The blinding light dimmed, and Atticus found himself standing in an identical room, much like the one he had just left.
The difference, however, was the massive fog rising in the middle of the room, and instead of ten, only two orbs rested on the table.
Again, no instructions.
Atticus swept his gaze across the room for a moment, then shook his head and moved toward the fog.
It stretched across the entire length and breadth of the room, swallowing everything beyond it.
’Some kind of barrier.’
He studied it in silence, his eyes narrowing slightly. A strange urge to reach out and touch it crept into his mind.
He stopped himself and stepped back instead.
Though he could still call upon Solvath’s power, it gave him no real enhancement. Right now, he was effectively powerless. Even the slightest mistake could prove fatal.
After a few more seconds of observation, Atticus exhaled quietly and turned away, shifting his attention to the orbs on the table.
The first was white, radiating a soft but steady brilliance, while the second was pitch black, its surface wrapped in a faint, oppressive gloom.
’Light and darkness.’
They hovered close to one another, yet refused to merge. Atticus could sense a subtle vibration between them, a constant tension that pushed them apart.
’They’re different.’
Unlike the ten orbs from before, these energies were fundamentally opposed.
Atticus steadied his thoughts.
’Why?’
As the question formed, the image of the previous orbs surfaced in his mind. Despite their differences in behavior, one detail stood out.
At their core, they had all shared the same nature.
Each orb was a different shade of red, each carrying distinct fiery properties.
’Then...’
Atticus’ gaze settled on the two orbs before him. Light and darkness. Two forces that stood in direct opposition.
’The nature of the energy determines how well they combine.’
As the thought settled, Atticus grew certain of what this test was about.
’Fusion.’
He closed his eyes briefly and exhaled. When they opened again, his world shifted into a deep purple hue.
Atticus narrowed his eyes at the orbs, more precisely, at the space between them. There, the two forces collided violently, scattering sparks into the air.
He extended his arm over one of the orbs and focused. It quivered for a brief moment before snapping firmly into his grasp. He repeated the same for the other.
Then, drawing in a slow breath, he began guiding both energies toward each other.
The closer they moved, the more violently the sparks flared, and the stronger the resistance became.
By the time they were an inch apart, a crushing pressure had already begun to bear down on his mind.
It felt as though the world itself was trying to tear the two energies away from his control. Atticus’ fingers tightened as he forced them forward.
The orbs trembled under the strain, inching closer.
’Almost...’
They met a moment later, and Atticus had just begun to release his breath when both orbs shuddered violently.
His eyes sharpened.
’What—’
Boom!
A violent explosion erupted, blasting him backward and hurling him straight into the fog with brutal force.
Thud.
Atticus slammed into the ground, pain surging through his body in a relentless wave.
"Shit..."
He coughed, a mouthful of blood spilling out. His gaze dropped to his arms, and his expression hardened. They were charred, blackened from the blast.
He had barely managed to raise his guard before the explosion hit him.
The damage was still severe, but it would have been far worse if it had met his head.
A flash of light pulled his attention back to the table. The two orbs had reappeared, hovering as if nothing had happened.
Drawing in deep, uneven breaths, Atticus forced himself up and dragged his body toward the wall, resting against it.
Most of the damage had been taken by his arms, and aside from the searing pain, he couldn’t sense any fractures.
"Heal me."
Nothing.
He focused, guiding Solvath’s energy through his body, willing it to mend the damage.
Only a faint warmth answered him. The wounds remained. The pain remained.
Atticus exhaled slowly, then lifted his gaze back to the orbs, replaying everything in his mind.

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