Episode 5: Phase 1
"Echoes of the Unknown"
The training room was quiet, almost unnervingly so. Rylen stood in the center, staring at a new contraption that looked like a cross between a giant metal spider and a torture device.
"This looks... fun," Rylen said, shooting a wary glance at Aris. "Let me guess—another exercise to see how much humiliation I can handle before I quit?"
Aris, as always, was stoic. "This device measures the flow and stability of your energy. If you're imbalanced or overexerting, it will let you know."
"By 'let me know,' do you mean zap me into oblivion?" Rylen asked, eyeing the machine suspiciously.
Aris gave a rare, faint smirk. "Only if you fail spectacularly."
"Great," Rylen muttered. "No pressure."
Lyra stepped forward, holding what looked like a small metallic disc. She tossed it to Rylen, who fumbled it before catching it.
"This is your focus point," she explained. "You'll channel your energy into the disc. The machine will analyze your output and determine your control level."
"Sounds simple enough," Rylen said, gripping the disc.
"It's not," Lyra replied bluntly. "Most recruits struggle to even activate the disc on their first try. It requires precision and focus—qualities you haven't exactly mastered yet."
"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence," Rylen said dryly.
"Enough talk," Aris interrupted. "Begin."
Rylen took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to feel the now-familiar warmth in his chest. It flickered like a faint ember, waiting to be stoked.
"Come on," he whispered to himself, willing the energy to flow into his hand. The warmth grew stronger, spreading through his arm and into the disc.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the disc began to glow faintly, a soft blue light radiating from its surface.
"Good," Lyra said, nodding. "Now maintain it."
Rylen focused harder, his grip tightening on the disc. The light grew brighter, pulsing in time with his heartbeat.
"Not bad," Aris said. "But you're holding back."
"Holding back?" Rylen said, his concentration wavering. "I'm barely holding on!"
"Don't overthink it," Aris said. "Let the energy flow naturally. Stop trying to control it and just guide it."
Rylen gritted his teeth, frustrated but determined. He closed his eyes again, letting the energy move more freely. The glow of the disc intensified, filling the room with a soft, ethereal light.
"Better," Lyra said, her tone less harsh than usual.
But then, the machine began to hum ominously. The lights on its surface flickered, and a low-pitched whine filled the air.
"What's happening?" Rylen asked, his voice tinged with panic.
"You're overloading the system," Aris said, stepping back. "Stop now, or it'll—"
Before Aris could finish, the machine sparked violently. A surge of energy shot out, engulfing Rylen in a blinding flash of light.
When the light faded, Rylen was on his knees, gasping for breath. The disc lay on the ground, smoking slightly. The machine, now a scorched mess, emitted a faint, pitiful whine before shutting down completely.
"Well," Lyra said after a long pause. "That was... impressive."
"Impressive?" Rylen said, coughing. "I just blew up your fancy machine!"
"Exactly," she replied. "No recruit has ever overloaded the system before. You have more raw power than we realized."
"That's not exactly comforting," Rylen muttered, pulling himself to his feet.
Aris studied him, their expression unreadable. "You're a wildcard, Rylen. A force we don't fully understand yet. But that unpredictability might be your greatest strength."
"Or my biggest weakness," Rylen said, brushing ash off his shirt.
"Only if you let it be," Aris replied.
The room fell silent, the weight of Aris's words settling over them. Rylen looked at the charred remains of the machine, a knot of unease forming in his chest.
He wasn't just a recruit anymore. He was something else—something dangerous.
---
Episode 5: Phase 2
"Echoes of the Unknown" (continued)
The aftermath of the explosion left the training room cloaked in an uneasy quiet. Smoke curled lazily from the remains of the machine, and Rylen was still staring at his hands like they belonged to someone else.
"So, what now?" he asked, breaking the silence. "Do I get benched, or are we just going to ignore the fact that I nearly blew up your lab?"
Aris's gaze was intense, their sharp eyes searching his face. "We're not ignoring anything, Rylen. But you need to understand—this is just the beginning. Your power is unstable because it's untapped. The artifact has chosen you for a reason, but unless you gain control, you'll always be a threat to yourself and everyone around you."
"Well, that's comforting," Rylen said with a dry laugh. "Any other doomsday prophecies you'd like to share?"
"Focus," Lyra snapped. "You need to take this seriously, Rylen. That kind of energy could've leveled this entire facility if you weren't holding back."
Rylen raised an eyebrow. "I was holding back?"
"Yes," she said firmly. "Which means there's more power in you than we realized. But if you don't start trusting yourself, it'll overwhelm you."
"Trust myself?" Rylen muttered. "I barely understand what's happening inside me. Every time I try to use this power, it feels like I'm walking a tightrope—one wrong move, and I'm toast."
"That's why we're here," Aris said. "To guide you. But the truth is, Rylen, no one else can master this for you. You have to make the choice to rise above your fear."
Rylen swallowed hard. He wanted to argue, to push back against the weight of their expectations, but deep down, he knew they were right.
"All right," he said, squaring his shoulders. "What's next?"
Aris exchanged a glance with Lyra before turning back to Rylen. "We'll need to escalate your training. You're no longer dealing with theoreticals. From now on, every session will push you to your limit—and beyond."
"Great," Rylen said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Because that's been working so well for me so far."
Lyra smirked. "Get used to it. You're not here to be comfortable. You're here to survive."
Before Rylen could reply, the room's comm system crackled to life. A mechanical voice echoed through the speakers.
"Attention: Unidentified energy surge detected in Quadrant Three. All personnel report to defensive stations immediately."
Lyra's expression darkened. "What now?"
Aris stiffened, their hand instinctively reaching for the sleek device clipped to their belt. "Stay here," they ordered Rylen. "This isn't your fight."
"What do you mean, 'stay here'?" Rylen protested. "What's going on?"
"An energy surge like this isn't natural," Aris said. "It could be a breach—or worse."
"Which is exactly why I shouldn't stay here," Rylen argued. "If my power's as dangerous as you say, maybe it can actually help."
Lyra hesitated, glancing at Aris. "He's not wrong. If this is an attack, we might need him."
Aris's jaw tightened. "Fine. But Rylen, you follow our lead. No improvising."
"Got it," Rylen said, though he wasn't entirely sure he meant it.
The trio rushed out of the training room, the metallic halls of the facility humming with an ominous energy. As they neared Quadrant Three, the air grew colder, and a strange, faint vibration rippled through the floor.
"What is that?" Rylen asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Trouble," Lyra said grimly.
They turned a corner and froze. At the far end of the corridor, a swirling vortex of dark energy crackled and hissed, its tendrils lashing out like living shadows.
"What... what is that thing?" Rylen stammered.
"A rift," Aris said, their voice tight. "And if it's here, it means someone—or something—is trying to break through."
Before Rylen could process what that meant, a figure began to emerge from the vortex. Its form was shrouded in darkness, but two glowing, ember-like eyes pierced through the void, locking onto Rylen.
"Rylen," the figure said, its voice echoing unnaturally. "We've been waiting for you."
Rylen's blood turned to ice. "Me? Why me?"
"You hold the key," the figure said, stepping closer. "And now, you will unlock it—for us."
"Not on our watch," Lyra growled, raising her weapon.
But before she could fire, the figure extended a hand, and a shockwave of energy erupted from the vortex, sending all three of them flying. Rylen slammed into the wall, gasping as the air was knocked from his lungs.
"Rylen!" Lyra shouted, struggling to her feet.
The figure loomed over him, its ember eyes blazing. "You cannot escape your destiny, Rylen. The power inside you belongs to us."
Rylen clenched his fists, the warmth in his chest flaring to life. For the first time, he didn't hesitate. He didn't overthink. He simply let the energy flow.
And as his power surged, the figure stopped, its ember eyes narrowing.
"Interesting," it murmured.
The corridor exploded with light.