Always good to see you, Professor. How's your research coming along?"

  Before Albert could answer, Steven practically vibrated with excitement. "Professor Goldstein! I'm Steven Eagleprince - your paper on quantum harmonics completely changed how I understand Auron powers!"

  Angelo recognized the signs of an incoming science discussion. "And that's my cue to leave," he said, already backing toward the door. "Red and I will be in the training area if anyone needs us."

  "Now you're talking!" Red's voice rang through their mental link.

  The training ground looked like an arena, its reinforced walls scarred from countless previous fights. Red emerged from Angelo in a swirl of red smoke, materializing with his back turned like an actor on stage.

  "Angie, my eternal enemy..." Red's voice dripped with fake menace as he slowly stood and turned, his eyes glowing red. His power erupted around him like a sunrise made of blood. "At last, we meet again!"

  Angelo stared at his duplicate like a parent watching their kid's embarrassing school play. "What's gotten into you lately? Trying out for community theater?"

  Red waved off the insult with a dramatic flourish. "Today, I'll finally have my REVENGE!" His evolved power exploded outward in a massive display, red energy particles showering down like sparks as waves of pure power made the ground shake.

  Angelo's own power answered the challenge, orange light blazing around him as he transformed too. The air between them felt thick and heavy, like trying to breathe underwater. Red dropped into a crouch like a predator about to pounce, his energy hardening around his arms into wickedly sharp claws that gleamed in the morning light. He shot forward faster than seemed possible, but Angelo was ready.

  Angelo's power spread out around him like an invisible bubble of pure awareness. Through this enhanced perception, he could feel Red's attack coming from meters away - every shift in the air, every tiny change in energy painted a perfect picture of the incoming threat. But Red moved like he was ignoring physics entirely, his claws cutting through the air in patterns that somehow felt both random and perfectly planned.

  Angelo barely managed to create a shield of solid energy to block Red's latest slash. The impact sent orange sparks flying across the training ground. "Close," Red's grin turned wild, "but no cigar!" Eight massive tentacles of red energy burst from his body, each one moving independently as they whipped toward Angelo from every direction.

  "How is he controlling so many?!" Panic crept into Angelo's thoughts as he desperately tried to track all the threats.

  Red's voice cut through their shared mind with wicked glee: "Because I'm better than you, Angie!"

  "Stop reading my thoughts, you cheater!" Angelo's fury manifested in waves of orange energy that made the walls groan.

  With a roar that seemed to shake the whole building, Angelo summoned his signature weapons. His energy formed into flowing robes while a massive scythe materialized in his grip, its blade drinking in the morning light. He settled into his classic pose, weapon resting casually on his shoulder as he glared at Red.

  "Oh please," Red clutched his chest dramatically. "Let me guess - 'Change your heart and find redemption, or face my judgment and get fucked!' HAHAHA!" His mocking impression of Angelo's serious voice made veins pop out on the original's forehead.

  Embarrassed rage transformed Angelo's face into something both twisted and deadly. Without a word, he held out his arm and released the scythe. The weapon hung in the air for a heartbeat before starting to spin. Faster and faster it rotated until it became a disc of pure cutting force, its blade howling through the air as Angelo sent it screaming toward Red like a giant circular saw.

  "Oh shit!" Red's eyes went wide as the improvised buzzsaw of death closed in. He created a red shield, but the spinning scythe tore through it like it was made of paper. Though he mostly dodged, the blade caught his right arm, shredding it into particles of red energy that scattered like smoke in the wind.

  "Got you now!" Angelo's triumphant shout bounced off the walls.

  Red's face twisted from rage to something much more sinister as energy began gathering around the glowing wound. The red light pulsed and solidified, forming a completely new arm that glowed with inner power. His predatory grin promised violence as both duplicates launched themselves forward, their collision sending shockwaves of competing orange and red energy rolling across the reinforced field.

  The battle was just getting started.