"The bracelets aren't negotiable," Atlas stepped forward, his stance widening instinctively as if preparing for combat. "We didn't come here to accelerate a process we barely understand."
Master Wu's serene expression never wavered. "Understanding isn't achieved through resistance. The mountain stream doesn't fight gravity—it follows the path of least resistance while carving its own way."
"Save the fortune cookie philosophy," Atlas snapped. "We're not here for enlightenment. We're here for answers."
The Academy's stone courtyard hummed with energy beneath their feet, responding to Atlas's agitation with pulses of golden light that matched his own suppressed energy signature. The night air carried a faint metallic tang, the atmospheric result of concentrated quantum energies contained w
