The following days were a whirlwind. Kael trained in the mornings until exhaustion and spent his nights trying to understand the fragments of dreams that the Sun sent. Each exercise Aria created was more demanding than the last — and each time, he felt like he was getting closer to something... something bigger.
That morning, the air in the base was thick, almost electric. Kael woke up with his chest burning, as if the Sun had risen inside him.
He put on the sweaty T-shirt from the night before and went straight to the training area, where Aria was already waiting for him with a serious look.
"Did you sleep well, star?" she mocked. "Today is different."
Kael arched an eyebrow.
"Different how?"
"Today, I'm not going to give you an exercise. I'm going to throw you into the middle of chaos. And you're going to find out what's really inside you."
Without explanation, Aria led him to an underground room, a sealed metal chamber. Energy panels surrounded him, sensors on the ceiling, and a blue glow radiating from the center.
"This is a simulated combat environment with energy manipulation. And we're going to push you until you break—or transcend. Are you sure you want to continue?"
Kael took a deep breath. It sounded more like a taunt than a warning. But he wasn't backing down now.
"I always have been."
Aria smirked, then pressed a button on the panel.
Immediately, the chamber exploded into motion.
Energy bolts were launched at him, pillars rose from the ground, and a wave of pressure began to compress the room. The sound of alarms mixed with the dinging of overloaded sensors.
Kael tried to dodge, channeling solar energy through his arms to power his movements. But it wasn't enough. He was hit in the back and thrown against the wall, feeling his muscles tremble.
Aria's voice echoed through the speakers.
"This isn't just about strength!" It's about feeling! You're holding back, Kael! Wake up!
The words hit harder than the blows.
Kael's heart raced. The images from his dream came flooding back—the sun god staring down at him, silent, expectant. His father's words echoing. What he felt wasn't just energy… it was faith. It was connection.
And then it happened.
The heat in his chest spread suddenly. Like a silent explosion. His skin glowed, his eyes turned to golden flames, and a wave of pure energy enveloped him like a protective field. The wall behind him melted. The sensors went dark one by one, overloaded.
Kael rose slowly, his feet floating a few inches off the ground. The entire chamber shook, and the light on his body was so bright it seemed like day in the night.
Aria watched from the control booth, eyes wide.
"He manifested…"
Kael held out his hand. A golden sphere slowly spun in his palm—dense, compact, alive. The energy of the Sun, materialized for the first time outside his body. Pure creation.
"I felt… like the Sun was guiding me," he murmured.
Aria walked down to the living room, the floor still radiating heat.
"You didn't control this energy… you released it. This… this was just the first step."
Kael smiled, feeling his heart beat faster than ever.
"If this is the beginning… then I can't wait to see how far I can go."