Midnight hung heavy over the city, but in the depths of an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts, the only light came from flickering bulbs and the erratic glow of machines. The air smelled of burnt metal, solder, and ozone.
John Veyne sat slouched on a rickety stool, his thin frame almost swallowed by the clutter around him. His ribs pressed painfully against his shirt, and every movement made his joints ache a cruel reminder of a body that refused to cooperate with a mind that raced faster than it could keep up.
Sparks danced from half-finished machinery scattered across the workshop. At the center stood his latest creation: a sleek, compact device he had named the Divinus Core. Tubes snaked from its sides, wires crawled across the floor like living veins, and panels flickered with lights that barely held against the dimness of the room. This was his greatest experiment yet a machine meant to mimic the flow of Divine Energy itself.
"I'm close. I know it!" John whispered, his thin lips curling into a smile as he pushed himself upright. His hands shook as he swung his gaze to the workstation at the far end of the room.
The computer sat on a steel table, dust and tools scattered around it. Its black surface reflected the glow of the workshop lights, and John's trembling fingers danced across the keyboard. He tapped the enter key, then navigated through layers of software screens, clicking with precision despite the tremor in his hands: Flux Simulation → Core Initialization → Output Stabilization → Start Sequence.
He adjusted the tiny microphone on his headset and typed in a final command before pressing the glass-covered activation button. The button hissed under his touch, glowing faintly beneath his palm.
John's heart thudded. He crouched behind the makeshift shield he had built himself—a tall, reinforced panel of layered metal plates. The shield bore scorch marks from previous failures. His helmet, a sleek contraption that covered his face entirely, reflected the flickering lights. Through its small visor, he could see the numbers on the computer: 99% SUCCESS.
"Come on… please work…" he murmured, barely daring to breathe.
He tightened his grip on the edge of the shield and waited. The hum of the Divinus Core grew louder, a high-pitched resonance vibrating through the floor and into his bones. Wires trembled, tubes shuddered, and a faint blue glow emanated from the heart of the machine.
And then
Everything went dark.
The lights flickered once… twice… and died. The hum of the machine cut off abruptly. The numbers on the computer screen vanished. Silence pressed against him, heavier than the metal around him.
"What the ?" he muttered, stepping slightly forward, ignoring the ache in his joints.
Before he could lower the shield, a sudden repulse of energy shot from the Divinus Core. A shockwave slammed into him, knocking him back against the floor. Pain exploded up his right leg, sharp and unforgiving. Sparks flew across the room as tubes rattled against the steel table.
"Ughh… man!" he groaned, gritting his teeth through the ache. He tried to move, wincing at every step, before finally slumping back against the shield.
He lifted his head, looking at the still, lifeless machine. The glow was gone, the hum silenced, and for the first time in weeks, the core seemed utterly defeated.
"Haih… I guess… I'll give up now," he muttered, voice raw with exhaustion, rubbing at the bruise forming along his leg.
But even as the words left his mouth, a faint, almost imperceptible vibration hummed from the Divinus Core. A reminder, it wasn't over yet.
And John frail, battered, determined couldn't let it be.