The next morning, Deniel, Aris, Jess, and Milo
met at an empty field just outside the city. It was quiet and far enough from the busy streets that no one would notice if they accidentally did something crazy with their new powers. They didn’t want to attract attention—not yet, anyway.
“This is the spot?” Jess asked, looking around.
Deniel nodded. “Yeah, no one really comes here. We can practice without anyone bothering us.”
Milo looked around the open space, the wind stirring his hair. “It’s perfect. We’ll have plenty of room to figure out how our powers work.”
Aris stretched his arms. “Alright, so how do we start?”
Deniel had been thinking about that. “I guess the first thing we should do is see what each of us can do. We need to understand our powers before we can figure out how to use them in a fight.”
Jess smirked. “Well, I’ve already got a pretty good idea of what I can do.” She took a deep breath, and in an instant, she was gone. To Deniel, Aris, and Milo, she was just a blur—a flash of movement that zipped across the field and back before they even had time to react.
She stopped in front of them, barely out of breath. “Super speed, check.”
Aris laughed. “That’s insane! You’re like a human lightning bolt!”
Jess grinned. “Yeah, but it’s not just about speed. I need to figure out how to use it in a fight. Moving fast is great, but if I don’t know how to fight while doing it, it won’t help much.”
Milo nodded. “True. Speed is powerful, but you’ll need control too.”
Deniel looked at Aris next. “Alright, your turn.”
Aris took a deep breath, then closed his eyes. In an instant, he vanished. Deniel had seen it before, but it still amazed him how completely Aris could disappear. There wasn’t even a shimmer or outline—he was just gone.
“Can you see me?” Aris’s voice came from somewhere nearby, but it was impossible to tell where.
“Nope,” Deniel said, looking around. “Not at all.”
Suddenly, Aris reappeared, grinning. “That’s going to be super useful. Imagine sneaking up on those monsters without them even knowing I’m there.”
Jess nodded. “Yeah, that’s a huge advantage. But can you stay invisible while moving?”
Aris thought about it, then closed his eyes again. This time, when he vanished, there was a faint rustling sound as he moved around the field, still invisible. After a few seconds, he reappeared, panting slightly.
“I can move while invisible, but it takes a lot more effort,” Aris said, wiping sweat from his forehead. “I’ll need to practice to make it easier.”
Deniel nodded. “That’s a good start. Now, Milo, let’s see what you can do.”
Milo stepped forward, his face calm as always. He lifted his hand, and the wind around him seemed to respond immediately. A strong breeze picked up, swirling around him. He raised both hands, and the wind intensified, whipping around in a small cyclone that lifted dirt and leaves off the ground.
With a flick of his wrist, Milo sent the wind in different directions, controlling it like it was an extension of himself. After a few moments, he lowered his hands, and the wind died down.
“Whoa,” Deniel said, impressed. “You’re like a walking storm.”
Milo nodded. “It’s going to take some getting used to. I can control the wind, but I’m not sure how strong I can make it yet. I’ll need to push it to see my limits.”
Deniel looked at his friends, feeling a strange sense of pride. They were all figuring out their powers quickly, and it gave him hope that they might actually have a chance against the monsters. But then he realized something—he hadn’t tried out his own power yet.
“What about you, Deniel?” Jess asked. “What can you do?”
Deniel hesitated. The first time he had gotten his power, he hadn’t really tested it out. He had a general sense that he was stronger and faster than before, but he didn’t know the full extent of his abilities.
“I’m not sure yet,” Deniel admitted. “I know I’m stronger, but I haven’t really tested it.”
“Let’s find out,” Aris said, picking up a large rock from the ground. “Try lifting this.”
Deniel stepped forward, eyeing the rock. It was about the size of a basketball, but much heavier—something he wouldn’t have been able to lift before. He bent down, grabbed the rock with both hands, and lifted it easily over his head.
“Not bad,” Jess said, crossing her arms. “But can you throw it?”
Deniel grinned. “Let’s see.” He took a step back, then hurled the rock as hard as he could. It flew through the air like a missile, landing far across the field with a heavy thud.
Aris whistled. “Okay, that’s pretty impressive. You’ve definitely got super strength.”
Deniel smiled, feeling a surge of confidence. “Yeah, but just like you guys, I need to practice. Strength alone won’t win a fight.”
Milo nodded. “We all have powers, but we need to figure out how to use them together. Each of us has a strength, but we’ll be stronger if we work as a team.”
Jess looked thoughtful. “We should start thinking about strategies. We don’t just need to train our powers—we need to figure out how to use them against the monsters.”
Deniel agreed. “Right. The man told me that each monster has different abilities. We’ll need to come up with a plan for each one.”
Aris sat down on the grass. “So, what do we know about them so far?”
Deniel thought back to what the man had told him. “The first monster, Valtor, can turn invisible. That’s going to make him really hard to fight. He could attack without us even knowing he’s there.”
Milo nodded. “But Aris can turn invisible too. Maybe he can help us figure out how to spot Valtor, or at least track him.”
“Good point,” Aris said, looking more serious now. “If I can practice staying invisible for longer, maybe I can sense where Valtor is, even if we can’t see him.”
Deniel continued. “The second monster, Karrok, has super strength and can phase through solid objects. That means walls, the ground—he can move through anything.”
Jess frowned. “That’s going to be tricky. If he can just disappear underground whenever he wants, we won’t be able to catch him.”
Milo spoke up. “Maybe we can use the wind to our advantage. If I can control the air around us, I might be able to sense where Karrok is, even if he’s underground. The wind could act like an extra set of eyes.”
Deniel nodded. “That could work. We’ll need to test it out during training.”
“And the last one,” Aris said, “is Flarex, the fire monster. He’s the one I’m most worried about.”
Deniel agreed. “Yeah, Flarex is going to be a problem. He can fly, and his whole body is made of fire. We’ll need to find a way to deal with the heat and the flames.”
Milo looked thoughtful. “Wind might be able to help control the flames. If I can create strong enough gusts, I might be able to weaken his fire or at least keep it from getting too close.”
Jess added, “And I can move fast enough to avoid the flames, maybe even distract him while you guys figure out how to bring him down.”
Deniel nodded, feeling more confident. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, but we’re getting there. Let’s spend the rest of the day training—learning how to control our powers and thinking about strategies for each monster.”
They all agreed and spread out across the field, each of them practicing their abilities. Aris worked on staying invisible for longer periods while moving. Jess tested her speed, trying to stop and change directions quickly without losing control. Milo experimented with the wind, trying to create stronger gusts and learning how to direct them with precision. And Deniel pushed his strength, lifting heavier objects and practicing his punches, trying to understand just how much power he really had.
The day passed quickly, but by the end of it, they were all exhausted. They gathered together, sitting on the grass and catching their breath.
“We’ve got a long way to go,” Jess said, wiping sweat from her forehead. “But we’re making progress.”
Milo nodded. “If we keep this up, we’ll be ready when the time comes.”
Deniel looked at his teammates, feeling a sense of determination growing inside him. They were just a bunch of normal kids a few days ago, but now they were something more—something stronger. The monsters didn’t stand a chance.
“We’ve got this,” Deniel said quietly. “We’re going to be ready.”