The Roar of the Night

16

The first day of training had arrived. I covered myself completely with the Venom mask, not only for the anonymity, but also for the feeling of being ready for any challenge. It was the first time I would train for something bigger than just reacting to problems. Now, I was preparing to be a hero, one who controlled his abilities to the fullest.

Alex and Tom watched me as I took position. First, they wanted to see what he was capable of in terms of strength. They asked me to carry several huge logs that we had collected from the forest. It wasn't difficult for me; I felt how the muscles and the symbiote worked in perfect synchrony. **"Easy,"** I thought as I threw a log farther than anyone could have imagined.

After that, Tom gave me a bigger challenge: lifting Alex's car. I didn't hesitate, and as I flexed the muscles in my legs, the car began to rise easily. Venom was proud. **"We could throw this car like a ball if we wanted,"** he commented, but I reminded myself that we weren't there to demonstrate destructive power. I lowered the car gently, under the watchful eyes of my two coaches.

Finally, to close the show of strength, I took Alex and Tom, one in each arm, and lifted them as if they weighed nothing. **"Impressive",** Alex said, without hiding his astonishment. **"Now that we know how strong you are, it's time to see your speed."**

They took me to the track we had built, a military-style obstacle course: walls to jump over, ropes to climb, and narrow tunnels I had to go through. I ran with all my speed, overcoming each obstacle quickly, feeling the air around me. But there was still something else to prove: the powers that Venom had given me and that until now I had kept hidden.

**"It's time to show what we can do together,"** I told myself.

I extended my arm toward a nearby tree, and the symbiote reacted, lengthening my arm as if it were elastic. My hand reached the top of the tree smoothly, allowing me to climb up in one motion. **"This power is incredible,"** I thought, but soon I noticed something strange: when I stretched my arm beyond 20 meters, parts of the symbiote began to detach from my body. I looked down and saw how my legs were partially exposed, showing a grotesque image, a mixture of muscles and skin, but not completely covered. It was an aspect he preferred not to see. However, Tom and Alex said nothing, focusing on what he was accomplishing.

**"Don't worry about it now, Rex. The important thing is that it works when you need it," Tom said, unfazed by the disturbing image.

After demonstrating the powers of elasticity, it was time to fight. Tom, who had been in the war, knew well how to train someone in hand-to-hand combat. He taught me how to use my strength in a controlled manner, how to block blows, and above all, how to attack without fatally damaging. I knew that my strength was a double-edged sword, and I had to learn to use it accurately. Venom also participated, adapting to the movements quickly.

Finally, they brought in a test dummy, a simulation of a rescue. I had to imagine that the doll was trapped in a burning building, and I had to use my elasticity to rescue it. At first, I had trouble controlling the distance and staying steady as I stretched to reach him. **"You must be firm, Rex,"** Tom repeated to me. **"Imagine it's a real life, and you can't fail."**

They spent several days in this type of training, perfecting each skill. At first it was hard, but little by little I started to show progress. My control over elasticity improved, I learned to rescue with precision, and to fight without losing my mind. The hero he wanted to be was beginning to take shape, although there was still much to learn.