The false sun of Áurea was up there, spreading that golden light throughout the city. The temperature was just right — neither hot nor cold. It almost felt like someone had adjusted everything to make the environment perfectly comfortable for the inhabitants of the underground city.
Louie was still trying to get used to all of it at once.
Powers, a hidden city beneath the earth, strange people everywhere... It was a lot. But, little by little, he started to feel like maybe he could stay there for a while. It wasn't exactly home, but it would do for now.
Even exhausted from training, he couldn't stay still. His mind was racing, full of questions. So he decided to go out, walk a bit, see what he could find.
He wanted to get to know the place better. To understand where he was stepping.
And, maybe, if he understood Áurea more… he'd understand more about himself too.
— "Kael said that, for a start, I wasn't doing so badly…" — Louie thought, walking slowly along one of those golden streets, shining like amber. — "That's what he said before repeating a thousand times that my control is still crap, calling me useless, and disappearing like I already knew this entire city… even though I'm seeing it for the first time today."
He snorted, running his hand through his black hair streaked with white.
— "Not even a map or anything, just telling me the basics at least. But no, he just dropped a 'I have an appointment, bye' and left. Damn old man."
Louie laughed to himself, half in disbelief.
— "And that building over there? I thought it was like… a secret headquarters or something. In the end, it was just his junk storage, full of parts and materials from his crazy experiments."
He kept walking, watching the floating cars pass by like fast shadows, making a soft buzzing in the air.
— Well… not much to do. Since I'm here anyway, might as well take a walk. It's not like I'm not curious to see the city…
And he did. Half lost, half curious, with that grumbling-but-somehow-enjoying-the-chaos vibe.
Áurea was like a shining labyrinth, full of futuristic structures. The streets were wide, seemingly levitating, connected by transparent bridges, as if made of still water.
Louie wandered through, dazed, looking at everything with immense surprise, twisting his neck in every direction, almost tripping over his own feet.
— Okay, this definitely isn't the real world… — he murmured to himself, stopping when he saw a bunch of floating orbs at a little market. — What is this, floating Pokémon selling fruit?
A purple-mustached man winked at him and pointed to a stall. On top, strange fruits spun inside light bubbles that looked like holograms and jelly at the same time.
Louie approached cautiously. Out of nowhere, a seller appeared in front of him with a huge grin, almost like she was plotting a prank.
— Want to try this one? It's good for… energy. — She held up an oval-shaped fruit that looked like a translucent Christmas light.
— This is really edible, right? — he asked, picking up the fruit with a suspicious look. — Not a trick, right?
— Go ahead, kid. Trust me.
Even suspicious, Louie took a bite.
Immediately, he tasted the sweetness — absurdly sweet. Like a mix of honey and sugar, resulting in a rainbow of ten colors instead of the usual seven.
— Hm… not bad… — he tried to say, but then the sourness exploded on his tongue like he'd bitten three lemons at once.
— ... — His tongue froze, and his face turned so red it looked like a pepper.
And when the sour taste finally faded, before he could react, came the final touch: a strange burn, like pepper with soda gas, shooting straight up his nose.
— AAAHHH—CHHUUUUUUU! — he sneezed so hard that some of the floating orbs flickered around him.
The seller laughed loudly, wiping her eyes from laughing so much. Two other customers nearby also started laughing, and one of them said:
— First time trying cavialuva, huh?
Louie stood there, sniffing, eyes watery, tongue tingling.
— Yeah…
— Okay, that fruit hit me, I admit it. — he said, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. — What is this thing? A bomb in a pretty edible form?!
— Cavialuva is a fruit made in Áurea by combining caviar-lime and Japanese grape. — the seller replied, looking at Louie.
— Why would anyone make this? Who's crazy enough to eat this for fun?! — Louie asked, face red with irritation.
— Relax, you'll get used to it eventually! — said the seller, laughing. — But only the strong go for a second bite! So, want to take one home? I can give you a little discount. — Her gaze mischievously fixed on Louie.
Louie looked at the bitten fruit in his hand, thought for two seconds, and said:
— "You little devil! Trying to make me buy it using a man's fragile pride!" — he sighed briefly, accepting defeat. — I'll leave it for the strong… alright… I guess.
He walked away, still sniffing, his dignity and masculine pride trampled — but laughing to himself as if he'd just received a playful slap to his ego.
— Come back soon! — the seller shouted, waving at Louie.
— "Yeah… 'Come back soon' my ass." — he thought, red-faced and grumpy.
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After recovering from the explosive fruit — and sneezing so loudly it probably could be heard all the way in Porto Alegre — Louie continued walking, still trying to understand where he had gotten himself into.
A few minutes later, he arrived at a huge square.
— Wow… — he murmured, almost involuntarily.
Harmony Square was surreal. Located in what was considered the heart of Áurea, a futuristic place mixed with Porto Alegre's own Harmony Park stretched across several kilometers in size and diameter. It had curved glass structures resembling giant leaves, artificial golden light flowing from the ground like fairy lights… And in the middle, a floating obelisk — rotating slowly, completely blue, emitting light pulses that seemed like music.
Louie walked slowly, taking it all in, not even sure where he truly was. The ground had greenish panels mixed with real grass — or something close to it. It was so well-made that he couldn't tell what was natural and what was artificial.
— This isn't really a square… more like some kind of… alien luxury spa… — he whispered, looking at trees reflecting golden light as he passed.
In the middle of the space were floating sculptures, self-moving benches, and water fountains where children played, splashing everywhere. A giant tree emitted light, almost like ambient music mixed with wind.
That's when he saw what caught his attention the most: a group of kids running after a floating energy sphere — blue, shiny, semi-translucent. They screamed, laughed, and tried to kick it like a soccer ball… but the ball flew, disappeared, reappeared… and sometimes zapped anyone who touched it wrong.
Louie stopped next to a boy who was just watching with a strange ice cream in hand — which seemed to change color.
— What's the name of this game? — he asked, curious.
— Hyperbola. — replied the boy, not taking his eyes off the field. — Like soccer… but better.
— Hyperbola? — Louie raised an eyebrow. — This seems more like a physics prank than a game.
— Yeah, my dad says the same. — the boy shrugged. — But it's fun. Just don't touch the ball if it's red. Otherwise… tchzzzt! — he made a mouth noise and a shock gesture with his hand.
Louie laughed.
— Okay, this seems dangerous and fun at the same time. Just like everything in this crazy city… — Louie said, remembering the cavialuva trauma.
His body shivered slightly, then quickly returned to normal.
Louie leaned against one of the metal structures surrounding the square, arms crossed, just observing. The sounds of laughter, excited shouts, and splashing water… all created a pleasant, almost nostalgic feeling.
He let out a small smile. It was rare to feel this way — at peace, even if just a little.
— Hey, mister! — a high-pitched voice shouted.
Louie turned and saw a girl running toward him. Curly hair tied in a messy bun, amber eyes shining with curiosity. Behind her came a whole bunch of kids.
— You're new here, right? I've never seen you!
— Uh… yeah… I am — he replied, slightly surprised. — Just got here.
— You have a red eye! — exclaimed a boy wearing a cap backward. — Is that real or an implant?
Louie laughed, bending slightly to meet their height.
— Yeah… I think so.
— Cool! — said a girl with short green hair, jumping excitedly. — And that hair? White streak! You look like a game character!
— What's your name? — asked a boy who looked like the "leader."
— Louie. And you guys?
Then it was synchronized chaos. Everyone started talking at once, interrupting each other with introductions, laughing, pointing at classmates, and giving nicknames they probably invented that morning.
— I'm Niko! — said the boy with the cap.
— She's Luma, and that one is Zibi, he barely talks — explained a more serious girl.
— And I'm Ayo! But everyone calls me "Turbo"! — shouted the smallest one, striking a super heroic pose, making a face.
Louie laughed out loud.
— You guys are a… unique little group, huh?
— Come play with us, Louie! — invited Niko. — We're one short since Luma pushed Kaz into the fountain.
— I didn't push him! He tripped! — Luma protested, crossing her arms.
— Let's play! — they said almost in unison, pulling Louie's hands as if he were a childhood friend.
— Okay, okay! I'll go, but don't expect anything! — said Louie, laughing.
— Relax, you look like a hero! — said Ayo, winking. — Heroes always learn fast!
Louie threw himself into the game, trying to understand the rules of this crazy "energy soccer." Run, laugh, avoid shocks… and kick when possible. Easy, right?
Of course… until the ball started glowing red.
Louie, caught up in the moment, ran and kicked.
— Here it goes!
TCHZZZZZZT!
Instantly, the sphere sparked electrically, and Louie's foot seemed like a satellite dish. A huge spark ran up his leg, his hair stood on end, and — PUF! — a small explosion happened right there in reaction to Louie's power.
The ball flew like a missile, streaking across the sky with a bright trail. Silence. Everyone stared upwards, mouths agape.
— Wow… — Zibi finally said something.
— THAT WAS AWESOME! — shouted Ayo, jumping.
Louie stood there, clothes slightly singed, hair looking like it had been styled by lightning.
— I swear it wasn't on purpose — he said, raising his hands, laughing nervously.
Everyone laughed together, without thinking. And Louie, at that moment, could only laugh too — his leg tingling, heart light, mind away from troubles.
He felt… almost normal.
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He was starting to get used to the strange rhythm of the large underground city — that lively, peaceful, and above all futuristic back-and-forth. It felt like a dream — until he saw a familiar silhouette approaching in the distance.
Kael Dragan.
The way he walked remained the same: firm, but unhurried. He was dressed more casually now, yet still radiated the feeling of authority and reliability.
Louie straightened up, slightly startled.
— Louie — Kael called, stopping near him, serious tone. — I'll need to step out for a while. I have something to take care of.
Louie's good mood drained a bit.
— Again? What is it? — he asked, eyes still red from laughing with the kids.
— It's important — Kael replied, glancing quickly around before continuing. — I'm going after your family. Your mother. Your sister. They need to be here in Áurea too.
Louie froze.
The simple word "Family" made him shiver. Even having seen them just a few hours ago, how worried must they be?
He hadn't even managed to tell them he was alive or where he was.
— Wait… I'll go with you then.
— No, Louie — Kael replied immediately, calm but firm. — You're safe here. Outside, I can't guarantee anything. It's riskier for you than without you. They're not the direct target… but if this organization wants to get to you, they'll use any means possible. So relax, I'll bring Emi and Nina safely here to Áurea.
Louie frowned, suspicious.
— Okay… but how do you know my mother and Nina's names?
Kael smirked slightly but didn't answer directly.
— We'll talk about that later.
— Ahhh… — Louie sighed, still restless. — You're leaving now then?
— Yes — Kael said, already looking ahead. — The sooner I go, the better. The longer it takes, the greater the risk they're suffering. I don't want anyone to reach them before me.
He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a key, extending it to Louie.
— If you feel hungry, tired, anything… go back to the same building where we trained. There's food, shelter, everything there. Don't worry. I'll try to be quick. Everything will be fine.
Louie took the key slowly, fingers gripping tightly. He watched Kael walk away, disappearing among the translucent, golden buildings of the city.
He stood there for a while, staring into nothing.
He knew Kael was strong. Even if only slightly, he had already seen enough to trust his strength. But the thought of his mother and little sister in danger because of him — it was like a knot tightening in his chest.
His unease didn't let him rest; the sense of danger wasn't about him… And that made him feel vulnerable.
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A few minutes later, Kael was already gone.
He had vanished like one disappears into thin air, using what he did best: manipulating time.
He cut distances as if the world were paused for him — moving like a shadow between cracks in time. Each step seemed to bend space, distorting the air around with a subtle temporal energy glow.
But when he reached Louie's house, his body froze.
Something was wrong.
The air felt different. Heavy. As if the place itself had held its breath.
Too silent.
No people, no laughter or footsteps, not even the sound of wind.
And then, out of nowhere — an ambush was set.
Two hooded men emerged from the shadows like smoke from a crack. Their bodies vibrated as if covered by some strange, almost living energy. Within seconds, a field rose around them, producing a sharp hum that made the ground tremble lightly.
Kael didn't even blink.
— Kael Dragan — said one of them, voice rough as if swallowing sand. — You really thought you could mess with our plan so easily?
Kael raised an eyebrow, staring at both.
— "Plan," huh? And who exactly are you?
— None of your business, clown. — replied the other, in a mocking tone.
— Not the time for jokes…
— S… sorry. — one of the hooded men replied — Well, you won't leave here alive anyway.
Kael snorted briefly and straightened up.
— What a dramatic entrance… — he said with an ironic smile. — But I'll be honest… you have no idea what you're getting into.
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the energy field around them. It wasn't just any barrier — that was technology. New. Strange. With regular pulses, like a beating heart. And you could feel it was strong. A barrier that even blocked sound from entering or leaving.
— Hm… This is new. Very curious little toy you have there — he murmured, as if talking to himself.
The air around Kael began to ripple, like time itself was trembling. Subtle, but noticeable. Even the light seemed to bend slightly.
— Here's your tomb, Kael! — shouted the more impulsive one, charging with a glowing red energy sword. — With these new weapons, even the Kaelums are left behind!
— Typical villain line before being brutally humiliated… — Kael whispered, observing the incoming attack.
And there he stood, just staring. Didn't even move.
Eyes fixed on the attacker.
Then, with a mocking smile at the corner of his mouth, he calmly said:
— Kaelums left behind, huh?…
He paused briefly.
— Let's see if you dance as well as you talk!