When I regained consciousness, my body felt heavy, as if the simple act of breathing required a monumental effort. The first thing I saw was the white light from the ceiling, blinding and cold. I was no longer in the orphanage, nor was I enveloped by the flames that had driven me to my limit. I recognized, by the strong smell of alcohol and the sounds of monitors around me, that I was in a hospital. Still, everything seemed distant, as if I were floating in a fog.
When I slowly turned my head, I saw two familiar figures beside me: Nun Maria and the caregiver Lívia.
They were both sitting up, their eyes swollen, as if they had been crying all night. As soon as they realized I had woken up, more tears began to fall. Lívia was the first to hold my hand, while Maria recited a short prayer of thanks. They were relieved, moved, and even without words, I knew how much they had feared for me.
"Atlas, you are conscious!" Lívia exclaimed, her voice trembling.
"We thought you wouldn't make it. You're a miracle, boy."
I tried to smile, but I felt the muscles in my face stiffen. It didn't hurt, at least not yet. It must have been some medicine blocking the pain, but my skin felt tight and hot, as if a fire was still burning beneath it.
"I'm fine," I managed to mumble, my voice hoarse.
"Just tired."
My body was bandaged almost completely, leaving only my face exposed. I knew I wasn't in perfect condition, but for some reason, the pain that should have been unbearable wasn't as strong as I imagined.
Strange
After confirming that I was relatively okay, I asked what had happened to the children and the rest of the orphanage. The answer came quickly from Maria:
"I was with Renato and Tobi," I said, trying to remember the details. "Are they okay?"
"Yes," Livia replied with a warm smile.
"Renato hasn't been separated from Tobi for a second since that night. They're fine, Atlas, thanks to you."
I nodded, trying to take it all in. At least something good had come out of all that madness. The children were safe, and that was what mattered most.
"Thank God, all the children are safe. No one but you and I was hurt."
She showed her arms, where small burn marks could be seen.
"My injuries are insignificant, but you..."
Her voice trailed off, and she looked away.
I was relieved to know that no one else had been seriously hurt, but something was bothering me. I knew what I had seen: the fire monster, that supernatural being that seemed to have been ripped from a nightmare. I decided not to mention it for now, fearing that they would think I was delirious.
"Who took me out of there?" I asked, searching for a logical answer.
Lívia told me that after everyone left the orphanage, a sudden heavy rain started, helping to control the flames. They had tried to go in to rescue me, but the fire was too strong. Minutes later, they found me lying in the middle of the ruins, still breathing, although unconscious. An ambulance, called in a hurry, arrived in time to provide first aid.
"We don't know how you survived," Maria said, still emotional.
"The doctors said your recovery will be long, but it's a miracle that you're alive."
I remained silent, processing the words. They didn't know about the monster, the fight, or the sphere that was left behind when it was all over. Only I carried those memories – and the strange screen that seemed to float in my vision.
I tried to divert the focus, asking about the cause of the fire. Nun Maria replied that the firefighters believed it was caused by a short circuit due to the storm that night. I nodded, but I knew that this explanation wasn't true. Nevertheless, I remained silent. They were already too worried about me for me to torment them with something that, to them, would sound like madness.
Shortly after, a nurse came into the room and told me that I needed to rest. Lívia didn't want to leave, but Freira Maria convinced her to go, promising that they would return the next day.
As soon as I was alone, I let out a long sigh.
My mind was restless.
I looked at the screen that had been in front of my eyes since I woke up. No one seemed to be able to see it except me. It was as if it were part of me, an extension of my perception. There was the information I had already seen:
Name: Atlas Orion
Race: Human
Rank: G
Ability: Energy Manipulation
Warning: None
I wasn't crazy. It was real. The fight with the monster, the screen, everything. What was happening to me?
Injured? Isn't that my current condition?
My eyes went back to the listed ability: Energy Manipulation. What did that mean? Was it some kind of control over electricity, like in the games and books I loved so much?
Clearing the chaotic thoughts from my mind, I sighed.
I decided to give it a try. I raised one of my hands, imagining lightning coming out of it. I concentrated as hard as I could, trying to summon anything.
Nothing happened.
But something was different.
I felt a strange vibration run through my body, from my chest to my fingertips. It was subtle, but present. I repeated the process several times, but the result was always the same: the sensation stopped in my hand, without any visible manifestation.
Frustration began to grow, but I knew I had to keep trying. It was like learning something new; maybe I needed practice. However, my bandaged body wouldn't cooperate. My skin began to burn, and I could feel the pain returning as the medication wore off. Reluctantly, I lowered my hand, determined to try again later.
As I lay down, another idea came to me. In the stories I had read, energy manipulation often involved an internal flow, like a river running through the body. I closed my eyes and concentrated, trying to feel that vibration again, but this time circulating through my entire being. It was almost instinctive. The energy seemed to respond to my thoughts, flowing from my feet to my head, as if I already knew how to control it.
When I completed a cycle, something incredible happened. The pain began to lessen, not because the medication was working, but because something inside me was healing. My body felt lighter, my mind clearer. It was as if I had taken a dip in a refreshing lake after an exhausting day.
I was so excited about this discovery that I didn't want to go back to sleep. My mind was buzzing with possibilities, but I was interrupted by a nurse who came in to check on me. When she saw me awake, she smiled and came closer.
"You should be resting," she said gently.
"It's too early to push yourself too hard."
I explained that I couldn't sleep, but she just shook her head and prepared an injection.
"This will help," she said before I could protest.
I felt the cool liquid enter my bloodstream, and drowsiness quickly set in. As much as I wanted to continue exploring this new skill, my body gave in to the effects of the sleeping pill. The last thing I thought before I fell asleep was that this was just the beginning. I needed to understand what was happening to me—and why all of this had started.
Morning arrived with the sun peeking through the curtains of the room, casting a golden light on the stark white walls of the hospital. I woke up feeling a strange energy coursing through my body. It wasn't tiredness, or pain. On the contrary, I felt invigorated. What had happened last night, as I had circulated that energy within myself, still felt like a dream. But at the same time, it was more real than anything else I had ever experienced.
Remembering everything that had happened since the fire, the fight against the monster and the appearance of that strange screen with information about me, it was difficult to remain calm. My thoughts were racing, and no matter how hard I tried to focus, the excitement was inevitable. The idea of having superpowers, like in the games and books I loved so much, was too surreal to ignore.
While I was lost in these thoughts, I heard the door open. The nurse who had attended to me the night before came in carrying a tray with syringes and bottles of medicine. She had a tired but also resolute look, like someone who was used to dealing with stubborn patients.
"Good morning, Atlas," she said, with a polite smile.
"Time for the medicine. This will help keep the pain under control."
"I don't need it," I answered quickly, trying to sound calm.
"I'm not feeling any pain. Please, you can put this away."
She paused for a moment, looking at me as if I were delirious.
"Atlas, you've suffered severe burns. It's natural that you don't feel much pain now, because the medicine is still in your system. But believe me, without it, it will be unbearable."
I insisted, shaking my head.
"I know what you're thinking, but I really don't feel anything. And honestly, these medicines must be expensive. I don't want to add to the expenses. I know I'm already causing enough trouble here."
The nurse frowned, visibly frustrated. She took a deep breath and placed the tray on the small table next to the bed.
"Okay. I'll tell the doctor, but I want to make it clear that this is not a good idea. When the pain returns—because it will—I hope you won't regret it."
I nodded, even though I didn't believe the pain would actually return. Ever since I started circulating that energy, I had felt something different inside me, as if my body was healing from the inside out. As soon as she left the room, I closed my eyes and began another round of practice.
With each cycle I completed, the flow of energy seemed stronger, more defined. It was as if my body was adapting, learning to channel this force more efficiently. The sensation ran through my limbs, pulsing steadily and comfortingly. When I reached the most injured parts—my hands and arms, covered in bandages—I noticed something extraordinary. The pain and discomfort had almost completely disappeared.
Even though I couldn't see my wounds directly, I knew something was happening. It was subtle, but noticeable. The tightness in my skin was diminishing, and the most burned areas seemed less inflamed. This wasn't a natural healing, I was sure of that. It was something superhuman, impossible for any ordinary person.
Meanwhile, the nurse who had left the room went to the doctor in charge of my case. He was sitting in a small break room, reviewing charts. When she came in and explained my refusal to take the medication, he laughed.
"It's normal," the doctor said, shaking his head.
"Some patients become resistant to medication, thinking they're better than they really are. Leave him without the injections for a few hours. When the pain hits, he'll change his mind in no time."
The nurse didn't seem so convinced, but she agreed.
"He looked so... bad. How is he going to make it through the night with so many sores? This will only give me more work later."
"It's only a matter of time. When he starts complaining of a high fever and unbearable pain, you'll understand. I bet you can't even last the rest of the day without begging for help," the doctor explained.
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Back in the room, I continued with my exercises.
Each new attempt felt more natural, as if I was unlocking a dormant instinct within me. The energy flowed almost automatically now, running through my body with ease. I began to experiment with different ways of controlling it, trying to redirect the flow to specific areas, such as my hands or legs. With each attempt, I felt a comforting warmth spread through the chosen area.
I decided to try something more practical. I concentrated the energy in my hands, exactly as I had done the day before, but this time with more intensity. I closed my eyes and imagined the energy accumulating, forming something visible. I felt the vibration increase, but still nothing appeared.
I didn't give up.
I knew I was on the right path, I just needed more practice.
It was at that moment that I noticed a slight itch in the palm of my right hand, under the bandages. The sensation wasn't unpleasant, but rather peculiar. I reached up and touched the spot, feeling something strange beneath the fabric.
It felt like… new skin?
My mind went into overdrive, but at the same time, I couldn't contain my excitement. It was impossible to ignore the fact that my body was healing at an accelerated rate.
Focused on my experiments, I lost track of time. When the door to the room opened again, it was the nurse, wheeling in a cart with equipment to measure my vital signs. She looked suspicious, but tried to keep her tone professional.
"How are you feeling now, Atlas? Any pain or discomfort?"
"None," I replied, smiling slightly.
"Actually, I feel better than yesterday."
She raised her eyebrows, clearly surprised. Without saying anything, she began to take my blood pressure and temperature. When she looked at the thermometer, her expression changed.
"Strange. No fever," she muttered to herself.
She checked again, but the result was the same.
"I'll let the doctor know," she said, her tone more hesitant.
"That's… unusual, considering your condition. I'll come back later."
After she left again, I couldn't help but smile. I knew something extraordinary was happening to me. This wasn't just a miracle of survival, but a transformation. As I stared at the floating screen in my vision, where my Energy Manipulation ability still glowed, I couldn't help but wonder where this could take me. I knew it wouldn't be easy to find out, but I was determined to explore this new world that was opening up before me.