The apartment hummed with energy. Kael could feel the pulse of the code against his skin, an invisible rhythm that synchronized with his heartbeat. Eloi hovered near the holo-screen, its form shimmering like a galaxy compressed into humanoid shape.
"You can manipulate it," Eloi said, its voice smooth and unyielding. "The anomaly responds to intent, to will, and to resonance. But be careful. It is not just code. It is ancient power, old as the myths you thought were stories."
Kael nodded slowly. He reached toward the screen again, and this time the patterns bent to his focus, forming images of mountains floating in impossible geometries, rivers of molten silver, and creatures he had only seen in myths. The connection was intoxicating and terrifying.
Can I control it? he thought. His hands began to glow faintly with blue light. Sparks leapt from his fingers, interacting with the digital patterns, weaving them into new shapes. Kael gasped. Magic… was real. And somehow, it was inside him.
Eloi's voice softened, almost empathetic. "Fear is natural. But hesitation could be fatal. The worlds are awakening, and you are at the center."
Kael exhaled, feeling the magnitude of his situation. He had always been a seeker of knowledge, a solver of impossible puzzles. But this… this was different. This was a puzzle where the pieces were alive, and the stakes were infinite.