Once the agony of the three ended, they fell into a coma-like state while hearing voices say, "It was a complete success." Then, they sank into a deep sleep.
"Well, I didn't think we'd manage to create the first Metalux. Or Anglux, as you might call them, since this batch turned out well with these humans," said Gol. "So I see: the age limit is that of young Milo, seventeen years old. I must note it in my records," indicated Eros Laos.
"Yes, this time they didn't turn into amorphous things or disintegrate. Perhaps we could also test with some animals later. It would do us good to have an army of monsters, like dinosaurs," commented Laos sarcastically.
"Take the subjects to the clinical section and monitor their vital signs. Don't forget to chain the girl," ordered Laos. "And don't forget to inform us when they wake up," added Gol.
"The subjects have returned with more stones to create Metalux. Good," said Gol. "The bad part is that the portal is closed, and the subject has already died. I'll have to bring another because this one was too weak."
"Well, you always have to place one of your kind in that machine for it to work," commented Laos.
"Of course, the only ones who can activate the energies of those stones are my race, but not just anyone—only those of royal descent. Luckily for you, Laos, I made a fake transmitter to lure some in, but I'm running out of reserves. I'll need to attract more. There are many royals in your world, right?" asked Gol.
"Yes, it's not like here on your land, where only a few hold that title anymore. Over there, several houses bear that title. I just need to trick them into coming to this habitable asteroid, disguise Earth so they think it's another planet, and trap them with the paralyzing ray. Leave all those tasks to me," explained Gol.
A couple of days passed. "Sir, the test subjects have awakened," informed an assistant. "Good, let's go there," said Laos.
Both scientists went to the clinical wing and saw that the three had woken up. "Do you feel anything different, children?" asked Gol. "No, nothing, sir. I just felt great pain, and then my head started spinning," replied Milo, who pulled at the medical equipment and broke it on the spot. "Wow, brother! You have super strength!" exclaimed Drake excitedly. "You and your comics, brother, but it seems you're right. Super strength," noted Laos in his report.
"Well, you, young Drake, what ability have you acquired? Perhaps super strength as well?" asked Gol. But Drake couldn't move the device he was connected to. "I guess not," said Gol. "Perhaps it will come later, boy. Better luck next time," joked Milo in a teasing tone.
"And you, miss, do you have anything to share?" asked Gol. Adia didn't respond but instead launched a fireball from one of her hands. "So, fire," noted Laos. "What a shame, the two of them have superpowers, and I have nothing," said Drake sadly.
"Well, two with powers and one who turned out normal, to nothing," commented Gol. "Yes, two out of three isn't bad," said Laos. At that moment, Ras White entered and said, "Ah, my children, I see you've survived. You're as strong as your father and will uphold my lineage."
"Sir, only your eldest son, Milo, gained powers," informed Laos. "Ah, well, I could always expect that from Drake. He's a weakling; he always was. My wife always spoiled him and shielded him from everything," replied Ras.
The boy stood up from where he was sitting and left. Adia wanted to tell him not to go, but no words came out of her mouth. "Let him leave like the coward he is," stated Ras.
"Well then, we'll begin phase two, gentlemen. We must train them to become the super soldiers who will save this country and win the war against our enemies. They will be our ace in the hole, but we'll need more, Doctor," said Ras. "Yes, sir, immediately. But we'll need more young people willing to enlist in your crusade," responded Laos. "Leave that to me. You all focus on preparing everything for more recruits."
"Being a soldier again, but in this era… I don't know. Fighting for people I don't even know," reflected Adia. "I wonder where Drake is." "Here, if you want to get out of this cell, put on this uniform, and I'll take you to the field. You'll need training, or would you rather stay locked up here for the rest of your life?" instructed Laos.
"So the girl has the power of fire. Interesting. Well, I'll train her," said Gol, looking at a group of people who appeared to be mercenaries. "You can all handle the boy."
"Alright, girl, I'm letting you go. Don't do anything stupid," warned Gol as he released her. The girl tried to leave what seemed to be a training field, but she was repelled by an electric field that forced her back. "Well, not bad. You have more resistance to electricity. Show me you're worth something, girl," said Gol.
And so the days passed, turning into months and then years. Adia had been training while more recruits arrived at the location. The team now consisted of about twenty members.
Once the training ended, Adia sneaked out of the place and encountered someone arriving on a motorcycle. The rider got off the bike—it was Drake, who had grown into a handsome young man. "Hello, Drake," she said, approaching him to give him a big kiss on the lips.
"How's it going, Adia? How's your training?" he asked. "Good, everything's going smoothly. I've already mastered fire, and not just that." Adia summoned different elements from her four fingers: water, fire, air, and earth, along with electricity from her five fingers. "That's incredible, love. I thought you only had fire, but I see you have all of them," he said excitedly.
"Yes, but apparently I'm the only one. There are others who only have one," she replied.
"How's my brother?" asked Drake. "Well, sad because you left, but he hasn't stopped showing off his super strength and resilience to everyone," answered Adia. "Yeah, as always, such a show-off," they both said.
"Things here aren't the same without you. I miss the hours passing just seeing you. I know you didn't get powers, but at least you're alive," she said.
"Yes, I know, but I disappointed my father and made a fool of myself. But thanks to having you, I can't leave that burden behind, even though you're older than I." "I'm seventeen," she said. "Yes, but you should add a few zeros to that," he replied. She gave Drake a light tap on the head.
"Well, well, look what the mouse brought. The coward of a brother has returned," remarked Milo.
"Oh, it's you, Milo," said Drake. "So that's why you didn't want anything to do with me, Adia. You've been seeing this useless brother of mine." "Hey, leave him alone," said Adia. "What? Do you need a woman to defend you now?" said Milo. "I don't need that. I can beat you here and now," Drake retorted.
"I have super strength, little brother. I can annihilate you anytime," said Milo. "Yeah, you and how many others?" said Drake. "Wait," said Adia, but it was too late. The two clashed.
"You're agile, little brother. I see you've been doing your stretches, but it won't be enough against me," said Milo, breaking a couple of walls from buildings in the alleyway, as well as the pavement. Bricks and gravel fell everywhere, but Drake was nimble.
"Stop it, both of you," Adia pleaded, but neither paid her any attention. Milo grabbed a street sign and struck Drake in the back during a moment of carelessness. Drake fell to the ground, blood dripping from his mouth and intense pain shooting through his back. "You're weak, little brother," said Milo as he approached him. When he got close, he grabbed Drake's arm and, without measuring his strength, tore it off.
Horrified, Adia struck Milo with a wall of electric energy, sending him flying. She tried to heal Drake's wound, but she didn't possess healing magic. Milo stood up again and was about to go after both of them when they heard a gunshot. "That's enough, both of you," said Ras.
"I don't need to listen to you," said Milo, but before he could advance, he felt a jolt in his back that made him writhe in pain. "You may have powers, son, but I have the best toys," said the father. "Stop playing around—you have your first mission tomorrow."
"The bell saved you, little brother. I hope you don't come back," said Milo angrily as he got up from the ground. Apparently, Milo had feelings for Adia, but he had been rejected by someone weak who shared his blood.
"And you, boy, don't come back here. Let this be a warning," said Ras, as the boy continued screaming in pain from losing his entire arm.
"Adia, where are you going?" asked Ras.
"How can you not care about your son? I'm taking him to a hospital, or he'll die here," she replied, tears streaming down her face.
"Don't be dramatic. Besides, he's no longer my son. He stopped being my son the day he left," Ras retorted.
"Then maybe I don't belong in your squad or whatever it is you're creating," said Adia.
"There's no need," replied Ras, pulling out a large phone with a battery hanging from his belt. "I want you here with the Mao medical team," he said.
A car immediately arrived with a young Doctor Maos, an expert in medicine and bio-implants. "Do whatever it takes to save him, and once he's stable, have him leave my company," said Ras. "Yes, sir," replied Maos as some doctors loaded Drake onto a stretcher. Maos smiled at Milo, and the two exchanged grins, plotting something.
"Come here, Adia. We need to continue with the training," said Ras. "Or I won't save him." She allowed them to take the boy, to whom they administered something to put him to sleep.
The car drove off with the boy to an unknown destination, while Adia returned to the side of Milo and Ras. Maos began working on the boy's arm, attaching a metal prosthesis resembling a mechanical limb. Over it, he placed a kind of large glove that covered what remained of his shoulder and where the rest of the arm would have been.
"You're lucky to still be alive, and with this marvel ahead of its time attached to your arm, it's as if it were alive and connected to your body. Well, it's time to leave you here," said Maos, before putting him back to sleep. He left him lying in an alley.
The boy woke up groggy and disoriented. The first thing that came to his mind was: "And where is Adia? What happened? This black thing, what is it?" He touched his head and said, "Ah, now I remember. My brother tore my arm off, and I was defeated. I won't give up. I need to become stronger for her, even if I don't have powers." He got up from the spot and wandered off aimlessly.
Poor Drake. He hadn't had much luck in life, though later on, his future would change drastically.