The day began golden, with the first rays of sunlight crossing the base like silent arrows. Kael was sitting outside, eyes closed, his face turned to the sky. The light touched his skin as if it recognized him. It wasn't just heat. It was communion.
Selene approached, silent as always.
— Aren't you tired from yesterday's battle? — she asked.
Kael opened his eyes slowly.
— I saw something… in the dream. It wasn't just about fighting. It was about… being. The solar energy that lives within me is not just a weapon. It is part of me. And I am part of it.
Selene watched him with contained curiosity.
— What do you mean?
Kael stood up, looking at the other members of the group who arrived, one by one: Daz, steady as a rock; Ryo, light as the wind. All marked by something greater.
— We must not just use energy as if it were a tool. We must be it. Understand what connects us to it. Merge, as if the soul and the source were one.
Daz arched an eyebrow.
— That's more monk talk than soldier talk.
— Maybe it's both — Kael replied. — When I merged with the sun, it wasn't just raw power. I felt... freedom. Purpose.
Aria appeared in the courtyard and, hearing the conversation, simply nodded.
— If you're going to fight as one, you first need to understand what you are. This kind of training isn't in the resistance manuals. But it can be more valuable than any combat class.
And so began the quietest training in the base. A training session where there were no punches, shots, or screams. Just connection.
Kael positioned himself where the sunlight was brightest. He crossed his legs and breathed deeply. Little by little, the energy around him seemed to pulse with him. His body warmed, but it was different—as if the sun itself recognized him as part of itself.
When night fell, Selene went out onto the terrace. The full moon shone in the sky like a cold mirror of the sun. She closed her eyes in its pale light, and the temperature around her subtly dropped. The lunar energy flowed softly, mysteriously, calmly. Like a frozen river beneath the surface.
Daz, for his part, went to an abandoned greenhouse on the outskirts of the base. He sat on the ground. He placed his hands in the earth. His tattoos glowed softly, pulsing in tune with the roots buried there. He breathed along with nature. He felt the vibration of the earth, the silent call of the ancient rock.
Ryo, still too restless to meditate, just watched. But deep down... something was awakening in him too.
The next morning, Aria observed the four of them, each with a subtle glow around them. Different colors, different sources. But there was a synchrony emerging. Not perfect yet. But real.
Kael opened his eyes and smiled.
— Now yes... we're starting.