The atmosphere was heavy.
The underground city of Áurea, with its glowing buildings and golden streets, seemed distant… almost as if time flowed differently there.
Louie remained quiet, lost in his own thoughts. He seemed trapped in some kind of trance, as if the world around him had disappeared for a few seconds.
His eyes were fixed on Kael Dragan — who stood still in front of him, with that serious and firm expression as always.
Kael knew that all of this was just the beginning.
He also knew that Louie had something strange inside him, he just couldn't say what… but from that moment on, there was no turning back.
The strange organization wouldn't stop with their plans, and everything pointed to the fact that their current target was… Louie.
It was time to wake up completely.
Time to fight. To react.
And he would be there to guide the boy on this new journey.
Whether out of sympathy… or debt.
— Louie — Kael began, his voice firm but calm, conveying security — You carry immense power within you. There are three different powers, but beyond being strong individually, they connect in a way you still don't understand.
— But… in the state you are in now, it will be difficult to truly master even one of them — let alone all three at once.
He paused briefly, looking Louie in the eyes.
— There will be many situations ahead that will force you to adapt, improvise… react, and improve on the spot. And this isn't just about your strength.
— It's about control. Control over yourself. Knowing when to use it, how to use it… and why to use it.
Louie took a deep breath, feeling his hands clench into fists without even realizing it. He knew he was about to face something big, but the pressure was heavy — almost as if the entire world were resting on his shoulders.
He had the power of Lightning, which allowed him to control electrical energy… Super Strength, which boosted his body beyond normal limits… and Ions, involving particles so tiny and complex that he barely understood what they were yet.
Kael noticed Louie was nervous and, with a calm gesture of his hand, told him to breathe and relax.
— Let's start with the basics, Louie. Don't try to take everything at once, or you'll get lost. Let's focus first on what's easiest to understand… the rest will come with time.
Louie just nodded, still feeling that strange weight on his shoulders — as if the whole world expected something from him.
Kael continued:
— We'll do two exercises. One for you to learn how to work with lightning… and another to test your control with super strength. These are two powers with simpler activation; you can get the hang of them quickly if you focus properly.
He paused and looked Louie in the eyes.
— But always remember this… without proper control, they become a problem. Easy to get out of control, hard to fix afterward.
Louie swallowed hard.
Kael paused for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts to explain the basics of lightning control in the simplest way possible.
He gestured with his hand, asking Louie to take a few steps back.
The place was lit, with Áurea's typical golden glow in the background… but at that moment, it seemed as if the rest of the world had vanished. Only that patch of ground and the two of them existed.
Kael extended his hand toward Louie, his gaze firm yet calm.
— The lightning power is the first one you need to understand. It's pure energy, alive. Something that seems to come from outside, but actually… comes from within. It's like a part of you, just loose, ready to emerge. But for that, you have to know how to guide it.
He took a step closer.
— When you feel this energy in your body… where do you feel it strongest? What does the sensation feel like?
Louie closed his eyes for a moment, trying to recall the last time he used that power.
And it came instantly.
It was as if every part of his body were connected to some internal storm. A strong heat in his hands, a buzzing in his ears… and the feeling that something wanted to escape urgently.
— I feel it all over my body… but it seems more concentrated in my hands — he replied, slowly opening his eyes. — It's kind of strange… as if everything inside me were charged. As if every molecule in my body were completely energized.
Kael nodded with a faint smile.
— That's right. This power is in every little piece of you… in your cells, your head, your chest. You don't control it with brute force, you learn to let it flow.
He made a gesture with his hands, as if pushing something invisible.
— Open your hands… feel the energy coming… and let it out. Don't force its exit, but don't hold it too much either. Just guide it. Like letting the air out of your lungs.
Louie took a deep breath and nodded, feeling that now, perhaps for the first time, he was truly ready to release it by choice, not necessity.
Louie opened his palms, feeling a subtle vibration run across his skin. A pressure started to form in his fingers, as if electricity were accumulating there, ready to escape. Without overthinking, he let it flow.
In a swift motion, he stretched his fingers — and the energy shot out all at once.
A bright, loud electric explosion tore through the air, spreading in luminous lines that vanished into the horizon. The crack echoed loudly, and a wave of heat rose through Louie's body.
Kael remained silent, just observing. Louie, on the other hand, panted — his body felt heavier than expected, as if that discharge had drained everything from him.
Kael then stepped closer.
— Well done, Louie. You managed to release the energy… — he said calmly — but you let it all out at once. And that completely drained you.
He paused, looking at him intently.
— Now you understand why this can't be used like that? — He pointed lightly with his chin. — Lightning is fast and destructive, but it needs direction. Otherwise, it's just a huge single explosion; if the opponent stands after it… you'll be exhausted and at a disadvantage.
He gave a faint side smile.
— Let's go again. But this time… don't think about releasing it all. Think about how much you want to release, not how strong it will be. That's where control begins.
Kael continued guiding Louie calmly, always observing every movement.
He asked him to release just a little electricity, pointing it in a specific direction. Nothing too intense — just enough for him to begin understanding how it really worked.
Louie could do what Kael asked… but that strange sensation always came with it. It was as if his body began to understand the power, yet simultaneously grew more tired, more drained.
He was getting the hang of it — that was clear — but he was still far from fully controlling it. He knew what to do, but applying it… was another story.
Hours passed in the blink of an eye. Even without full mastery, Louie reached the minimum point necessary to at least not hurt himself every time he used the power.
After that, he was exhausted. Sweating, breathing heavily, his legs shaky.
But Kael didn't pause.
— Now, let's move on to your Super Strength — he said firmly but without harshness. — This power is more direct, physical… but like lightning, if you don't have control, you'll end up hurting yourself — or worse, someone else.
Louie took a deep breath, still worn out, and nodded.
Kael continued:
— The strength is there inside you. But it's not about smashing everything in sight. You have to feel how much to use — and dose it.
He tapped his own chest lightly.
— Strength is in the muscle, but the head is in command.
Kael pointed to a large metal structure nearby on the rooftop — it seemed part of an enormous old city poster, a massive pillar. He indicated it.
— Try moving this pillar — he said, pointing with his chin to one of the concrete columns nearby. — But don't unleash everything at once. Go slowly, feeling your strength grow. The key here is control.
Louie approached slowly, still breathing heavily from the previous training. He stopped in front of the pillar, stretched his arms, and placed his hands on it.
At first, nothing. Not a creak. But he could feel his body responding — his muscles stiffening, as if inflating from the inside out. The strength was there. It was like holding an electrical current within him, just waiting to be released.
Kael noticed Louie's focus and calmly said:
— Super Strength isn't just about punching and breaking everything. You have to feel it inside you… as if your body were a system, and your mind the control. Take a deep breath. Imagine the strength flowing, like a spring being compressed.
Louie closed his eyes. He concentrated. He felt his muscles stretch, his blood pumping harder… then he pushed.
Gently.
The pillar trembled.
But it didn't move.
He opened his eyes, more focused now. He breathed again, calmly, and applied a little more force. Not near everything he could muster — but this time, the pillar began to slide slowly across the ground.
Louie realized immediately: he could have moved it easily. It was obvious. He had strength to spare. But he had managed to hold back. To control.
Kael smiled faintly, satisfied.
— Well done. What you just did… is the beginning. You have enough strength to throw this pillar to the other side of the building if you wanted. But this kind of power, if misused, becomes a problem. And fast.
Louie stepped back, panting.
— The strength you used here is basic… you're still just scratching the surface of what you can really do — Kael continued seriously. — But it's clear that, if you use it wisely… you'll become a monster.
Louie nodded, trying to absorb everything. His body heavy, his legs tired, but his mind still engaged.
Training both powers — lightning and strength — had drained him completely.
And then, he collapsed to the ground, utterly spent…
But with a smile on his face.
His body was exhausted, too heavy to lift.
Yet inside, he felt differently.
There was something good there, amidst all the chaos.
A strange feeling of victory, of achievement — even with the storm raging above, thunder rolling as if the world wanted to collapse.
And Louie… would go on.
Even fallen, even panting — he already knew he wouldn't stop there.
The early morning was finally showing its face in Áurea.
Up above, a fake sun began to shine — spreading golden light through the buildings and streets below, as if the city were waking up along with him.
It was a new day.
A new path.