GENETICA (BOOK ONE: THE AWAKENING)

The air in the training room felt thick with tension, as if the very walls were holding their breath. Kai stood in the center of the room, surrounded by a dozen or so rebels, each engaged in their own form of practice. Some were sparring, their movements fluid and calculated, while others were focused on developing their abilities. The room was a mixture of controlled chaos—training dummies, targets, and practice equipment scattered around.

Elias stood at the front, his arms crossed, watching Kai with an intensity that made him uneasy.

"You'll learn to control your powers here, Kai," Elias said, his voice steady and commanding. "Control is everything. Without it, you're no better than the monsters the Gene Council creates."

Kai nodded, though his stomach was in knots. He had no idea how he was supposed to control something so volatile. But he couldn't turn back now. Leena had made it clear: if he wanted to survive, if he wanted to help the rebellion, he had to face his fears.

A woman with short, platinum blonde hair stepped forward. Maya, the healer. She was the one who had offered to help him learn to control his powers.

"Ready to begin?" Maya asked, her voice soft but full of confidence. Her eyes were bright with a mixture of empathy and resolve.

"I guess," Kai said, his voice betraying a mix of doubt and determination.

Maya placed a hand gently on his arm. "Don't worry. It won't be easy, but we'll take it slow. Focus on the core of your power—the source of the flame inside you. Don't let it control you. You control it."

Kai exhaled sharply, trying to steady his breathing. The last time he'd felt his power surge, it had been uncontrollable, like a wild animal. He'd almost hurt someone. Almost burned the entire district to the ground. The memory made his chest tighten, but Maya's calm presence helped him focus.

"Okay," Kai said, his voice steadying. "I'll try."

Maya smiled encouragingly. "Good. Now, close your eyes. Breathe in. Let your mind clear. Focus on your core. Where does the heat come from? What does it feel like?"

Kai took a deep breath, the air filling his lungs. His heart began to slow as he tried to tune out the noise around him. He focused inward, trying to sense the power that had always simmered beneath his skin.

At first, there was nothing. Just the usual tension in his chest. But then, like a spark, he felt it—a faint warmth deep inside, growing steadily. It was familiar, like the quiet hum of a furnace before the flames erupted.

He focused harder, trying to push the warmth back, to tame it. It didn't work. The heat grew, the flames licking at his insides. He opened his eyes, panic creeping into his chest. His hand was glowing faintly, a flicker of orange-red light radiating from his palm.

Maya's hand shot out, placing a firm grip on his wrist. "Focus, Kai. You have to control it. You can't let it control you."

Kai swallowed, trying to steady himself. His heart pounded in his chest. The fire was becoming more intense, and the fear was almost unbearable.

"Close your eyes again," Maya said, her voice calm but insistent. "Feel it. Don't fight it. Understand it. It's part of you. Let it exist without letting it overwhelm you."

Kai hesitated, but he trusted her. He closed his eyes once more, letting the warmth fill him. This time, he didn't try to fight it. He didn't try to shut it down. Instead, he simply let the fire be a part of him, acknowledging its presence, without succumbing to it.

A few long moments passed. The warmth stayed with him, but it didn't surge. It didn't take control. Slowly, Kai felt the heat retreat back to the core of his being, settling into a manageable rhythm. He opened his eyes again, finding the light in his palm had dimmed.

Maya stepped back, watching him closely. "Well done," she said, her tone filled with approval. "You did it. Now, we build on that control."

Kai let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. For the first time, he felt a small sense of relief. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't entirely a monster.

"That's just the beginning," Elias interjected from the side, his voice firm. "Control is key, but so is the ability to adapt. The Gene Council doesn't just rely on brute force. We need finesse, strategy. And you need to learn how to use your power, not just for destruction, but for protection."

Kai nodded, his eyes meeting Elias's. "I get it. I just... I don't know how to stop the fire once it starts."

Elias's expression softened, just a touch. "That's why you're here. You'll learn. We'll teach you. All of us have our battles, but we don't fight alone."

Before Kai could respond, a loud crackling sound filled the room. One of the rebels, a man named Jonah, had just launched an energy blast from his palms, hitting a training dummy in the center of the room. The dummy exploded into sparks and smoke, sending a wave of heat toward the rebels.

"Nice shot, Jonah," Leena's voice called from the doorway, her tone both approving and sharp. "But remember, the key is control. We don't want to burn down the entire facility."

Jonah shrugged, grinning. "Can't help it. It's fun."

Leena's gaze flicked toward Kai. "You'll learn, too. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. But we're stronger when we work together."

Kai looked around the room at the rebels training, their faces a mixture of determination and grit. They had found their purpose, even in a world that wanted to break them. And maybe, just maybe, Kai could find his own purpose here as well.

As the hours passed, Kai felt his body grow tired, but his mind was clearer. The fire was still inside him, but now, it didn't feel as uncontrollable. He could feel the potential within him—both for destruction and for protection. He just had to learn how to wield it.

By the time the training session ended, the room was quieter, the rebels beginning to disperse. Leena approached him again, her eyes scanning him with an unreadable expression.

"You've made progress today," she said. "But don't get comfortable. The real fight is coming. We'll need you at your best."

Kai met her gaze, his chest tight. He wasn't sure he was ready, but one thing was certain: there was no going back.

The rebellion had become his fight, too.