The workshop was filled with the quiet sound of machinery, its rhythmic beat almost calming down Kael into a state of focused calm. Tools were scattered across the workbench, and the faint smell of heated metal and solder filled the air. The prototype device, Kael's greatest ambition, sat in the center of the table, its core faintly pulsing with light. Although it was close, there was still something missing. Kael ran a hand through his messy hair, sighing in frustration. The edges of his desk mocked him with his notes filled with equations and schematics. The problem wasn't in the science; it was in the execution. The device would not stabilize no matter how much refinement he made.
"You look like you could use a hand." The voice came from behind him, smooth and unfamiliar. Kael spun around, startled, to see a tall figure standing in the doorway. The man's lean, sharp appearance and effortless confidence made him seem out of place in the cluttered workshop. While simple, his attire was sleek, and he wore a jacket with subtle metallic patterns that caught light. "Who are you?" Kael asked, his voice edged with suspicion. The man stepped closer, his hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Rynn. Let's just say I have an interest in making sure you succeed." Kael frowned. "That doesn't answer my question. How did you even get in here?" Rynn smirked. "Let's call it... resourcefulness. I've been observing your work. I know about the energy field instability, and I think I can help." Kael hesitated.
There was something unnerving about Rynn, but the way he spoke, confident and knowledgeable, piqued his curiosity. "You know about the instability?" "Of course," Rynn said, stepping closer to examine the prototype. "You're trying to create a device that channels pure anomaly energy into a sustainable loop. The problem isn't your equations; it's the materials. You need something that can handle the energy output without fracturing." Kael's eyes narrowed. "And you just happen to know what that is?" Rynn chuckled. "You're not the first genius to underestimate me. But yes, I do. Let me show you." Over the next hour, Rynn worked alongside Kael, guiding him through adjustments with uncanny precision. Kael's skepticism turned into respect as the device stabilized under Rynn's suggestions. By the time they finished, the prototype emitted a steady, harmonious sound, and its core was glowing with stable light. Kael stared at it, hardly daring to believe it. "It works... It actually works." "Of course it does," Rynn said with a grin. "You're brilliant, Kael. You just needed a little nudge."
Before Kael could respond, the door opened again, and Lydia walked in, her expression bright but quickly shifting to shock when she saw Rynn. "Rynn?
What are you doing here?" Kael glanced between them, surprised. "You two know each other?" "He's my cousin," Lydia said, her tone a mix of disbelief and irritation. "And a troublemaker." Rynn raised his hands in mock innocence. "Come on, Lydia. I'm here to help. Besides, your friend here was stuck." Lydia's eyes narrowed, but she let it go. "You've always had a knack for showing up at the right—or wrong—time." Kael cleared his throat, trying to steer the conversation back to the invention. "It's done, Lydia. The device... it's finally stable." Lydia's eyes lit up as she stepped closer to examine it. "Kael, this is incredible." She glanced at Rynn, her expression softening slightly. "Even if he helped." The three of them spent the next hour discussing the final adjustments, their earlier tension easing into camaraderie. The invention, a compact device Kael called the Anomaly Energy Orb, was unlike anything the world had seen—a portable generator of pure anomaly energy, capable of powering entire systems or revolutionizing energy-dependent machinery. It was a dream come to life. "We should show Professor Tharion," Lydia said suddenly, her eyes lighting up. "He'll want to see this before the showcase." Kael hesitated, glancing at the glowing orb. "Do you think he'd have time?" "For something like this?" Lydia grinned. "He'd make time."
The trio made their way to the grand halls of the Arcanum Institute, where Professor Tharion, one of the Council of Nine and the most renowned scientist in Abranta, held his research chambers. The building loomed above them, a marvel of modern architecture with gleaming spires and intricate carvings of historical discoveries.
Inside Tharion's office were numerous bookshelves, artifacts, and devices that produced a faint energy hum inside. The professor, a short man with a long beard and an inquisitive gaze, looked up from his desk as they entered. "Kael! Lydia! What brings you here at this hour?" His voice was warm and full of curiosity. Kael stepped forward, holding the orb carefully.
"Professor, I wanted to show you this. It's finally complete." Tharion's eyes widened as Kael placed the orb on the desk. He leaned in, examining it with a mixture of awe and delight. "Remarkable. Truly remarkable. You've managed to stabilize the energy loop? How?" Kael glanced at Rynn, who gave him a subtle nod. "It took some... outside-the-box thinking. But yes, it's stable now." Tharion beamed, his excitement palpable.
"Kael, this is revolutionary. The potential applications for something like this are limitless. I can't wait to see what else you have in store for the showcase."
Kael felt a swell of pride at the professor's words. For the first time in weeks, the weight of his ambition felt lighter, and his confidence was renewed. As they left Tharion's office, the trio shared a quiet moment of triumph, their steps were echoing in the halls of the Arcanum. The showcase was in a few days and for the first time in a while, Kael felt ready.