Kael woke up before the sun. The emptiness of the base was even deeper that silent morning. He got up from his bed, feeling the marks of the last mission — the tiredness, the tense muscles and the weight of the memories still fresh in his mind. Even so, there was no more time to rest. He knew that what was to come would be the real test.
As he walked through the corridors of the base, a sense of responsibility pressed on his chest. He already knew that he would no longer be just the "Son of the Sun" trying to discover his powers, but someone who needed to control those powers to ensure that the world would not be destroyed by the wrong hands.
Aria was in the training room when he arrived. She looked at him with that penetrating gaze as always, without saying a word. Beside her, a table with various equipment — sensors, monitors and strange energy capsules. That was all Kael needed to see to understand that that day would be different.
"Are you ready for this?" Aria asked, her eyes fixed on him.
Kael nodded, but within him an inner flame burned brightly. He knew he was far from mastering all that could be done with his solar energy, but real training was the only way to surpass his limits.
"Let's begin."
Aria stepped forward and pointed to the central area of the room. A circular platform, with sensors all around, waiting for him.
"What do you think of this?" she asked, with a curious smile. "You will learn to control your energy to a level you never imagined."
Kael felt the heat begin to build inside his chest. The solar energy he carried seemed to pulse with more intensity than ever, as if it were awakening something much deeper within him.
"What do I need to do?" Kael asked, not taking his eyes off the platform.
Aria stepped to the side, activating the room's systems. The walls began to glow with a soft light, as the monitors lit up, showing the energy readings around Kael.
"Let's start with the basics. Use the energy of the sun within you to move this platform. But it's not just about moving. You have to make the energy adapt, to become part of you. You have to do this without causing an explosion or losing control."
Kael closed his eyes, feeling the energy inside his body, as if it were part of him. He knew it wasn't just a matter of brute strength. It was more than that. It was about connecting with something greater.
He reached out and gently began to concentrate his solar energy into his palm. As if he were pulling the sun into himself, he felt a wave of heat. The platform began to move slowly, floating above the ground. But then something happened. The energy began to surge out of control, the heat intensifying beyond his control.
"Watch out!" Aria shouted, her voice filled with urgency.
Kael tried with all his might to control the energy, but it was like trying to hold back a storm in a teacup. He felt the heat scorching his muscles, his skin burning slightly, but something inside him resisted. Taking a deep breath, Kael focused on the center of his energy, the point where it was strongest. He had heard his father's words in his dreams, a lesson that had become the key to controlling his solar essence: "Do not force the sun. Guide it with your heart." With that in mind, Kael focused, feeling the energy within him like a fluctuating current. The platform began to stabilize, moving with more precision, without exploding. Aria watched, attentive, but with a slight smile on her face. "This is just the beginning. You have barely begun to understand what it means to be a true Child of the Sun." Kael panted, exhausted, but feeling a deep satisfaction. He knew he was just beginning. What lay ahead of him was a difficult path, but he was ready to walk it. "What is the next step?" — Kael asked, looking at Aria, his eyes still burning with determination.
Aria shrugged, as if it were no big deal.
— Now, you will learn to use this energy to create something. We will start using the sun as a weapon, but you will need more control. And that… will require more than you think.
Kael knew that the actual training would not be easy, but he was determined. If he wanted to be more than just a man with the power of a god, he would need to go further. He was ready for whatever came his way.